Nature: Douglas Fir Trees and Forest Fires
This story first broadcast in January of 2018
In this KBCS nature series segment, Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, talks to KBCS’s Yuko Kodama about the benefits of allowing fires burn away the undergrowth. They also discuss how the Douglas Fir tree’s thick bark helps protect it from forest fires and why the intensity of forest fires has increased since modern fire suppression techniques have developed in the past few hundred years.
Nature: Merganser
Find out about ducks who fish. Join KBCS’s Yuko Kodama on the shores of Lake Washington with Ed Dominguez, Lead Naturalist of the Seward Park Audubon Center, and discover Merganser water birds around Seattle.
Nature: Birds and Fermented Berries
You may see bright berries left hanging onto branches in the winter cold this time of year. These berries are a source of food and a stiff drink for our resident birds. Listen in for more on the antics of birds this season as you join KBCS’s Yuko Kodama and Ed Dominguez, Lead Naturalist of the Seward Park Audubon Center, on a nature walk through the Union Bay Natural Area near Seattle’s University District.
Nature: Rodents
Join KBCS’s Yuko Kodama and Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, on another nature walk through Seattle’s Seward Park to discuss the mice, rats, voles, and other rodents in nature.
Nature: Mergansers and Gadwalls
Find out about a couple of breeds of ducks that can be found all-year-round in the Seattle area as KBCS’s Yuko Kodama and Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, take another nature walk in Seattle’s Seward Park.
Nature: Steller’s Jay
Sometimes confused with the Blue Jay, meet the Stellar’s Jay, who can mimic others and likes to play. KBCS’s Yuko Kodama and Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, hiked the trails of Seward Park and came across the local bird with a playful side.
Nature: How Conifer Trees Pollinate
Conifers are a family of trees which include the Western Hemlock, Douglas-fir, Pine, and many others. This nature segment focuses on how they pollinate. KBCS’s Yuko Kodama takes a nature walk in Seattle’s Seward Park with Ed Dominguez, Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, to talk about how Conifers release pollen and reproduce. Also, find out how each actually has two different types of cones.
Nature: Bears and Berries
How do bears stock up on berries this fall season for their hibernation? KBCS’s Yuko Kodama spoke with Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, to discuss why bears eat lots of berries to stock up on energy reserves, in order to make it through the winter season. They also discuss some of our local black bears’ favorite berries.
Nature: Fall Leaves
Why do leaves change color in the fall? KBCS’s Yuko Kodama joins Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, to talk about the magic of the fall season and why this phenomenon occurs.
Nature: Bats
Find out about the world of bats. KBCS’s Yuko Kodama talks with Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Center Lead Naturalist, about how our local bat population help keep the insect population in check, although they are often perceived as being simply pests for us humans. They also discuss how bats make it through the winter.
