A Laidback Biologist with Audrey Martel

Xerces , what is that? and what does it have to do with invertebrates. In this episode you will meet Matthew Shepard, Director of Outreach and Communication at Xerces Society. In his current role, Matthew is able to focus on what he enjoys the most, helping people connect with their environment and take steps to protect wildlife. This includes initiatives like Bring Back the Pollinators campaign, promoting Leave the Leaves, and cohosting Xerces' podcast, Bug Banter.Matthew shares research on the Monarch migrations and other butterflies that have expanded their range. Then we focus are the bees, dragonflies and fireflies, and why you should care about these animals that are often overlooked. It should be a bug's life in your garden- Matthew will tell you how to make it so.The Xerces SocietyAtala Butterfly https://entomologytoday.org/2016/03/21/a-nearly-extinct-butterfly-makes-a-comeback-in-south-florida/ Ontario Pesticide Ban Mosquitos FoggingRusty Patch BumblebeeBooksThe Moth Snowstorm, by Michael McCarthy (2018, Penguin Random House), https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/539806/the-moth-snowstorm-by-michael-mccarthy/Sting in the Tail, by Dave Goulson (2015, Macmillan), https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250070975/astinginthetale/

Do you like a Q & A ? This is an episode full of interesting details - everything from phytotoxins, phenology, flower color pigment, herbivory and it's effects on plants and a whole lot more. If you get to the end you'll hear about Ryan's trip to Iceland and some pretty wild plants.Plants For A FutureiNaturalist - Cornus canadensis ,Does The Munch MatterNational Phenology NetworkBlack Forager

Brand new to birding? No problem with Project Feeder Watch. Winter is coming and you can join a community project that will deepen your connection to nature. Andrea Gress, Special Projects Coordinator for Birds Canada tells us all about the birds she loves -Plovers to Evening Gross Beaks, and the birds you can get to know. Brand new to birding? No problem with Project Feeder Watch. Watch a mini habitat in your yard and record your observations. We also discuss The Warblers, an award winning podcast that Andrea hosts. Full of delightful stories from across Canada.Birds Canada-Project Feeder WatchGardening For BirdsThe Warblers

Rooted in science and guided by biology Colleen wants you to activate your soil. As a certified Soil Food Web Laboratory Technician she will show you the microbial life in your soil.She produces hig quality compost , teas and extracts and conducts analyses of garden, forest and agricultural soil samples. Her advice is targeted to your garden. Rewild Soils is a gardeners dream resource.Rewild Soils

This episode is filled with stories, from Kevin's early life in Quebec working summers in bogs and wetlands propagating blueberries  to fundraising and advocacy work while at the University of Toronto with the Botany Conservation Group. Kevin then spent years working for National Conservation organizations like World Wildlife Fund and Nature Conservancy of Canada. Today if you go to Kevin's nursery  be ready to be  awe struck-  mature specimens of magnolias, rhododendrons , azaleas,  paw paws and dogwoods, to name a few, form a storefront forest that demonstrates what he has built in the last 20 years. It's not only about the plants- it's the whole story - a charmed ecosystem where passionate staff will spend time to make the right choices.Kevin tells us to be concerned gardeners, spend time slowing down and really looking at nature, get excited, get motivated and get planting. That's a hopeful message and xactly what we need to hear.South Coast GardensGardening For Birds

Audrey Martel wants you to find your place in nature. Having worked with The Nature Conservancy of Canada and now as an ecology writer for the well known Laidback Gardener blog she has developed a unique way to communicate science. Her articles are full of charm and joie de vivre. We talk about a restoration project at her local lake in Granby Quebec, making friends with unloved critters, the benefits of messy gardens, growing garlic, and a whole lot more.The Laidback Gardenerhttps://jardinierparesseux.com/Growing GarlicPickled Milkweed Pods

Phenology explores the timing of cyclical events in nature. Your garden is part of the natural world. Rebecca Last Guenette is a scientist and Master Gardener. She wants you to know that if you tend your garden and pay close attention to how it works and develops during the seasons that you're a 'phenologist'.She says , "Scientists today are increasingly turning to phenology to understand how climate change is affecting the natural world. As gardeners, an understanding of phenology can help us plan for continuous blooms, use natural pest control effectively, and contribute to climate research as citizen scientists.In this episode we talk Victoria Day planting, earwig explosion, newly updated Canadian Hardiness Zones and Artificial Light At Night. It's a fun episode hosting by friend of The Garden Shift Tena van Andel and full of good advice.Gardening At LastCanadian Hardiness ZonesEarth At Night

iNaturalist is like Facebook for people who want to be in nature and help collect data on everything wild , like animals and plants. Friend of The Garden Shift Pat Concessi joins to talk about her experience as a user of this social network and public database. There is a fun quiz at the end and keep listening after the goodbyes to hear a special 'in the field' clip where we make observations and identifications using the APP.EDDMapsToronto Nature StewardsInvasive Species ReportingMerlin Research on Garlic Mustard

Rebecca Davis Scott has found magic in her career in horticulture. As Program and Volunteer Manager at Green Thumbs Growing Kids her fascination with insects and their associations with plants has become part of her work day. We discuss why growing food, food literacy and nature connections are so important in the curriculum she brings to children and youth. We also talk about a 10,000 square foot rooftop urban garden, a work in progress, that provides fresh veggies and fruit to the Cabbagetown Farmers Market.Green Thumbs Growing KidsCabbagetown Farmers MarketUniversity of Guelph - HorticultureNative Bees of Ontario-Halton Master GardenersOntario Trillium Foundation

Speaking to Blaine Pearson, CEO and Co-Founder of Seedark quickly reveals a person with a creative edge. In this episode we explore a few of her initiatives like Squiirrel a mobile app that connects people who use seeds and people who collect and buy seeds. On the day of recording Blaine is at her home and flower farm in the hills of Mulmur ,Ontario ,where she grows flowers slowly and for sale locally. Flowers are carefully selected for both beauty and ecosystem benefit. Popular peonies are followed by fall asters and goldenrods. Blaine's work gives you hope for the future and demonstrates how making connections with nature is always good for our planet.White Dog Flowers Seedark