Holiday Memories and Traditions
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this festive episode of The Backyard Naturalists, hosts Chris, Laurie, and Debbie share heartwarming memories and favorite traditions of the holiday season. From Christmas and Thanksgiving to New Year’s celebrations, the hosts discuss their cherished customs, delicious holiday foods, and unforgettable gifts. Highlights include: Cooking family favorites like turkey, gumbo, and standing rib roast. Sipping eggnog and sharing photos with loved ones. Treasured gifts...
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Eco-Friendly Holidays: Food, Decorations, and Gifts
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, hosts Debbie and Laurie explore ways to celebrate the holiday season while making environmentally-friendly choices. From sustainable food options to eco-conscious decorations and thoughtful gift-giving, this episode is packed with practical tips for reducing your environmental impact during the holidays. Learn how to: Shop locally and seasonally for fresh, sustainable holiday meals. Choose real Christmas trees or plantable...
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Saving Species: Insights into the Endangered Species Process with Sara Schweitzer
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie welcome Sara Schweitzer from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to discuss the intricate process of identifying and protecting endangered species. Sara shares insights into how federal and state agencies collaborate to assess species' population trends, distribution, and vulnerability through rigorous surveys and scientific review. Learn about the classifications of endangered, threatened, and special concern...
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Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees: Which is Better for the Planet?
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this festive episode of The Backyard Naturalists podcast, hosts Laurie and Debbie explore the lively debate between real and artificial Christmas trees. With environmental impact, sustainability, and holiday traditions on the table, they discuss the pros and cons of each option. The hosts dive into the origins and ecological footprint of artificial trees, highlighting that while they’re made from plastic and steel and mostly produced overseas, using them for five or more...
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Amazing Animal Adaptations with Stan Tekiela
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie are joined by renowned nature photographer, author, and wildlife expert Stan Tekiela to explore the incredible world of animal adaptations. From polar bears' heat-absorbing fur and bats’ echolocation abilities to the hibernation habits of bears and chipmunks, Stan shares fascinating insights into how animals survive and thrive in diverse environments. Listeners will hear about remarkable examples of adaptation,...
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Turning Your Backyard into a Food Forest with Dr. Jason Crean
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists podcast, we dive into the world of food forests with Dr. Jason Crean, a biologist and animal nutrition expert. After moving to Florida, Dr. Crean transformed his suburban yard into a thriving “food oasis” to provide diverse, nutritious diets for his animals, including toucans and fruit doves, while reducing grocery costs. Dr. Crean shares how he optimized every bit of space, from raised beds to marginal areas, and...
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Life on the Last Frontier - Laurie's Alaskan Homestead Childhood
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this captivating follow-up episode, Laurie takes listeners back to her childhood years growing up on a remote homestead in Alaska. From age 6 to 18, she experienced life off the grid, where survival skills, hard work, and a deep respect for nature were essential. Laurie shares what it was like to endure frigid temperatures down to -50°F, live in a converted school bus before her family built a house, and be surrounded by breathtaking, yet rugged wilderness. Listeners will...
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Plant ID Made Easy: Exploring the Best Apps for Nature Lovers
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Laurie and Debbie dig into the world of plant identification apps! They review several popular options, including Picture This, Plant Snap, Leaf Snap, Flora Incognita, Plant Net, iNaturalist, and Garden Answers. Each app has unique features, from instant ID and care info to community science-based databases. Whether you're a beginner or a plant pro, they cover the pros and cons—like accuracy, database scope, and ease of use—so...
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Fun and Festive Fall Flowers
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, we dive into the joys of fall gardening! With cooler temperatures and colorful leaves setting the stage, now is the perfect time to plant native perennials that will thrive through the season and beyond. Learn about the best fall planting practices, including checking for pesticide-free plants and finding region-specific perennial favorites like Heuchera, Echinacea, Black-eyed Susans, and more. Our hosts, Debbie and Laurie, also...
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Leave the Leaves: A Simple Way to Support Wildlife with David Mizejewski
The Backyard Naturalists
Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, we welcome David Mizejewski from the National Wildlife Federation to discuss the "Leave the Leaves" campaign for October. David shares the surprising ecological benefits of keeping fallen leaves on your property rather than removing them. From creating essential habitats for fireflies, bumblebees, and butterflies to reducing methane emissions and improving soil health, leaving leaves is an easy way to support wildlife and the environment. ...
info_outlineThe Backyard Naturalists are absolutely thrilled to feature Dr. Carrie, DeJaco, Ph.D. on this episode to have a conversation about invasive plants. Dr. DeJaco is an Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina. She also holds a B. A. and Masters Degree in Biology from the University of Louisville. Carrie loves using Pfeiffer's extensive Misenheimer campus as an outdoor classroom in which her students can conduct projects with invasive species, succession, and landscape reconciliation. We start the conversation at the very beginning with the simple question, “what is an invasive plant” and during the discussion, we review items such as:
- The Top 10 List of invasive plants in the Greater Charlotte, NC region
- Which invasive plant can you get rid of to help control mosquitoes in your yard
- Once you’ve rid your yard of invasive ground cover, what’s a good, drought tolerant replacement
During this episode, Debbie mentions a document published by the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County which reviews invasive exotic plants in the area and how it serves as a guide to their identification and removal. The publication can be accessed here.
Carrie's website provides a comprehensive list and detailed information on native and invasive plants for your yard and garden.
We encourage you to regularly visit Dr. DeJaco’s Facebook page, For the Birds and the Bees and connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.
Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.
Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists. We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.
Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to [email protected].