In this cross-posted guest episode, host Kollibri terre Sonnenblume takes the guest seat and is interviewed by Amy Walsh of The Nettle Witch, MD. Amy describes herself as someone who is "not so gracefully walking the line between medical doctor and wild woman" and who is "exploring the science and magic of healing through essays, storytelling and poetry." The subject: so-called "invasive plants." In their conversation, they dive into many of the basic critiques of this common but highly dubious narrative. We cover much of what the science says and doesn't say, and we also discuss what cultural beliefs and prejudices feed the narrative.
The Nettle Witch, MD on Substack: https://thenettlewitchmd.substack.com/
Conservation Sense & Nonsense: (Website recommended by Kollibri during interview) https://milliontrees.me/
Source of the term "invasive land ethics": "Anishnaabe Aki: an indigenous perspective on the global threat of invasive species" (Reo, Nicholas & Ogden, Laura. (2018). "Sustainability Science." 13. 10.1007/s11625-018-0571-4.) https://www.academia.edu/36568069/Anishnaabe_Aki_an_indigenous_perspective_on_the_global_threat_of_invasive_species
FOLLOW / SUPPORT Kollibri: Substack: https://kollibri.substack.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kollibri Paid subscribers to Substack & Patreon get early access to new episodes, in their full unedited form, longer than the public versions. Venmo: @kollibri
CREDIT: Intro & outro narration: Sarah Beth Reiss
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Nikos Giannakis is a biologist with the University of Leeds, currently working in Greece. His graduate work was in environmental pollution control and agricultural chemistry, and his PhD was on soil microbiology. His national service requirement in Greece led to environmental consulting including impact assessment. Currently he is living with his wife (an architect specializing in natural building techniques) and six cats in an abandoned village in a national park in northwestern Greece. His activism focuses on defending nature from "green energy" projects and on bringing land use into the climate conversation.
Our interview hit many topics including "green energy" projects in Europe; land use as the "other leg" of climate change (besides the greenhouse effect), as highlighted by Spanish climatalogist Millán Millán; carbon reductionism in the climate change narrative; the hijacking of the environmental movement by the carbon conversation; land use and fire mitigation; the necessity to be wholistic in our relationship with nature; the all-too-material reality of the digital realm; increasingly extreme weather; conservation efforts worldwide (which Nikos is involved with); future directions for agriculture; public vs. private land; humans as keystone species in ecology; the importance of community; opportunities for young people to find new answers; the power of media to control narratives and hence public perception, and much more!
LINKS called out in interview:
Millán Millán, climatologist: Publications on Academia.edu: https://independent.academia.edu/Mill%C3%A1nMill%C3%A1n1
Rob Lewis' three part series, "Millan Millan and the Mystery of the Missing Mediterranean Storms," on land use as the "other leg" of climate change: Part I: https://theclimateaccordingtolife.substack.com/p/millan-millan-and-the-mystery-of Part II: https://theclimateaccordingtolife.substack.com/p/millan-millan-and-the-mystery-of-526 Part III: https://theclimateaccordingtolife.substack.com/p/millan-millan-and-the-mystery-of-0e9
Meghan Walla-Murphy, bear tracker: http://www.meghanwallamurphy.com/
FOLLOW / SUPPORT Kollibri: Substack: https://kollibri.substack.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kollibri Paid subscribers to Substack & Patreon get early access to new episodes, in their full unedited form, longer than the public versions.
Venmo: @kollibri
CREDIT: Intro & outro narration: Sarah Beth Reiss
Support Voices for Nature & Peace by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace
This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-a50345 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Voices for Nature & Peace.
In this episode, Kollibri is joined by co-host Nikki Hill for a conversation with Calyx Liddick, founder of the Northern Appalachia School. Calyx has taken a deep dive into the common origins of the eugenics and conservation movements in the US in the early 20th Century, and what she has found is alarming. The boosters of race science, white supremacy, forced sterilization of "lesser" people and other now discredited concepts were the same who founded conservationism, and their odious residue remains. Conservationism must now be re-thought so that what is good can be kept and what is bad dismissed.
In our far-ranging discussion, we talked about all this history plus "invasive species" (a central pillar of eugenics as expressed through anti-immigration sentiment and law); the futility of "fortress conservation"; how the wilderness ideal erases Indigenous people and their relationship to ecology; the importance of reciprocity, integration and coexistence in our interactions with nature; our disagreement with the characterization of "invasive plants" as agents of settler-colonialism; climate change, and more.
Calyx Liddick is a bioregional herbalist, ethnobotanist, holistic nutritionist, wildcrafter, writer, wildlife tracker and a mother of two. She is strongly interested in exploring the relationships between plants and people. Find out more about her and the school she runs at: https://www.northernappalachiaschool.com/
Subscribers to Kollibri's Substack or Patreon enjoy early access to all episodes in their full length. (Public episodes are edited for length and clarity.) Substack: https://kollibri.substack.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kollibri
Interview with Calyx on Kelly Moody's Groundshots podcast: https://www.ofsedgeandsalt.com/podcastblog/calyx
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An interview with with Paul Moss, Executive Director of the Plant Initiative, a plant advocacy organization. In this far-ranging and intriguing conversation,we talk about plant intelligence, agriculture, "invasive" plants, anthropocentrism, and more.
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The "Voices for Nature & Peace" is still retired. But episodes of the new podcast will be uploaded to this feed. "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From" will feature interviews with nature lovers on plants & ecology, with a special focus on “invasive plant” mythologies and the threat to wildlife habitat from “green energy" development. Plus agriculture, wildtending, plant consciousness and more.
Paying subscribers on Substack and Patreon will get early access and exclusive content. https://kollibri.substack.com/ https://www.patreon.com/kollibri
The Substack also features writing and photography for the public, so head on over and check it out!
If you’re someone who loves plants and the planet, join us!
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Special announcement! This podcast, "Voices for Nature and Peace," is officially retired.
However, I have a new podcast called, "Speaking For the Trees, No Matter Where They're From," featuring interviews with nature lovers about plants & ecology, with a special focus on “invasive plant” mythology and the threat to wildlife habitat from “green energy." Plus agriculture, wildtending, plant consciousness and more.
Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts so you won’t miss an episode. Search for it by name: "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From."
Or watch it on my YouTube channel, Radio Free Sunroot: https://www.youtube.com/radiofreesunroot
This podcast is a spin-off of my Substack blog of the same name, which you can find at: https://kollibri.substack.com/.
So, thanks for following “Voices for Nature and Peace” and I hope you’ll subscribe to "Speaking for the Trees, No Matter Where They're From."
Support Voices for Nature & Peace by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace
This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-a50345 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Voices for Nature & Peace.
Dubbed a ‘gadfly of invasion biology’ by Scientific American, Matt Chew is known for critiquing ecology’s overreliance on societal metaphors and conservationists’ misapplication of notions like ‘nativeness’. Dr. Chew has a B.S. Environmental Interpretation and an M.S. Range Science (Ecology) from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. in Biology from Arizona State University. As statewide Natural Resources Planner for Arizona State Parks, he coordinated their Natural Areas Program, researched wildlife issues, and served on interagency committees—one of which also included his future wife, plant ecologist Julie Stromberg, who was a guest in an earlier episode of this podcast.
Currently employed at Arizona State University, Dr. Chew conducts a field course in ‘novel ecosystems,’ lectures in ‘history of biology’ and ‘biology and society’, and works with postgraduate students. He was awarded an Oxford research fellowship in 2014. His articles in "Nature," "Science" and other publications have been cited in over 200 different journals.
In this episode, I am joined by two co-hosts, Gabe Crawford of the Groundshots Podcast, and Nikki Hill. Nikki has a degree in environmental science and has worked in restoration and agriculture. Currently she invests her energy in wildtending efforts. We co-authored a zine together called, "The Troubles of 'Invasive' Plants," which you can download for free at my blog.
Gabe Crawford was raised on a small homestead outside of Durango, Colorado and started learning about plants from an early age. He got launched on his plant journey by studying with Katrina Blair at the Turtle Lake Refuge in Durango. He moved to Sandpoint, Idaho where he worked with Twin Eagles Wilderness School and Kaniksu Land Trust mentoring kids. Through this, he started naturalist training which opened him up to the world of wild tending, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the ancient and intricate relationships between humans and ecology. Gabe spent time with Finisia Medrano learning about the ancient wild gardens of the west that were and still are tended by indigenous peoples and was taught how to tend these first foods and plant back for future abundance. He collects the seeds of native foods plants, fruit trees, berries and other exotics to plant feral orchards and wild gardens.
In this conversation we take a deep dive into the history of "invasion biology" and reveal its scientific shortcomings and its cultural biases.
Prof. Chew's profile at Arizona State University: https://www.sols.asu.edu/matthew-chew
Papers by Prof. Chew at academia.edu: https://asu.academia.edu/MattChew
This is a crossover episode with the Groundshots Podcast, which was created by Kelly Moody. Groundshots is an audio project exploring our relationship to ecology through conversations and storytelling: How do we do our work in the modern age, when the urgency of ecological and social collapse feels looming? How do we creatively and whole-heartedly navigate our relationships with one another and the land? These and other questions are explored by Kelly & Gabe with a wide range of guests. Find out more at Of Sedge & Salt: https://www.ofsedgeandsalt.com/
Music in episode introduction is "Loop Mix" by Flavio Concini https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_4397472/sounds/470763/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYgc5cG9tazDqsvEwqKpYQ
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/
ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri
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Terra is a freelance artist, writer, and podcaster residing in Portland, OR. I have known them since 2007, when I was an urban farmer living in their backyard. They are on Twitter as @cybersatyr: https://twitter.com/CyberSatyr
We discussed how the new ideas fit in with the old ones; the phrase, "trans women are women;" the concept of misgendering; how quickly the discussion of gender has changed; trans people in the military; the term, "TERF;" the usage of "they/them;" the word, "transsexual;" trans athletes in sports; actors, acting and Hollywood; and the importance of accepting things even whennnnn you don't understand them.
This episode's introduction music is by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/
ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri
Support Voices for Nature & Peace by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace
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Prof. Robert Porzel is a national representative for “Physicians against Animal Testing” and founder of the animal rights group “T-Zelle,” which aims to establish intersectional collaboration between social movements. The current network connects about 20 individual groups and organizations in the state of Bremen, Germany. In January of 2019 he was elected as national speaker of the German Greens party for animal policies. Apart from his activism, he is a lecturer and researcher in the field of artificial intelligence at the University of Bremen.
Robert & I have known each other since 1987, when we were assigned as roommates during our freshman year at college together. Back then, we often talked for hours and hours, and though many years have passed, we easily found a groove in our conversation here. We covered a lot of topics including the lack of scientific basis for animal testing; alternatives for testing medicines that don't involve animals; the ecological cost of agriculture generally and animal agriculture specifically; the connection between the oppression of animals by humans and the oppression of certain humans by other humans; the cognitive dissonance of loving some animals while eating others; veganic agriculture; health issues related to eating animal products; the many issues with dairy production and consumption; how wild animals are sacrificed for the ranching industry; the importance of stepping outside cultural perspectives; the significance of social media communication; the relationship of capitalism to animal agriculture; reformism vs. abolition in social change; the increasingly serious effects of climate chaos; and what positive things that people can do both for animals and for human survival.
Papers by Prof. Porzel: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert-Porzel
This episode's introduction music is by Doctor Dreamchip, who you can follow here: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhlcItuC6pmhhemUjhPt1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordreamchip/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doctordreamchip
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/
ONE-TIME DONATION: https://paypal.me/kollibri
Support Voices for Nature & Peace by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace
This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-a50345 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Voices for Nature & Peace.
Zach Elfers was raised in the piedmont of the mid-Atlantic but has travelled widely around the lower 48. He is a student of the plants who has learned from mentors, elders, and most importantly, from living outside spending as much time as possible with the more-than-human world. His areas of interest include ancestral ways of subsisting, living, and knowing, and his work is focused on growing and promoting bioregional plants as food, medicine, and the foundations of our subsistence economies, rather than the imported and ecologically destructive colonial agriculture.
In this episode, I am joined by co-host, Nikki Hill. Nikki has a degree in environmental science and has worked in restoration and agriculture. Currently she invests her energy in wildtending efforts. We co-authored a zine together called, "The Troubles of 'Invasive' Plants," which you can download for free at my blog: https://macskamoksha.com/2019/01/invasive-zine
We discussed ecological concepts that are popular but flawed; the racist origins of anthropology; the forests of Laurasia and the Arcto-Tertiary Geoflora; prehistoric and pre-agricultural human relationships with edible plants; the Wilderness Act; anthropogenic fire; the question of whether fire is good or bad; disconnection from nature in mind and in reality; the conceit that science is absent of value judgments; and his nursery work.
Future Forest Plants: https://www.futureforestplants.com/
Nomad Seed Project: https://www.nomadseed.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyzach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodlandrambler/
Episode introduction music is "Mastermind 07" by DaveJF https://freesound.org/people/DaveJf/sounds/542200/
RADIO FREE SUNROOT: Podcasting by Kollibri terre Sonnenblume https://radiofreesunroot.com
KOLLIBRI'S BLOG & BOOKSHOP: https://macskamoksha.com/
ONE-TIME DONATION: http://paypal.me/kollibri https://venmo.com/Kollibri
Support Voices for Nature & Peace by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/voices-for-nature-and-peace
This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-a50345 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Voices for Nature & Peace.