Multimedia Presentations: The Natural Laboratory Audio Podcasts

The Natural Laboratory is a series of podcasts produced by Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center Science Communication Interns from 2007 to 2012 exploring science from Bay Area National Parks. The audio podcasts are presented on this page, below.

 
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In December 2020, Point Reyes National Seashore, the Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center, and Point Reyes National Seashore Association revived The Natural Laboratory podcast series, initially focusing on the Woodward Fire.

  • In "The Legacy of Fire at Point Reyes," Science Communication Intern Jerimiah Oetting dives into how the Woodward fire compares to its predecessor, the 1995 Vision fire. He also explores how climate change and fire suppression drive the increasing intensity of wildfire in the West.
  • In "New Growth," Jerimiah speaks with fire ecologists and botanists about what that recovery will look like in the coming months and years, and what we can learn from Indigenous practices of managing the landscape with fire.
  • In "How Wildlife Withstand Wildfires," Jerimiah speaks to park scientists to learn how certain vulnerable species might be impacted by wildfires.

In March 2022, Science Communication Intern Theodora Mautz recorded two podcasts about black abalone.

  • In "A History of Black Abalone in California: From Abundance to Scarcity," Theodora dives into the science and history of black abalone from multiple perspectives, and explains how they went from one of the most ubiquitous intertidal species in the state to federally endangered in just a few years due to a disease called Withering Syndrome.
  • In "Recovering Black Abalone: Their Roles in Intertidal Ecosystems and in Ours," Theodora speaks with a handful of experts on strategies to combat Withering Syndrome, some of the lessons learned, and some of the next steps for black abalone recovery.

Visit our new The Natural Laboratory podcast page to listen to these new podcasts.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A logo featuring a silhouette of a bull elk's head against a cartoon of coastal grasslands with a semi-circular section of bay on the right. The words Point Reyes National Seashore Association are below the cartoon.

Supported by Point Reyes National Seashore Association
Support for The Natural Laboratory comes from Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA), whose mission is to work with the National Park Service to preserve and protect Point Reyes National Seashore for current and future generations. Each year, PRNSA funds vital projects across the park, including those explored in this podcast series. We couldn’t do this without them, and they couldn’t do it without support from generous donors. Visit their website to learn more.

Last updated: September 17, 2024

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1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Phone:

415-464-5100
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