Rande Cook is an Indigenous wood carver and artist, a hereditary chief of the Ma'amtagila Nation, a progressive / rebellious visionary, and one heck of an inspiring human. I sat down with him at his studio in Victoria BC to chat all about his art, his role as a chief, land back, and the work he does connecting folks to each other and the lands we all share to create a better future.

Learn more about Rande's art at the Rande Cook gallery

Learn more about Awi'nakola

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Rande chose to support the Akala Society.

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠or⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack.⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share.

This episodes topics:

Life on Mars:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09413-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FAYABW-c_Q

Podchat 21 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFwdac42Qng

Fungi land evolution:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02851-z

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251001092208.htm

http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2001-news/Hedges8-2001.htm

Produced by Ross Reid

Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins

Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Natures pretty neat, ya know - let’s keep it that way!

Out on the west coast of Vancouver Island exists an awesome little non-profit that siphons sea water from the harbour into tanks on land, which briefly house some of the areas most gorgeous residents from under the waves. I'm talking about the Ucluelet Aquarium, a catch-and-release aquarium who gathers all of its exhibits seasonally from the surrounding waters, giving visitors a glimpse into a world that surrounds us yet we seldom see.

I sat down with Laura Griffith-Cochrane from the Ucluelet Aquarium to chat all about this awesome project, and her unique approach to education that emphasizes hands-on interactions to build connection and care to place. We also delve into various issues relating to these near-shore marine ecosystems, with ethical information on fishing and tide-pooling that we all could use to become better stewards of these places for generations to come.

For more information on the Ucluelet Aquarium, visit www.uclueletaquarium.org

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Laura chose to give hers to ⁠Surfrider Foundation

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠or⁠⁠⁠ Substack.⁠⁠⁠

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Forests are incredibly important ecosystems on our planet for many different reasons from carbon storage to biodiversity, and yet they face constant pressure to meet human demands in many forms. With a significant portion of deforestation and forest degradation attributed to demand for pulp, paper, packaging and even textile products, how can we work to meet these demands while also taking better care of our forests?

I sat down with Valerie Langer of Canopy Planet who works to source and grow emerging markets of alternative sources to forests for pulp and textile demands, and it's budding potential. Join us as we chat all about this inspiring new perspective on managing forest uses and demands, as well as Val's colourful history in advocacy and action for forests, and how she's been able to gain greater leverage for protecting forests by stepping away from the front lines and into the corporate world.

Today's episode was brought to you by Canopy Planet, who works to protect forests all over the world in a variety of different ways.

Learn more about all the good they do at www.canopyplanet.org

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Val chose to give hers to Friends of Clayoquot Sound

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠or⁠⁠ Substack.⁠⁠

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Whale, we've shore got a fun chat lined up for y'all today! Sea what I did there?

Silly puns aside, we're talking all about Orcas, or Killer Whales, with the infamous Orca Man! You may have seen The Orca Man, whose real name is Fred, online as he does a lot of social media education and news on things happening with Orcas all around the world, but especially those populations here in the PNW - the resident and transient Killer Whales. Fred and I sat down for a sunset chat where we discuss all things Orcas, why they’re so amazing, different populations of them around the world, their fascinating social structures, and threats they face both in our home waters of Cascadia and beyond. 

Learn more about Fred's work here and on Instagram here.

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Fred chose to give his to ⁠The Orca Conservancy

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠Patreon ⁠or⁠ Substack.⁠

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

There is a lot of talk these days about the melding of Indigenous knowledge with Western Science, and I couldn't think of anyone better to get into the weeds (pun intended) on the subject with than Leigh Joseph.

Leigh is a member of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and a working ethnobotanist who does a lot of incredible work bridging the gaps in understanding between western and indigenous knowledge, while also working to re-establish Indigenous food gardens and cultivate crops as they would have been prior to colonization on her traditional homelands.  She’s the owner of Skwalwen Botanicals, a skincare brand that creates everything from plants cultivated from the land, the author of a new book called ‘Held By the Land’, and she’s just an overall lovely and inspiring human with who has a lot of great ideas and perspectives on the world I think we all could benefit from learning.

I had the incredible honour of sitting down by the Squamish Estuary on a hot, sunny, summer day to chat about all this and more with Leigh, and I hope y'all enjoy it!

Learn more about Leigh & her work.

Take care of your skin with Skwalwen Botanicals.

Get your copy of "Held by The Land"

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Leigh chose to give hers to The PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱  Foundation

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠Patreon or Substack.

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

This is yet another special edition of Undercurrents - instead of sharing and discussing recent science news, articles or studies here, Julia & Ross discuss important recent events regarding funding and the state of science in the US after the first week of the new presidency.

Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share.

Produced by Ross Reid

Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins

Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

We face a variety of critical issues these days that all seem to be culminating at one big crossroads, and the interconnection of them all can make it very difficult to find a way to move forward in a progressive, ethical and decolonial way to create a better future. So how the heck do we do just that?

I was joined by Rande Cook and Mark Worthing, two members of Awi'nakola, at their annual Tree of Life Gathering to learn about the values they embody as an NGO and how that determines their methodology and actions in the world. As many larger organisations, businesses and goverments frantically search for quick-fix 'profitable' solutions to these issues, the wholistic grassroots approach taken by Awi'nakola sure is refreshing to see, and may actually be the key to the change we all really need.

To learn more about Awi'nakola, visit them at https://awinakola.com/ or @_treeoflife on Instagram.

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Rande chose to give his donation to the ⁠Ma'amtagila Nation & Mark gave to Orcalab.

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the Patreon family.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Got Questions?  Want Stickers?  Want community?  Wanna engage?  Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

This is a special edition of Undercurrents - instead of sharing and discussing recent news, articles or studies here, Julia & Ross delve into their thoughts and reflections given the results of the recent US Presidential election, and what that means moving forward.

Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share.

Produced by Ross Reid

Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins

Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

In case you missed it, I took a brief hiatus from your regular programming to run for MLA of the Mid Island - Pacific Rim riding as the Green Party of BC Candidate and whewwww, what a time!

After a long campaign period of lots of learnings, I unfortunately wasn't elected...but thats alright with me, I've got other things to focus on and I may revisit it again in the future.

After a week and a half of decompressing, I've decided to pop on here and share some thoughts and reflections on the whole experience with y'all in a long-winded rant, while also taking time to address some questions that many of you had here. Massive thanks to everyone who supported me and who voted in this election, y'all are the best, and together we can make the future a pretty rad place!

Links:

Green Party of BC 2024 Platform PDF

Green Party of BC Platform site

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