Conservation Conversations with Sean O'Brien

In this episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean speaks with Dr. Murphy Westwood, Vice President of Science and Conservation at the Morton Arboretum, which recently collaborated with NatureServe and other organizations to create a comprehensive assessment of trees in the United States. Find out how many trees in the U.S. are threatened with extinction, what really makes a tree a tree, and how botanic gardens inspire and educate 500 million people around the world each year.

In this month's episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean speaks with Justin Cummings, the founding director of the UCSC Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program and former mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. Justin shares how he united his background in science and policy to create positive change for his home, and how citizens of any background can get involved in conservation.

In this month's episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean is joined by the lead authors of the first comprehensive assessment of the world's reptiles. Neil Cox is the manager of the Biodiversity Assessment Unit, a joint effort of IUCN and Conservation International, and Bruce Young is Chief Zoologist and Senior Conservation Scientist at NatureServe. Find out why everyone should care that one-fifth of the world's reptile species face extinction, and how we can save them before it's too late.

In this month's episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean is joined by Razan Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Razan shares how the IUCN leverages its constituency of governments, civil organizations, and indigenous communities to guide global policy change. The conversation also touches on Razan's personal experience in conservation as a woman from the UAE, and what diversity and authentic inclusivity bring to the field.

In this month's episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean is joined by NatureServe's own Chief Scientist, Dr. Healy Hamilton, to talk about the Map of Biodiversity Importance. Learn about what the map is, how it will help the United States to protect 30% of land and waters by 2030, and why we should care about biodiversity at all. Plus, Healy shares her own career journey and makes the case that seahorses are some of the most charismatic species on the planet.

Thank you to the Esri, Microsoft, The Nature Conservancy, the natural heritage programs in Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia, and the entire NatureServe Network for making this work possible.

With the Biodiversity Without Boundaries conference right around the corner, NatureServe invited celebrated author and journalist Michelle Nijhuis back to the Conservation Conversations podcast to talk about her keynote speech for the upcoming conference, her book, 'Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction', and what she's working on next. Then, we revisit Michelle's first episode on the podcast to learn about the complex history of species conservation, the challenges we face today, and the interconnected solutions for our future.

In this episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean sits down with Scott Loarie, Co-Director of iNaturalist, a popular nature app that allows users to identify the plants and animals around them. Learn how iNaturalist is connecting over a million scientists, naturalists, and enthusiasts from across the globe, and how ordinary people can help turn data into conservation decisions.

This past spring, NatureServe kicked off the “NatureServe Network Van Tour”, an expedition highlighting how we sustain biodiversity through technology, collaborative science, and local expertise. Sean has been journeying across the US and Canada in a converted camper van, named the Van Humboldt in honor of naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt.  

For this special, end-of-year episode of Conservation Conversations, we’re kicking the Van Humboldt into reverse gear and hearing from several members of the NatureServe Natural Heritage Network who joined Sean for a stop along the Van Tour. Hear about recent field adventures in Alabama’s Conecuh National Forest, rare species in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, biodiversity restoration projects in Pennsylvania, and our special partnership with NatureServe Canada.  

The Van Humboldt still has a lot more natural heritage to explore in 2022. We invite you to join the ride by checking out www.natureserve.org/VanTour and following NatureServe on social media. Thank you, and on behalf of NatureServe, have a very happy New Year. 

In this special episode of Conservation Conversations, Sean reflects on the previous episodes and shares some of the moments that intrigued, surprised, and inspired him and the listeners. Hear from scientists, authors, and conservation leaders about their vital work, and learn about the impacts of the global climate crisis, the public health ramifications of biodiversity loss, threats to worldwide food systems, and more.

We’re thankful for the conversations we had with all the guests on the show who inspire us by advancing positive environmental change. We hope these clips will inspire you, too. 

The bulk of species on earth are insects; yet, scientists are noticing that insects are dying off at an alarming rate. In this episode of Conservation Conversations, author and professor of biology at the University of Sussex Dave Goulson takes us through his latest book, "Silent Earth: Averting the Insect Apocalypse". Listen as he and Sean discuss the critical ecosystem services that insects provide, why they are disappearing and what we can do to help, and why all insects, from bees to earwigs, deserve our respect.