Golden State Naturalist
Episodes
Resolutions with Anders Reynolds and Bill Hodge
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you making New Year's resolutions this year? Mine are a little unconventional. Find out what they are and get to know two incredible advocates...
Critical Mast: Oak Trees with Zarah Wyly
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We need every single species of native tree here in California, but our 20+ varieties of native oaks are the most crucial of all. In this episode, joi...
Symbiotic Cities with Kat Superfisky
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can cities be good for wildlife? Or at least not so bad? What changes would we need to make to welcome more life into our cities? How would those chan...
Saving California: How 30x30 Is Growing the Conservation Movement in the Golden State
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
California is one of only 36 Global Biodiversity Hotspots. This means that we have incredible species richness with at least 1,500 endemic vascular pl...
The LA River with Kat Superfisky
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Descend with me and LA's first ever urban ecologist into the concrete channel of the Los Angeles River as we discuss novel ecosystems, eminent dom...
California Red-Legged Frogs with Brad Hollingsworth
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chances are, you’ve never seen our state amphibian in the wild. In this episode, find out how the California red-legged frog became so rare while al...
Listening in Nature with Fil Corbitt
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can listening deepen our relationship with place? What do birds think about highway noise? Is that ice bridge safe to cross at this time of year? ...
Torrey Pines with Jon Rebman
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do cacti and rare pines have in common? What’s a paleoendemic? Do pinecones have teeth? Why do so many different plant species live in Mediterr...
Ringtails with Dave Wyatt and Kristyn Schulte
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what little-known and mysterious beings are living among us, just out of sight? This episode is about one such creature that mo...
Fire in Built Environments (Special Episode: LA Fires) with Alexandra Syphard
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join me and Dr. Alexandra Syphard as we discuss what makes some neighborhoods more fire prone than others, the Santa Ana Winds, defensible space, the ...
Urban Canyons with Michelle Thompson
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Flying over San Diego, you can see them: Fingers of green extending through neighborhoods all across the city. San Diego’s urban canyon’s serve...
Keystone Plants with Doug Tallamy
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do oak trees, goldenrod, willows, and ceanothus all have in common? They all belong to the group of roughly 14% of plants supporting 90% of cater...
Burrowing Owls with Phil Unitt
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do fake rattlesnakes, California ground squirrels, odd eye bones, bubonic plague, bizarre choices in home decor, and regurgitated mouse bones hav...
Sea Level Rise and the California Coast: Imagining a Better Future with Rosanna Xia
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The sea is rising, and I have a lot of questions. Questions about sand movement, seawalls, nature-based climate solutions, ecosystem engineer plants,...
BONUS: Leave the Leaves with David Mizejewski
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's fall! And all around the country, tidy piles of raked leaves rest on the corners of lawns, ready to be bagged up and thrown away. But throwing ...
Tule Elk with Orlando Rocha and Tom Batter
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How is the story of tule elk tied to the story of California? What’s the difference between a grazer and a browser? Why do tule elk have such big fe...
[Greatest Hits] Central Valley Water and Wetlands with Ellen Wehr
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that California's Central Valley once contained a vast inland sea and was home to camels, 400 lb. saber-toothed salmon, and tiny four-t...
Wildlife Crossings with Ben Goldfarb
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some animals plod across roads without hesitation. Others dart across quickly, while still more freeze at the sight of an oncoming car. A final group ...
Top 10 California Native Species: BONUS Episode with Griff Griffith and Michael Hawk
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are your top ten favorite California native species? Join me, Griff Griffith, and Michael Hawk as we joyously compile our collective top ten li...
Coastal Wetlands with Empress Holliday
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are coastal wetlands the same thing as estuaries? What about salt marshes? How can some plants grow in saltwater? Can I use them to salt my french fri...
California Snakes with Michael Starkey
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What makes California such a great spot for snake diversity? Where does antivenom come from, and why is it so expensive? Can you really inoculate your...
Tide Pools with Michelle Kunst
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do sea stars move around? Why am I jealous of giant green anemones? When's the best time to go tide pooling? Why is life so hard in the in the...
TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge / Indigenous Ecological Knowledge) with Frank Lake
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Indigenous people have lived in the place now known as California since time immemorial and are still here today. In this episode, join me and Frank...
Native Bees with Krystle Hickman
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever noticed a bee that looked a little…different? Maybe it was a bit fuzzier than a typical honey bee, or maybe it was obsidian black, bri...
Mythologizing Place with Obi Kaufmann
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Author, artist, poet, and eco-philosopher Obi Kaufmann doesn't want to craft a better argument. He wants to tell a better story. But what does t...
7 Ways to Connect with Nature this Year (2024 REPLAY)
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! 🎉 This episode has a great story, so I added a new intro to tell you about it. Here are the links mentioned in the new intro! 7 W...
Mistletoe with Joshua Der
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why we bring a toxic, parasitic plant indoors during the holidays...and then kiss under it? Or what ecological role this plant ...
Living in Place: Reflections on Being a Naturalist with Justin Garwood
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When was the last time you felt truly connected with a place? Was it somewhere rugged and wild, or was it on a leaf-strewn suburban block? What did yo...
The Klamath Mountains with Michael Kauffmann
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Klamath Mountains, straddling the California-Oregon border, are a hotspot for biodiversity. But what drives the species richness of the region? ...
Seaweed with Allison Poklemba
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is seaweed a plant? Is it ok to eat straight out of the ocean? What kinds of creatures rely on seaweed? How does kelp fight climate change? Join me a...
California Condors with Tiana Williams-Claussen
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At the height of the last ice age, California condors could be found all across North America, and since time immemorial, these birds have held specia...
Nocturnal Nature with Charles Hood
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered about things outside your window--the things that go bump in the night? Or, actually, things that flutter, flap, tread softly, ...
Nature in Your Neighborhood with Marni Fylling
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When was the last time you looked closely at the living things right outside your front door? Have you ever gotten lost in a daisy, zoomed in on a bur...
Redwood Trees with Griff Griffith
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Coast redwood trees reside in a category all their own. Not only are these the tallest trees in the world, but they grow in unique ecosystems–quiet,...
Art of Nature/Nature of Art with Jane Kim
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever looked at a piece of art that altered your perspective? Or one that challenged your thinking? Or maybe you’ve studied a piece that tau...
Foraging with Mia Andler
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered if the plants growing along your favorite trail or outside your door are edible? Or what kinds of flavors might not be availabl...
Urban Ecology with Miguel Ordeñana (Part 2: Bats, Inclusive Urban Nature and Community Science)
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do bats live close to my house? Why are they important? Do they have rabies? How can people help take care of urban wildlife? How can we involve more ...
Urban Ecology with Miguel Ordeñana (Part 1: P-22 Mountain Lion, Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, and Other Urban Carnivores)
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what kind of wildlife lives right in the middle of your city? Or why some animals thrive in cities while others don't? And ...
Growing Native Plants from Seed with Julia Michaels
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wanted to grow your own native plants? Where can you get California native seeds? Should you sow them directly in the ground or start th...
Amphibians with Gary Bucciarelli
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is an amphibian, anyway? Are they leading double lives? What's the difference between a newt and a salamander? A frog and a toad? What kinds...
Central Valley Water and Wetlands with Ellen Wehr
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that California's Central Valley once contained a vast inland sea and was home to camels, 400 lb. saber-toothed salmon, and tiny fo...
Ecological Restoration with Billy Sale
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What's the problem with yellow hills? How do you trick a seed? What are the neighbors angry about? Where do restorationists get all those seeds? What'...
Dark Skies with Kayla Browne and Dan Duriscoe
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us live in places where we can only see a few of the brightest stars in the sky at night, but what if that didn't have to be the case? Come wi...
Growth Mindset with John Muir Laws (BONUS Minisode!)
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How useful is IQ? What exactly is a growth mindset, and how is it different from a fixed mindset? What shifts can we make in our thinking that will al...
Nature Journaling with John Muir Laws
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that no pretty pictures or artistic talent are required to create a highly effective nature journal? Rather, as John Muir Laws explains i...
7 Ways to Connect with Nature This Year
01 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Are you hoping to spend more time outdoors this year? This episode is for you! In it, I'm sharing seven of my favorite ways to con...
California Native Plants with Naomi Fraga
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
California is home to 6,500 native plant species, including some that are truly iconic, like coast redwoods, giant sequoias, bristlecone pines, and Ca...
2022 California Naturalist Conference Highlights with José González, Rhiana Jones, Obi Kaufmann, and more!
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to know what some of the most experienced, most insightful naturalists in California have on their minds? You’ve come to the right place...
Ice Age California with Sean Campbell
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what was going on in California, oh, ten or fifty thousand years ago? About, perhaps, the social lives of saber-toothed cats, j...
Monarch Butterflies with Natalie Johnston
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What makes butterflies so magical? They are a wonder and a delight, and I’m so excited to be diving into a full episode about what is possibly the m...
Fire Ecology with Robin Lee Carlson
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hi there! It's season two now! Have you ever wondered what makes a "good fire" different from a "bad fire"? ME TOO. How about these: Which ecosystem n...
Mid-Break Updates AND Conversation with Michael Hawk on Nature's Archive
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been wondering what I've been up to or when I'll be back, this episode has your answers! PLUS, just as a bonus because I love you, her...
Beavers (Drought and Wildfire Superheroes!) with Emily Fairfax
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scale a beaver dam with me and Dr. Emily Fairfax, beaver researcher, ecohydrologist, assistant professor at CSU Channel Islands, and science communica...
Conglomerate Mesa (Joshua Trees! Desert Ecosystems! Gold Mining!) with Wendy Schneider
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When I first heard about Conglomerate Mesa, located on BLM land right outside of Death Valley, I had no idea how much ground a single episode could co...
Giant Sequoias (World's Largest Trees!) with Wendy Harrison
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever looked up at something much larger than yourself and felt teeny tiny, but in a good way? That's the feeling I get when I walk among gian...
Entomology (Bugs!) with Ralph Washington Jr.
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're here and you're like "ehhhhh, maybe I'll skip this one," don't! It's seriously so good even if bugs aren't usually your thing. Ralph Washing...
Coyotes with Sara Tabatabai
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been out hiking and heard an eerie chorus of barks, yips, and howls somewhere off in the distance? Or seen some scat that looked more li...
Guerrilla (Not Gorilla) Conservation with Shalaco from SFinBloom
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wanted to do something for the environment but gotten discouraged because the problems just seem too big and insurmountable? This happen...
The Sutter Buttes (World's Smallest Mountain Range!) with Steve Roddy
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that Northern California is home to the smallest mountain range in the world? It lies smack in the middle of the Sacramento Valley, and i...
Oak Trees with Zarah Wyly
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We need every single species of native tree here in California, but our 20+ varieties of native oaks are the most crucial of all. In this episode, joi...
Vernal Pools (Ephemeral Wetlands) with David Rosen
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you ever catch tadpoles in a pond when you were a kid? Or watch insects glide just under the surface of a creek? Recording this episode broug...
Salmon with Jason Fareira (Part 2 of 2)
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why are salmon important enough to merit two whole episodes? What are they up to when they're out in the ocean? What exactly is a keystone species? Sh...
Salmon with Jason Fareira (Part 1 of 2)
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ok, what's the deal with salmon? Why are they so vital to almost all of the organisms that live near their nesting grounds? What is a hatchery? Why ar...
California Geology with Nate Manley
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered how California was formed? Or why there's a mountain range on each side of the state with a big, flat valley in the middle? Or what make...
Episode 0
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Golden State Naturalist is a different kind of nature podcast. It's one that invites you out onto the landscape for a closer look, that engages y...