Wild Virginia Virtual Coffee Talk

Outdoor Photographer Talks About Getting Closer to Nature

In her words, being in nature has helped Alison Thomas “look at the big picture”… An apt expression, since Thomas spends her days outside taking pictures of some of the most beautiful outdoor vistas and getting closer to nature through this work. Thomas is an outdoor photographer, and her photography, which includes black and white and color images and panoramas, is inspired by her deep appreciation of the natural world. 

Virginia Native Plants Expert Shares Insights on Local Genotype

Tune in to this episode of Wild Virginia Coffee Talk to learn more about native plants and why local genotype matters.
A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without human interference. Exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don't exist in nature do not support wildlife as well as native plants do. 
Genotype means family.  That’s ‘family’ in the every-day sense, not the technical taxonomic definition. You share with your parents, aunts, grandparents, siblings, cousins, a constellation of similar genetic material that expresses itself physically as the family nose, or eyebrows, a predilection for cake, and more generally the way you see the world and choose to interact with it, unique to your particular band of people.  'Local genotype' means a group of families that live in the same place, and who likely intersect and interconnect through marriage, childcare, shared recipes, language, etc. when they're humans, and the botanical equivalents when they're plants.

Climate Investor Who Challenged Warren Buffet Shares Call to Action on Pipelines

Freeda Cathcart is a climate investor who challenged Warren Buffet, and for decades, was a passive owner of utility company stocks, content with dividend checks and confident that regulators had her and the environment's best interest. In 2017, Trump rolled back federal oversight of the industry and changed everything. Cathcart believes pipelines and gas won’t be economically sustainable due to competition from clean energy and pressure for organizations to cut emissions. She joined the Wild Virginia Coffee Talk Podcast to chat about concerns on energy companies’ relationships to pipelines like the Mountain Valley pipeline, and new rules proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission that would enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures for investors.
"If you pay a sales tax in Virginia...your money is funding climate change, and you have every right to say that you don't want that to happen anymore."

Toxic Chemicals You May Have in Your Home & Why You Should Quit Plastic

Alex, owner at Dogwood Refillery, joins the Wild Virginia Coffee Talk podcast to chat about the toxic chemicals associated with plastic, why you need to quit them, and simple (realistic) ways to weed plastic out of your life.
Tune in to this episode of Wild Virginia Virtual Coffee Talk to learn more about Alex’s passion behind starting the store, the benefits of bulk stores in terms of plastic waste, and what harmful chemicals you can find in everyday products in your home,

Pipelines, the Gas Crisis, and Oil Change International’s Rebuttal

Politicians continually side with fossil fuel companies and perpetuate false narratives about pipeline infrastructure. We saw this with Senator Joe Manchin’s recent statement on the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Wild Virginia hosted Lorne Stockman, Research Director at Oil Change International to bust some of these myths and misconceptions.

Eyes on the Prize

Wildlife Rescue Director Discusses Importance of Crossings for Orphaned Virginia Species

Listen to Brie Hashem, Director of Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary, discuss the importance of crossings for orphaned wildlife in Virginia. The Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary is a nonprofit that works to rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife in Central Virginia. In this podcast, Hashem shares more about the important work of the sanctuary in treating native wildlife and highlights the need for increased research on wildlife vehicle collisions to determine locations for crossings.  

Vernal Pool and Salamander Conservation Photographer Shares Insights

Vernal pools are bodies of water that develop for short periods of time throughout Appalachia as a result of snowmelt and seasonal rainfall. During the seasonal shift from winter to spring, vernal pools become major breeding sites for macro-invertebrates and amphibians like salamanders.
Steven David Johnson is a conservation photographer and professor of visual and communication arts at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Through his captivating wildlife photography, Johnson conveys Virginia's rich biodiversity and advocates for its preservation. In one of his conservation photography courses, Johnson helps students to utilize the visual narrative power of nature photography to promote environmental protection in partnership with nonprofits. In this podcast, Johnson shares what led him to conservation photography and focuses on his recent work documenting regional salamander biodiversity. He discusses some of his procedures for capturing their lifecycles, as well as some of the ethical practices he implements when working underwater. Some of his phenomenal work can be found on his website: Steven has kindly shared his amazing photos in Wild Virginia's popular series "Window to the Woods"

The EPA Takes a Stand: A Powerful Letter Cautions Against Issuing a Clean Water Permit to the MVP

Listen to Wild Virginia’s Conservation Director, David Sligh, to learn about recent developments concerning the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP).
The EPA recently released a letter with the recommendation to withhold a Clean Water Act permit for MVP. The current design of the pipeline threatens a variety of water bodies across Virginia and West Virginia, therefore the EPA does not recommend granting the permit. The Army Corps of Engineers has the power to decide the status of this permit. The EPA's letter cited serious and threatening water quality issues. Similarly, Wild Virginia also voiced these concerns to the Army Corps of Engineers. Ultimately, the letter aims to hold the Army Corps of Engineers accountable. Listen in to hear David Sligh explain the significance of the EPA’s letter and its future implications.

Photo Expert Talks Do‘s & Don‘ts of Ethical Conservation Photography

Conservation photography is the intentional use of photography to advocate and promote conservation. This includes being mindful of the impact of photography on wildlife. A photographer must be careful not to disrupt the natural habits of animals or their habitats. Loud sounds or an unfortunate misstep could have negative impacts on species.
Lori Cash is a conservationist, wildlife photographer, writer, and blogger who has used nature photography to share the importance of conservation and appreciation of the natural world. In this podcast, Cash discusses the importance of ethics and consideration when capturing wildlife. This includes considering personal responsibility, the dignity of nature, and the power that humans hold over the natural world. Her work focuses on conservation in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.