Natureversity Podcast

Jamie Shelton is the owner of Fossil Quest, a blog and store dedicated to all Texas Fossils. Jamie uses her passion to help others learn all about what lifeforms used to live here in Central Texas during the Cretaceous Period as the Programs Chair for the Paleontological Society of Austin. She is also an artist working in various mediums of silk, metal and glass and a professional bellydancer who loves to travel, read sci-fi, wear boots, eat all the foods, and pet all the cats.

David Cook is an author, presenter, photographer and the curriculum coordinator for the Capital Area Master Naturalists. David helps organize the training classes for all new CAMN members. He also assists with booking training class locations and speakers. David serves as primary face of CAMN for all new trainees. Listen as he discusses his background and what drove him to become a passionate naturalist who inspires others to get outside and help others connect to the natural world.

Tom Elpel is a practitioner of outdoor skills, author and the owner of Green University based out of Montana. Tom has spent his entire life studying plants, survival skills and homesteading. Listen as he talks about what inspired him to become a naturalist, an inspirational author and outdoor guide.

Jason Sabala is an entrepreneur and local Austin advocate for health, fitness and pushing yourself out of your comfort zones on a daily basis. He is the founder of the Lumber Society, an organization dedicated to providing an opportunity to adults who may have missed out on all the wild adventures growing up as a kid. Jason is also the founder of Squatch Frontier Fitness that focuses on more than just physical wellness, it's about experiencing a full circle of lifestyle benefits.

Melinda is the co executive director of Austin Youth River Watch, a non profit organization based in Austin Texas that combines peer mentoring with intensive environmental education, and engage youth through nature-based and experiential service-learning programs in environmental science. Listen as Melinda sits down to chat about rivers, getting kids outside, how AYRW works for families and why getting involved sooner rather than later in conservation efforts is a must for Austin.

Shelia Hargis is the organizer of the Purple Martin Parties here in Austin Texas run through the local Travis Audubon Chapter for birding. Listen as she describes how she discovered the joy of birding and why everyone should put on their bucket list, the Purple Martin Party in Austin.

Shannon Brown is the founder of Ecosystem Regeneration Artisans (ERA) Landscapes based out of San Marcos Texas. ERA was built to help unite talented land stewards on outdoor projects that help realize the vision of creating healthy ecological communities. Listen as Shannon tells her story of how she discovered her passion for healing the land after her local wetland and forest playground was destroyed for a suburban housing development and why she is now on a mission to help restore our native plant species to help ensure our local wildlife has a future.

Nicole Netherton is the executive director for the Travis Audubon, an organization dedicated to conserving wildlife habitats and the ecological balance necessary for healthy, sustainable, and habitable communities. Listen to her story of how she discovered birding through a trip to Antartica where she found her passion for environmental stewardship and sharing nature with others.

Ginger Webb has been practicing herbalism for nearly 30 years, as a community herbalist, clinical herbalist, herbal medicine maker, teacher, wild plant lover, botanist, and teacher. She makes and sells herbal medicine through her company Texas Medicinals, and has trained scores of people to be herbalists through her programs at Sacred Journey School of Herbalism. Listen as she talks about all things herbs and what started her on her path to sharing her passions with others.

Isaac is the found of Nurture Nature Within based out of Galveston Texas. NNW offers the opportunity for individuals or groups to reconnect with themselves through nature in a way that supports healing and growth using tools and practices from the combined experience of Nature Guides, Survivalists, and the teachings of the Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Leadership program. Listen as he tells his story of how he came to help others reconnect with their inner wild animal.

Sarah Coles is the Executive Director of the Texas Children in Nature Network. She has been working within the informal education system for almost two decades. Listen as she describes how working at an institution focusing on EcoHistory (the study of how humans have adapted and influenced their environment), brought her to sharing her passions for reconnecting children and families with nature at TCiNN.

Widely regarded as one of the country's foremost educators in Stone Age living skills, David is a frequent lecturer, author, songwriter and consultant on primitive technologies, edible/medicinal plants, and pre-Columbian culture. He served for 18 years as head instructor at BOSS and was education director of Anasazi, a wilderness program for teens. David has served as a consultant for products such as Cast Away, Survivorman, Man vs. Wild, Road Rules, and numerous others, and was most recently featured on No Man's Land, a History Channel production.

Author and songwriter Robin Blankenship is the owner and director of Earth Knack and has been working in the outdoor education field since 1978. Robin has been an instructor for Larry Dean Olsen, National Outdoor Leadership School, Outward Bound and a multitude of primitive skills gatherings across the country. She is also the founder of Creston Charter School in Colorado.

Angel Schatz radiates passion for understanding the ecosystem of central Texas and making mycology education accessible to anyone who shares interest. She is the education and outreach specialist for the Central Texas Mycological Society based in Austin Texas. Formally an experience designer and animator in the tech world, she hopes to inspire more people dial into the wood-wide-web by offering classes, workshops and more.

Layla is community tree planter with TreeFolks based out of Austin Texas. TreeFolks is dedicated to empower Central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees. Listen as Layla discusses the history of TreeFolks as well as how they're helping get people outside by cultivating a community of passionate nature lovers.