The Nature of Idaho

The Nature of Idaho

By KISU-FMScienceNature
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The Nature of Idaho episodes

  • The Nature Of Idaho: Fire Ecology
    This episode of "The Nature of Idaho" features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila from the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Peter Pruett from Zoo Idaho. Their guest is Dr. Alistair Smith, Chair of the Earth and Spatial Sciences Department at the University of Idaho, and together they talk about forest fires, specifically how fire plays a role in forest ecology.
    30 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Sheep vs Cheatgrass
    This episode of "The Nature of Idaho" features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila from the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Peter Pruett from Zoo Idaho. Their guest is Dr. Kelly Hopping, an Associate Professor at Boise State University who specializes in Human-Environment Systems, who talks about how sheep grazing might be helpful in controlling cheatgrass in the West.
    31 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Sagebrush Sea Project
    This episode of "The Nature of Idaho" features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila from the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Peter Pruett from Zoo Idaho. Their guest is Matt Cahill, Program Director at the Nature Conservancy, and together they talk about the Sagebrush Sea.
    29 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Western Junipers
    This episode of "The Nature of Idaho" features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila from the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Peter Pruett from Zoo Idaho. Their guest is Gena Goodman-Campbell from the Oregon Natural Desert Association, and together they talk about Juniper trees in the West.
    30 min
  • The Nature of Idaho: The High Divide
    This episode of "The Nature of Idaho" features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila from the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Peter Pruett from Zoo Idaho. Their guest is Louise Bruce, the Idaho High Divide Senior Specialist for The Wilderness Society, who talks about the High Divide in Idaho; that’s the high elevation lands in the eastern part of the state that bridges between the Yellowstone ecosystem in the East with the central Idaho wilderness to the West.
    28 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Idaho Water Resources Research Institute
    This episode of “The Nature of Idaho” features hydrologist Kendra Kaiser, director of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, discussing how Idaho studies and manages its water in the face of changing climate, snowpack, and demand. She outlines IWRRI’s role in coordinating statewide and regional research with irrigators, agencies, tribes, and universities, including projects on recycled water, aquifer recharge, and a statewide hydrometeorological monitoring network. Kaiser explains Idaho’s water “bank account” of soil moisture, aquifers, and mountain snowpack, and notes that winter 2026 has average high‑elevation snow but unusually poor low‑elevation snow, raising concerns about low streamflows if late‑season storms don’t materialize. She also describes how land‑use change and conservation influence water budgets, highlights real‑world recycled water projects like Nampa’s irrigation‑supply system, and answers the trivia question that the western U.S. “water year” begins October 1, a date some “water nerds” celebrate with informal gatherings.
    30 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Idaho's Big Smile
    This episode of The Nature of Idaho features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila and Peter Pruett talking with hazards geologist Zach Lifton from the Idaho Geological Survey about why the Snake River Plain shows up as a giant “smile” across southern Idaho.
    29 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Mobile Museum
    This episode of "The Nature of Idaho" features hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila from the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Peter Pruett from Zoo Idaho. Their guest is Pam Pascali, a traveling educator for the Idaho Museum of Natural History, who shares stories from her fall spent driving across Idaho in a mobile museum van, teaching kids and adults about dinosaurs and Idaho’s paleontological history. The conversation highlights the scale of the outreach, unique challenges of traveling and educating on the road, and memorable moments engaging rural and small-town communities across the state.
    30 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Wildland Fire in Idaho
    In this episode, The Nature of Idaho explores fire as an essential part of the western landscape, its ecological importance, historical management, and social implications. Hosts Leif Tapanila and Peter Pruett sit down with journalist Murphy Woodhouse to unpack the relationship between humans and wildfires in Idaho.
    30 min
  • The Nature Of Idaho: Portneuf Valley Trail Alliance
    In this episode of "The Nature of Idaho," hosts Dr. Leif Tapanila and Peter Pruett talk with Tyler Scheibenpflug, president of the Portneuf Valley Trail Alliance, about the importance and evolution of trail systems around Pocatello, Idaho. Tyler discusses the creation and goals of the alliance, focusing on sustainable trail maintenance, accessibility for all users, and the need for clear trail signage. The episode covers a range of topics from trail etiquette, environmental impacts, and the variety of trail users to the challenges of maintaining and improving trails, the potential for new adaptive and beginner-friendly trails, and ways the community can get involved in stewardship efforts. The conversation highlights both the natural beauty of Idaho’s trails and the collective effort required to ensure they remain enjoyable and accessible for everyone.
    30 min

About The Nature of Idaho

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by Zoo Idaho Superintendent Peter Pruett and Idaho Museum of Natural History Director Dr. Leif Tapanila, The Nature of Idaho explores how the Gem State’s wild landscapes shape its past,…