Nature Boost: Recent Episodes
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Join host Jill Pritchard from the Missouri Department of Conservation as she explores everything nature has to offer – from health benefits and wildlife viewing, to outdoor recreation and unbelievable conservation stories. Subscribe and get your own Nature Boost!
Join us for a night of theater at the Muny! Muny CEO Kwofe Coleman tells us what makes this outdoor theater so special, how the nature setting adds to productions, and why so many continue to attend shows year after year. Later, MDC’s Karen Hudson guides us around Forest Park and tells us about MDC’s partnership with the Muny. Learn more and visit at muny.org!
MDC Naturalist Sarah Easton sits down with Jill to answer common questions MDC receives from the public during the summer season. Topics include summer bird-feeding, what to do if you find an abandoned or injured animal, and best ways to protect yourself against mosquitos, ticks, and poison ivy.
Learn why Missouri is dubbed “The Cave State” as Jill goes cave exploring with MDC Naturalist and cave expert Shelly Colatskie. Learn why the state hosts so many caves, how they form, and tips and resources on how to become a caver yourself!
Celebrate our birds this holiday season through the Christmas Bird Count. US Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Biologist Sarah Kendrick tells us the history of the bird census, how to join, and how the data helps declining bird populations. Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count at Audubon.org
Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday by learning more about the wild turkey. Wild Turkey Biologist Nick Oakley gives some fun facts about this gamebird you can bring to your dinner table.
Feeling batty this month? Learn all about one of Halloween’s most iconic mascots in October’s episode. Jill speaks with MDC Bat Ecologist Jordan Meyer about types of bats found in Missouri, what they’re up to this time of year, and what to do if you happen to find one on your property.
It’s getting close to Halloween season, and what better way to celebrate than learning about one of Missouri’s most unique snakes? Join Jill as she speaks with MDC Naturalist Alex Holmes about the two-headed black ratsnake at the Cape Girardeau Nature Center.
Butterflies are insects, but many of us think of them as something “more.” Perhaps it’s their beauty or the fact that they don’t bite or sting that makes people like them so much! Learn about the iconic monarch butterfly, their impressive migration journey, and what you can do to help support their population.
Tag along on geese banding efforts in mid-Missouri and learn why and how MDC biologists place waterfowl identification bands on Canada geese.
In June’s episode, we’re revisiting a Paddlefest event held at the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary near St. Louis. We talk to multiple participants, re-learn some basic paddling techniques, and even hear the history of the area from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In this episode of Nature Boost, we’re discussing deterrents many people face when it comes to a Missouri summer – poison ivy, mosquitos, and ticks. Jill speaks with Runge Nature Center Manager Kevin Lohraff for tips on how to enjoy the outdoors without letting these plants and bloodsuckers ruin your time. This episode also explores how these unpopular members of nature contribute to the ecosystem.
Nature is everywhere – including in downtown St. Louis! Join Jill as she takes an owl prowl with Naturalist Mark Glenshaw, who has been observing a Great-Horned Owl in Forest Park since 2005! Learn all about this species, and even how to spot owls in nature on your own! Be sure to learn more about the Forest Park owls by following Mark on Twitter at @forestparkowls
Get your yard spring-ready and plant natives! Get tips from MDC Native Landscape Specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross and watch your yard bloom with color and wildlife this year!
You ever see those hawks sitting along highways or atop the trees? Some people use them to hunt small game! Learn about this ancient way to hunt as Jill speaks with Master Falconer Meagan Duffee-Yates and accompanies her on a duck hunt with her peregrine falcon, Sidewinder.
Got a sweet tooth? Then this episode is for you! January and February are great times to get outdoors and taste one of the forest’s sweetest gifts – maple syrup. Jill talks with Rockwoods Reservation’s Amy Wilkinson to learn how to tap sugar maple trees to make syrup. Find maple sugaring events and information at moconservation.org!
Discover nature this season through eagle watching! Join Jill as she speaks with MDC Resource Scientist Janet Haslerig about why winter is the best season to view bald eagles in Missouri. Jill also shares Christmas tree care tips and ways you can recycle your tree after the holidays.
MDC’s Protection Unit recruited the help of five four-legged officers over the last year. Learn how these canine officers help conservation agents in investigations and outreach programs as Jill rides along with Agent Susan Swem and her partner K-9 Astro.
Fall is finally here, but have you ever wondered why leaves change color? Jill gets the scoop from MDC Community Forester Ann Koenig, who explains how leaves turn and the best time to see fall foliage in Missouri. Be sure to check out MDC’s Fall Color Forecast to learn more at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor
Floating Missouri’s streams is a fantastic way to unwind and get a nature boost. In this episode, Jill joins certified paddling instructors Bob Virag, Craig Heaton, and Perry Whitaker for a float on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Get tips from the experts to make the most out of your next float trip, and even hear the story about how one of these guys attempted to break a kayaking world record!
Discover nature through fishing! Learn the basics from MDC’s wildlife artist and avid bass angler Alexis “AJ” Joyce. Learn about best times to wet a line, how to handle fish, and why MDC’s Mo Outdoors app is a great fishing companion!
Head out on a bluff trail and into the crystal-clear waters of the Huzzah with the Newenhaus family from St. Louis. Their camping tradition spans sixty years, and they are sharing their adventures, and what keeps the generations together and returning every year.
As Missouri celebrates its bicentennial in 2021, an art exhibition at the State Historical Society of Missouri is shining a light on the animals that inhabited the area at the time it became a state 200 years ago. Join Jill as she speaks with Curator of Art Collections Joan Stack about the images from John James Audubon and Charles Schwartz, and how changing landscapes throughout the years have impacted native wildlife. The exhibition runs through July 16.
Tune in and learn everything you need to know to prepare for your next camping trip! Jill speaks with Springfield Nature Center Manager Rudy Martinez, who gives listeners tips on gear, food, activities, and great places in Missouri to set up camp.
Tune in with Jill as she talks with one of MDC’s staff photographers, David Stonner about his journey into nature photography, how Missouri is blessed with so many incredible conservation areas, plus a few tips anyone can use to get out and discover nature photography.
Join Jill as she sets out on a quest to find the elusive morel mushroom. She’s joined by MDC State Botanist Malissa Briggler, who gives her expertise on when and where to find these tasty morsels as they pop up during early spring!
Most people stay clear of snakes, but one team of researchers is on the hunt for one of Missouri’s most elusive species: the eastern copperhead! Jill interviews researchers at Powder Valley Nature Center and learns about their tracking efforts to better understand copperhead populations around the Kirkwood area.
State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick joins Nature Boost for round 2 on Missouri’s birds. She tells us why many populations are sadly in decline, but gives us tips on how we can each do our part to help reverse those numbers. Sarah also gives us good tips on winter bird watching, and why the cold season is a great time to pick up the hobby!
Missouri Herpetologist Jeff Briggler talks to Jill about what types of snakes you can encounter in Missouri, and why respect – not fear – is the best approach to these cool reptiles.
Did you know Missouri has an established elk population? Cervid Biologist Aaron Hildreth gives Jill a tour of Peck Ranch Conservation Area, where Missouri’s elk roam!
Jill talks with Missouri Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick on why birds are awesome! Learn some basic bird calls and how to become a birder!
Join Jill as she tags along on a black bear research trip in southern Missouri with MDC Furbearer Biologist Laura Conlee. Learn about Missouri’s growing bear population and how to stay “Bear Aware”.
Relax and de-stress as you discover ways to incorporate nature into your self-care routine!
Join Jill for Mini Nature Boost about hiking! Learn some quick tips that will motivate you to get out and discover nature!
Jill gets together with Wildlife Programs Supervisor Lauren Hildreth and MDC Wildlife Damage Biologists Daryl Damron and Josh Wisdom to discuss how we can live in harmony with the natural world.
Jill speaks to MDC’S Trees Work Campaign Coordinator Holly Dentner and Sarah Crowder with the Heartland Tree Alliance to find out how their programs are improving Missouri’s communities one tree at a time.
We’ve heard about how “Green Space” is great for health, but what about our lakes and rivers? This episode features MDC’s Stream and Watershed Chief Sherry Fischer and explores how clean and healthy waterways impact our health.
Jill talks to MDC Urban Wildlife Biologist Erin Shank and St. Louis University Biology Professor Dr. Gerardo Camilo to discuss the vital role bees play in our nutrition.
Join host Jill Pritchard as she discusses nature’s effect on our well-being with Jefferson City-based Wellness Practitioner Dianna Richardson. Also featured is St. Louis radio personality, Jeff Burton, who shares how hiking changed his life for the better.