Field Stories

40. Chris & Michela: tree climbing conservationists and the current political impact on wildlife 🌳

In this episode of Field Stories we catch up with co-host Chris Ketola who has just returned from a very successful research expedition in Uganda.  Chris shares his experience and stories about the trip, including one story in particular that involves volunteers up a tree and charging buffalo!  Chris and Michela also discuss how the current political climate in the USA is impacting conservation across North America and the entire world, with examples from our backyard all the way the way to Uganda.  This episode covers a lot of ground, so sit back and enjoy! Follow Field Stories -  Instagram - @field_stories_podcast Hosted by Chris (@chrisketola), Michela (@michiganbiologist) and Nick (@nick_smith_wildlife_photos) Theme Music: "Honey Bee" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/

39. ‘Hear Them’ - Cheyenne Beach: Amplifying federal conservation workers voices 🗣️🙋‍♀️🦆

39. ‘Hear Them’ - Cheyenne Beach: Amplifying federal conservation workers voices 🗣️🙋‍♀️🦆 This episode is dedicated to all the federal conservation and outdoor recreation workers across the U.S. facing challenges today.  Welcome to the first in a mini-series of Field Stories called "Hear Them," where we spotlight the wrongful terminations and hiring freezes plaguing the federal workforce. Through this series, we aim to shed light on the injustices our colleagues are enduring and offer a platform for their voices to be heard. As of February 14, 2025, Cheyenne Beach became one of the many federal conservation and outdoor employees who were unjustly laid off. Today, we’ve given Cheyenne a platform to share her personal journey and the devastation she’s felt since that day. Her story is one that resonates deeply with thousands of federal workers who are living through the same struggles right now. Cheyenne’s story is heartbreaking, but it’s also a call to action. Her loss mirrors the pain many others in our field are experiencing. We ask you to listen, empathize, and get angry with us. This is an injustice we cannot ignore. Stories like Cheyenne's show the very real human impact of these decisions, and they’re a reminder of why we must stand up and fight. Cheyenne is a remarkable individual—kind, intelligent, and hardworking—who deserves so much more than this. Despite the hardships, she remains determined to push for justice in these difficult times. Her courage to continue the fight is a message we all need to hear: We will not quit. Follow Field Stories -  Instagram - @field_stories_podcast Hosted by Chris (@chrisketola), Michela (@michiganbiologist) and Nick (@nick_smith_wildlife_photos) Theme Music: "Honey Bee" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/

38. Jasmine Mancuso: Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst, Cyanobacteria and cute fluffy baby gulls 🐥 🔬

And we’re back from another hiatus and are excited to introduce our guest, Jasmine Mancuso for episode 38 of Field Stories! Have you ever wondered who monitors our freshwater ecosystems? What happens when a body of water becomes unsuitable and hazardous with Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) ?? Jasmine, an Aquatic Ecology Research Analyst, dives into her world of aquatic ecology. Her work focuses on understanding the cause and effects of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes, some of the largest bodies of freshwater in the world! 🌎 Jasmine shares her journey as an Aquatic Ecologist, from rivers to lakes, where she met our cohost Michela in grad school! Today, we really highlight on the need for outreach, education, and connection between scientists and our local communities. When it comes to saving our freshwater ecosystems, not just for our animals but for our own health too, it’s important to have aquatic ecologists like Jasmine to listen and learn from! 🐟 Jasmine also shares her field story of running into problems with birds out on Lake Erie! Don’t miss this new episode, and we are all excited to be back and rolling! Follow Field Stories -  Instagram - @field_stories_podcast Hosted by Chris (@chrisketola), Michela (@michiganbiologist) and Nick (@nick_smith_wildlife_photos) Theme Music: "Honey Bee" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/

37. Anthony Porter: outdoor educator, wildlife survivalist and katana conservation...

This week we welcome the one and only Outdoor Anthony to the show! Describing Anthony Porter isn’t easy, he’s literally a jack of all trades! One part outdoor educator, one part wildlife survivalist, add in his trademark bow and arrows along with a dash of American Ninja Warrior and his new book and you get Outdoor Anthony! Anthony shared his journey towards his current status as one of the most engaging outdoor education content creators. He also shares his views on how wildlife education and communication have changed over the last decade and what his personal ethics are about what he will and won’t show on his channels. Anthony also shared his field story about a close encounter with a Mountain Lion and what that taught him about nature and our place in it. Don’t miss this awesome episode AND don’t forget to pick up your copy of his new book My Epic Nature Journal which is available now!Follow Anthony:  @OutdoorAnthony  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCjxV_MNyK-BPV98ZUYMijjQ] Anthony's book: https://www.amazon.com/Epic-Nature-Journal-Anthony-Porter/dp/1962202577Follow Field Stories - Instagram - @field_stories_podcastHosted by Chris (@chrisketola), Michela (@michiganbiologist) and Nick (@nick_smith_wildlife_photos)Theme Music:"Honey Bee" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons:By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

36. Matt Patterson: wildlife art, turtle conservation and stomaching cuisine in the field…

Today we were joined by wildlife artist and lover of turtles, Matt Patterson, for episode 36 of Field Stories! Have you ever wanted to get into wildlife art as a job but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you are already a wildlife artist and you just want to know how to get out into the field, and acquire some conservation experience! Matt Patterson’s work has spanned far and wide, from illustrating a book about fish with his dad, to assisting in the field with turtle conservation in Madagascar and Belize! Matt has recently illustrated and was a character of a non-fiction book called, “Of Time and Turtles”, by Sy Montgomery and is currently working on a new book about a very beloved snapping turtle named Fire chief! 🐢 His passion and love towards turtles truly is personified in his artistry and personality, which is such a beautiful thing to witness. Thank you so much for joining us today Matt, we learned a lot from you and got to see inside the mind of an artist! We hope you enjoy this episode! Streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube! Like, subscribe, share and leave a comment down below with any questions from this episode 💜!