All Podcast Episodes

Ep.53: Literary walks
Episodes Title

Jason Ramsay-Brown talks about the inspiration for literary walks and our ravines as a source of inspiration for Toronto's authors and other creatives.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.52: Autumn colours
Episodes Title

Nancy Dengler talks about autumn colours: why trees lose their leaves, how they know to change colour in the fall, what causes the change, and where to see the fall colours inToronto.

Contributor:
Nancy Dengler
Ep.51: Brown-headed Cowbird

Bruce Thompson describes the Brown-headed Cowbird, its unusual strategy of laying its eggs in other species' nests, how it affects the host bird, and possible origins of its name.

Contributor:
Bruce Thompson
Ep.50: Passmore Forest
Episodes Title

Jason Ramsay-Brown talks about Passmore Forest: the history behind its name, what can be seen there, including the archeological artifacts of a Wendat longhouse found nearby.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.49: Fall tree planting – yes, you can!

Ellen Schwartzel talks about fall tree planting: why fall is a good time, benefits of native trees, and advice on planting trees at home.

Contributor:
Ellen Schwartzel
Ep.48: Accessibility and nature walks

Joan Lewis talks about accessibility of organized walks: the challenges of the terrain, obtaining detailed enough trail information, and improvements needed to make nature walks accessible.

Contributor:
Joan Lewis
Ep.47: Monarch Butterflies

Ellen Schwartzel discusses the fluctuations and downward trend of Monarch butterfly populations, reasons for their decline, remedial actions being taken, and what could be behind their recent upswing.

Contributor:
Ellen Schwartzel
Ep.46: Todmorden Mills wildflower preserve

Jason Ramsay-Brown talks about the location and industrial history of Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve. In the 1990s, Charles Sauriol and others started its transformation into a rich ecosystem with volunteers still working at it.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.45: Toronto’s seagulls

Bruce Thompson talks about what makes Toronto’s seagulls special, how they differ from other gulls, where to see them and how they defend against predators.

Contributor:
Bruce Thompson
Ep.44: Cicadas
Episodes Title

Susan Grimbly talks about Cicadas: the sound they make, what they look like, where they are found and their unique life cycle and their sensitivity to climate change.

Contributor:
Susan Grimbly
Ep.43: Climate and populations – ticks and chickadees

Ellen Schwartzel describes climate change effects on Black-legged Tick and Black-capped Chickadee populations, and government research into climate change impacts on various species and diseases such as Lyme's Disease.

Contributor:
Ellen Schwartzel
Ep.42: Earthworms – good or bad

Jason Ramsay-Brown talks about earthworms, an alien invasive species. They have negative effects on ecosystems but are generalists which have adapted well to our environment. Limiting their spread is a best practice.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.41: Tree-of-Heaven
Episodes Title

Bruce Thompson describes the non-native, invasive Tree-of-Heaven: where it is found, its characteristics, and its hellish aspects.

Contributor:
Bruce Thompson
Ep.40: Tree communication

Nancy Dengler talks about tree communication: the process they use to share nutrients and how they share info about threats.

Contributor:
Nancy Dengler
Ep.39: Nature walk in High Park

Host Bryce Turner joins Toronto Field Naturalists president Jason Ramsay-Brown on a nature walk through High Park. Many TFN walks are open to the public and cover an array of perspectives on Toronto's nature such as High Park’s black oak savannah.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.38: Pigeon power
Episodes Title

Susan Grimbly talks about pigeons: where they come from, how they have adapted to cities, and their methods to avoid predators such as hawks and peregrine falcons.

Contributor:
Susan Grimbly
Ep.37: Gates Gully
Episodes Title

Jason Ramsay-Brown talks about Gates Gully: the location of the ravine, its history (including tales of treasure) and the plants and wildlife found there.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.36: Toronto’s Minks

Bruce Thompson describes minks, where they are found, their varied diet and how the species is doing.

Contributor:
Bruce Thompson
Ep.35: Spores vs seeds
Episodes Title

Jason Ramsay-Brown talks about the evolutionary advantages of seeds over spores, including 31,000-year-old seeds brought to life and acorns from destroyed Vimy oak forests.

Contributor:
Jason Ramsay-Brown
Ep.34: Medicinal plants

Nancy Dengler describes some medicinal plants and their habitat, the chemicals produced by plants and their effects on insects vs humans, and growing them at home.

Contributor:
Nancy Dengler