Habitat University
Habitat University is a science-based podcast delivering the latest information on habitat management. This podcast is part of a larger podcast network: Natural Resources University. Funding for this project comes from the Renewable Resources Extension Act.
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From Litter to Glitter: Restoring oak woodlands and savannas with fire and thinning (Part 1/2) | #27
05/01/2024
From Litter to Glitter: Restoring oak woodlands and savannas with fire and thinning (Part 1/2) | #27
What distinguishes a forest, woodland, and savanna? How does wildlife and plant diversity differ between them? How do we restore woodlands and savannas? Join Jarred as he talks with Dr. Andy Vander Yacht about his research into restoring oak woodlands and savannas and the wildlife that thrive within in. This is a two-part series. In part 1, we discuss the historical context of forests, woodlands, and savannas in the eastern US, and Andy’s research into how fire and thinning influence plant composition and diversity. Give us some feedback or potential topics you would like to here by filling out our listener survey: Research & Resources discussed in the episode Dr. Andy Vander Yacht - Vegetation response to canopy disturbance and season of burn during oak woodland and savanna restoration in Tennessee - Litter to glitter: promoting herbaceous groundcover and diversity in mid-southern USA oak forests using canopy disturbance and fire - Reversing Mesophication Effects on Understory Woody Vegetation in Mid-Southern Oak Forests - Restoration of oak woodlands and savannas in Tennessee using canopy-disturbance, fire-season, and herbicides - Fuel dynamics during oak woodland and savanna restoration in the Mid-South USA - Webinar: Litter to glitter: releasing the herbaceous groundlayer potential stored in oak forest floors -
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Forest management for birds: an introduction to the series | #26
04/03/2024
Forest management for birds: an introduction to the series | #26
Ahead of a forthcoming mini-series on forest management for birds, Adam and Jarred discuss a paper reviewing the state of the science examining bird responses to forest management in the eastern U.S. The paper published last year by Michael Skresh and colleagues presents a compelling case for the importance of managed disturbances in eastern forests to benefit birds of conservation concern. Jarred also foreshadows some conversations he has planned in the coming episodes. Give us some feedback or potential topics you would like to here by filling out our listener survey: Research & Resources discussed in the episode Here's the paper we discussed: Akresh, Michael E., David I. King, Savannah L. McInvale, Jeffery L. Larkin, and Anthony W. D'Amato. 2023. “ Effects of Forest Management on the Conservation of Bird Communities in Eastern North America: A Meta-Analysis.” Ecosphere 14(1): e4315. Here’s a paper Adam’s written about forest management for birds: h Here’s the episode we mentioned with Marcus Lashley and fire disturbance regimes:
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Conserving Wildlife in Ag. Landscapes: Creating win-win solutions for wildlife and farmers | #25
02/28/2024
Conserving Wildlife in Ag. Landscapes: Creating win-win solutions for wildlife and farmers | #25
In this episode we talk with Dr. Mark McConnell, Assistant Professor of Upland Birds at Mississippi State, about wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes and his research into creating win-win solutions for wildlife and agricultural producers. We cover a variety of topics in this episode from reacting to Adam’s new mustache, Mark’s use of memes to help wildlife student engage with farmers, and using precision conservation to delivery economically targeted conservation. Themes in the episode: meeting farmer where they are, building your conservation team, economics and Precision Agricultural/Conservation. Targeted Conservation Delivery, Economically Targeted Conservation, Wildlife-Friendly Farming Give us some feedback or potential topics you would like to here by filling out our listener survey: Research & Resources discussed in the episode Research on who farmers trust when making decisions about agricultural practices - Personal outreach to landowners is vital to conservation program success (article about Lutter et al 2018 paper). Bridging the gap between conservation delivery and economics with precision agriculture (McConnell 2021) - Economically targeting conservation practices to optimize conservation and net revenue using precision agriculture tools (Meng et al. 2022) - Farming and the fate of nature (Green et al. 2005) - Wildlife-friendly farming benefits rare birds, bees and plants (Pywell et al. 2012) - Crop Advisors as Conservation Intermediaries (Eanes et al. 2019) - Creating Environmentally Resilient Agriculture Landscapes Using Precision Agriculture Technology: An Economic Perspective (McConnell 2019) - CRP Menu Tool -
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Private lands wrapped! | #24
01/17/2024
Private lands wrapped! | #24
In the final episode of our second season, Jarred and Adam review the conversations we’ve had on the theme of private lands habitat conservation, discuss some things “left on the bone,” and share with the listeners where Habitat University is heading in the new year! Be sure to check out the previous episodes in the podcast, including those from Season 2 discussed in this episode, and Season 1 if you haven’t already! And as always please help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources mentioned in the episode: Bird friend coffee: Bird friendly beef: Learn more about the Land sparing and land sharing debate with this article: For a much more thorough treatment of the history of Native peoples’ relationships to much of what we today know as private land, check out the exceptional book:
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Whitetails on Private Lands with Matt Ross from NDA | Ep 23
10/10/2023
Whitetails on Private Lands with Matt Ross from NDA | Ep 23
We are joined this week by Matt Ross from the National Deer Association to chat about the importance of private lands and private land management for America’s favorite game species, the white-tailed deer. We discuss how whitetails can be a catalyst for private lands habitat management and all the work NDA does to assist private landowners. Resources discussed: National Deer Association – 2023 Deer Report - Deer Steward Program - Land Certification Program - Cooperative Program - Golden, K. E., M. N. Peterson, C. S. DePerno, R. E. Bardon, and C. E. Moorman. 2012. Factors shaping private landowner engagement in wildlife management. Wildlife Society Bulletin 37:94–100. Macaulay, L. 2016. The role of wildlife-associated recreation in private land use and conservation: Providing the missing baseline. Land Use Policy 58:218–233. Mitterling, A. M., B. A. Rudolph, and D. B. Kramer. 2021. The Influence of Private Land Deer Management Cooperatives on Harvest Outcomes and Hunter Satisfaction. Wildlife Society Bulletin 45:456–464. Pruitt, H. P., B. B. Boley, G. K. D’Angelo, and M. D. McConnell. 2022. Deer management cooperative members’ likelihood of engaging in conservation initiatives: an importance-likelihood analysis. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 0:1–20.
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Getting kids engaged in habitat management through WHEP | Bonus
05/25/2023
Getting kids engaged in habitat management through WHEP | Bonus
In this episode, Jarred and Adam explain the Wildlife Habitat Education Program, which engages kids from throughout the country in wildlife habitat management through 4-H and FFA. Adam and Jarred first discuss the structure of the program and how it’s implemented in states across the country, and then they explore the national competition, including featuring voices of competitors from the 2022 National Competition in Kentucky. If you’re interested in starting a WHEP club in your community, you should reach out to your local or state 4-H or FFA leaders. Learn more about the program and how to get involved at the link below. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources from the episode: Learn more about WHEP at:
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Farm Bill Biologists and Beyond: Pheasants & Quail Forever’s Approach to Private Land Conservation | Ep 22
04/12/2023
Farm Bill Biologists and Beyond: Pheasants & Quail Forever’s Approach to Private Land Conservation | Ep 22
When it comes to getting boots on the ground for private lands conservation, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever is a leader. This episode we are joined by Quail Forever Tennessee State Coordinator, Brittney Viers, to discuss all the work PF & QF does for wildlife on private lands. From Farm Bill Biologists to Precision Ag & Conservation Specialists, tune in to learn about the wide-ranging roles of PFQF employees, and how they work to create and enhance habitat on private lands. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources from the episode: Find your local Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever Biologist: Contact a Precision Ag & Conservation Specialist:
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50 Solutions to the Private Lands Challenge: Idaho | Ep 21
03/16/2023
50 Solutions to the Private Lands Challenge: Idaho | Ep 21
In this episode, we wrap our mini-segment on approaches to private lands habitat management with a visit to a state with only about 30% private land: Idaho! Sal Palazzolo is the State Wildlife Habitat Program Manager for the Idaho Department of Fish & Game. He works with staff and partners to manage habitat throughout the state on private and public lands and took Adam on a tour of the state and its diversity to admire their unique challenges and share some of their successes! Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Learn more about private land programs in Idaho here:
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50 solutions to the private lands challenge: Missouri, ft. Bill White & Lisa Potter | Ep 20
06/29/2022
50 solutions to the private lands challenge: Missouri, ft. Bill White & Lisa Potter | Ep 20
On this episode Adam is joined by Bill White and Lisa Potter from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Join them for a wide-ranging conversation about the MDC private lands program and how 80+ biologists work to get wildlife conservation done on private land. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources from the episode: Missouri Private Lands Program - Please help us justify this effort by taking our quick survey: ! For more information, follow us on , &
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Private lands conservation in the Bluegrass State, ft. Jacob Stewart & Cody Rhoden | Ep 19
05/24/2022
Private lands conservation in the Bluegrass State, ft. Jacob Stewart & Cody Rhoden | Ep 19
Join Jarred from the Bluegrass State as he talks with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Private Lands Coordinator, Jacob Stewart, and Small Game Coordinator, Cody Rhoden. Listen in as Jacob and Cody discuss their philosophy on private lands conservation and how Kentucky is trying to make wildlife a by-product of everyday land management. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources from the episode: KDFWR Private Lands Program - KDFWR Bobwhite Restoration Plan 2020 - Your Bluestem Grazing Resource - Please help us justify this effort by taking our quick survey:
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50 solutions to the private lands challenge: Colorado, ft. Ray Aberle | Ep 18
04/26/2022
50 solutions to the private lands challenge: Colorado, ft. Ray Aberle | Ep 18
State wildlife resource agencies are often on the front lines of wildlife habitat management and conservation on private lands by providing technical expertise and custom-tailored programs to help wildlife and people. But each state has its own unique approach. To learn more about these approaches, we’re going to be taking a tour of state-led private land programs around the country in the next few episodes! To get us started, Adam visited with Ray Aberle, the private lands program manager with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the director of the Private Lands Working Group of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Ray shared some really interesting insights about the approaches states use across the country for private lands work and then discussed the specific programs he oversees in Colorado. Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources and references mentioned in the episode: Learn more about AFWA and the Private lands working group here: Learn more about the variety of private lands programs in Colorado that Ray mentioned here: Ray mentioned Rick Knight at Colorado State University—find his work here: Ray mentioned the Meadowlark Initiative in North Dakota. Learn more here:
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the OTHER federal player on private lands, ft. Gwen Kolb & Kraig McPeek | Ep 17
03/22/2022
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the OTHER federal player on private lands, ft. Gwen Kolb & Kraig McPeek | Ep 17
This week we shift our inquiry from the U.S. Department of Agriculture into the Department of the Interior where we find a litany of wildlife biologists working to conserve wildlife habitat on private lands through various programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In this episode, Adam interviews biologist Gwen Kolb from the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program in New Mexico and Kraig McPeek from the Ecological Services Office in Illinois. Kraig and Gwen provide a detailed overview of how the USFWS works with private landowners throughout the country to help conserve a diversity of wildlife species and help landowners and managers achieve their own goals! Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources and references mentioned in the episode: Learn more about the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, including state contacts, at this website: Find a U.S. FWS office near you with this link: Learn more about federally endangered species here: Learn what species are listed in your state here: Learn more about Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCA’s) here: Learn more about the Topeka Shiner conservation success story in this article from NRCS featuring interviewee Kraig McPeek!: Learn more about the Rio Grande Cutthroat () from the Western Native Trout Initiative.
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The alphabet soup episode: Federal farm bill conservation programs, ft. Brianne Lowe | Ep 16
02/22/2022
The alphabet soup episode: Federal farm bill conservation programs, ft. Brianne Lowe | Ep 16
CRP, EQIP, WRE, ACEP, CP, SAFE, MA, FRPP.....OK you get the point –there are A LOT of acronyms when it comes to federal programs for conservation work on private lands in the U.S. The Natural Resources Conservation Service –NRCS –is integral in the implementation of many of these programs. So this week, Jarred and Adam visited with Indiana’s NRCS State Wildlife Biologist Brianne Lowe to get the skinny on all these acronyms and how the programs they represent can be used to create habitat for wildlife on private lands! Help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: Resources and references mentioned in the episode: Find a library of the “CP’s” or “Conservation Practices” under the CRP here: Learn more about the ACEP program here: Find your local NRCS office here: We apologize for the technical difficulties associated with this episode and thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
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Habitat management: Private lands in private hands | Ep 15
01/07/2022
Habitat management: Private lands in private hands | Ep 15
There is A LOT of private land in the U.S. and that means there are A LOT of challenges and opportunities for wildlife habitat conservation there! This season, Adam and Jarred will be joining guests from across the country to admire these challenges and opportunities thoroughly. In this first episode of Season 2 of Habitat University, they set the stage for the season and discuss what some of these challenges and opportunities will look like and how they’ll be exploring them in the episodes to come!
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Holiday habitat wishlist | Ep 14
12/07/2021
Holiday habitat wishlist | Ep 14
Not sure what to get the habitat manager on your list this holiday season? Have no fear! In this episode, Adam and Jarred chat about what’s on their holiday habitat wishlist. Take a listen and you are sure to find the perfect gift idea. You will also get a sneak peek about what’s coming up on Habitat University in 2022.
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Habitat management: reflections from a college classroom, ft. Dr. Flaherty | Ep 13
09/14/2021
Habitat management: reflections from a college classroom, ft. Dr. Flaherty | Ep 13
Adam and Jarred are joined in this episode by award-winning instructor, Dr. Liz Flaherty, to chat about teaching undergraduate students all about habitat management. Dr. Flaherty is an Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology & Habitat Management at Purdue University. Take a listen to learn about the insights you can take from a college classroom and apply on your own property.
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Exploring the challenges of invasive species, ft. Dawn Slack & Dr. Bronson Strickland | Ep 12
08/10/2021
Exploring the challenges of invasive species, ft. Dawn Slack & Dr. Bronson Strickland | Ep 12
Ask anyone what they’re doing for wildlife habitat and you’re sure to hear mention of the challenges of invasive species. From aquatic invasive species that restructure entire food webs of Great Lakes to carpets of exotic grasses changing fire regimes in the west, invasive species are everywhere. In this episode, Jarred and Adam first dig in on the science of invasive species and discuss the challenges they present for wildlife and wildlife habitat.
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The roots of wildlife habitat, ft. Dr. Craig Harper | Ep 11
07/13/2021
The roots of wildlife habitat, ft. Dr. Craig Harper | Ep 11
When you’re managing habitat for wildlife do you think more about plants than wildlife? Yeah, us too. So who better to chat with than one of the nation’s leading researchers and educators on plant-wildlife interactions? In this episode, Jarred and Adam chat with author and University of Tennessee Extension Wildlife Specialist Dr. Craig Harper. Tune in for a masterclass on the importance of plants and plant id for all habitat managers.
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The moneyball problem | Ep 10
06/15/2021
The moneyball problem | Ep 10
What do baseball and wildlife habitat management have in common? Take a listen to this week’s episode as Adam and Jarred discuss what Adam calls “the Moneyball problem” of habitat management. They chat about how lessons learned from the best-selling book (and movie) - Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game – can be applied to habitat management.
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Aldo's tools revisited 88 years later | Ep 09
05/18/2021
Aldo's tools revisited 88 years later | Ep 09
Aldo Leopold’s defined his 5 tools of game management when he wrote Game Management over 80 years ago. But what tools did he miss, or what tools have been developed in the 88 years since the book was published? Join Adam and Jarred as they share their thoughts on the habitat management tools that should be added to the list. What tools would you add to Aldo’s list? Also, listen as Jarred tries to convince Adam that his toolbox analogy isn’t complete nonsense.
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Aldo's tools: Aiming high for habitat with the gun, ft. Patt Dorsey | Ep 08
04/20/2021
Aldo's tools: Aiming high for habitat with the gun, ft. Patt Dorsey | Ep 08
Our tour of Aldo’s Tools comes to a close in this episode as we consider the last tool: the gun. From controlling certain game populations to engaging hunters in habitat conservation efforts in their own backyard or across the continent, Patt Dorsey, Director of Conservation Operations in the west for the National Wild Turkey Federation, breaks down how the gun does a lot of good for habitat in this wide ranging discussion with Adam.
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Aldo’s tools : The plow reborn with precision, ft. Ryan Heiniger | Ep 07
03/23/2021
Aldo’s tools : The plow reborn with precision, ft. Ryan Heiniger | Ep 07
Through large expanses of U.S., wildlife live alongside, or are strongly influenced by, the footprint of crop production practices; what Leopold was referencing when he spoke of ‘the plow.’ In this episode, Adam talks to Ryan Heiniger from Pheasants Forever about the challenges and opportunities for wildlife habitat conservation with ‘the plow’ and how a more precision imagining of its utility and place can be good for the farmer AND wildlife.
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Aldo's tools: Balancing on an axe blade, ft. Jordan Nanney | Ep 06
03/11/2021
Aldo's tools: Balancing on an axe blade, ft. Jordan Nanney | Ep 06
How can the axe – or forestry – be used as a habitat management tool? Jarred talks with Jordan Nanney, a Wildlife Forester with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, about how he uses forestry to creatively manage wildlife habitat. As you’ll learn in the episode it can really be a balancing axe {act}.
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Aldo's tools: What's good for the herd is good for the bird, ft. Marissa Ahlering | Ep 05
02/23/2021
Aldo's tools: What's good for the herd is good for the bird, ft. Marissa Ahlering | Ep 05
Many wildlife managers are interested in understanding and using grazing animals to create the unique places where animals, or in the case of the blowout penstemon, unique plants, thrive. In this wide-ranging discussion, Adam talks to The Nature Conservancy’s Marissa Ahlering about how grazing impacts wildlife and we can creatively use grazing to manage wildlife habitat.
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Aldo's tools: Getting creative with prescribed fire, ft. Dr. Marcus Lashley | Ep 04
01/26/2021
Aldo's tools: Getting creative with prescribed fire, ft. Dr. Marcus Lashley | Ep 04
How can prescribed fire be used creatively to create and enhance habitat for wildlife? Dr. Marcus Lashley, Assistant Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist at University of Florida and host of Fire University, joins the podcast to tackle this question, and we take a deep dive into prescribed fire as a habitat management tool.
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Habitat management: The oldest job in the world? | Ep 03
12/29/2020
Habitat management: The oldest job in the world? | Ep 03
For as long as people have been interacting with wild animals, they have been manipulating the places where wild animals live. So, is habitat management the oldest job in the world? Join Adam and Jarred as they chat about the history of wildlife habitat management, dig deep into the central premise of habitat management – plant succession – and introduce the five tools for habitat management that Aldo Leopold described in his 1933 book, Game Management.
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Habitat as a panchreston problem | Ep 02
12/08/2020
Habitat as a panchreston problem | Ep 02
What do you picture when you hear “habitat”? Habitat is one of the most important concepts in wildlife management, but what does it actually mean? Join Adam and Jarred as they define “habitat” and discuss why its use is a “panchreston problem.”
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Introduction to Habitat University, ft. Jarred Brooke & Adam Janke | Ep 01
11/30/2020
Introduction to Habitat University, ft. Jarred Brooke & Adam Janke | Ep 01
Join us on Habitat University as we talk with wildlife professionals and others about the science behind wildlife habitat management.
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