Renaming a Natural History Museum with Grace Maria Eberhardt
Release Date: 07/09/2023
grove & grit restoration brief January 18, 2026
treehugger podcast
grove & grit launches with local restoration in Hilltop, Dublin Bay oyster recovery, UN World Restoration Flagships, and an ecological reckoning on war, climate, and accountability — plus two essential upcoming reads from Emma Marris and Clare Follmann. This episode is released during the week of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, grounding restoration work in a shared ethic of collective liberation. Local Action (Tacoma) Tacoma Tree Foundation - Green Blocks: Hilltop A neighborhood-based urban forestry program supporting residents with tree selection, permits, delivery, and...
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Forest History with Jennifer Ott
treehugger podcast
What happens when we trace the history of our forests? Not just through trees, but through people, policy, and place? In this episode, I talk with Jennifer Ott, Executive Director of , Washington’s free online encyclopedia of history. Jennifer is an environmental historian, author of Olmsted in Seattle: Creating a Park System for a Modern City, and co-author of Waterway: The Story of Seattle’s Locks and Ship Canal. She brings a deep knowledge of Seattle’s reshaped landscapes; it's filled tidelands, leveled hills, and rechanneled rivers, and a lifelong commitment to accessible public...
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Urban Evolution with Liz Carlen
treehugger podcast
In this episode, Michael talks with evolutionary biologist and urban ecologist Dr. Elizabeth Carlen about how cities - shaped by war, politics, religion, and everything in between - are evolving alongside the wildlife that calls them home. Liz is an urban evolutionary biologist whose research explores how human social structures, from redlining to sacred groves, shape the genetics, behavior, and survival of city-dwelling creatures like squirrels and pigeons. We dive into the often-overlooked ways that social histories leave their mark not just on human communities, but on the DNA of the...
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My Head for a Tree with Martin Goodman
treehugger podcast
In this special episode, we welcome author and storyteller Martin Goodman to explore the extraordinary living story of the Bishnoi people—a community in the Western Thar Desert of India who have made protecting life, in all its forms, their deepest devotion. Three centuries ago, 363 Bishnoi villagers led by Amrita Devi gave their lives to defend the sacred khejri trees from destruction, speaking the words still taught to Bishnoi children today: “My head for a tree is a cheap price to pay.” But the Bishnoi are not just a story of sacrifice from the past—they are still here, still...
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Giants on New Ground with Philip Stielstra
treehugger podcast
We are joined by Philip Stielstra, founder of, to explore the fascinating world of coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) and giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Philip shares his inspiring journey from Seattle Tree Ambassador to becoming a leader in assisted migration, helping these ancient giants find a new future in the Pacific Northwest. We dive into: The unique traits that make coast redwoods and giant sequoias candidates for assisted migration, including their fire resistance, drought tolerance, and pest resistance. Challenges such as slow seed...
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A Natural History of Empty Lots with Christopher Brown
treehugger podcast
treehugger podcast is 5 years old this month! In this episode, we sit down with Christopher Brown, author of A Natural History of Empty Lots, to uncover the stories hidden in the overlooked spaces of our cities. Christopher shares his unique perspective on urban landscapes—vacant lots, overgrown alleys, and forgotten corners—revealing the vibrant ecosystems and cultural narratives thriving within them. Drawing on his experience as a speculative fiction writer, he challenges us to rethink the value of these unintentional landscapes and their role in shaping our connection to the wider...
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Ecosystem Monitoring with Dylan Mendenhall
treehugger podcast
In this podcast episode, the discussion dives into the complexities and nuances of ecosystem monitoring, led by the Dylan Mendenhall's deep experience and passion for the field. He emphasizes the importance of well-defined questions to drive high-quality monitoring efforts, contrasting effective monitoring with what they term “zombie monitoring”—data collection that continues without purpose due to sunk cost fallacies or lack of clear objectives. The conversation spans from traditional techniques like plot-based sampling and transect surveys to advanced molecular methods like eDNA, which...
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medicinal weeds: rethinking integrated pest management
treehugger podcast
We explore a fresh perspective on non-native and introduced species. Traditionally viewed as pests or threats to ecosystems, some of these species offer hidden benefits that are often overlooked in conventional pest management frameworks. We dive into the complexities of integrated pest management (IPM), discussing the importance of balancing ecological restoration with justice, health, and livelihoods. This episode was adapted from a talk originally given to an audience focused on integrated pest management. It encourages listeners to rethink the language we use around non-native species,...
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Seed Banks and Ecological Memory
treehugger podcast
Underground seed banks, passive restoration, and ecological memory - these elements are crucial in understanding and facilitating natural recovery processes in ecosystems. We'll explore how leveraging underground seed banks, which contain dormant seeds waiting for the right conditions to germinate, can support native plant regeneration. This approach is relational, often less expensive, and informs a long-range view. It also relies on the ecological memory, which refers to an ecosystem's ability to retain information about past states and disturbances, aiding its recovery and resilience....
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Artificial Intelligence and Ecological Restoration with Sam Woodrich and Timothy Pape
treehugger podcast
This episode delves into the integration of artificial intelligence within the field of ecological restoration. Covering a broad spectrum from the practical to the philosophical, the conversation explores the potential for AI to reshape restoration practices, the ethical considerations at play, and the importance of balancing technological advancement with traditional ecological knowledge. Through personal anecdotes, professional experiences, and a look towards the future, the guests offer a comprehensive exploration of how AI is shaping the landscape of ecological restoration and what that...
info_outlineIn the early 2020s, many conservation-related organizations seem to have accelerated their promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion as well as reckoning with their racist origins. The University of Puget Sound recently made the decision to remove the name “Slater'' and give back the original name of their natural history museum. Furthermore called Puget Sound Museum of Natural History, the institution calls this out as “an important step in acknowledging the often problematic figures intertwined in natural history museums and ensuring our museum is an inclusive space for all.” My guest on this show, Grace Maria Eberhardt is a PhD student at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign studying the history of science and race. She led the movement to remove the name “Slater” from the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound, where she earned her B.S. in Biology and African American Studies, and Bioethics emphasis in 2020.
This episode contains discussion of sterilization, which includes involuntary or coerced removal of a person’s ability to reproduce; murder by police; selective breeding of humans for the improvement of human race; and, genocide.
Puget Sound Museum of Natural History website and @pugetsoundmuseum post about renaming
The History of Eugenics at Puget Sound and Beyond
Chang-Yoo, Albert. University tackles ugly history in Slater Museum renaming. University of Puget Sound’s The Trail. May 13, 2022
Hodder, Sam. “Reckoning with the League Founders’ Eugenics Past.” Save the Redwoods League Blog (2020)
King 5 News. University of Puget Sound removes name of professor from on-campus museum. May 23, 2023
Miriti, Maria N., Ariel J. Rawson, and Becky Mansfield. "The history of natural history and race: Decolonizing human dimensions of ecology." Ecological Applications 33.1 (2023): e2748.
Wohlforth, Charles. "Conservation and eugenics." Orion Magazine (2010).
Yoon-Hendricks, Alexandra. University of Puget Sound to remove name of eugenics professor from museum. Seattle Times. May 19, 2023.
Music from the show TrackTribe & Dyalla