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Everyday Environment Podcast

Everyday Environment Podcast

Written by: Abigail Garofalo Amy Lefringhouse Erin Garrett
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Everyday Environment delves into the intricate web of connections that bind us to the natural world. From water, air, energy, plants, and animals to the complex interactions within these elements, we aim to unravel the ties that link us to our environment. Through a variety of educational formats, including podcasts, blogs, and videos, we strive to foster a deeper understanding of these connections among the residents of Illinois. Explore more at go.illinois.edu/everydayenvironment. Hosted by: Abigail Garofalo, Amy Lefringhouse, and Erin Garrett2024 The Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois Science
Episodes
  • Answering your invasive species questions: a Q&A with Chris Evans
    May 28 2026

    For our final episode of our invasive species season we have something a little different: we're sharing the recording of an invasive species livestream we hosted on Facebook with Chris Evans, answering your invasive species questions! Get the answers to your questions about managing different species, communicating about invasives, regulations, and more.

    Share your own Everyday Observation

    Was there something about this topic we didn’t cover? See something cool in nature? Let us know! Send us your question or share your everyday nature observation with us at go.illinois.edu/EEconnect, and we may share it in a future blog or podcast.


    Questions? We'd love to hear from you!
    Abigail Garofalo aeg9@illinois.edu, Erin Garrett emedvecz@illinois.edu, Amy Lefringhouse heberlei@illinois.edu

    Subscribe to our Newsletter
    Check out our Blog
    See the Everyday Environment Archives

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    59 mins
  • A case study in invasive species management: Emiquon Preserve with Dr. Maria Lemke
    May 21 2026

    After decades of draining the land for agriculture, restoring water to The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve helped recreate high quality wetland, lake, and marsh habitats that were once common along the Illinois River. Maintaining these high-quality habitats requires monitoring and effectively managing invasive species. This episode's discussion will focus primarily on our efforts to better understand and manage the common carp population at Emiquon to reduce negative impacts on water quality and vegetative habitats.

    Resources mentioned:

    • Emiquon Preserve
    • Ramsar sites
    • Emiquon Preserve Monitoring at Forbes Biological Station

    Share your own Everyday Observation

    Was there something about this topic we didn’t cover? See something cool in nature? Let us know! Send us your question or share your everyday nature observation with us at go.illinois.edu/EEconnect, and we may share it in a future blog or podcast.


    Questions?
    We'd love to hear from you!
    Abigail Garofalo aeg9@illinois.edu, Erin Garrett emedvecz@illinois.edu, Amy Lefringhouse heberlei@illinois.edu

    Subscribe to our Newsletter
    Check out our Blog
    See the Everyday Environment Archives

    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • Mushroom minute: a look at the invasive golden oyster mushroom with Aishwarya Veerabahu
    May 14 2026

    Abigail and Amy chat with Aishwarya Veerabahu, a mycologist and PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She enlightens us with the issues surrounding the golden oyster mushroom, a representative of the fungi kingdom , one kingdom we haven't discussed. We explore the rapid spread of the golden oyster mushroom across eastern North America, what happens when an invasive fungus moves into native woodland ecosystems, and why mushrooms growing on dead trees can tell us a lot about forest health. Plus, we somehow end up debating the difference between a rock pigeon and a mourning dove, so, bird experts we need your help to clear up the discussion about rock pigeons vs rock doves vs mourning doves in our Everyday Observations.

    Resources

    • Research publication: Invasive golden oyster mushrooms are disrupting native fungal communities as they spread throughout North America
    • University of Wisconsin Pringle Lab Golden Oyster Mushroom project
    • Golden oyster culinary background and how best to cook it from Chef Alan Bergo


    Share your own Everyday Observation

    Was there something about this topic we didn’t cover? See something cool in nature? Let us know! Send us your question or share your everyday nature observation with us at go.illinois.edu/EEconnect, and we may share it in a future blog or podcast.


    Questions?
    We'd love to hear from you!
    Abigail Garofalo aeg9@illinois.edu, Erin Garrett emedvecz@illinois.edu, Amy Lefringhouse heberlei@illinois.edu

    Subscribe to our Newsletter
    Check out our Blog
    See the Everyday Environment Archives

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
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