Flows in the Rio Chama, a tributary of the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico, have dwindled from drought and rising temperatures as well as diversion for agricultural irrigation. These diminished flows threaten groundwater resources and habitat for endangered plants and animals. Paul Tashjian, Director of Freshwater Conservation with Audubon Southwest, tells us about solutions that have been implemented to alleviate pressures on the Rio Chama and other waterways, bringing back flows for the natural habitat. Relevant Links: Five-Year Lease of Water Rights for Environmental Flows Along the Rio C ..read more

How is climate change affecting our coasts and ocean? What about aquaculture? Halley Froehlich, an expert in climate change impacts to coasts and oceans, with a strong focus on aquaculture, joins us to discuss this important topic as we wrap up our series highlighting Key Messages in the Southwest Chapter of the 5th National Climate Assessment. Relevant links:Read the 5th National Climate Assessment (NCA5)Webinars and podcasts on the NCA5NCA5 Atlas If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks! Fol ..read more

We continue our discussion of the Southwest Chapter of the 5th National Climate Assessment (NCA5). Each Chapter of NCA5 is organized around Key Messages. This month we interviewed the lead authors of four Key Messages in the Southwest Chapter, covering human health, water, agriculture, and wildfire. Each author shares what they would like people to know and what they found hopeful or encouraging within their Key Message topic. Relevant links: Read the 5th National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Webinars and podcasts on the NCA5 NCA5 Atlas If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us ..read more

Drs. Emile Elias and Dave White discuss the Southwest chapter of the 5th National Climate Assessment (NCA5). They share what it was like to be lead authors of the Southwest chapter, what’s new in this assessment, how it’s being shared, some major findings, and other highlights. We wrap up this episode with what each of them found encouraging or hopeful from the assessment. Relevant links: Read the 5th National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Webinars and podcasts on the NCA5 NCA5 Atlas “Startlement”, a poem by Poet Laureate Ada Limón for NCA5 If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating ..read more

We speak with the directors of two non-profit organizations who are turning problems into solutions by getting nutritious food that would normally go to waste back into our food system and into the hands of those who can use it - reducing waste, methane emissions, and fighting food insecurity all at the same time.  Cover Image credit: USDA Photo by Lance Cheung Relevant links: Association of Gleaning OrganizationsFalling FruitNational Gleaning ProjectBill Emerson Good Samaritan Act If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, P ..read more

Continuing with our agriculture theme, this month we are joined by Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson (Hopi Tribe of Arizona) who discusses Indigenous agricultural knowledge, traditional farming, Indigenous participation in conservation programs, climate change, and more. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung. Relevant links: Johnson, M.K., Rowe, M. , Lien, A.M.& Hoffman-Lopez, L. 2021. Enhancing Integration of Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge into National Resource Conservation Service Cost-Share Initiatives. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. Online. https://www.jswconline.org/content/76/6/487  ..read more

Kernza® is a small perennial grain with multiple environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration. We are joined by Nicole Tautges (Michael Fields Agricultural Institute) and Hana Fancher (The Land Institute) to learn more about the benefits and uses of Kernza®, as well as some of the challenges associated with growing this grain, and possible future directions. Photo credit: USDA Relevant links: Kernza® Coordinated Agriculture Project (CAP) Kernza® Grower Guide Kernza® Community Bake If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcast ..read more

“Old growth” is a term often associated with forests, however scientists are beginning to realize that this concept also applies to other types of ecosystems, including grasslands, which provide a host of important ecosystem services. We interviewed Dr. Katharine Suding, a researcher at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, to learn more about old growth grasslands. Image credit: USDA Photo by Lance Cheung Relevant links: Buisson, E., Archibald, S., Fidelis, A. and Suding, K.N., 2022. Ancient grasslands guide ambitious goals in grassland restoration. Sc ..read more

What’s behind the increasing size and severity of California’s wildfires? And if the trajectory continues, what does that mean for people living there? How has this trend already impacted residents? Three co-authors of a recent synthesis on drivers of wildfire in the Golden State share their main findings with us, as well as speculating on some possibilities for future solutions to living alongside increasing fire hazard. Photo credit: USDA Related Links:Climate Change Is Escalating California’s Wildfires Drivers of California’s changing wildfires: a state-of-the-knowledge synthesis If you’r ..read more

The John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center in Mora, New Mexico, aims to advance the understanding of restoration activities on forested areas in New Mexico through multidisciplinary research, education, and partner collaborations. The Center also provides science-based solutions for private, tribal, state, and federal forest managers, who face the threat of catastrophic fires due to overgrown forests and the inability of post-fire forest communities and ecosystems to naturally regenerate after fires. Photo credit: Reanna Burnett Related Links:John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center a ..read more