Airs December 18, 2024Louisiana and Texas rank 4th and 5th in the nation in terms of having the most wetlands. However, it’s estimated that half of our wetlands have already been lost. Laura-Ashley Overdyke of the Caddo Lake Institute, talks to Dr. Rachel Fern, the Statewide Wetland Program Manager for Texas Parks and Wildlife, about our unique and irreplaceable wetlands.

From pine forests to coastal marshes, Louisiana citizens enjoy being outdoors and value conservation of our land, water and wildlife. Louisiana Outdoors Forever is a new program that provides matching funds for conservation projects. Louisiana has been missing out on a lot of opportunities for conservation work and funding has gone to other states, but not anymore. On this episode of Conserving Earth, host Rebecca Triche talks with Karen Gautreaux from the Nature Conservancy Louisiana about Louisiana Outdoors Forever and how you can help.

It’s Fall and while nature may look less green, this is actually a good time to transplant or plant your garden or backyard with native plants. Volunteers Heather Warner-Finley, Lawrence Rozas, Jackie Duncan, and Linda Auld provide advice and resources about native plant gardening and improving butterfly habitat. Learn what organizations in Louisiana are doing to promote native plants to benefit wildlife on the next Conserving Earth on November 20th at 6pm.

On the next Conserving Earth, learn how the the Emerald Ash Borer, a nonnative beetle, is infecting ash trees in southeastern forests and has been found in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. We’re also celebrating the 60 year anniversary of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and how it has funded many of the parks and natural areas we enjoy today. Join us for the next Conserving Earth on August 21 at 6pm.Hosted by Rebecca Triche

Airs Wed., Oct. 16, 6 p.m. Zoos are fun places to go to learn about animals from all over the world. But did you know that zoos are also heavily engaged in conservation? Join us tonight at 6 p.m. on Conserving Earth for a behind-the-scenes look at what zoos do to conserve wildlife, both in the United States and around the world. Ben Jones, Vice President for Conservation and Education at the Houston Zoo, tells about pygmy elephants in Asia (they’re still pretty big!), tamarins in South America, breeding Houston toads, prairie chickens close to home, and a host of other wildlife and special programs.

Airs Wed., July 17, 6 p.m. We’ve all heard Louisiana referred to as Sportsmen’s Paradise. But much of that paradise is disappearing, with wetlands in the Mississippi Delta eroding away at a rate of a football-field-sized parcel every 100 minutes. These problems are occurring not just along the Louisiana coast but along all the Gulf of Mexico, from the Texas coast to Florida.In this month’s edition of Conserving Earth, we’ll be talking about how to keep Sportsman’s Paradise from becoming a vanishing paradise. Host Janice Bezanson, Senior Policy Director for Texas Conservation Alliance, welcomes Bill Cooksey, Senior Sportsman Outreach Coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation program Vanishing Paradise. They’ll be joining to talk about efforts to stop that coastal erosion and save this amazing resource.

On this month’s edition of Conserving Earth, host Janice Bezanson, Senior Policy Director for Texas Conservation Alliance, welcomes Melanie Ferguson, Director of the Dallas Water Commons, and actor-author-activist David Marquis, who has written and performed one-man plays about nature and is producing a trilogy of books on how water fits into our lives.

On this month’s Conserving Earth, Janice Bezanson talks with talented wildlife filmmaker Ben Masters of Fin and Fur Films. Ben and Janice talk about how natural history filmmaking can be used to influence conservation of iconic species and help people learn to coexist with the wildlife in our world. Ben’s feature-length films, such as Deep in the Heart, and his numerous shorter pieces, chronicle key wildlife successes and highlight ways to protect the healthy ecosystems that support both people and wildlife. Red River Radio listeners can view the amazing cinematography and wildlife action shots of Ben and his team at https://www.finandfurfilms.com/.

Wednesday, August 16, 6 p.m. On this Conserving Earth, Rebecca Triche host the discussion about what is called the “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico but is more accurately described as a low oxygen area. How does hypoxia in the Gulf impact fisheries and other resources along the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi? Find out how land management and farm practices can impact the health of the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Nancy Rabalais with LSU and LUMCON, Doug Daigle with the Louisiana Hypoxia Working Group, and Marty Fulton with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service join host Rebecca Triche to talk about causes and solutions of the Gulf’s hypoxia each summer.

At nearly a million acres, the Atchafalaya Basin is America’s largest swamp. It’s bigger than the Florida Everglades, yet how much do you know about its role in flood management and land building? Brian Lezina with the Coastal Planning and Restoration Authority, and Justin Lemoine, with the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area join host Rebecca Triche to discuss managing for wildlife habitat in “the Basin” and its significance for sustaining cultures and communities. Learn more about the Atchafalaya Basin on the next Conserving Earth on Wednesday November 15 at 6pm.