Nature Boost

About Nature Boost

Join host Jill Pritchard from the Missouri Department of Conservation as she explores everything nature has to offer – from health benefits and wildlife viewing, to outdoor recreation and unbelievable conservation stories. Subscribe and get your own Nature Boost!

Publisher

Missouri Department Of Conservation | Hubbard Radio

Category

science · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Apr 2020

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

5 of 80 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Missouri's Brown-headed Nuthatch Restoration

   Missouri State Ornithologist Kristen Heath-Acre and host Jill explore the successful reintroduction of the Brown-headed Nuthatch to Missouri through habitat restoration and partnerships.

2. 

   21 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   A Closer Look at River Otters

   MDC Furbearer Biologist Nate Bowersock and former MDC cinematographer Glenn Chambers discuss river otter conservation and their ecological importance in this interview.

3. 

   16 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Inside the Missouri Birding Challenge

   Get in, bestie, we're going birding ... again! In our April episode, we're talking about the Missouri Birding Challenge, a team-based event that's turned a relaxing hobby into a fun competition. U.S. Fish and Wildlife ornithologist (and former Missouri Department of Conservation ornithologist) Sarah Kendrick joins us once again to break down how it works, share birding tips, and more. The best part? You don't have to be an expert to join this challenge ... you just have to be curious! Registration is open for the 2026 Missouri Birding Challenge through April 30! Learn more and register online at Missouri Birding Challenge | Missouri Department of Conservation Nature Boost takes a fun look at the plants, animals and outdoor experiences that make Missouri special through engaging stories and expert interviews. New episodes are released on the third Thursday of each month. Have an idea for an episode? Send us a message at Nature Boost | Missouri Department of Conservation If you enjoy Nature Boost, be sure to review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and follow MDC on Instagram and Facebook! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Inside a recent episode

Missouri's Brown-headed Nuthatch Restoration

Published 17 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Nuthatches are really important. They're part of a you know, the ecosystem, they excavate their own cavities. And so lots of animals in the ecosystem use cavities. And so they're important in that aspect. And really, when we're talking about habitat restoration, we're talking about holistic habitat restoration. Why bring the habitat back, but not the whole ecosystem? So that's what this is a part of. So Kristen mentions habitat and the ecosystem, which was the biggest threat the species faced in Missouri. Brown-headed nuthatches depend on open pine woodlands. Millions of acres of pine woodlands once covered southern Missouri, but gradually left the landscape due to widespread logging in the late 1800s and early 1900s. […]

Who has been a guest on Nature Boost

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kristen Heath-Acre
• Nate Bowersock
• Larry Archer
• Missouri Department of Conservation's Backpacking Instructors

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

12,999,883

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

69 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

32 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

47

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

51

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