Broadcast Archive

Live broadcasts produced in the NCTC Studio, Shepherdstown, WV.

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40 Years from the Brink of Extinction: America's Bald Eagle (00:55:21)

NCTC Historian, Mark Madison, hosts a studio interview with photographer and author John D. Chaney on his new book, “40 Years from the Brink of Extinction: America's Bald Eagle”.

American bald eagles and their fight for survival ignited passion in award-winning photographer John D. Chaney. He began documenting America's national bird for future generations when he learned in college that the bald eagle might become extinct. A few years later the bald eagle was added to the Endangered Species list. His passion grew year after year as he captured more interesting photographs and finally witnessed first-hand the resurgence of our symbol of freedom. Chaney's images in 40 Years from the Brink of Extinction pay tribute to the eagles' survival and the people who helped them. Chaney’s talk will include his photographs of the majestic eagles in their natural habitat, interspersed with interesting facts he learned on his journey. 

Chaney has been an avid photographer for over 50 years. Chaney has won many international awards and has been in numerous publications. An award-wining image of an elephant mourning the death of her mate was displayed on the National Geographic home page and received over 2 million visitors with 16,000 posts which resulted in over twenty interviews and publications as far away as Poland, Brazil, Italy and New Zealand. At 25, he was the co-founder, Chairman and CEO of TeleCheck Services in Houston. For the next two decades John lead a team that built TeleCheck into a national, multi-hundred million dollar company. In 2010 Chaney retired from traditional business to focus on his passion of photography.

50 Years of Endangered Species Legislation (00:52:13) Will be broadcast August 11, 2016.

We are happy to announce the second presentation with Michael Young, Department of Interior, Assistant Solicitor for Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Young has over three decades of experience with the DOI and will be providing a number of new presentations for the monthly Conservation Policy Series. The evolution of Endangered Species legislation will be the topic of today’s program. Mr. Young will detail the process by which Endangered Species legislation has gone from a primitive idea with little legal force in 1966, to the Endangered Species Act today, considered one of the strongest environmental regulations in existence. August 11, 2016.

A Dose of the Outdoors: The Connection Between Nature and Human Health (00:43:10)

Hear about research studies that prove how nature positively affects human health and well-being with host Danielle Ross-Winslow, USFWS, Social Scientist, Department of Human Dimensions (NRPC), Natural Resources Program Centerand presenters Dr. Frances (Ming) Kuo, Georgia Jeppesen, and Robin Will. August 4, 2016.

Millions of Americans are in poor health and most major health problems, including those related to physical, mental, and social well-being, may be attributed to environmental causes. By the same token, environmental factors may also enhance health. There are multiple studies that prove how nature positively affects human health and well-being. In this broadcast, we will hear about these research studies. We will also hear from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service practitioners who are working with health professionals and neighboring refuge communities on efforts to improve human health by connecting people with nature. Promoting links between nature and health could play a critical role in growing support for conservation and the protection of natural areas for our health and enjoyment.

Presenters: Dr. Frances (Ming) Kuo, NRES, Associate Professor & Director, Landscape and Human Health Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Georgia Jeppesen, USFWS, Team Lead, Career Awareness Branch, Division of Education and Outreach, National Conservation Training Center; Robin Will, USFWS, Supervisory Refuge Ranger, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Host: Danielle Ross-Winslow, USFWS, Social Scientist, Department of Human Dimensions (NRPC), Natural Resources Program Center.

An Entirely Synthetic Fish: How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran the World (00:56:35)

Presented by author and ecologist Anders Halverson. February 27, 2013. “An Entirely Synthetic Fish” is the true story of the rainbow trout.

Sometimes vilified for their devastating effects on the native fauna, sometimes glorified as the preeminent sport fish, the rainbow trout is the repository of more than a century of America's often contradictory philosophies about the natural world. Exhaustively researched and grippingly rendered by award-winning journalist, aquatic ecologist, and lifelong fisherman Anders Halverson, this presentation chronicles the discovery of rainbow trout, their artificial propagation and distribution, and why they are being eradicated in some waters yet are still the most commonly stocked fish in the United States.

Anders Halverson is an award-winning writer with a Ph.D. in ecology from Yale University. He wrote this book as a research associate at the University of Colorado’s Center of the American West with a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Another Day at the Office (00:00:53) FWS recruiting video clip.

Assessment of Exotic Milkweed (A. curassavica) and the Spread of Disease in Monarchs (00:59:59) June 16, 2016

Presented by Dr. Sonia Altizer, Professor & Associate Dean of Academic Affairs University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology; Ania Majewska, Ph.D. and Dara Satterfield, candidates University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology.

Monarch lovers know that planting milkweed in their gardens is a sure way to attract these familiar black and orange butterflies to their yards. Over 100 species of milkweed are native to the U.S. and Canada, yet the most commonly planted milkweed is a single, non-native species. Tropical milkweed (A. curassavica), also known as Mexican milkweed or blood flower, is attractive, easy to grow, and often the only milkweed available at garden centers and nurseries. Unlike most native milkweed species that enter dormancy in the fall, tropical milkweed persists longer and even grows year-round where temperatures remain mild, such as parts of the southwest and Gulf Coast, providing a continuous supply of nectar for adults and food for caterpillars. This can sustain year-round breeding of wild monarchs and lead to high transmission of a debilitating protozoan pathogen calledOphryocystis elektroscirrha (OE). In this webinar, researchers who have studied monarchs, OE and tropical milkweed in the laboratory and field will discuss (1) how tropical milkweed leads to the formation of resident (non-migratory) monarch populations in the southern US, and (2) consequences of this behavior for pathogen transmission, monarch migration, and mixing between resident and migrant monarchs. The presenters will also explore options for managing tropical milkweed gardens, and other ways to support monarchs conservation.

Best Practices for Recruiting and Hiring Persons with Disabilities SU #7 (00:19:48) Presented by Julia Bumbaca. Broadcast date: February 3, 2011.

Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel (00:28:54)

In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Author & Marine Biologist, Carl Safina, on his new book "Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel" . July 9, 2015.

Weaving decades of observations of actual families of free-living creatures with new discoveries about brain functioning, Safina brings us inside their lives and minds, breaching many commonly held boundaries between humans and other animals. In Beyond Words, readers travel the wilds of Africa to visit some of the last great elephant gatherings, and follow as free-living wolves of Yellowstone National Park sort out the aftermath of their personal tragedy. Then we plunge into the astonishingly peaceful society of killer whales living in waters of the Pacific Northwest. We spend quality time, too, with dogs and falcons and ravens and dozens of other denizens; and consider how the human mind originated.

In this book readers explore astonishing new discoveries about the similarities in our consciousness, self-awareness, empathy, non-verbal communication, imitation, teaching, the roots of aesthetics and music, and a surprising capacity for grief widespread among elephants, wolves, whales, and even certain birds. Turns out, animals think and feel a lot like people do; after all, people are animals.

Carl Safina earned a PhD in ecology is from Rutgers University. He has published six books and many scientific and popular articles on ecology and oceans, including featured work in National Geographic and The New York Times, and a new Foreword to Rachel Carson’s The Sea Around Us. His first book, Song for the Blue Ocean, was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, a Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction selection, and a Library Journal Best Science Book selection; it won the Lannan Literary Award for nonfiction. He has been profiled on Nightline and in the New York Times; named by Audubon Magazine among “100 Notable Conservationists of the 20th Century,” and featured on the Bill Moyers PBS special “Earth on Edge.”

More information on Safina and his work can be found at: http://carlsafina.org

Birds of West Virginia and Beyond (00:45:11)

Presented by WV Division of Natural Resources Ornithologist, Richard Bailey. Topics include raptors, songbirds, migratory birds, conservation issues and an overview of the WV Breeding Bird Atlas.

Black-Footed Ferret Recovery: A Conservation Success Story (00:53:53)

Conservationists in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Pete Gober, the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Coordinator for the USFWS. March 18, 2015.

In 1979, the black-footed ferret was feared to be extinct. Fortunately, this presumption proved wrong in 1981 when a small population was discovered on a ranch near Meeteetse, Wyoming. Tragically, the wild population succumbed to disease a few years later, but not before biologists had taken 18 ferrets into captivity in an effort to save the species. Those remaining individuals formed the basis of a successful captive-breeding program that has brought the species back from the brink.

For additional information on the black-footed ferret, please visit:

Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program
National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center
Black-footed Ferret Webcam - Ft. Collins Museum of Discovery in Colorado

Bridging The Gap (01:40:29)

Bridging the Gaps is about understanding and accepting people from each of the four generations (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials), and learning to interact in ways that increase engagement, satisfaction and productivity. To bring out the best in each employee and volunteer, we must be aware of and adjust to the styles and preferences of each of the four generations in the workforce. During this broadcast, we will discuss the characteristics, preferences, and values of each generation; describe the stereotypes that may get in the way of understanding a different generation; and provide tips to improve communication and interaction between the generations working in the Department of the Interior and its bureaus.

Career Video Mix (4 segments) (00:07:49)

FWS Recruiting: 4 Videos

1. The Journey Begins, The Tradition Continues (short version)
2. Another Day at the Office
3. Conserving the Nature of America
4. Meet your New Boss

Welcome to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service!

The agency you have joined has a long tradition and a proud heritage. You have joined a family of 8,000 dedicated men and women, engaged in one of the finest of callings – the conservation and stewardship of fish and wildlife.

You are a part of something much larger than yourself!

“The Journey Begins/The Tradition Continues – A Welcome to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for New Employees” greets new employees to our agency and offers them a broad view of the activities, the scope, and the mission of one of America’s oldest conservation organizations. It presents the work of the Fish and Wildlife Service in the words of individual employees themselves.
The 33-minute video is part of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s new employee orientation program. New employees should be encouraged to view this videotape their first day of employment with our agency.

Cerulean Blues (00:40:09)

NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison hosts an interview with author and conservationist Katie Fallon. Katie’s first book, Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird. May 16, 2013.

Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird, was published in 2011. The book details the life history of the Cerulean Warbler, the fastest declining warbler species in the United States. Thirty-five percent of the world’s population of the species breeds in West Virginia. More information can be found at: http://www.katiefallon.com/24494.html

Katie teaches writing at West Virginia University and is one of the founders of the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia. ACCA is an all-volunteer organization located near Morgantown, WV. ACCA is licensed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to treat and rehabilitate injured, ill, or orphaned wild birds. The ACCA mission is: To conserve wild birds through scientific research; education and public outreach; rescue and rehabilitation.

http://www.accawv.org

Children and Nature-Using Books to Help Children Make a Difference in the World (00:58:03)

Interview with author Lynne Cherry. She is the author and/or illustrator of over thirty award-winning books for children. Her best-selling books such as The Great Kapok Tree and A River Ran Wild teach children to respect the earth.

Lynne is the founder and director of the non-profit Young Voices for the Planet , a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt organization dedicated to helping the voices of environmentally-concerned young people be heard. Lynne is also a movie producer. Her Young Voices for the Planet short films feature youth success stories: California kids helping to get a ban on plastic bags; Florida students saving their school $53,000 in energy costs; An 11-year old German boy planting a million trees... Young people reducing the carbon footprint of their homes, schools and communities.

Community-Based Social Marketing - Behavior Change Strategies That Work (01:02:09)

Human Dimensions Broadcast Series. Hosted by Kaylin Clements, USFWS & presented by Lori Large, Dir. of Research Operations, Action Research & Susan Burks, Forestry Invasive Species Program Coord., MN Dept. of Natural Resources. November 17, 2016.

As conservationists, it seems we spend a lot of time encouraging people to “do” things like bring reusable bags when they go to the grocery store, pick up trash around campsites so wildlife isn’t attracted, remove mud from boots or clean gear to stop the spread of invasives. Sometimes, it may feel that these efforts aren’t working as well as we would hope. So, what really works to influence people’s behavior to act responsibly? How do we instill awareness and commitment to take environmentally responsible action? In this broadcast, we will explore the principles and strategies of community-based social marketing, an approach to behavior change based in behavioral psychology and general marketing principles. We’re not talking about Facebook, Twitter, or other social media marketing. We are talking about an approach that has been successfully applied across the U.S. and the globe, including nationwide efforts by USFWS and partners to eradicate invasive species. Learn from our expert panelists how you can use behavior change strategies that work.

Conservation Connect LIVE - Bats and Mammals (00:56:32)

In our first segment, host Chelsea Mckinney talks with Jon Reichart-Bat Biologist, FWS Northeast Regional Office in Hadley, MA about how bats help humans, how we help bats and the terrible bat disease called "white nose syndrome". In the second segment, Chelsea talks with Ariel Elliot-Small Mammal Biologist from Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge near Albuquerque, NM. Areil and Jon talk about their wildlife conservation work and answer questions from students who participated in the live chat room discussion. Conservation Connect helps middle school students learn about wildlife, conservation careers, and the technology used to study and protect wildlife. October 21, 2015.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect LIVE - Bog Turtles and Salamanders (00:57:01)

Join host Chelsea Mckinney and guests, Supervisory Biologist, Dawn Washington, from Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Christine Peterson, biologist at the National Conservation Training Center, and Nathan Byer, a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin, for a look at two endangered animals: Bog Turtles and Cheat Mountain Salamanders. Learn about the fascinating world of these secretive amphibians. May 18, 2016.

Conservation Connect LIVE - California Condors and Black Footed-Ferrets (01:05:38)

Our April broadcast will feature Black-Footed Ferrets and California Condors, two endangered species success stories. Do you know what an endangered species is? Do you know what role the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service plays in protecting these species? Join Conservation Connect Host, Louie Ocaranza in our Endangered Species Broadcast to ask questions and learn about what conservation professionals are doing to protect these species that are at risk of going extinct.

In the first half, we’ll talk with John Hughes, an Endangered Species Biologist, and a Black-footed Ferret expert from the National Black-footed Ferret Center in Colorado. John will tell us about all about the only North American species of ferret, and the efforts involved at the National Black-Footed Ferret Center to save these nocturnal prairie predators from going extinct.

In the second half we’ll learn about the California Condor. Joseph Brandt, California Condor Expert from the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex in California, will show us what technology the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is using to bring back a species that at one point in the 20th Century, had only 22 individuals in the wild. As always, we welcome student questions via our online chat room and we will answer as many as time allows. April 20, 2016.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect LIVE - Humpback Chub (00:43:43)

Join Chelsea McKinney, Conservation host, and Mike Pillow, USFWS Biologist as they talk about the endangered Humpback Chub fish! You will learn cool facts about careers, technology, and the Humpback Chub! November 16, 2016.

Conservation Connect LIVE: Junior Duck Stamps and Eagles (01:01:38)

Join Conservation Connect host, Louie Ocaranza to learn about the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation Program, see some ingenious technology used to study waterfowl, and have a preview of the 2016 nesting season of our resident Bald Eagles.

In the first half hour we’ll talk with Suzanne Fellows, Program Coordinator for the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program. This is a dynamic art and science based curriculum that teaches wetland and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. The program encourages students to explore their natural world, invites them to investigate biology and wildlife management principles and challenges them to express and share what they have learned with others.

In our second half hour, we'll chat with Wildlife Biologist, ​ ​Jim Siegel​, ​to learn about bald eagle biology, behavior and their upcoming nesting season. Jim will give tips to help teachers use the NCTC Eaglecam in their classrooms, we’ll discuss the bald eagle conservation success story and we’ll check the nest for new eggs! As always, we welcome student questions via our online chat room and will answer as many as time allows. February, 17, 2016.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect LIVE: Mussels and American Eels (01:01:42)

Join Conservation Connect Host, Louie Ocaranza in our aquatic conservation episode to ask questions and learn about what may be under the surface of our rivers and streams. In the first half, we’ll talk with Matthew Patterson, our freshwater mussel expert at the National Conservation Training Center. Matt will tell us about how these less obvious but important animals play a huge role in the health of aquatic ecosystems. You’ll also learn about the fascinating life cycle of mussels.

In the second half we’ll learn about electrofishing and American eels. Alan Temple, Fisheries Biologist at NCTC and expert on electrofishing will show us how this technology can be used to study and conserve wild fish populations. As always, we welcome student questions via our online chat room. March 16, 2016.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect Live: Wading Birds and Waterfowl (01:06:24)

Join host Chelsea McKinney to learn about Wading Birds and Waterfowl. Meet Steve Earsom, a Pilot Biologist from our Migratory Birds Program and Education Specialist, Toni Westland at Ding Darling NWR To learn about Wading Birds and Waterfowl. Do you know how these birds have adapted to living around water? They are amazing! Today we meet Steve Earsom, a Pilot Biologist from our Migratory Birds Program. We’ll fly with Steve and learn about aerial waterfowl counts. Then we head to sunny Florida to meet Education Specialist, Toni Westland at Ding Darling NWR to learn about the Roseate Spoonbill. As always, you can chat LIVE with our conservation experts to ask questions about the wildlife they study, their career pathways, and the technology they use to protect and study wildlife! December 16, 2015.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect LIVE - Wildlife Law Enforcement (00:58:33)

Join host Chelsea McKinney to learn about Wildlife Law Enforcement. Guest today are USFWS Refuge Law Enforcement Officer, Gabe Harper, Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge and Heidi Ruffler, FWS Office of International Affairs, Washington DC. November 18, 2015.

You may have seen news reports about criminals killing elephants and rhinos in Africa, but did you know that wildlife crime is also a problem in the U.S? Gabe and Heidi They will be with us to answer questions that YOU have about illegal wildlife trafficking, poaching of animals, technology that law enforcement uses to help protect animals and careers in wildlife law enforcement.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect Series: Earth Day (00:29:51)

Join host Chelsea McKinney, USFWS and student co-hosts for this Earth Day special event. April 22, 2014.

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

Conservation Connect Series: Overview (00:22:31) Host Chelsea McKinney, USFWS describes NCTC's Conservation Connect series. February 5, 2014.

Conservation Connect Special Event - National Wildlife Refuge Week (00:03:04)

This special edition of Conservation Connect will celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week and the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Join host Chelsea McKinney in a chat with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Historian, Dr. Mark Madison to learn how the Wilderness Act legislation all got started. To celebrate Refuge Week, we’ll take an electronic field trip to National Wildlife Refuges across the country - from Alaska to Florida. Students will discover why wilderness areas are important, meet conservation professionals working to protect our natural world, and get an up-close view of animals in the wild. October 15, 2014.

Conservation Connect is a new web-based video series produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center, which aims to connect youth, ages 9-14 (any age group is encouraged to enjoy) with the great outdoors, wildlife, and conservation careers. Conservation Connect is available online to schools, youth groups, homeschoolers, nature centers, and other educational programs throughout the country. Formal and non-formal educators are encouraged to watch the introductory overview of Conservation Connect, which demonstrates how this video series can supplement the use of existing environmental education curriculum, citizen science projects, and STEM content (science, technology, engineering, and math). The overview will highlight a segment featuring the American Bald Eagle, one of conservation’s biggest success stories.

Conserving of Monarchs in the Western US - February 28, 2016

Presented by Sarina Jepsen, Endangered Species Program Director, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. February 28, 2016.

Though most are familiar with the large populations of monarchs in the eastern US that travel to Mexico each fall, monarchs in the western US – including those that migrate annually to the California Coast – have received far less attention. In the western US, the Xerces Society is working to identify, protect, manage, and restore monarch breeding and overwintering habitat through conducting and engaging citizen scientists in applied research, developing habitat management technical guidance, and advocacy. This webinar will provide an overview of the biology, life history, and conservation status of monarchs in the western US, including factors that may be contributing to the observed population decline at California overwintering sites. The webinar will also review current conservation efforts of the Xerces Society and partners, including habitat management and enhancement efforts, applied research, and citizen science programs in monarch natal, migratory, and overwintering habitats of the West.

Sarina Jepsen directs the Xerces Society’s Endangered Species Program, where she works on the conservation of monarch butterflies, bumble bees, freshwater mussels, and other at-risk invertebrate species. Since 2007 she has developed, implemented an overseen numerous projects that address the conservation of monarch butterflies in natal, migratory and overwintering habitats of the western US. She has co-authored many publications about monarch butterflies including the report Conservation Status and Ecology of the Monarch Butterfly in the United States and the book chapter Understanding and Conserving the Western North American Monarch Population. She serves as Deputy Chair of the IUCN Bumblebee Specialist Group, where she works with bumble bee experts to evaluate the conservation status of bumble bees worldwide.

Conserving The Nature of America: An Overview of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (00:03:04)

An Overview of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This 3-minute vid eo presents an overview of the work and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, America’s principal wildlife conservation agency. It is designed to precede formal presentations and programs by Fish and Wildlife Service employees, before general audiences, as a way of acquainting them with the scope and breadth of the work of America’s oldest national conservation agency. It is ideal for use before public audiences, including citizens groups, conservation organizations, and potential partners for cooperative conservation projects. It also makes a useful addition to exhibits at trade shows and public events as a repeating loop, by setting the player on continuous play.

Developmental Coaching SU #7 (00:07:19) Presented by Jack Owens, USFWS. Broadcast date: February 3, 2011.

Embracing the Cultural Diversity of our Visitors and Stakeholders (01:13:31)

Presented by Myron Floyd, PhD, NCSU, Prof./Director of Graduate Programs, Depart. of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Mgmt.; Iantha Gantt-Wright, MSA Founder and President of The Kenian Group; Lamar Gore, USFWS, NE RO, Chief, Diversity and Civil Rights.

An effective conservation strategy includes engagement of people within diverse populations. To be relevant, we need to be innovative, resourceful and also respectful of what’s important to the people we are attempting to reach. Welcoming all groups and individuals, including those who traditionally may not be as directly connected. In this broadcast, we will more clearly define what we mean by diversity which encompasses culture, ethnicity, economics, age, gender, ability, and explore ways to foster inclusion for conservation. The broadcast also includes an interactive round table discussion with the host and viewers asking the panel about their experiences with embracing diversity for conservation.

Engaging with Urban Communities: Connecting People, Conservation & Public Land Agencies (01:09:10)

Presented by Flisa Stevenson, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Refuge Visitor Services; Gus Medina, Cornell University - Expanding Capacity in Environmental Education Project; Chantel Jimenez, San Diego NWR Complex. May 24, 2012.

This broadcast will focus on "place-based" urban conservation connections: who are some target audiences, why the environment matters to them and how we can become more involved with urban communities. In part one of the session, our presenters will introduce you to urban communities and how we can connect with them. Part two is an interactive round table discussion, with the host and viewers ( through email at broadcast@fws.gov ) asking the panel specific questions about linking public lands programs with conservation and urban communities.

Environmental Education Update - Conservation Connect (00:55:51)

This distance learning series, presented quarterly by NCTC’s Division of Education Outreach staff, will feature current environmental education topics and highlight upcoming environmental education courses offered by NCTC and our partners. This series is also an opportunity to share the various environmental education resources and training opportunities that are available to FWS employees and to network with colleagues and partners. The October 21 session will feature NCTC staff: Chelsea McKinney, Kathy Sholl, Brett Billings and Randy Robinson. They will provide an overview of Conservation Connect, the new web-based video series produced by NCTC which aims to connect youth, ages 10-14, with the great outdoors, wildlife species, and conservation careers. You’ll be able to join in with your questions and comments on Conservation Connect via the Livestream chat room. October 21, 2014

For more information about Conservation Connect, visit: http://nctc.fws.gov/conservationconnect/

For more information about Environmental Education Updates, visit: OUT8043 Environmental Education Updates Series

Fauna & Flora Int'l. - Nicaragua (00:40:00)

NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison hosts an interview with Salvadora Morales of FFI. Salvadora is the Coordinator of the Ometepe Island Project for FFI in Nicaragua. This project is receiving funding support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via the Wildlife Without Borders Regional Program for Latin America and the Caribbean. Ometepe is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, designated only fairly recently, in 2010. Recorded June 10, 2011.

Feeding Wild Birds in America: Culture, Commerce, and Conservation (01:07:11)

Conservationists in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day on May 9, NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with authors Paul J. Baicich and Margaret A. Barker. May 7, 2015.

Today, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, more than fifty million Americans feed birds around their homes, and over the last sixty years, billions of pounds of birdseed have filled millions of feeders in backyards everywhere. Feeding Wild Birds in America tells why and how a modest act of provision has become such a pervasive, popular, and often passionate aspect of people’s lives.

The book provides details on one or more bird-feeding development or trend including the “discovery” of seeds, the invention of different kinds of feeders, and the creation of new companies. Also woven are the worlds of education, publishing, commerce, professional ornithology, and citizen science, all of which have embraced bird feeding at different times and from different perspectives.

The authors take a decade-by-decade approach starting in the late nineteenth century, providing a historical overview in each chapter before covering topical developments (such as hummingbird feeding and birdbaths). On the one hand, they show that the story of bird feeding is one of entrepreneurial invention; on the other hand, they reveal how Americans, through a seemingly simple practice, have come to value the natural world.
PAUL J. BAICICH is a conservation writer and editor and an avitourism consultant. He lives in Maryland.
MARGARET A. BARKER, a writer and educator in the Chesapeake Bay area, coordinated the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch.

Additional Information: http://tamupress.com/product/Feeding-Wild-Birds-in-America,8161.aspx

From Billions to None: The Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon (00:46:30)

Conservation in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with David Blockstein, Ph.D. Scientist, National Council for Science & the Environment; David Mrazek, Filmmaker “From Billions to None”; Joel Greenberg, Author “A Feathered River Across the Sky” . March 11, 2015.

Hands on the Land (00:56:11)

Our webcast will feature “Hands on the Land” (HOL), a network of 120 distinct partnerships between five Federal land management agency sites and local schools focused on promoting educational excellence. HOL provides students across America with hands-on learning in natural and cultural settings, and is coordinated by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). USFWS currently counts 13 site-school partnerships among the total. Presenters include Josh Falk, Education Program Officer, NEEF and Maria Arnold, USFWS Youth Program Specialist, NCTC. Host: Michelle Donlan, NCTC. March 4, 2015.

Audience: Project managers, resource managers, visitor services professionals, park rangers, educators, outdoor recreational planners, and anyone whose resource management efforts would be enhanced or supported by youth initiatives.

The Environmental Education Update series (OUT8047), presented quarterly by NCTC’s Division of Education Outreach staff, features current environmental education topics and highlights upcoming courses offered by NCTC and our partners. This is also an opportunity to share the various environmental education resources and training opportunities that are available to USFWS employees and to network with colleagues and partners.

Growing Milkweed for Monarch Conservation(01:01:02)

As milkweed, the sole host plant for monarch butterflies, has diminished across the landscape, so have population numbers for the iconic butterfly. A broad scale effort involving many partners is needed to restore this habitat across North America to support monarchs and other wildlife. A key step in this process is increasing the availability of native milkweed plant materials, including seeds and plugs. In this webinar you will learn about regional native milkweed plant material needs, seed collection, processing, storage, stratification, germination, transplantation to plug cell, growing out, control of pests with biological control methods, site preparation, planting, watering and monitoring to determine survival rates. From backyard gardeners to large scale native plant producers, everyone has a role to play in supporting monarch habitat across North America. The focus of this webinar will be producing milkweed host plants, but other native nectar plants are also essential in supporting the monarch migration. March 23, 2016

Presented by Dr. Chip Taylor, Founder and Director, Monarch Watch. Dr. Taylor has a broad background in insect ecology. Starting in 1974, he established research sites and directed students studying Neotropical African honey bees in French Guiana, Venezuela, and Mexico. In 1992, Taylor founded Monarch Watch, an outreach program focused on education, research and conservation relative to monarch butterflies. Since then, the program has enlisted the help of volunteers to tag monarchs during the fall migration. This program has produced many new insights into the dynamics of the monarch migration. In 2005 Monarch Watch created the Monarch Waystation program, in recognition that habitats for monarchs are declining at a rate of 6,000 acres a day in the United States. The goal of this program is to inspire the public, schools and others to create habitats for monarch butterflies and to assist Monarch Watch in educating the public about the decline in resources for monarchs, pollinators and all wildlife that share the same habitats.

Hands on the Land Grant Program (00:57:09)

Environmental Education Update. Presenters: Josh Falk, Education Program Officer, NEEF; Maria Arnold, USFWS Youth Program Specialist, NCTC; and Derrick Baldwin, Cultural Heritage Program Specialist, BLM Hands on the Land Program. Sept. 2, 2015.

The NCTC Division of Education & Outreach will host a discussion on the Hands on the Land (HOL) network that connects schools with sustained hands-on learning in natural and cultural settings on public lands. Presenters will announce an HOL Mini-Grant Program. The mini-grants will support HOL sites comprised of a school partner and a participating federal public land management agency (BLM, FWS, NPS, USFS, and NOAA Marine Sanctuaries). Non-HOL members who join HOL are eligible for funding.

HOL is coordinated by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF).

Learn more at: http://www.handsontheland.org

How to Lead Effective Meetings SU #7 (00:11:49) Presented by Mark Madison, USFWS. Broadcast date: February 3, 2011.

Humans, Wildlife, and Their Shared Health (00:46:00)

Presented by Kirsten Leong, PhD, NPS, Human Dimensions Program Manger; Samantha Gibbs, DVM PhD, USFWS, Wildlife Veterinarian. September 23, 2015.

Human-wildlife interactions such as injuries and wildlife disease outbreaks can be economically, socially, medically, and environmentally costly. With the recognition that human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected, interdisciplinary fields and approaches like One Health have emerged to inform policy, expand scientific knowledge, and address sustainability challenges. In this broadcast, we will discuss some of the challenges for land management agencies to maintain wildlife health and manage humanwildlife interactions and the social considerations that impact this work. The broadcast also includes an interactive round table discussion with the host and viewers asking the panel about their experiences.

Upon completion of this series, you will be able to:

• Define human dimensions relative to maintaining wildlife health and managing humanwildlife interactions;
• Identify examples of social considerations that affect the management of human-wildlife,
• interaction on public lands, such as on a National Wildlife Refuges, and
• Locate resources related to human dimensions of natural resources conservation and for use in further research and application.

Katmai - Alaska's Wild Peninsula (00:56:13)

NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison hosts an interview with NPS Filmmaker John Grabowska on his new film “Katmai - Alaska's Wild Peninsula”. April 22, 2013.

The breathtaking volcanic landscape of the Alaska Peninsula is home to the greatest concentration of coastal brown bears in North America. These bears are drawn to the largest sockeye salmon run in the world. Grabowska’s film captures all the excitement of these large mammals as they fight, fish, and interact with each other in this pristine environment.

National Park Service filmmaker John Grabowska has directed productions from the subarctic to subtropics. Often broadcast as prime time specials on PBS, his films have also won awards at festivals around the world. Grabowska led environmental media workshops in Argentina and Panama and has served as a guest lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic Society. He is one of the founders of the American Conservation Film Festival and the Washington Post calls him "one of the virtuoso environmental filmmakers in the country."

Land Ethic Leaders: Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic for Today (01:18:13)

Presented by Jennifer Kobylecky, Education Coordinator, Aldo Leopold Foundation and Jeannine Richards, Communications Coordinator, Aldo Leopold Foundation. October 23, 2013.

In A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold set forth his most enduring idea, the “land ethic,” a moral responsibility of humans to the natural world. Aldo Leopold’s land ethic idea is extremely relevant in today’s society, but it can be difficult to define, discuss, and implement. As Leopold himself suggested, a land ethic must evolve by people considering and discussing what it means.

During the hour-long broadcast, we will introduce you to the “land ethic” and the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s Land Ethic Leaders program. We’ll explore Leopold’s ideas in greater depth and explain how environmental education containing observation, participation and reflection can lead to greater engagement in conservation. We will also provide an overview of the Land Ethic Leaders workshop and how you can participate in the future.

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (01:01:54)

Presented by Elsa Haubold, National LCC Coordinator; Jean Brennan, Appalachian LCC Coordinator; and Laura McClean, Science Applications Communications Manager. August 26, 2015.

This distance learning series, presented quarterly by NCTC’s Division of Education and Outreach staff, features current environmental education topics and highlights upcoming environmental education courses offered by NCTC and our partners. This series is also an opportunity to share the various environmental education resources and training opportunities that are available to FWS employees and to network with colleagues and partners.
The August 26th broadcast will feature an update on Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) and share information about great environmental educational resources available for use by educators. The broadcast also includes time for live interaction and Q&A with the presenters.
Learn more about the Landscape Conservation Cooperative Network at: http://lccnetwork.org

Landscape Conservation Design: Conserving Sustainable Landscapes for Natural Resources and People (01:12:19)

Human Dimensions Broadcast Series. Presented by Rob Campellone, USFWS, NWRS; Thomas Miewald, USFW S, N Pacific Landscape Conservation Coop and the NWRS; Charlie Pelizza, USFWS, Pelican Island NWR. February 12, 2014.

Hosted by Sarena Selbo, Chief, Branch of Conservation Planning and Design, USFWS, National Wildlife Refuge System. Presented by Rob Campellone, Landscape Conservation Design Policy Advisor, USFWS, National Wildlife Refuge System; Thomas Miewald, Landscape Ecologist, USFWS, North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative and the National Wildlife Refuge System; and Charlie Pelizza, Refuge Manager
USFWS, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Conserving sustainable landscapes in the 21st century is a significant challenge that requires a fundamental shift in thinking and action, addressing both social and ecological systems. "Landscape conservation design" involves intentional human changes to landscape patterns to sustainably provide ecosystem services that meet societal needs and respect societal values. This paradigm is innately interdisciplinary and partner-driven, involving diverse stakeholders, who plan, identify and implement strategies across the landscape to achieve diverse goals. In this broadcast, we will explore the "why," the "what" and the "how" of landscape conservation design, focusing on addressing both the ecological and human dimensions needed to achieve sustainable landscapes. The broadcast also includes an interactive round table discussion with the host and viewers asking the panel about their experiences with landscape conservation design and conserving sustainable landscapes.

Life Among the Monarch (00:59:10)

NCTC Historian, Mark Madison, interviews Lincoln Brower, Distinguished Service Professor of Zoology Emeritus at the University of Florida and Research Professor of Biology at Sweet Briar College. May 21, 2015.

Lincoln Brower has been studying the North American monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, for more than 50 years, and for 30 years he has made preservation of the unique migration of this butterfly a personal mission. Brower first began studying monarch butterfly biology in 1954 when he was a graduate student at Yale University. He currently is Distinguished Service Professor of Zoology Emeritus at the University of Florida and Research Professor of Biology at Sweet Briar College. His research includes conservation of endangered biological phenomena and ecosystems, the overwintering and migration biology of the monarch butterfly, chemical defense, mimicry, and scientific film making. He has authored and coauthored more than 200 scientific papers on the monarch butterfly. Since 1977 he has been deeply involved with conservation of the monarch's overwintering and breeding habitats, and especially with the imperiled Oyamel fir forests in Mexico which he considers the Achille's heel of the monarch. To track deforestation, he recently formed a Geographic Information Systems team including students and colleagues from the University of Mexico, NASA, and Sweet Briar College. He also has been involved with several conservation initiatives to educate and help local Mexicans in their quest to save the forests.

Life Among the Monarchs: A Biological Interview with Linda Fink (00:13:18)

NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison interviews Linda Fink on the early days of Lincoln Brower research (Distinguished Service Professor of Zoology Emeritus at the University of Florida. 05/21/2015

Meet Your New Boss (00:01:01) FWS recruiting video clip.

Mapping the Blue: The World's Largest Marine Park (00:53:27)

Conservation in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Alison Barrat, Filmmaker, Living Oceans Foundation and Sam Purkis, Ph.D. Oceanographer, National Coral Reef Institute. March 11, 2015.

Migratory Birds First Frontier (00:59:49)

Scott Weidensaul, Author, Ornithologist, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds. May 2, 2012.

Bird migration is the world's only true unifying natural phenomenon, stitching the continents together in a way that even the great weather systems fail to do. Scott Weidensaul follows awesome kettles of hawks over the Mexican coastal plains, bar-tailed godwits that hitchhike on gale winds 7,000 miles nonstop across the Pacific from Alaska to New Zealand, and myriad songbirds whose numbers have dwindled so dramatically in recent decades. Migration paths form an elaborate global web that shows serious signs of fraying, and Weidensaul delves into the tragedies of habitat degradation and deforestation with an urgency that brings to life the vast problems these miraculous migrants now face. Living on the Wind is a magisterial work of nature writing.

Author and naturalist Scott Weidensaul has written more than two dozen books on natural history, including Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds, a Pulitzer Prize finalist; The Ghost with Trembling Wings, about the search for species that may or may not be extinct; and Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding. His newest book, The First Frontier: The Forgotten History of Struggle, Savagery and Endurance in Early America, will be published in February 2012.

Weidensaul lectures widely on wildlife and environmental topics, and is an active field researcher, specializing in birds of prey and hummingbirds. He lives in the Appalachians of eastern Pennsylvania, the heart of the old colonial frontier.

Monarch and Roadsides (01:03:46) August 31, 2016

Presented by Dr. Karen Oberhauser and Kyle Kasten (University of Minnesota Monarch Lab), Jennifer Hopwood (Xerces Society), and Ken Graeve (Minnesota Department of Transportation). August 31, 2016.

Tremendous amounts of habitat have been lost throughout the monarchs' range, primarily due to development and changing agricultural practices. While it may not be possible to restore the habitat that was lost in its entirety, there are many opportunities to enhance and restore habitat for monarchs and pollinators in marginal areas, such as roadsides. While mortality of these insects by vehicle collisions is a concern for many, it is thought that the benefits of roadside habitats outweigh the costs. This webinar will include background information on monarchs and pollinators in roadside habitats, key findings from a study of milkweed and monarch surveys along roadsides, and case studies and opportunities for Departments of Transportation.

Presenters: Dr. Karen Oberhauser (University of Minnesota Monarch Lab), Kyle Kasten (University of Minnesota Monarch Lab), Jennifer Hopwood (Xerces Society), Ken Graeve (Minnesota Department of Transportation)

Ken Graeve works at the Minnesota Department of Transportation providing technical support for roadside vegetation management. His work areas include rare plant reviews, vegetation establishment during construction, invasive species control, and prescribed fire.

Jennifer Hopwood is a Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, and provides resources and training for pollinator and beneficial insect habitat management, creation, and restoration. Jennifer has authored a number of publications and articles, including a literature review about roadsides and their potential to act as habitat for pollinators. Jennifer has degrees in ecology and entomology from the University of Kansas and has experience in invertebrate field and laboratory research, identification, education, and outreach.

Kyle Kasten graduated from Carleton College with a B.A. in Biology. Starting as an AmeriCorps volunteer, he spent the summer of 2015 conducting a survey of milkweed species and monarch larvae use of roadside habitats in the upper midwest. Now working as a member of the Monarch Lab research team, Kyle collaborates with private companies, landowners, and government agencies to study the effectiveness of prairie restoration projects in creating monarch butterfly habitat in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Dr. Karen Oberhauser is a Professor in the Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota, where she and her students conduct research on several aspects of monarch butterfly ecology. Her research depends on traditional lab and field techniques, as well as the contributions of a variety of audiences through citizen science. Karen is also co-chair of the Monarch Joint Venture steering committee.

Monarch Conservation Science Broadcast (01:18:22) May 26, 2016

Presented by Dr. Karen Oberhauser, University of Minnesota Monarch Lab; Ryan Drum, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Wayne Thogmartin, United States Geological Survey.

Monarch conservation will require the involvement of the governments, non-government organizations, and citizens of all three North American countries. It will also require that limited resources are spent in ways that are most likely to help monarchs. Monarch biologists, habitat conservation practicioners, and landscape scientists have been meeting for over two years to create a blueprint for ensuring that monarch conservation strategies are based on our best available science. This group has worked to create a target for monarch population numbers that will minimize risks of extinction, develop regional priorities for habitat protection and restoration, and identify the most important risks to monarch populations. In this webinar, we'll summarize the work of the Monarch Conservation Science Partnership, ending with concrete suggestions for local, regional, and continental action.

Karen Oberhauser is a Professor in the Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota, where she and her students conduct research on several aspects of monarch butterfly ecology. In 1996, she and graduate student Michelle Prysby started the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, which engages hundreds of volunteers throughout North America. In 2013, Karen received a White House Champion of Change award for her work with Citizen Science.

Ryan Drum is a Landscape Ecologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. His work is focused on linking biological planning, conservation design, on-the-ground delivery, and monitoring to guide landscape-scale adaptive management in the Midwest-Great Lakes Region and beyond. Ryan serves as the USFWS co-lead for the Monarch Conservation Science Partnership and is also the Service lead for Trinational Monarch Conservation Science Partnership.

Wayne Thogmartin is a research ecologist with the United States Geological Survey at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His research is generally focused on the statistical and mathematical ecology of rare and declining species. Current work involves developing continental-scale energetic-based models of migratory waterfowl, half-life and extinction risk calculations as a means of prioritizing species for conservation action, and calculating the value of a subpopulation to system dynamics to better understand the flow of ecosystem services as a function of migration. He is co-lead of the USGS Monarch Conservation Science Partnership.

Motivating Next Generation of Conservation Leaders (01:19:40)

Presented by Adam Kreek, Olympic Gold Medalist, Outdoor Adventurer, and Motivations Speaker. June 13, 2012.

This one-hour webcast is led by Adam Kreek, Olympic Gold Medalist, outdoor adventurer and motivational speaker. In three modules, Adam Kreek shares an overview of his background and philosophy of celebrating success; explores effective initiatives connecting young people to their environment and strategies for our organizations to build on these trends; and discusses key tools for success, including learning and teaching effective risk taking through outdoor experiences, and techniques for overcoming setbacks and failure.

Nature-Based Tourism and Economic Benefits (01:25:18)

This is the first program in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation series. Presenters: Nancy Milar, Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau; Ted Eubanks, Fermata; Toni Westland, FWS. February 2, 2012.

Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation addresses the relationship of people to the land and wildlife. Through understanding matters such as human values, cultural ecology, sense of place and economics, we are better prepared to effectively manage and conserve our natural resources. The Fish and Wildlife Service mission speaks to this as we strive to protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

In this series we will introduce you to the subject of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation through educational broadcasts, offered quarterly. The broadcasts will provide up-to-date academic theory and on-the-ground Fish and Wildlife Service examples. This introductory series in 2012 will include: Nature-based Tourism and Economic Benefits, Engaging Urban Communities through Birding, Social Aspects of Conservation Biology and Cultural Diversity of Refuge Visitors.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

Define Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation;
Identify examples of the application of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation in the US Fish and Wildlife Service; and
Locate Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation resources for use in further research and application.

Performance Based Interviewing SU #7 (00:17:15) Presented by Chelsea Corcoran/Quadt, USFWS. Broadcast date: February 3, 2011.

Pollinator Health and Land Use Economics (01:00:02)

Host Mark Madison, NCTC Historian interviews Claudia Hitaj, USDA, Economic Research Service Economist and Daniel Hellerstein, USDA, Economic Research Service Economist. May 25, 2016.

PollinatorLive: Nature's Partners-Pollinators, Plants & People (01:05:14)

Electronic Field Trip for students in grades 4 - 8 from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. PollinatorLive is an environmental education program for schools. This program was recorded at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center which is dedicated to preserving native plants and wildflowers and restoring the beauty and the biological richness of North America. Meet the pollinators and their plants and learn how people benefit.

Project EduBat - Education Taking Flight (01:26:36)

Special appearances by live bats and bat experts, Cathy Johnson, U.S. Forest Service, Dianne Odegard, Bat Conservation International, Ann Froschauer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Leslie Sturges, The Save Lucy Campaign. October 29, 2014.

Bats are amazing animals that are vital to the health of our environment and economy - eating tons of insects nightly, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds that that grow new plants and even trees. This free broadcast will feature activities, resources, and lesson plans to help you teach both children and adults about bats. Learn how to use newly developed bat educational trunks that will be available across the country for your use!

To learn more: http://BatsLIVE.pwnet.org

Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us? (00:43:12)

NCTC Conservationists in Action Series; NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison hosts an interview with Filmmaker Taggart Siegel. Recorded May 10, 2011. For more information on the film, please visit: http://www.queenofthesun.com

Rachel Carson and Her Sisters: Extraordinary Women Who Have Shaped America's Environment (00:55:35)

In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, interviews with author Robert Musil to talk about women conservationists and his new book, "Rachel Carson and Her Sisters: Extraordinary Women Who Have Shaped America's Environment". July 9, 2015.

In Rachel Carson and Her Sisters, Robert K. Musil redefines the achievements and legacy of environmental pioneer and scientist Rachel Carson, linking her work to a wide network of American women activists and writers and introducing her to a new, contemporary audience. Rachel Carson was the first American to combine two longstanding, but separate strands of American environmentalism—the love of nature and a concern for human health. Widely known for her 1962 best-seller, Silent Spring, Carson is today often perceived as a solitary “great woman,” whose work single-handedly launched a modern environmental movement. But as Musil’s book demonstrates, Carson’s life work drew upon and was supported by already existing movements, many led by women, in conservation and public health.

On the fiftieth anniversary of her death, this book helps underscore Carson’s enduring environmental legacy and brings to life the achievements of women writers and advocates, such as Ellen Swallow Richards, Dr. Alice Hamilton, Terry Tempest Williams, Sandra Steingraber, Devra Davis, and Theo Colborn, all of whom overcame obstacles to build and lead the modern American environmental movement.

More information on Musil’s book can be found at: http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/product/Rachel-Carson-and-Her-Sisters,5209.aspx

Robert K. Musil, PhD, MPH is the President and CEO of the Rachel Carson Council, the legacy organization envisioned by Rachel Carson and founded in 1965 by her closest friends and colleagues. Dr. Musil is also a Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, School of Public Affairs, American University, where he teaches about climate change and American environmental politics.

“Sizzle” A Unique Perspective on Global Warming (00:58:41)

NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison hosts an interview with Scientist, Author & Filmmaker Randy Olson who will discuss his new film “Sizzle”. Olson was a professor of marine biology at the University of New Hampshire. Despite his Harvard Ph.D., four years of post-doctoral research in Australia and Florida, and years of diving around the world from the Great Barrier Reef to Antarctica, he tossed it all in, resigned from his tenured professorship and moved to Hollywood to explore film as a medium for communicating science. Today he is an independent filmmaker and author of the book Don’t Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style. Olson also travels around the country teaching scientists how to better communicate critical scientific ideas to the broader public.

Sizzle Interview Teaser (0001:14)

NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison hosts an interview with Scientist, Author & Filmmaker Randy Olson who will discuss his new film “Sizzle”.

Saving the Places We Love (00:44:30)

Conservation in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Ned Tillman, Author of “Saving the Places We Love” and “The Chesapeake Watershed”. March 18, 2015.

Ned Tillman is the creative and driving force behind the “Saving the Places We Love” online campaign. He wants to do whatever he can to give others the tools to save the places they love no matter where they are across the country and the world. His two books are full of ideas and examples of what it takes to accomplish these goals. He also speaks to and facilitates groups coming together to save places important to them. During his career, Ned has provided energy and environmental consulting services to governments and corporations across the U.S. and abroad. He has presented keynote addresses at national conventions, colleges, and for a range of businesses and non-profit organizations. He serves on local, regional, and national boards working to ensure the health and sustainability of our country. Proceeds from his books go toward watershed restoration and land preservation efforts. http://savingtheplaces.com

Snow of the Nile: Uganda's Equatorial Glaciers and Climate Change (051:10)

Conservation in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Scientist & Filmmaker Nate Dappen, Ph.D. March 5, 2015.

Social Aspects of Natural Resources Conservation (01:10:24)

Presented by Shawn Riley, MSU, Fisheries and Wildlife Scientist, Partnership for Ecosystem Research and Mgmt.; Natalie Sexton, USFWS, Natural Resource Program Center, Branch of Human Dimensions; Aaron Mize, USFWS, Bosque del Apache NWR. August 2012.

Knowledge for effective conservation includes knowledge about organisms, knowledge about the environment and knowledge about humans. In this broadcast, we will more clearly define this human aspect, which includes the application of social psychology, economics, political science,
communications and more. In part one of the session, the presenters will introduce the theory and practical application of this social aspect to our conservation work. We will also introduce you to the recently created Branch of Human Dimensions at the Natural Resource Program Center. Part two
is an interactive round table discussion, with the host and viewers asking the panel specific questions about their experience linking the human dimension with conservation.

Objectives: Upon completion of this series, you will be able to:

• Define the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation;
• Identify examples of the application of the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation in the US Fish and Wildlife Service; and
• Locate Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation resources for use in further research and application.

Southwestern Monarch (00:55:54)

Presented by Gail Morris, Coordinator of the Southwest Monarch Study. Gail Morris is the Coordinator of the Southwest Monarch Study, a Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist and the Vice-Chair of the Monarch Butterfly Fund. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Central Arizona Butterfly Association. Gail is the primary author of "Status of the Danaus plexippus Population in Arizona" by G.Morris, C.Kline & S.Morris, 2015. April 28, 2016.

For many years the southwest United States was a monarch mystery, a place where monarchs were scarce and little known about their breeding and migration patterns. The Southwest Monarch Study opened new doors of understanding after tagging over 14,000 monarchs and monitoring breeding habitats across the region.This webinar will explore citizen science efforts primarily in Arizona but expanding to New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, the California deserts and western Colorado. Our results dispelled the earlier belief in a Rocky Mountain division in migration destination and also provided new information regarding abundant breeding habitats and small overwintering aggregations in the area. New monarch conservation partnerships working to expand habitats across the southwest will also be featured.

The Supervisory Update #8 (00:45:01)

The Supervisory Update #8 features an overview of the new FBMS (Financial & Business Management System) and how to manage change. Broadcast date: June 9, 2011.

Supervisory Update #9 (00:32:05)

The Supervisory Update #9 features an Introduction to FBMS (Financial & Business Management System); Telework Policy, Jim Willis, NCTC Deputy Director; and Supervising Remote Staff, Dan Nahler, Special Assistant Broadcast date: Aug 4, 2011

Supervisory Update #10 (00:32:05)

The Supervisory Update #10 features FBMS (Financial & Business Management System) Overview Part III; New Supervisory Skills Workshop; Supervisory Role in DOI Learn; Coach's Corner: "Listen UP". Aired November 3, 2011

The 30th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act Constultation Regulations (01:03:33)

Presented by Mike Young, Assistant Solicitor for Fish and Wildlife. December 7, 2016.

We are pleased to announce the third presentation with Michael Young, Department of Interior, Assistant Solicitor for Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Young has over three decades of experience with the DOI and has recorded this presentation for the monthly Conservation Policy Series. The consultation regulations within the Endangered Species Act have played a significant role in the implementation of the act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With 2016 being the 30th anniversary of the regulations, Mr. Young will discuss the statutory history and possible future of these regulations from his perspective as an attorney with the Department of Interior.

The Birds of WV (00:53:18) Presented by Richard Bailey, State Ornithologist, WV Department of Natural Resources. June 2012.

The Centennial of the U.S. / Canada Migratory Bird Conventions & the Wildlife Management Role of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (00:37:59)

We are happy to announce the first of four presentations with Michael Young, Department of Interior, Assistant Solicitor for Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Young has over three decades of experience with the DOI and will be providing a number of new presentations for monthly Conservation Policy Series topics this summer and fall.

His first presentation will cover the Centennial of the U.S. - Canada Migratory Bird Convention. This presentation has been pre-recorded. During the broadcast, Mr. Young will be available in the Livestream chat room to respond to questions or comments.July 14, 2016.

The Monarch of the Americas: Chasing, Saving, and Understanding our Most Iconic Insect (00:59:49)

Conservationists in Action Series - The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Butterfly Expert & Author, Robert Michael Pyle. March 19, 2015.

ROBERT MICHAEL PYLE was born on July 19, 1947 in Denver and raised in nearby Aurora, Colorado. His B.S. in Nature Perception and Protection (1969) and M.S. in Nature Interpretation (1973) from the University of Washington were followed in 1976 by a Ph.D. from Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. In 1971, during a Fulbright Fellowship at the Monks Wood Experimental Station in England, Pyle founded the Xerces Society for invertebrate conservation, and later chaired its Monarch Project. Bob has worked as an assistant curator at Yale's Peabody Museum, as a butterfly conservation consultant for Papua New Guinea, Northwest Land Steward for The Nature Conservancy, and guest professor or writer at Portland State, University of Alaska, Evergreen State, and Lewis & Clark College. He has lectured for scientific, literary, and general audiences in many cities and countries, taught numerous field courses and creative writing seminars, been on the faculties of Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory as well as participating in the Port Townsend, Pacific Northwest, Sitka, and Desert writing conferences, and has appeared on NPR's E-Town. He received a 1997 Distinguished Service Award from the Society for Conservation Biology. In 1979, Pyle moved from Portland, Oregon to the rural community of Gray's River, on a tributary of the Lower Columbia in far southwest Washington. It was a deliberate migration, in the Thoreauvian sense, toward the requisite setting for confronting life's bare essentials and to see what effect that may have on the creative act of writing. As Michael Pearsonhas commented: "For a man trained in natural history, science, and conservation much more than in literature, the transformation from scientist into full-time writer was a daring step into terra incognita, a metamorphosis reminiscent of the butterflies he studies." As a professional writer, Pyle has published hundreds of papers, essays, stories, and poems in many magazines and journals in addition to 14 books.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (CTN) (00:04:30)

Dr. Leskey, a stink bug research entomologist from the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Appalachian Fruit Research Station in nearby Kearneysville, West Virginia, focuses her talks chiefly on the impacts to agricultural row crops, fruit orchard, and home gardens from the invasive Asian pest, which now has spread to 24 states and poses a major threat to apples, peaches, tomatoes, grapes, and other high-value produce. Leskey’s February 9 appearance, a lecture jointly sponsored by NCTC and the Potomac Valley Audubon Society, drew nearly 500 attendees from four states, “indicative of the concern that people in the mid-Atlantic region have about this invasive species, which is not only a household annoyance, but a genuine threat to American agriculture,” according to NCTC Director Jay Slack.

"The Power of One Voice" A Fifty Year Perspective on the Live of Rachel Carson (00:46:20)

Conservation in Action Series- The National Conservation Training Center invites prominent conservationists, writers, historians, scientists, filmmakers, and educators to discuss their work to a broad and interested public. In this program NCTC Historian, Dr. Mark Madison, hosts an interview with Mark Dixon, Filmmaker, "The Power of One Voice"; Linda Lear, Ph.D. Author, Rachel Carson Biographer; and Patricia DeMarco, Ph.D. Rachel Carson Scholar. March 5, 2015.

Visitor Use Management: Balancing Societal Benefits with Resource Protection and Conservation (01:18:17)

Human Dimensions Broadcast Series. Host: Mike Carlo, USFWS, National Wildlife Refuge System Presenters Jeffrey Brooks, USFWS, Alaska Region; Jeffrey Marion, Natural Resource Recreation; and Bob Proudman, Appalachian Trail Conservancy. May 22, 2014.

Providing and managing visitor experiences in our parks, refuges and other natural areas can be both a challenge and an opportunity, as we strive to enhance the public's connection with the outdoors and balance it with conservation. In this broadcast we will explore the science and issues of visitor use management and how to integrate this with resource management. The broadcast also includes an interactive round table discussion with the
host and viewers asking the panel about their involvement with visitor use management.

What does it Matter? Attitudes and Values Make a Difference for Conservation (01:15:58)

Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Conservation 2013 Broadcast Series. Presented by Jeremy T. Bruskotter, PhD, Ohio State University; Catherine E. Doyle-Capitman, Yale School; Michelle Potter and Natalie Sexton, USFWS. April 11, 2013.

How people think and feel about conservation holds clues for what people do about conservation. In this broadcast we will explore the science behind understanding the attitudes and values of stakeholders and how to integrate this knowledge into conservation. We will more systematically define these social influences and share methods to effectively measure them for use in natural resource management decisions. The broadcast also includes an interactive round table discussion with the host and viewers asking the panel about their experience working with attitudes and values for conservation.

William Souder: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson (00:49:09)

NCTC Historian Mark Madison will host an interview with award-winning author William Souder. “On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson” is Souder's newly released biography. October 2012

Published on the fiftieth anniversary of her seminal book, Silent Spring, Souder’s just published book is an indelible new portrait of Rachel Carson, founder of the environmental movement. She loved the ocean and wrote three books about its mysteries, including the international bestseller The Sea Around Us. But it was with her fourth book, Silent Spring, that this unassuming biologist transformed our relationship with the natural world. Published in 1962, Silent Spring shocked the public and forced the government to take action-despite a withering attack on Carson from the chemicals industry. The book awakened the world to the heedless contamination of the environment and eventually led to the establishment of the EPA and to the banning of DDT and a host of related pesticides. Elegantly written and meticulously researched, On a Farther Shore reveals a shy yet passionate woman more at home in the natural world than in the literary one that embraced her. William Souder also writes sensitively of Carson's romantic friendship with Dorothy Freeman, and of her death from cancer in 1964. This extraordinary new biography captures the essence of one of the great reformers of the twentieth century.

William Souder has written for many prominent newspapers and magazines and is the author of A Plague of Frogs, a book about the investigation of outbreaks of deformed frogs across North America a decade ago, and Under a Wild Sky, a biography of John James Audubon and a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

Wind Energy Training Series for Voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines - Broadcast #1 (Part 1) (01:53:23)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to announce a training broadcast series to cover the voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines and other relevant topics. May 22, 2013.

The Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines are a tool for wind energy practitioners to minimize adverse effects of wind energy development and operation to wildlife and their habitats. The guidelines focus on collaboration of federal and state agencies, tribes, industry, and non-governmental organizations to develop environmentally responsible wind energy facilities.

The bimonthly broadcasts will cover emerging issues and provide direction for wind energy facility planning, development, and operations.

For additional information, click here!

Wind Energy Training Series for Voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines Broadcast #1 ( Part 2) (00:41:39) See above.

Wind Energy Training Series for Voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines - Broadcast #2 (01:53:23)

Announcing the 2nd Broadcast of the Wind Energy Training Series for Voluntary Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines. Hosted by Christy Johnson-Hughes, USFWS. July 31, 2013

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently débuted a training broadcast series to cover topics associated with wind energy and other relevant topics, such as the voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines.

Host Christy Johnson-Hughes will be joined by several guests who will cover topics including the new Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance, Tier 3 bat surveys, and a study demonstrating the use of the Guidelines at an existing wind energy facility in West Virginia.

The bimonthly broadcasts will cover emerging issues and provide direction for wind energy facility planning, development, and operations.

Wind Energy Training Series: Tier 4 of the Wind Energy Guidelines - Broadcast #3 (01:59:56)

The 3rd broadcast of the Wind Energy Training Series for Voluntary Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines. Hosted by Christy Johnson-Hughes, USFWS. October 30, 2013.

Host Christy Johnson-Hughes will be joined by guests who will discuss topics related to Tier 4 of the Wind Energy Guidelines (post-construction), including fatality estimation, reporting, and adaptive management. The Law Enforcement Perspective will be presented in the 2nd half of this program.
In May 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a training broadcast series to cover topics associated with wind energy and other relevant topics, such as the voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines. View previous broadcasts and related materials

These broadcasts cover emerging issues and provide direction for wind energy facility planning, development, and operations. This live broadcast will be available online at:http://distancelearning.fws.gov/ctn.html

The Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines are a tool for wind energy practitioners to minimize adverse effects of wind energy development and operation to wildlife and their habitats. The guidelines focus on collaboration of federal and state agencies, tribes, industry, and non-governmental organizations to develop environmentally responsible wind energy facilities. 

To learn more about U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wind Energy topics, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/windenergy

Wind Energy Training Series: Wind Energy Guidelines - Broadcast #4 (01:54:17)

Host: Christy Johnson-Hughes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Presenters: Kathy Boydston, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; Charles Newcomb, Endurance Wind Power; and Jennifer Norris, Ohio Department of Natural Resources. January 29, 2014.

Wind Energy Training Broadcast Series - Broadcast #5 (01:56:50)

Host: Christy Johnson-Hughes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Presenters Wally Erickson and Chad Le Beau, WEST, Inc. and Cris Hein, Bat Conservation International. April 23, 2014.

In May 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a training broadcast series to cover topics associated with wind energy and other relevant topics, such as the voluntary Land-based Wind Energy Guidelines. These broadcasts cover emerging issues and provide direction for wind energy facility planning, development, and operations. The Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines are a tool for wind energy practitioners to minimize adverse effects of wind energy development and operation to wildlife and their habitats. The guidelines focus on collaboration of federal and state agencies, tribes, industry, and non-governmental organizations to develop environmentally responsible wind energy facilities.