Tree Speech

What does it mean to return to the earth?

In this episode, Jonathan speaks with willow weaver Mary Lauren Fraser about her work crafting biodegradable caskets designed to decompose naturally.

Their conversation explores the growing green burial movement, the environmental impact of traditional practices, and how reconnecting with natural cycles can reshape the way we think about death. This episode offers a thoughtful look at death as a process of return rather than preservation.

Links:

Mary Lauren Fraser: ⁠https://www.fraserbaskets.com/⁠

Green Burial Council: https://www.greenburialcouncil.org
Funerary Artisans Collective: https://www.funeraryartisanscollective.com
National Home Funeral Alliance: https://www.homefuneralalliance.org
NEDA (End-of-Life Doulas): https://www.nedalliance.org

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenape tribes and in Massachusetts on the native lands of the ⁠Wabanaki Confederacy⁠, ⁠Pennacook⁠, ⁠Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett)⁠, and ⁠Pawtucket⁠ people.

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner and Dori Robinson.

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us on Apple podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

In this season of Valentine's Day, we often focus on romantic love — but what if intimacy could extend beyond human-to-human relationships?

In this episode of Tree Speech, we explore a radical and tender idea of connection through Arborlogues: A Botanical Recital Performed for One Tree.

Created by lead artist Dan Daly and writer Lee LeBreton, Arborlogues invites participants into a red-curtained theater built around a chosen tree. Guided by a script, you become both performer and conversational partner with your arboreal audience. The result? A deeply personal encounter with presence, memory, ecology, and love.

This episode also honors the work of Joanna Macy, whose environmental activism and work inspire the piece’s invitation to transform grief into belonging and active hope.

The episode closes with a guided reflective exercise that invites listeners to write a love letter to a tree — an act of relational love rooted in gratitude, accountability, and care.

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenape tribes.

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner with Dori Robinson.

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us on Apple podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

The winter solstice is a threshold — the longest night of the year, holding both stillness and promise. In this special 50th episode of Tree Speech, we linger in that in-between space where darkness is not something to fear, but a place of listening, wonder, and quiet presence.

We begin in the solstice hush, where forests shimmer with unseen life and ancient stories gather close. From there, we travel to Iceland through myth, landscape, and lived experience, speaking with author Nancy Marie Brown about her book Looking for the Hidden Folk: How Iceland’s Elves Can Save the Earth. Together, we explore what it means to treat land as alive and attentive — and how belief in the hidden folk is less about superstition than about perception, reverence, and care.

This is an episode about paying attention, honoring mystery, and remembering that even in darkness, the world is alive — and the light is already on its way back.

Happy Solstice! May your candles burn bright, your windows glow with welcome, and the unseen feel close.

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenapee tribes. This week’s episode was recorded in Massachusetts on the native lands of the ⁠Wabanaki Confederacy⁠, ⁠Pennacook⁠, ⁠Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett)⁠, and ⁠Pawtucket⁠ people

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner and Dori Robinson.

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

In this episode, our guest Elspeth Hay, author of Feed Us with Trees, creator of The Local Food Report, and passionate proponent of place-based living, takes us on a fascinating exploration of acorns as a superfood with profound historical roots.

Our conversation also delves into the wisdom of wooded ecosystems and the vital concept of viewing these landscapes as food-producing allies. These insights invite us to imagine a future where humans and nature thrive together, fostering a reciprocal relationship with our environment that respects historical realities while embracing the beauty of nature’s bounty.

This interview and Elspeth's book are a call to reconnect with the abundance around us, urging a transformation in our approach to food and sustainability, as we embrace the natural world’s generosity.

This week’s episode was recorded and produced in Massachusetts on the native lands of the Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett), Nauset, and Pawtucket, and in Wisconsin on the lands of the Ho-chunk, Patawatomi and Menomonee  people.

Find us on Instagram @treespeechpodcast or treespeechpodcast.com. This is also where you can find our show notes and learn more about our featured trees.

And thank you for joining tree speech today.

What if trees could whisper secrets of the past? Join us as we venture into the eerie realm of haunted trees and ghostly tales in our special episode of spooky trees. As the season of Samhain approaches and the veil between the living and the dead grows thin, we share chilling stories from Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn to the Mabira Forest of Uganda to Salem, Massachusetts.

Join our guest storytellers Allison Meier, Emerald Forcier, Cheryl Mullings and Charles Linshaw around the fire as we share these macabre tales and embrace the spirit of the season. Listen now, if you dare...

This week’s episode was recorded in Massachusetts on the native lands of the Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett), and Pawtucket people, as well as in New York on the land of the Lenapee tribes, and in Wisconsin on the lands of the Ho-chunk, Potawatomi and Menomonee people, and in Maine on the lands of the Pernobscott tribes. Special thanks to the Western Avenue Lofts and Studios for all their support. 

Tree Speech is produced and co-written by Dori Robinson and Jonathan Zautner.

Learn more about the podcast at: www.treespeechpodcast.com, and IG: treespeechpodcast

Join us as we embrace the magic of the autumnal equinox, celebrating September's unique duality through the power of poetry and rituals. Drawing inspiration from the evocative work of Alix Klingenberg, we explore how this transitional time invites us to balance urgency with ease and preparation with presence. Through traditions and the wonders of the season, we honor change and navigate our paths toward peace.

Throughout the episode we highlight Alix Klingenberg's "Quietly Wild," a poetic exploration resonating with nature's cycles and the themes of ecology and social justice. This episode is a heartfelt celebration of change, growth, and the interconnectedness of earth and self.

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenapee tribes. This week’s episode was recorded in Massachusetts on the native lands of the Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett), and Pawtucket people

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner and Dori Robinson.

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

What if transforming into a tree was not a punishment but a conscious, enriching choice? Join us as we explore this intriguing concept with our guest, Sumana Roy, author of "How I Became a Tree." Sumana shares her personal journey towards identifying with trees, driven by a longing to escape the emotional turbulence of human existence. Through our conversation, we uncover the profound philosophical and emotional connections humans can form with the natural world and challenge the notion of transformation by finding peace and meaning in adopting a tree-like existence.

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenape tribes.

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner. 

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

Join us on a captivating journey into the world of trees and the profound connection we share with them, as we welcome Marguerite Holloway, author of "Take to the Trees," to our podcast. Marguerite's journey from a tree-climbing novice to a passionate canopy explorer is an inspiring tale of adventure, resilience, and personal transformation. Listen in as we explore her motivations behind writing a book that blends science, memoir, and adventure, offering a vivid portrayal of the beauty and challenges faced by our forests. Her insights, enriched by personal reflections on loss and resilience, provide a compelling narrative on the intricate bond between humans and nature.

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenape tribes.

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner. 

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us on Apple podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

In this episode, we trace the deep roots of New York City’s natural and cultural history—from the legendary 1626 exchange between the Lenape people and Dutch settlers to the enduring presence of iconic trees today. Along the way, we uncover how nature has shaped the city’s identity, from the elegant American elms of Central Park to symbolic landmarks like Harlem’s Tree of Hope and the Survivor Tree at the 9/11 Memorial.

We’re also joined by Mayank Mardiya of Mulch, who shares how rewilding efforts and community gardening initiatives are transforming neglected urban spaces into vibrant green sanctuaries. Together, we explore how small acts of collective care can reconnect us to nature—and to each other—right in the heart of The Big Apple.

This week’s episode was written and recorded in New York on the land of the Lenapee tribes.

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Jonathan Zautner. 

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude to patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word, and rate and review us on Apple podcasts. Every kind word helps. 

Actor, naturalist, and tree enthusiast Tobin Mitnick (@jewslovetrees) joins us this week for a delightfully rooted conversation about what it means to really see a tree.

Best known for his hilarious and heartfelt social media content blending botany and comedy, Tobin has become an unexpected ambassador for curiosity, joy, and ecological attention. In this episode, we explore how he invites people to get up close and granular with trees — to allow each wild and wonderful tree to help you “chase all your cares away.” 

We talk about his book Must Love Trees: An Unconventional Guide, his journey from actor to unexpected arborist, and how humor can be a profound tool for connection — to each other and to the natural world. Tobin reminds us that the impulse to learn and the instinct to laugh are deeply intertwined, and that awe doesn’t have to be solemn. Sometimes reverence looks like walking through your neighborhood, naming the trees, and assigning them irreverent personalities! 

Together we reflect on Jewish identity, stewardship, and finding spiritual and comic resonance in nature. It’s a conversation full of wonder, wit, and the grounding reminder that every tree has a story — and some of them are funny.

This week’s episode was written and recorded on the native lands of the Chumash, Tongva (Gabrieleno), Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett), Pawtucket people, and Lenapee tribes. 

This episode was produced by Jonathan Zautner, and co-written & co-edited by Jonathan Zautner and Dori Robinson

More about Tobin Mitnick can be found at www.tobin-mitnick.com, and Must Love Trees. 

To learn more about our podcast and episodes, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠treespeechpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and consider supporting us through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — every contribution supports our production, and we offer gifts of gratitude to patrons at every level. If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or share it with a friend. Every kind word helps this forest grow.