Spring Ephemerals

Spring Ephemerals

Author: Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, Erin Garrett May 9, 2023 Duration: 14:48

Spring is here, and one of the best places to enjoy the season is hiking through a forest. In spring you can find the forest floor bursting with life. Many of the spring-blooming flowers you see when out on a hike are from a group of plants called spring ephemerals. Today we chat with Erin Garrett to learn more about these plants and why they’re so unique. 


Hosted by Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, and Erin Garrett, Everyday Environment Podcast is a conversation about the natural systems that shape daily life in Illinois. It’s not just about distant wilderness; it’s about the water from your tap, the trees on your street, the birds at your feeder, and the energy powering your home. Each episode pulls on a single thread-be it soil health, local wildlife, or sustainable practices-to reveal the whole intricate web we’re a part of. You’ll hear clear explanations and practical insights that make the science of our surroundings accessible and immediately relevant. The goal is to move beyond abstract concepts and foster a tangible, deeper understanding of how these environmental connections work right outside our doors. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that equip you with knowledge about the air, land, and water in your own community, making the complexities of our shared ecosystem feel a little more familiar and a lot more connected to the choices we make every day. This podcast is one part of a broader educational effort, designed to engage curious residents who want to look a bit closer at the world around them.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Everyday Environment Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Exploring carbon markets as part of emissions reduction goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:11
This week we’re joined by Sarah Sellars, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Sustainable Farm and Food Systems at South Dakota State University. We’re chatting with Sarah about agricultural carbon markets and…
Cover crops, not mudslides: empowering youth on climate change. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:54
Join us this week as we chat with Peggy Anesi about her career in empowering youth about climate change. By keeping it local and empowering them with realistic options for addressing climate change, we can build a citize…
Exploring the challenges facing pollinators [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:30
Join us as we talk with Brodie Dunn, Outreach Associate in Biodiversity and Pollinators for Illinois Extension, about how pollinators are expected to respond to climate change. Learn more on the blog. Resources to learn…
Will invasive species be helped or hindered by climate change? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:45
This week we welcome Chris Evans to the podcast. Chris is an Extension Forestry and Research Specialist with Illinois Extension based in southern Illinois. We chat about what invasive species are, how their characteristi…
Understanding soil as a system [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:10
This week we chat with Michelle Wander, Emeritus Soil Scientist in the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences department at University of Illinois. We go belowground to explore the importance of soil health, threat…
708 million tons of carbon storage:  Urban Forests and climate change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:42
This week we welcome Justin Vozzo to the podcast. Justin is an Extension Forestry Specialist with Illinois Extension based in Urbana, and he shares with us what an urban forest is and how they play a role in mitigating c…
Too Much of a Good Thing: A Plant’s Perspective on Climate Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:43
Join us as we chat with Karla Griesbaum, NREE Educator with Illinois Extension, about how plants are expected to respond to climate change. While plants may experience some short-term benefits, overall increased stress i…