On this episode of the Backyard OASIS podcast, Christine Copeland sits down with Dr. Ralph Baker and her husband Dr. Bill Copeland, to talk about our stunning natural world here in Massachusetts, and some of the things we can do to protect it.

Dr. Ralph S. Baker has served on the Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA)'s Board of Directors for nearly 20 years, and currently is its Board President. Among his roles is supporting the NRWA's extensive climate resilience work. He also co-leads the Fitchburg Trail Stewards, a group of volunteers who recently completed the state-funded Fitchburg Trails Wayfinding Signage Project and actively maintains many of the trails in Fitchburg. He served on the city of Fitchburg's Conservation Commission for five years. An environmental scientist, Dr. Baker earned a Ph.D. in soil physics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1989. In 2000 he co-founded TerraTherm, Inc. in Fitchburg, and was its CEO, Chairman and Chief Scientist, designing and carrying out hazardous waste cleanup projects throughout the world. He retired in 2015, after a career focused on the cleanup of toxic organic chemicals in soil and groundwater. He now devotes his energies to the above-mentioned non-profit environmental organizations. He is a resident of Fitchburg, MA, and is an avid naturalist, cyclist, hiker, and back-country skier. Judith Baker, his wife of 50 years, is an artist, gardener, and musician. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Learn more about Dr. Baker, the Baker Family Forest, and what you can do to conserve your land here:

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2017/06/19/fitchburg-man-makes-city-unique-offer-to-fight-climate-change/

https://northcountylandtrust.org/conservation-in-fitchburg-a-forever-wild-approach/

https://www.fitchburgma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3159/Baker-Family-Public-Forest-Reserve---Fact-Sheet?bidId=

https://www.oldgrowthforest.net/ma-baker-family-public-forest

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2018/05/02/baker-family-forest-dedicated-in-fitchburg/

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c087e9e4cde7a66033e482d/t/5f68c8142e2767205e014c09/1600702493817/OGFN+HowToSaveAForestToolkit+2019.pdf

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Hosted by Christine Copeland

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of the Backyard OASIS podcast, Dennis Lee talks with Registered Nurse Priscilla Ross about topics that can make the average person uncomfortable – end of life care, DNR orders, and more – but must be considered and discussed. Special attention is paid to the concept of a "health care proxy," and why every person over the age of 18 should have one. Later they change gears to discuss Priscilla's long-term involvement with the Florence, MA Community Band as they mark their 25th anniversary as a group.

Read more about the Florence Community Band and their quarter-centennial celebration here: https://www.gazettenet.com/BandPractice-hg-03262025-60288866

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Hosted by Dennis Lee

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

The STT ladies are at it again for part seven of their sub-series on pop culture of the moment and their favorite reality TV moments of the past several weeks. We had a time crunch and some slight technical difficulties during the recording of this one, so pardon the less-than-stellar production!

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Hosted by Judy Raper, Jessica Niedbala, and Mackenzie Shanahan

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran (A.K.A. DJ Vibe Wise)

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of Backyard Oasis, Dennis Lee sits down with friend David Murphy to talk about his fascinating professional career – first as an audio engineer and producer for live television sports broadcasts, then taking up the mantle of his family business in Pioneer Valley-area real estate. David provides awesome insight into life inside a television production truck, and how that work took him all over the world, from NFL stadiums to the Olympics in Rio!

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Dennis Lee

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran (A.K.A. DJ Vibe Wise)

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts about this episode? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Judy Raper, Jessica Niedbala, and Mackenzie Shanahan

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

Author Joan Livingston's 35-year career as a journalist provides food for thought about the changes in news reporting from "fair, objective and accurate" to today's seeming preference for argumentative, emotional and opinion-based content. Denise and Joan also talk about the relevance of newspapers in our digital world and their fondness of local news and the papers that print it.

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts about this episode? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Denise Schwartz

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

Dennis Lee talks to Sharon Martula about her career decisions and experiences. Her specialty was customer service – keeping the customer happy – and even in retirement she's helping people in their life's journey.

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts about this episode? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Dennis Lee

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

Denise talks with Gabe, an 81-year-old retired educator, and Happy, 51, a roofer, about how pickleball "saved" their lives.

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts about this episode? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Denise Schwartz

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

Welcome to Spilling the Tea Part 5 on Backyard Oasis! The STT ladies (Judy Raper, Jessica Niedbala, and Mackenzie Shanahan) get together to talk reality TV and pop culture, starting with their thoughts on Kendrick Lamar's phenomenal Super Bowl halftime show performance. Later on they check in on their favorite Housewives and the Southern Charm crew, before touching on Mackenzie's cousin's appearance on Dateline NBC.

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts about this episode? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Judy Raper

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran (A.K.A. DJ Vibe Wise)

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of Backyard Oasis, Dennis Lee sits down with Nina Kleinberg to discuss our favorite topic here on the show: transitions. She started her career editing films but then took a turn...and became a midwife for years, ultimately assisting in over 300 births!! The pair discuss that big transition and more, ultimately getting to how she still helps her community today...by solving computer problems!

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts about this episode? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Dennis Lee

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College