Forest fire is often considered to be a bad thing.  And to be certain, an uncontrolled wildfire in a populated area like we saw recently can be dangerous as well as disasterous.  But fire is a natural part of many ecosystems, and for some species, it is a neccessary part of their life cycle.  Properly used, fire can be a tool that helps maintain the health of our forests and grasslands.  

Features an interview with Michelle Foss, Director of Stewardship and Research at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in Bellevue, NE.

To learn more about Fontenelle Forest visit Fontenelleforest.org

To become a patron of this podcast visit Patreon.com/Dispatchesfromtheforest

How do our animal friends survive the winter?  Well, kind of the same way we do: they can stay active, they can migrate, or they can hibernate.  Listen and learn about each of these winter survival strategies and some of the animals that use them.  If that isn't enough, I'll tell you about "butt breathing" - you don't want to miss THAT!

Once pushed to the brink of extinction for the sake of fashion, beaver are one of our "keystone species".  Secon only to humans in their ability to shape the landscape, beaver are coming back - and doing a lot of good stuff in the process.  Plus I'll tell you about flying beavers - you won't want to miss it!

Wolves once roamed all of the lower 48 states until being nearly wiped out in the name of safety and prosperity.   But removing this keystone species had many unexpected side effects.  Explore the world of the wolf, and learn how reintroduction of this keystone species in the Yellowstone ecosystem impacted everything from elk to berry growth to water quality!

You've heard of people like John James Audobon, John Muir, Rachel Carlson and Henry David Thoreau, but how much do you know about Olaus and Adolph Murie?  These two brothers from Moorhead, MN - and their wives - had a profound impact on preserving wilderness, expanding many of our national parks and managing the wildlife who live there.

Founding father Benjamin Franklin was a big fan of wild turkeys - and not just because they taste good.  Listen to this special Thanksgiving episode to find out why Mr. Franklin was so enamored with this remarkable (and delicious) bird.

Wait!  Don't squash that spider!  Did you know that spiders can create 7 different kinds of web for different uses?  Or that some spiders use water just like a web?  Sure they give you the “creepie-crawlies” but spiders are also incredibly interesting!  Listen and learn more about these amazing critters that are all around you - whether you like them or not!

Did you know that bats fly with their hands?  In fact, their Latin name "Chiroptera" literally translates to "hand wing".  Often misunderstood, bats can perform some amazing feats – including eating 600 insects per hour!  Learn about all the adaptations that have made bats masters of the night and why you shouldn't fear them, as we explore the amazing world of the bat!

Meet the organisms that do the dirty work in the forest: getting rid of dead bodies!  It may be gross but they perform a very important function - and without them, the world would be a much smellier place!

Few things are as wild sounding as the howls of coyotes, but even if you live in a big city, there's a good chance that there are coyotes nearby.  People think that they should fear coyotes, but in reality, coyotes are not as fearsome as most people make them out to be.