Future Ecologies

On the emerald isle of Ireland, an easily-overlooked creature holds the history of a nation within its shell. From the rise and collapse of heavy industry, to a bloody civil war, the riverbeds of Ireland have been witness — and they tell a story of change and possibility stretching far beyond any human lifetime.With the help of guest producer Caitlin Kennedy, we're tracing the modern arc of Northern Ireland through the story of the freshwater pearl mussel.— — —🦪 Find photos, citations, and a transcript of this episode at futureecologies.net🌱 Support this indie podcast, made with love for the world. Join our community on Patreon for as little as $1 each month to getExclusive early access to new episodesAccess to our discord (and bookclub)A back catalogue of bonus contentStickers, patches, hats (and a 50% discount on all merch at any membership level), andYour name listed at futureecologies.net/join — forever— — —Featuring the voices of Frank Mitchell, Mary Catherine Gallagher, Stiofán Cullen, and Sebastian Graham.Music by Olly Keen, Thumbug, Martin Austwick, Sorcha Kennedy, plus our theme by Sunfish Moon LightFrom Caitlin:As well as the episode’s incredible contributors, a huge thank you to everyone at the Ballinderry Rivers Trust, especially Mark Horton for introducing me to freshwater pearl mussels in the first place. Thank you to Dr Evelyn Moorkens and Dr Ian Killeen for their tireless work researching this endangered species over the past 30 years: without them, Irish pearl mussels would be in much worse shape. I'm incredibly grateful to Wetland Surveys Ireland, Dennis Funk, Sarah Jones & John D’Arcy for helping bring this project to life and to Carrie, Sorcha & Garfield for lending an ear with wise words of feedback. And finally, thank you Karina for lending me hydrophones and sharing in my sonic enthusiasm and Jessie for endlessly nerding out about mollusks with me - hopefully we'll come back as one in the next life.See also: Caitlin's article about nacre for Scientific American, and her soundcloudPS. Please do not go stomping around in sensitive Northern Irish river habitat looking for mussels without a survey license!

It's a double feature!With help from recordist/anthropologist/podcaster Louise Romain and musician/conservationist Javan Hunt, we're visiting the Caribbean. First, off the coast of Colombia, on the islands of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, and next a musical excursion to Grand Bahama.— — —From Reef to Ridge is an audio documentary love story with the Ocean, the reef, and its guardians; an invitation to travel to Caribbean shores to immerse yourself in the lived experiences of coastal communities, and in the sounds of the local ecosystems: the coral reefs and the mangroves.You will hear stories from Raizal fishermen, turning their ignorance for corals into love, respect and admiration, and learn about the work of the female marine biologists of the Blue Indigo Foundation to restore and heal corals.Together, they share about their dreams for the future of the reef, the challenges they face with global warming, climate change and extreme weather events, and the hopes of marine and coastal ecosystem regeneration after the recent hurricanes.Featuring the voices of Laura Valderrama Ballesteros, Yanelys Cantillo Villa, Pedro Livingston, Ruben Azcarate, Camilo Leche, Casimiro Newball Hyman, Josselyn Bryan Arboleda, plus original music by Marc Blandel.Find more from Louise at Circle of Voices, wherever you get podcasts, or at tuneintotheworld.com— — —As Waterkeepers Bahamas' Mangrove Nursery Coordinator, as a public educator, and as a musician, Javan Hunt has introduced folks of all ages to the joy of taking an active role in ecological flourishing.Javan's dedication to environmental stewardship is rooted in his love for The Bahamas — a place of stunning beauty. Its ecosystems, particularly its mangroves, are the lifeblood of coastal resilience. But after Hurricane Dorian, vast swaths of these critical habitats were destroyed, leaving communities vulnerable. both ecologically and culturally. The crisis wasn't just environmental — it was spiritual, a loss of identity tied to the land and sea. He has used his artistry and environmental work to create a movement that restores more than just mangroves — it restores connection, culture, and a sense of home.Find more from Javan on all music platforms, or at javanhunt.com

The Miyawaki Method of micro-forestry is a viral sensation: sprouting tiny, dense, native tree cover in neighbourhoods all around the world. With the promise of afforestation at a revolutionary speed, this planting technique has become the darling of green-space enthusiasts, industry, and governments alike — yet few professional or academic ecologists have commented on its efficacy, or even seem to have heard of it!In this episode, we debate the legacy of Dr. Akira Miyawaki: the man, the myth, and the method.— — —Visit futureecologies.net for photos, a transcript, and citations for this episodeIf you appreciate the existence of independent, ad-free podcasting, you can support us — at patreon.com/futureecologies

We're excited to introduce our brand new spin-off format: Hyphaedelity (which will ironically be somewhat lower-fi than our usual output).Here’s the deal: Hyphaedelity is our experiment in chatcasting, but with a twist. On each episode, we’re inviting a past guest from Future Ecologies to conduct their own interview, and bring us all along to sit in on their conversation.We wanted to see what would happen if we chased some of threads outwards from the dense tangle of ideas usually on display in our main episodes, and to be a little looser with it — not having to worry about pesky things like narrative clarity, or scoring, or sound design.This inaugural episode brings together Sarah Jim (of Scales of Change, Chapter 6) and Lucas Glenn, to discuss Lucas's ecologically engaged art practice as the former artist-in-residence for the city of Kelowna.Let us know what you think about this new format! We've got a wide array of conversations heading your way, and we hope you enjoy going a little off-trail with us.Works mentioned:Seed Bomb Recipe and 9 StatementsPepaken HautwM.A.S.S.I.V.E.Compost Cycles for Island XThe Wild RideWant to catch Hyphaedelity (and all episodes of Future Ecologies) early? futureecologies.net/join

Today, it's our pleasure to bring you an episode from our friends at Bioneers, who have just released a 6-part series called Nature's Genius.Follow Bioneers wherever you get podcasts, or listen to the rest of the series at bioneers.org/natures-genius/This is episode 1 — The Universe Beneath Our Feet: Mapping the Mycelial Web of LifeImagine an underground web of mind-boggling complexity, a bustling cosmopolis beneath your feet. Quadrillions of miles of tiny threads in the soil pulsate with real-time messages, trade vital nutrients, and form life-giving symbiotic partnerships. This is the mysterious realm of fungi. Acclaimed visionary biologists Toby Kiers and Merlin Sheldrake guide us through the intricate wonders of the mycorrhizal fungal networks that make life on Earth possible.

We’re unlocking one of the conversations from our bonus feed.In this interview, building on episode FE6.2, Mendel speaks with Skye Augustine, a leading voice uplifting the science, history, and culture of Sea Gardens. In a time where so much of the future feels uncertain, the resiliency of Sea Gardens over millennia is (at least to us) a source of deep comfort and inspiration.What’s more, if you’re as inspired as we are, and you want to learn how your community could build a clam garden, we’ve got you covered. Don't miss our conversation with Joseph Williams, Community Shellfish Liaison for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, who constructed the first Clam Garden of the modern era — available for free on our Patreon.— — —The Future Ecologies bonus feed is where we release exclusive bits of audio to all of our supporters. There’s a whole back catalogue of silly mini episodes, long-form extended interviews with guests from the main feed, and a bunch of entirely new, fascinating conversations you won’t hear anywhere else. It’s one of the ways we say thanks for helping us make the show — we really can’t do it without you.You can get access to the bonus feed (on your podcast app of choice) and more, for less than the price of a cup of coffee at patreon.com/futureecologies or subscribe directly within Apple Podcasts.

Food security, climate adaptation, and vibrant biodiversity all in one place — welcome to the ancient and diverse technologies of Sea Gardening.These widespread (but often overlooked) monumental rock features are proof positive of thriving Indigenous maricultural systems all around the Pacific Rim, since time immemorial. These spaces are not only simply stunningly beautiful spots to hang out, they're also a powerful symbol of ecocultural restoration; of Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and internationalism; of relationship building; and of the kind of future that is possible as we adapt to a changing climate and rising sea levels. We hope you find them as inspiring as we do.Join us as we visit a sea garden, learn about how they work, and meet a few of the people bringing them back to life.— — —Visit futureecologies.net/listen/fe-6-2-sea-garden for full credits, links, citations, photos, a transcript, and more.Support the making of this independent, ad-free podcast at futureecologies.net/join for as little as $1 each month, and get early episode releases and exclusive bonus content. Chip in a little more and we'll send you stickers, an embroidered patch, and a cozy hat.

As is tradition, we're releasing all the original music we composed for the latest season of Future Ecologies as a set of soundtracks. For the first time ever, they are also available on all major music streaming services. Enjoy!Auditory Compost by Sunfish Moon LightBandcamp, Spotify, Apple MusicConvergence by ThumbugBandcamp, Spotify (Side A | Side B), Apple Music (Side A | Side B)– – –Find all of our seasonal soundtracks at futureecologies.net/albumsAnd get free download codes on our Patreon ✨