Happy New Year! In this first episode of 2026, we spoke with Dr. Sarah Whipple, a Climate Adaptation Service Scientist and biologist with the Climate Adaptation Technical Services (CATS) initiative of the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center. Dr. Whipple, who has expertise in pollinator biology, inventory and monitoring, discussed the importance of pollinators and explained the impact of a shifting landscape and climate on species that are important for agriculture, food security and resilience. Listen to learn more about Sarah and her research!

Relevant links: CASC Climate Adaptation Technical Services 

The buzz around biodiversity decline: Detecting pollinator shifts using a systematic review

Leveraging virtual datasets to investigate the interplay of pollinators, protected areas, and SDG 15

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser. Thanks!

Follow us on Twitter @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes (http://eepurl.com/hRuJ5H)

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:

DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/

Happy Holidays! In this episode we talked to Max Wade, the owner of Galloping Goat Grazing, and Michael "Scial" Scialdone, Bosque Project Manager with the Pueblo of Sandia Environment Department. Max and Scial explained how utilizing goats for targeted grazing allows problematic vegetation to be removed, and can help reduce the risk of devastating wildfires in our wildland/urban interfaces. 

Relevant links: Check out Galloping Goat Grazing and the services offered by Max Wade and his herd here: https://www.gallopinggoatgrazing.com/

Read more in High Country News about Scial and Max's work to reduce wildfire risk in New Mexico: https://www.hcn.org/articles/south-wildfire-pueblos-in-new-mexico-turn-to-goats-for-fire-management/

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser. Thanks!

Follow us on Twitter @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes (http://eepurl.com/hRuJ5H)

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:

DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/

EcoImpact Solutions: https://www.ecoimpactsolutions.org/

Dr. Charlie Clements leads the Great Basin Rangeland Research Unit of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service, where he conducts research on the restoration of ecologically threatened rangelands. He and his team aim to conserve and enhance sustainable agricultural production, natural resources and communities. He also explores science-based solutions to reduce the spread of harmful invasive species in the region, especially cheatgrass (also called brome.)

Relevant links: Check out this video produced by the USDA-ARS, where Charlie talks more about stopping the spread of cheatgrass, and why it’s important.

Cheating Cheatgrass video

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser. Thanks!

Follow us on Twitter @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes (http://eepurl.com/hRuJ5H)

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:

DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/

EcoImpact Solutions: https://www.ecoimpactsolutions.org/

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, three fourths of the world's flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world's food crops depend on pollinators to reproduce. We interviewed Melanie Kirby and Davon Collins to learn more about the beekeping program at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM.

Relevant Links:

IAIA’s Beekeeping Journey

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on X @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:

DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/  

USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest  

Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/

This month we are celebrating major milestones and want to share those with you. The Climate Hub network just celebrated its 10 year anniversary. As part of that anniversary our partners recorded short stories about some of their favorite projects. We have compiled a selection of those for this episode to kick off the new year.

Relevant links:

USDA Climate Hubs: Stories from Our First 10 Years
USDA Climate Hubs: Celebrating 10 Years!

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on X @RainShinePod
Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!
Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/ 
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest 
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/ 

Dr. Elise Gornish discusses her research on restoration and weed management strategies to minimize the effects of changing climatic conditions - especially warming temperatures and decreasing precipitation. Her work focuses on designing realistic restoration strategies and solutions that are both financially and logistically feasible.

Relevant links:

The Gornish Lab

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on X @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/ 
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest 
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/  

This is the last episode in our reforestation pipeline series. The success of a reforestation effort largely depends on proper post-planting care and monitoring. We spoke with Dr. Camille Stevens-Rumann, who studies wildfire and post-fire recovery, to learn more about what needs to happen after a tree is planted in a reforestation effort.

Relevant links:

Marshall, L.A., Fornwalt, P.J., Stevens-Rumann, C.S., Rodman, K.C., Rhoades, C.C., Zimlinghaus, K., Chapman, T.B. and Schloegel, C.A., 2023. Seedling and growing environment measurements from a tree planting unit in the 2016 Cold Springs Fire, Colorado, USA.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on X @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/ 
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest 
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/  

In this episode we continue our discussion of the reforestation pipeline. Last month, we discussed how reforestation efforts are critical after high severity wildfires, like the ones we have been witnessing across the Southwest. Now we sit down with two researchers who specialize in modeling to learn more about the science of choosing the right spot on the landscape for the best chances of planted seedling survival.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on X @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:

DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/  

USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest  

Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/ 

This bonus episode is a re-release of our July 2023 episode highlighting the John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center in Mora, New Mexico, which aims to advance the understanding of restoration activities on forested areas in New Mexico. The Center also provides science-based solutions for private, tribal, state, and federal forest managers, who face the threat of catastrophic fires and the inability of forest ecosystems to naturally regenerate after fires. 

Related Links:
John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center at Mora

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on Twitter @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/   
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/ 

Dr. Joshua Sloan and Rachael Foe discuss the process of conifer seed selection and harvest for reforestation efforts in the Southwest, from selecting the parent trees and scouting for good cone crops to climbing the trees and collecting cones. Did you know some forest stands only produce a viable seed crop once every decade? Learn how you could help scout for cones through a new app from the New Mexico Reforestation Center.

Relevant links:

Related podcast episode: After-Fire Reforestation: The John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center 

Cone Collector and Observations App and other resources

Seedlot Selection Tool

Info about the New Mexico Reforestation Center

If you’re enjoying this podcast, please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser Thanks!

Follow us on X @RainShinePod

Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes!

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Please tell us!

Come Rain or Shine affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/ 
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest 
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/