Golden State Naturalist

The pod is going stronger than ever, but it's also part of a larger picture than ever, which means a little shuffle is in order. Have a listen to find out the specifics. I'll see you on the next full episode soon!

Stay golden,
Michelle

The golden hills of California are hiding things. 
At first glance, grasslands like these ones appear to be simple systems. And to some degree, they are simplified versions of their precolonial selves, but they’re also home to thousands of species of native plants that support an intricate ecology. Look a little closer, peer between the swishing blades, know what to look for, and you’ll see not only a mesmerizing web of life but also California’s history written in the grass. 
Come with me and Dr. Justin Luong of UC Berkeley as we explore a California grassland and discuss the past, present, and future of an ecosystem vital to both biodiversity and human wellbeing. 
Links: 
Justin’s website
The Colonial Roots of Black Mustard 
Get 15% off your order of California native seeds from the California Collection by Nature’s Seed by using the code Golden15 at checkout. 
Speak up for California’s public lands with CalWild.
Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month. 
Follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠. 
My website is ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠. 
Get podcast Merch. 
The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found ⁠here⁠.
Production support by Laine Kaplan Levenson. 
Episode cover photo by Michelle Fullner.

Seeds are far more present in our lives than most of us realize. They compose everything from our morning coffee to our favorite chocolates and have helped shape the world as we know it. 
California native seeds are just as vital, and protecting them is a way of safeguarding our very future. 
Join me and Cheryl Birker at the California Botanic Garden as we explore the hidden world of seeds. In this episode, we take a deeper look into the difference between spores and seeds, seeds that require fire to germinate, seeds that survived for 2,000 years in the Judean Desert, and how safeguarding seeds is a way of safeguarding life as we know it.

Links: 

Get 15% off your order of California native seeds from the California Collection by Nature’s Seed when you use the code GOLDEN15 at checkout. 
Speak up for California’s public lands with CalWild.
Cacao Seeds as Currency 
California Plant Rescue
Seed Germination Data
Seed photos by John Macdonald   
Seed Savers Exchange (the catalogue mentioned at the end of the episode)
Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month. 
Follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠. 
My website is ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠. 
Get podcast Merch. 
The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found ⁠here⁠.
Photo: Prickly poppy seeds by Michelle Fullner, taken at the California Botanic Garden.

California is home to 15 million acres of a kind of land most people have never heard of. These lands span deserts, grasslands, oak woodlands, and coastal rainforests. They’re free or very inexpensive to visit, and they’re almost never crowded. But what are these mythical wonderlands? 
These are the largely overlooked lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, and you can go and see them. 
Josh Jackson, author of The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California’s Public Lands, took me to see one of these places he refers to as Forgotten Lands. While we were there, we discussed the history of BLM lands, nature behind a velvet rope and not behind a velvet rope, current threats to the land, how we can find and access BLM lands, and how connecting with these places can change not only how we look at nature far from home, but also how we see the living world in our own backyards. 
Links: 
Get Josh’s book, The Enduring Wild. 
Speak up for California’s public lands with CalWild.
Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month. 
Follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠. 
My website is ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠. 
Get podcast Merch. 
The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found ⁠here⁠.
Tidy tips photo by Josh Jackson

What do California lizards and tiny foxes have in common? Check out this special announcement episode to find out. 
More soon, friends!
Michelle

Kayleigh Shawn McCollum