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 Garrett
Beavers as keystone species: a live discussion and book review of "Eager"
This week the Everyday Environment team recorded a live episode at the Master Naturalist Conference in Springfield! Abigail, Amy, Erin, and Emily discussed beavers as they talked about "Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter" by Ben Goldfarb. Whether you've read the book or not, listen in to this lively discussion about beavers and then hear beaver everyday observations from the crowd.
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 (https://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 (mailto:aeg9@illinois.edu), Erin Garrett emedvecz@illinois.edu (mailto:emedvecz@illinois.edu), Amy Lefringhouse heberlei@illinois.edu (mailto:heberlei@illinois.edu)
Subscribe to our Newsletter
(https://groups.webservices.illinois.edu/subscribe/135232)Check out our Blog
(https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/everyday-environment-blog)See the Everyday Environment Archives (https://extension.illinois.edu/natural-resources/everyday-environment)
14 Oct 2026
Community parks as nature-based solutions with Katie Dudley
During this week's episode we take a step back from our home landscapes and look at our rural communities through the lens of tourism. We explore how parks can be nature-based solutions to not only attracting outsiders to visit our communities, but at the same time to support and engage local residents. Community and economic specialist Dr. Katie Dudley (https://extension.illinois.edu/staff/katherine-dudley) with Illinois Extension chats with us about striking the balance between visitor use and local use during today's episode.
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 (https://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 (mailto:aeg9@illinois.edu), Erin Garrett emedvecz@illinois.edu (mailto:emedvecz@illinois.edu), Amy Lefringhouse heberlei@illinois.edu (mailto:heberlei@illinois.edu)
Subscribe to our Newsletter
(https://groups.webservices.illinois.edu/subscribe/135232)Check out our Blog
(https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/everyday-environment-blog)See the Everyday Environment Archives (https://extension.illinois.edu/natural-resources/everyday-environment)
7 Oct 2026
Preventing erosion in streambanks and waterways with Ryan Pankau
Stabilization of streambanks is an important aspect of watershed management in Illinois. Across the state, we are experiencing increased rainfall and increasing storm intensity as the effects of climate change continue to ramp up. These changes create additional strain on Illinois streambanks, leading to a variety of impacts, from increased erosion or changes in streamflow capacity to the loss of land area in extreme cases. Join us as we chat with Extension Educator Ryan Pankau on how we can address this challenge using nature-based solutions.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Contact Spotlight on Natural Resources
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
