Supernatural Park

Grab a headlamp and some clothes you don't mind getting dirty; we're going Caving at Groaning Cave in Colorado's White River National Forest! 

Watch out for the slide rock bolters that like to hang out on mountaintops and make sure to listen for the sound of Tommyknockers warning us about cave ins. Today's park program can be dangerous if we're not careful!

We'll also cover some Leave No Trace Principals that are important to use, no matter where you are on public land! 

Today’s park admission was paid for by David Holper, with his poem, Seven Silences narrated by himself.

David Holper has published three collections of poetry, Language Lessons: A Linguistic Hejira (Deeper Magic Press) The Bridge (Sequoia Song Publications) and 64 Questions (March Street Press).  He lives in Eureka, California, where he served as the City of Eureka’s inaugural poet laureate from August 2019-August 2021.  His website is https://www.davidholper.com

You can find him at his social media accounts: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.holper.1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidholper/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@user-cx7np4vb6z

If you have written flash fiction, poetry about nature, conservation, magic, or the supernatural, or if you just have a long, rambling list of thoughts about the natural world you would like to share, please send it in written or audio form along with a short bio of yourself to [email protected]

The music intro used in the show was created by John Kingsley. You can find more of his work at theberevet.com. 

Please help support the show by leaving a review. My first poetry collection titled “From Big Lakes to Big Mountains'' will be available this October and can be ordered through Amazon. 

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Welcome back to a special episode of Supernatural Park! 

After about a year hiatus, Park Ranger Amy is back to take you birding on the park's 2 year anniversary. Grab your favorite pair of sunglasses and follow her to the Nile Delta for the bi-annual migration! 

We will get to experience the sandhill crane migration in Nebraska, look for Bennu, a phoenix, and discuss how endings can lead to beautiful beginnings. Please stick to the trail and don't feed the wildlife! 

Today's admission is paid for by Karen Pierce Gonzalez with her story, Beaver Tale, narrated by David Gonzalez.  You can find more of her works at linktree/KPGFolkheart.

Thank you to John Kingsley for providing the theme song. You can find his work at theberevet.com

Please help support the park by leaving a review! 

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Welcome to a new program at Supernatural Park! Today we welcome Matías Valero from the podcast Twin Portals, to tell us about the art of story telling and his experience as a game master for the Duluth-based DND podcast. 

We'll get to know Matías, swear him in as a Supernatural Park Ranger, and learn a little bit about D&D and storytelling. So sit back, relax, and DON'T feed the wildlife! 

Please excuse the in and out sound of our voices. I’m learning how to interview while having my face always positioned in the mic when I speak!

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Welcome back to Supernatural Park! We're exploring the Northeast Greenland National Park today and we're doing it by dog sled! Traditionally, dogsledding has been the best way to get around this land of ice, especially since there are no roads for miles, and no big cities for that matter either!

We're going whale watching today, or rather Akhlut watching. A shapeshifting wolf that turns into a whale, you'll want to watch out for pawprints that lead to or from the shore and then disappear. We'll also be exploring what it means to be a part of a community and how orca whales interact with theirs.

Watch out for the Qiivitoq and remember; do NOT feed the wildlife! 

If you're interested in learning more about the southern resident killer whale and ways you can help protect this critically endangered species, please visit www.NOAAfisheries.gov and NWF.Org and search for the keyword orcas.  You can also visit Take Action | Wild Orca to see what actions you can take to save killer whales.

Sources: 

1. “5 Interesting Facts about the Climate of Greenland.” Global.hurtigruten.com, global.hurtigruten.com/destinations/greenland/inspiration/greenland-climate-facts/.
2. “A Brief History of Dog Sledding.” Outdoor Dog World, 13 Mar. 2019, outdoordogworld.com/dog-sledding-history/.
3. “Everything You Need to Know about Dog Sledding.” Manawa, www.manawa.com/en/articles/dog-sledding-question-answer-session. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.
4. “History of Dog Sledding.” Hurtigruten.com, Hurtigruten, 2011, www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/norway/inspiration/attractions/history-of-dog-sledding/.
5. Sage, Florian. “Akhlut, Hunter from the Depth.” Flo’s History, www.floshistory.com/blog/2021/04/20-akhlut-h8hbe-gj55g-rtlet-ng4w9-kl4zt-5w6al-r8spg-7w2rg-j7tpc-y8mc7-2zzdz-y4bst-egrgt-wc78r-wpkfa-3gzsy-4lpg3-g5pbd-pzfsr-9fyar-6pfb4-89kxj-dyp2w-wp36r-gk44y-59ysj-a3gf7-zgfjy-csnks-7a4lg. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.
6. “The National Park.” Visit Greenland, visitgreenland.com/about-greenland/national-park-2/.
7. “The Whale Museum.” The Whale Museum, 2019, whalemuseum.org/pages/issues-affecting-the-orcas.
8. Twigg, Melissa. “Ittoqqortoormiit Guest House in Greenland Could Be the Most Remote Hotel on Earth.” CNN, 26 Apr. 2019, www.cnn.com/travel/article/ittoqqortoormiit-greenland-remote-hotel/index.html.

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Welcome back to Supernatural Park! It's a new season at The Park and with it comes new creatures and new stories.  Today we're sticking close to the shores of Lake Superior to talk about the Mishipeshu, a creature from Anishinaabe culture.  Did you know before Pressie, there was the Mishipeshu? The underwater panther guards the Lake to stop humans from taking too many natural resources. Be advised to not get greedy or you'll make it angry. And remember-do not feed the wildlife! 

Today's Lunch Break is brought to you by Karen Pierce Gonzalez and Tinamarie Cox. You can follow their work on Instagram at @KarenPierceGonzalez and @tinamariethinkstoomuch respectively.

If you want to learn more about the Great Lakes Compact, the challenges of defending the Great Lakes, and ways you can help advocate, please visit greatlakes.org and cleanwater.org/greatlakescompact. 

Sources:

“Anishinaabe Timeline | American Indian Resource Center | Bemidji State University.” Www.bemidjistate.edu, www.bemidjistate.edu/airc/community-resources/anishinaabe-timeline/.

“Cree History.” Cree Nations Heritage Centre, www.creenationsheritagecentre.ca/cree-history.html.

“Cryptid Profile: A Lake Superior Cave Monster.” THE PINE BARRENS INSTITUTE, pinebarrensinstitute.com/cryptids/2019/11/11/cryptid-profile-lake-superiors-tentacled-monster.

“The Cree Indians - Their Native History and Culture.” Www.native-Net.org, www.google.com/url?q=www.native-net.org/tribes/cree-indians.html&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1677636972395574&usg=AOvVaw2vF34S4zx02Psa2oWNV0vc. Accessed 1 Mar. 2023.

“Great Lakes Region Tribes.” Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, www.nafws.org/about/member-tribes/great-lakes-region-tribes/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2023.

Hardin, Garrett. “Tragedy of the Commons - Econlib.” Econlib, 2018, www.econlib.org/library/Enc/TragedyoftheCommons.html.

“The Great Lakes Compact and the Dangers of Water Diversions from the Lakes.” Clean Water Action, cleanwater.org/great-lakes-compact-and-dangers-water-diversions-lakes-0.

“Ojibwe Oral Tradition | Milwaukee Public Museum.” Www.mpm.edu, www.mpm.edu/content/wirp/ICW-141.

Osborne, Lindi. “Meet Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther in Lake Superior.” Great Lakes Guide, greatlakes.guide/ideas/meet-mishipeshu-the-underwater-panther-in-lake-superior.

Spiliakos, Alexandra. “Tragedy of the Commons’ Impact on Sustainability Issues.” Harvard Business School Online, 6 Feb. 2019, online.hbs.edu/blog/post/tragedy-of-the-commons-impact-on-sustainability-issues.

“The Underwater Panther (Great Water Lynx, Night Panther, Mishibizhiw).” Native-Languages.org, 2015, www.native-languages.org/water-panther.htm.

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Happy Holidays! In this program I, Park Ranger Amy, will read tales and poetry of horror, terror, and creepiness. Grab your favorite drink, sit next to the fire, and don't feed the wildlife!

The theme for Supernatural Park is titled "The Magic Forest" by Kevin Macleod at www.incomptech.com

Special thanks to Belinda Brady, Olive Hyu, and Luke Hannon for their submissions to the Campfire Stories bonus episode. You can follow Belinda and Luke on twitter at @Bindyboo and @lukehannonpoet and Olive Hyu on OliveHyu.com

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It's the end of November and with it comes the second bonus episode of Campfire Stories. In this program I, Park Ranger Amy, will read tales and poetry of horror, terror, and creepiness. Grab your favorite drink, sit next to the fire, and don't feed the wildlife!

The theme for Supernatural Park is titled "The Magic Forest" by Kevin Macleod at www.incomptech.com

Special thanks to Luke Hannon for his submission. You can follow on twitter and Instagram with the handle LukeHannonPoet .

If you'd like to submit your own short stories, poetry, or flash fiction please email them to [email protected]. Themes about horror, the supernatural, magic, nature, and conservation are encouraged. 

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Happy Halloween! Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Park's new monthly program, Campfire Stories. In this program I, Park Ranger Amy, will read tales and poetry of horror, terror, and creepiness. Grab your favorite drink, sit next to the fire, and don't feed the wildlife!

The theme for Supernatural Park is titled "The Magic Forest" by Kevin Macleod at www.incomptech.com

Special thanks to Clem Flowers and Luke Hannon for their submissions to the first Campfire Stories bonus episode! You can follow them both on twitter with the handles @Clem_Flowers and @LukeHannonPoet  

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Wake up visitor! It's morning and we're hitting the trail to look for the bunyip again. This creature is known to be nocturnal so who knows if we will find it? Grab your umbrella in case of danger, stick to the trail, and don't feed the wildlife!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who listened, downloaded, and rated the podcast and followed me on social media. This concludes season 1 of Supernatural Park. Season 2 will return this winter with new stories and new programs.

Thank you especially to Karen Pierce Gonzalez, who became the first patreon of the Park. Her flash fiction "Amiga Park" was featured on episode 6's Lunchbreak. To see more of her work, please visit folkheartpress.blogspot.com

To learn more about Oodgeroo Noonuccal, her poems, and her work as a political activist, please visit mypoeticside.com/poets/oodgeroononnuccal.

If you’d like to learn more about First Nations Communities and how you can take action to enable Australia's First Nations Peoples provide advice to Australian Parliament on policies and projects that impact their lives, visit FromTheHeart.Com.Au

Sources:
Brown, Susan. “Beware the Bunyip.” World Book, 18 Dec. 2020,

Abookofcreatures. “Yara-Ma-YHA-Who.” A Book of Creatures, 28 June 2015, https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/06/17/yara-ma-yha-who/.

Collections , Special. “The Haunted Swamp: The Mystery of the Hexham Bunyip.” Hunter Living Histories, 18 June 2020, https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2020/06/16/hexham-bunyip/.

Naish, Darren. “Tales from the Cryptozoologicon: Bunyip.” Scientific American Blog Network, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2013, https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/tales-from-the-cryptozoologicon-bunyip/.

“Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poems .” Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poems > My Poetic Side, https://mypoeticside.com/poets/oodgeroo-noonuccal-poems.

“Yara-Ma-YHA-Who.” Yara-Ma-Yha-Who | Facts, Information, and Mythology, 13 Oct. 2004, https://pantheon.org/articles/y/yara-ma-yha-who.html. 

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Welcome back Visitor! Take in that amazing fall view of the Northshore and set your sights for spring. We're hiking to south east Australia to learn about Tiddalik the Frog and the Bunyip that comes from Australia's First Nations Peoples. Hopefully you don't have anywhere to be but if you do, you won't be gone long. What may seem like an overnight camping trip will only take an hour in the real world so you'll be back in time before you know it!

Stick to the trail and don't feed the wildlife (no matter how cute they look!)

Today's Lunchbreak is a flash fiction piece called "Amiga Park's Marvel" by Karen Pierce Gonzalez. Find her on twitter @folkheartpress.

To learn more about the impact of climate change and how it affects bushfires in Australia and to help in the recovery effort, please visit the official website of Australia's World Wildlife Fund at wwf.or.au. You can also find a list of other recovery projects at globalgiving.org/austrailian-wildfires-releif

Sources cited:

“Bringing Indigenous Fire Back to Northern Australia.” The Nature Conservancy, 5 Nov. 2021,https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/asia-pacific/australia/stories-in-australia/bringing-indigenous-fire-back-to-northern-australia/#:~:text=Aboriginal%20people%20arrived%20in%20Australia,the%20land%2C%20and%20regenerate%20vegetation.

Brown, Susan. “Beware the Bunyip.” World Book, 18 Dec. 2020, https://www.worldbook.com.au/bunyip/.

“Children's Week.” Museums Victoria, https://museumsvictoria.com.au/childrens-week/.

“Dreamtime Stories.” Www.kullillaart.com.au, https://www.kullillaart.com.au/dreamtime-stories/.

Dungey, Grace. “As Australia Faces New Fire Reality, Forest Restoration Tactics Reevaluated.” Mongabay Environmental News, 15 Mar. 2022, https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/as-australia-faces-new-fire-reality-forest-restoration-tactics-reevaluated/.

Gabbert, Author Bill. “The Story of Australia's Million-Hectare Fire.” Wildfire Today, 27 July 2020, https://wildfiretoday.com/2020/07/27/the-story-of-australias-million-hectare-fire/.

“Mutating Myths: AMNH.” American Museum of Natural History, https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythic-creatures/water/mutating-myths.

“Terminology Guide.” Narragunnawali, https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/about/terminology-guide. 

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