The Geographical Podcast

In this month's podcast, we visit some of the driest parts of the world, where ecosystems and the communities that depend on them face a growing threat: desertification. Human activity and our warming climate are driving changes in these regions, but some scientists are working on solutions to help restore degraded landscapes. 

This month we return to a country that no longer dominates headlines, but where the reality of war, and its impacts, are still very much felt. Syrian infrastructure, and its economy, have been devastated by the conflict that began in 2011. Though ISIS has now been largely defeated, and the Assad regime has regained control of much of the country, the conflict still continues and life in Syria is still extremely tough. In the first half of the podcast, we listen to an article from the August issue of Geographical magazine in which Nick Redmayne returns to the country for the first time in 10 years. Nick travels from Aleppo to Palmyra, Homs and Damascus, recording the sights and sounds of a country struggling to forget its past and to move towards a better future. In the second half of the podcast, we speak to Dr Rim Turkmani, a research fellow and director of the Syria conflict research programme at the London School of Economics, to find out more about the situation in Syria today, and the reality of life there out of the headlines. The long-read is read by Nick Redmayne. 

In this month's podcast we take a closer look at the complex and often controversial concept of rewilding, considering the many challenges of reintroducing lost species back to a land they once called home, especially when that land has changed beyond all recognition.

This month we take a trip to Cameroon, where a policy to help small-scale fishers is under severe strain. And we talk to Maarten Bavinck, a professor at the University of Amsterdam to find out why so many small-scale fishing communities are under threat worldwide. 

Cashmere is produced in cold regions of India, China and Mongolia, among other places. It is produced from the very fine fibres of hardy goats, looked after by herders. But as we discover in this month's podcast, increased demand for cashmere has led to herds of goats greatly increasing, with environmental problems fast to follow. 

This episode of The Geographical Podcast features a long-read from the April issue of Geographical magazine in which Roman Goergen investigates the workings of CITES, the international agreement designed to monitor the international wildlife trade. 

This month, we’re exploring the subject of forest loss. Around the world, outright deforestation grabs headlines, and was a key theme of COP26. But ecologists understand that, in addition to outright forest loss, there is another pernicious issue at work – that of forest fragmentation. In today’s world, what were once large, contiguous blocks of tropical forest – where species like jaguars and tapirs could freely disperse – have been converted into 50 million separate pieces. Journey with us to the forested heart of Belize – a small, Central American nation, brimming with biodiversity and natural wealth. Belize is a nation heralded for its conservation successes. But now, the patterns of forest fragmentation are beginning to indenture. The way of the jaguar – an apex predator, requiring vast blocks of intact and connected forest habitat – is now caught in questions of geopolitics and national development. The long read this month is read by Sophie Pavelle. In the second half of the podcast, host Jacob Dykes speaks with the decorated conservationist David MacDonald on the broader concepts of forest fragmentation and wildlife corridors. Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enWildCRU: https://www.wildcru.org/ 

This month, we’re venturing to the deepest, darkest places of the ocean. There are those that would like to mine these remote and unexplored places. But many scientists are concerned by this issue; they believe that we simply do not know enough about the deep sea to justify mining it. This month’s long read is written by Geographical editor, Katie Burton, and read here by Sophie Pavelle. In the second half of the episode, Katie speaks with Dr Veerle Huvenne, a marine geoscientist from the National Oceanography Centre. Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=en

This episode, we head over to the peatlands of Ireland. Degraded and drained, Ireland’s peatlands face an uncertain future. But a groundbreaking project to find new medicines, following leads from the country’s ancient folklore, may offer salvation.In the second half of the podcast, we’re joined by writer Edward Struzik, author of Swamplands: Tundra Beavers, Quaking Bogs and the Improbable World of Peat. Struzik is a fellow at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy at Queen’s University. Here, he talks us through the wondrous world of peat, and why we need these carbon-rich, biodiverse landscapes more than ever.Links: Edward Struzik: https://islandpress.org/author/edward-struzik Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=en

In this weekly edition of the Geographical podcast we read out three articles from the magazine or website.

This month, we turn our attention to a miraculous rodent. To the delight of conservationists and the British public, the beaver is back, busy on our waterways once again. By building dams, beavers naturally regulate the flow of rivers. But this ‘ecosystem engineer species’ was driven to local extinction in the 1700s. Without them, our waterways do not function naturally, conservationists argue. Many hope that the species will now improve the condition of our waterways, benefitting both human communities and the natural world.Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enOur trusty storyteller, Simon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

This month, we’ve dedicated an entire print issue of our magazine to COP26 and the climate. The issue is jam-packed with views and insights on climate change, how we can turn things around, and why the conference could be a critical turning point.This episode, we speak with one of the world’s most effective communicators on climate change. Katharine Hayhoe is a chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organisation, with headquarters in the USA. She is a professor of political science at Texas Tech University. She founded the Atmos Research and Consulting Firm; was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2014; and serves as the climate ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance.She has alerted people across all walks of society to the reality of the climate crisis, and she’s just released her new book: ‘Saving us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World’, which takes a rare, optimistic view on why collective and meaningful climate action is still possible. Links:Katharine Hayhoe: http://www.katharinehayhoe.com/ Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=en

With COP26 soon kicking off, we’ve dedicated the entire November issue of Geographical to the climate. The print edition is jam-packed with insights on the state of our world and the solutions we have to save it. The world’s tropical forests, for example, are our greatest natural assets in the fight against climate change. It is scientifically settled that efforts to halt climate change will fall flat without concerted action to end deforestation and protect the planet’s lungs. This article, written by Geographical writer Jacob Dykes and titled ‘Saving Forests, Storing Carbon’ is published in our November issue, and read here brilliantly by the actor Simon Paisley-Day. Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enOur trusty storyteller, Simon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

This episode, we’re on the prowl for one of the rarest cats on the planet: the elusive Persian Leopard. Until the 20th century, leopards were the kings of the Caucasus mountain range. But as Tsarist Russia conquered Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, leopards were intensely persecuted. Deforestation, farmland and roads began to fragment its habitat. In recent decades, efforts to conserve the species have brought glimmers of hope for the population. But as journalist and explorer Jack Losh discovered, this is a species caught between two warring states. Will the legacy of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict seal the leopard’s fate? Or can the conservation of this transboundary species help to unite old enemies?  The article is professionally narrated by actor Simon Paisley-Day.  Second, we speak with Valeri Modebadze, Professor of International Relations and Politics at the Georgian Technical University. In 2020, the age-old territorial dispute over the contested territory of Nagorno Karabakh reignited. But since a peace deal was reached in November 2020, there’s been little media coverage of the legacy it has left, particularly in the era of Covid-19. Modebadze briefs us on the past, present and future of Nagorno Karabakh.Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enSimon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

In this month's edition of the Geographical podcast we take a close look at the Arctic. As the Arctic ice melts due to global warming, neighbouring states are gearing up to exploit its abundant natural resources. The consequences could be extreme. Plus, we catch up with Joe Marlow, a marine biologist, who spent last winter in Antarctica with the British Antarctic Survey. Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enSimon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

This August, we turn our attention to a much-loved shellfish, well-known for its remarkable flavour – the oyster. Perhaps less well known however, is the role it plays in marine ecosystems. As overfishing has combined with modern environmental problems, the oysters’ crucial role in seabed ecosystems around the world has gradually been eroded and forgotten with time. One ambitious project, set in Essex – the heart of UK oyster culture – is aiming to restore living oyster reefs to the seabed. Actor Simon Paisley-Day narrates the long-read this month. In the second half of the episode, we speak with Dr Ruth Thurstan, Senior Lecturer in Marine Social-Ecological Systems at the University of Exeter. She talks us through how the industrialisation of fishing has impacted marine ecosystems.Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enRuth Thurstan: https://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=Ruth_Thurstan Simon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

This month on The Geographical Podcast, we review the role of exploration in the modern day. Going out into the world’s wildernesses or performing extraordinary feats of endurance have long been opportunities to inspire and educate. In the latest issue of Geographical, Matt Maynard asks what standard we should hold modern-day explorers to in the wake of the climate and environmental crises. The long-read is professionally narrated here by Simon Paisley-Day. In the second half of the podcast we turn our attention to a beloved tree species. Elms were once an important part of the British landscape. But the arrival of Dutch elm disease in the aftermath of the First World War and again in the 1970s decimated them. Around 25 million elms, accounting for 90 per cent of all elm trees in the UK, died during the 1960s and 1970s. Robert Sommerville is a carpenter whose back-to-basics approach to barn building is the subject of his new book - Barn Club. Robert works with elms, which may seem strange given their status, however he is convinced that working with wood can offer a much more sustainable way of building.Links:Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=enSimon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

The G7 summit is taking place this weekend, kicking off in Cornwall on Friday 11th June. Our geopolitics columnist, Tim Marshal, wrote about the conference in the June edition of Geographical Magazine. We caught up with him to hear more about the conference and his views on what we can expect to hear this weekend. Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=en

Welcome to The Geographical Podcast, brought to you by Geographical Magazine. The official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society. This month, we turn our attention to the changing geography of sexuality. As historic bars and clubs close down in many of the world’s cities, or even where such spaces never existed, queer people are finding other ways to gather. Our long read this month was written by Katie Burton, Geographical’s editor, and is narrated here by actor Simon Paisley-Day. In the second half of the podcast, we bring some promising news from the world of lion conservation. Government officials in South Africa have announced plans to reconsider the breeding of lions in captivity for trophy hunting and tourist encounters. The decision marks a shift in South Africa’s stance on the so-called ‘canned hunting’ industry. We speak with Will Travers OBE, co-founder of Born Free Foundation – an animal welfare charity that has long campaigned to bring an end to the ‘canned hunting’ industry. Dr Paul Funston, Director of the Lion Program at conservation charity Panthera then talks us through the industry’s links with the illegal wildlife trade, and what the decision could mean for the illicit, international market for lion body parts. Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterGeographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=en Contributors:Panthera: https://www.panthera.org/ @pantheracats Born Free Foundation: https://www.bornfree.org.uk/ @BornFreeFDNSimon Paisley-Day (narration): https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day 

This month, we travel to the south of France, where the world’s biggest nuclear fusion experiment is underway. Nuclear fusion, the reaction constantly taking place within the sun and the stars, is a potential source of safe, non-carbon emitting and virtually limitless energy. Harnessing it, however, is far from easy. Writer Boštjan Videmšek took a tour of the vast construction site and met the people determined to make nuclear fusion a reality. In the second half of the podcast, we hear from Denise Garcia, professor at Northeastern University in Boston. Denise researches international law and the questions of lethal robotics and artificial intelligence in the arms sphere. She is also a member of the international panel for the regulation of autonomous weapons. Denise tells us why she thinks why increased military spending is not the answer to humanity’s biggest problems.  These stories feature in the April edition of Geographical Magazine. The long-read Caging a Star is narrated here by actor and voice artist Simon Paisley-Day. Subscribe to the print magazine today for the full experience. Plus, to stay connected with our world, you can subscribe to Geographical’s weekly newsletter by clicking the link below.Links:Subscribe: http://geographical.co.uk/magazine/subscribe Newsletter: https://geographical.co.uk/magazine/newsletters?utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=greenbutton&utm_campaign=NewsletterSimon Paisley-Day: https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/simon-paisley-day Geographical on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographical_magazine/ Geographical on twitter: https://twitter.com/geographicalmag?lang=en