Nature Now

KPTZ's Nature Now Team
  • 4.9 (7)
  • NATURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Nature Now presents eclectic Pacific Northwest-focused news, insights and observations about the natural world around us. Anything that grabs the attention of the Nature Now team can be heard on these episodes: birds and bees, flowers and trees, the weather and the stars – everything from microscopic Salish Sea plankton to ecosystem dynamics in a changing world. Every member of the Nature Now team is fascinated by the wonders of the natural world around us, is endlessly curious, hungry for new knowledge, and loves to share these passions with our listeners.

  1. FEB 4

    The Bluffs of North Beach

    The bluffs of Fort Worden loom over any walks along North Beach. Lift your eyes away from the sea and up to the bluffs or across the waters. The geological stories of our area are laid out in front of you and on the horizon. Can you read or imagine those stories of deep past times and more recent glacial periods? Join Nan Evans as she talks with Tim Lawson, Port Townsend geologist, to explore clues and knit the patterns together. (KPTZ airdate: February 4, 2026) Learn more: Jefferson Land Trust Natural History Society outing to explore the bluffs of North Beach on Saturday, Feb 21, 2026 Detailed Report on the Geology of the North Beach Bluffs (Quimper Geology Society) Geology of the Olympics Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline by Ray Troll and Kirk Johnson Mystery sound recording: The Port Townsend Leader Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    29 min

  2. JAN 29

    Protecting Quimper Lost Wilderness

    Nan Evans talks with local naturalist Steve Grace about recent efforts to protect a very special old forest on the Quimper Peninsula. (KPTZ airdate: November 27, 2019) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    25 min

  3. JAN 29

    Quimper Lost Wilderness

    Nan Evans talks with Steve Grace, a local author and marine science educator, about a "Lost Wilderness" he found on the Quimper Peninsula and efforts to protect this treasure. (KPTZ airdate: February 27, 2019) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    25 min

  4. JAN 28

    Acting Locally to Protect Special Places

    How can we act locally to protect special forest habitats while providing for sustainable forest harvests and supporting our local communities and economies? A tough prospect. Nan Evans explores specific efforts here in Jefferson County, WA, to do just this. Guests are County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour, and Malloree Weinheimer, owner of Chickadee Forestry. (KPTZ airdate: January 28, 2026) Learn more: Western Washington Forest Health Strategic Plan Trust Land Transfer Program Contact your Washington State legislators Chickadee Forestry Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    28 min

  5. JAN 21

    James Swan, Pioneer Extraordinaire

    This week we review the remarkable life of pioneer/explorer James Swan, who lived and worked and recorded extensively in our area from 1859 to 1900. Debaran Kelso speaks with James Swan scholar Steve Ricketts at Swan's burial site in the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Port Townsend, WA (KPTZ airdate: January 21, 2026) Learn more: Winter Brothers: A Season at the Edge of America by Ivan Doig Swan, James G. (1818-1900) The Northwest Coast: Or, Three Years' Residence in Washington Territory by James G. Swan Music by Steve Ricketts Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    26 min

  6. JAN 7

    Favorite Books of 2025

    The hosts of Nature Now - Jackie Canterbury, Nan Evans, and Debaran Kelso - start the year by sharing their favorite books about natural history. The conversation roams from bees to wolves, research to poetry, and beautiful photographs to whimsical illustrations. Laugh with them, listen to the awe and amazement they share, and find a new favorite book to read. Happy New Year, listeners! (KPTZ airdate: January 7, 2026) Books discussed: The Trees Are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests by Lynda Mapes Apprentice To The Wild by Kurt Hoelting Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane I Was a Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry by Jim Holyan Seabirds As Sentinels: Auklets, Puffins, Shearwaters, and the View from Destruction Island by Eric Wagner Seabirds: The New Identification Guide by Peter Harrison The Mind Of A Bee by Lars Chittka Around The Salish Sea: Plants and Art by Alice Derry In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limon Dog Songs by Mary Oliver Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids by Joseph Gaydos From BAM! to BURP! A Carbon Atom’s Never-Ending Journey through Space and Time and YOU by Melissa Stewart Find more to read in the Jefferson Land Trust Natural History Society Book Club reading list. Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    28 min

  7. 12/24/2025

    The Christmas Bird Count and Changes in Bird Distribution

    Jackie Canterbury talks with Dr. Steve Hampton with the Rainshadow Bird Alliance, formerly Admiralty Audubon, about the oldest citizen science program of its kind, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count or CBC. The CBC began on Christmas Day 1900 as a way to count birds rather than shoot them as people began to become visibly concerned about declining bird populations. This year is the 126th year of the annual bird census. The Port Townsend CBC was recently held on December 20. The data is used to guide conservation efforts for birds, including the greatest challenges of all: habitat loss and climate change. (KPTZ airdate: December 24, 2025) Learn more: Rainshadow Bird Alliance Audubon Christmas Bird Count Christmas Bird Count Bibliography Mystery sound recording: J. Canterbury Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    30 min

  8. 12/17/2025

    Canopy of Titans

    Jackie Canterbury talks with Paul Koberstein, an award-winning environmental journalist and the co-author of the book "Canopy of Titans: The Life and Times of the Great North American Temperate Rainforest". Paul has explored many environmental issues through his career as a writer. Join us as we talk with Paul about the global importance of our own temperate rainforest ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest with emphasis on its role in storing carbon and the challenges we face. (KPTZ airdate: December 17, 2025) Learn more: Canopy of Titans: The Life and Times of the Great North American Temperate Rainforest by Paul Koberstein and Jessica Applegate Audiobook preview of Canopy of Titans Greenwashing in the Evergreen State with Journalist Paul Koberstein Mystery sound recording: Greg Irving, XC1045436, accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/1045436. License CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Nature Now presents eclectic Pacific Northwest-focused news, insights and observations about the natural world around us. Anything that grabs the attention of the Nature Now team can be heard on these episodes: birds and bees, flowers and trees, the weather and the stars – everything from microscopic Salish Sea plankton to ecosystem dynamics in a changing world. Every member of the Nature Now team is fascinated by the wonders of the natural world around us, is endlessly curious, hungry for new knowledge, and loves to share these passions with our listeners.

Information

  • Creator
    KPTZ's Nature Now Team
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    175
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Nature Now

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