Pepperwood Podcast

In this episode we talk to Pepperwood’s Ecology Research Manager Michelle Halbur, who walks us through the world of Californian grasslands and how they are monitored and managed at Pepperwood.

To hear more on this subject from Michelle, check out her 2020 webinar: California Grasslands: The Forest Beneath Our Feet.

For more about grassland birds like the ones Michelle mentions, check out the eBird website

For more about grassland conservation, check out the California Native Grassland Association and the Milo Baker chapter of the California Native Plant Society

To register for events, classes, workshops, or stewardship workdays at Pepperwood, visit our Classes & Events page

This episode’s Nature Sound Guess Who Game clips were used courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library, and the contributors were Randolph Little, John Patterson, and Bob McGuire.

In this episode we talk to Makayla Freed, Pepperwood’s Research Specialist, about the long-term monitoring plots that she maintains in forest habitats at the reserve. We’ll discuss the relationship between science and stewardship and explore some of the techniques that scientists use to keep track of diverse types of organisms.

To learn more about the scientific monitoring that takes place at Pepperwood, visit our Climate and Science page

For more fascinating information about our local forests, check out Kendall Calhoun’s presentation Monitoring Oak Woodland Wildlife Communities following the Mendocino Complex Fire and Clint McKay’s presentation Black Oaks Revealed: Their cultural significance for Indigenous Communities

Check out life history summaries and range maps of California animals at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR/Life-History-and-Range

In this episode, we speak with Devyn Friedfel, Pepperwood’s Fire and Stewardship Manager and a California-certified Burn Boss, about the history of fire in California and the importance of using fire as a key part of land stewardship in this fire-adapted region of Northern California. We will focus on a practice known as "pile burning." This beneficial fire management technique involves burning piles of forest debris to reduce the risk of wildfires.

If you're interested in learning more about this form of stewardship, Pepperwood is an excellent resource for gaining knowledge and practical hands-on experience. Visit our Stewardship page to learn more about ways to get involved in person.

Watch Devyn’s 2024 webinar, “Managing Invasive Species in Grasslands”

Check out Pepperwood’s Good Fire FAQs page

In this episode we introduce our host, Environmental Educator Julianne Bradbury, our plans for the podcast, and Steward Gary Morgret, a dedicated volunteer who has contributed his time and talents to the Pepperwood Phenology Project for nearly a decade.

Watch Julianne’s 2021 webinar, “Impacts of Fire on Amphibians and Reptiles”

Gary mentions being inspired by Pepperwood Steward, Wendy Herniman. She's since moved out of the area but her work on oak trees from her time with Pepperwood is really fascinating. You can read all about it in her essay, The Grandmother Oak.

Another Pepperwood Steward who works on the Phenology Project is Natasha Granoff, and she's also written about her experiences! Read her essay, On The Plant Phenology Trail.

Curious about becoming a Steward at Pepperwood? Or just taking one of the amazing California Naturalist or Climate Steward certification programs Julianne talked about?

Here's where you can learn more about Pepperwood's Steward program, AND

here's where you can learn more about the 👉 UC Environmental Stewards certification program 👈