Northwest Nature Matters

Professor and Curator Dr. Madonna Moss is an anthropological archaeologist who studies the long term history of Native Americans and First Nations of the Northwest Coast of North America, with a special focus on Tlingit and Haida and their ancestors. Join us for a fascinating discussion about how zooarcheology can help defend indigenous cultural practices in the modern world.

Dr. Moss's book Northwest Coast: Archaeology as Deep History

Dr. Moss's recent publication about sea otters:

https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/e/397/files/2020/04/Moss-2020-sea-otters.pdf

In this episode three leaders from Oregon coast tribes provide heartfelt reflections, as they frame the loss of sea otters and the vision of its return with the history of their own people's struggles, and how sea otters represent their own interconnectedness to the natural world.

Don Ivy Chief of the Coquille Indian tribe; Robert Kentta the Siletz Tribal Cultural Resources Director; and Peter Hatch with the Siletz tribal Cultural Resources Program.

Dr. Roberta Hall is an anthropologist and Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University. Roberta conducted numerous excavations of shell midden sites on the Oregon coast where she document use of various wildlife including sea otters, and other marine resources by ancient First Peoples. Roberta holds expertise in zoo-archaeology, medical anthropology, skeletal biology and more!

Marine Biologist and Researcher Dr. Shawn Larson from the Seattle Aquarium discusses sea otters up-close! Shawn explores sea otter diet, physiology, reproduction, and genetics - and how her research informs conservation.

Video of Shawn presenting her genetics research at the 2018 Oregon Sea Otter Status of Knowledge Symposium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6vaSSrQNvU

photo courtesy Vancouver Aquarium

A great conversation with leading sea otter researcher Dr. Tim Tinker. Tim discusses new science and reveals the varied issues effecting sea otter populations across their pacific range - from Alaska to California - including his perspectives on a possible Oregon reintroduction.

Produced in Partnership with the Elakha Alliance

Tom Calvanese is a rockfish scientist, the Station Manager of the Port Orford Field Station, and a catalyst behind developing action to address kelp declines along Oregon's south coast. Join us for a multi-dimensional conversation about kelp conservation.

Produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance

A great resource from the NOYO Center for Marine Science abut kelp conservation: https://noyocenter.org/help-the-kelp/

Renowned ecologist Jim Estes shares his story of discovery - from a young graduate student on the Aleutian Islands to scientific breakthroughs revealing the profound ecological effects of a keystone predator

Produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance

Jim's memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Serendipity-Ecologists-Understand-Organisms-Environments/dp/0520285034/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&qid=1586768471&refinements=p_27%3AJames+Estes&s=books&sr=1-11

Trophic Cascades book coauthored by Jim: https://www.amazon.com/Trophic-Cascades-Predators-Changing-Dynamics/dp/1597264873/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&qid=1586768471&refinements=p_27%3AJames+Estes&s=books&sr=1-3

Marine biologist Scott Groth is undertaking one of the longest monitoring projects on Oregon's nearshore. While red sea urchin numbers appear normal, purple sea urchin populations have exploded in recent years with alarming impacts to kelp forests.

Produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance

Articles about Scott's work:

https://newportnewstimes.com/article/sea-urchin-population-explodes

https://oregonmarinereserves.com/2019/10/24/urchins/

A fascinating window into new discoveries in kelp ecology and conservation with Sara Hamilton - a leading researcher studying trends in kelp forests. Sara is a PhD student at Oregon State University. Part one of a series produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance Links to learn more: A story map compiled by the Samish tribe and others about the importance of kelp and it's loss in that region:

Join me for a great conversation with Michael Schroeder, a research scientist with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Michael is a leading expert on the ecology and conservation of native grouse species of North America. Beyond technical expertise, Mike has a contagious passion for wildlife and being a wildlife biologist!

Mikes article "Grouse of the Lewis and Clark Expedition" in the Columbia Magazine:

http://www.washingtonhistory.org/files/library/winter-2003-04_003.pdf