Mitch Zischke and Megan Gunn co-host the new podcast, Pond University.
Get ready to receive your weekly dose of natural resources information via a new podcast network called Natural Resources University. Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s (IISG) Mitch Zischke and Megan Gunn co-host one of the new podcasts, Pond University.
Zischke, a clinical assistant professor for FNR who also contributes to Purdue Extension and IISG programming, and Gunn, who is a recruitment and outreach specialist for FNR as well as an aquatic education associate for IISG, are the hosts of Pond University. This podcast, which will cover topics such as pond habitat, fish stocking, vegetation control and pond construction, will feature conversations with aquatic scientists, landowners and pond professionals. The first episode of Pond University is available here: Episode 01 – More than just a hole in the ground: Understanding the pond ecosystem for better management.In 2019, Zischke teamed up with Jarred Brooke of Purdue FNR to create the Pond and Wildlife Management Website, helping Indiana landowners manage their ponds for fishing and their land for hunting and other wildlife opportunities. The website contains publications on various related activities, from fish stocking to managing woods for white-tailed deer as well as a list of county contacts to reach out to for professional help with property.
In total, Natural Resources University will include four science-based podcasts, covering different aspects of natural resource management. You can subscribe to the entire network, which will bring you a different podcast each week, or you can subscribe to one of the individual podcasts, which will release one episode a month. A full introduction to the Natural Resources University network team and to each podcast is available in this overarching episode: Episode 01 – Introduction to NRU.
The four podcasts are:
- Deer University: Topics discussed include deer biology, ecology, and management to help landowners and hunters apply science to practical management objectives.
- Pond University: Conversations with aquatic scientists, landowners, and pond professionals will cover topics like pond habitat, fish stocking, vegetation control and pond construction.
- Fire University: Science-based podcast covering the latest research in fire ecology and how it relates to management of wildlife and plant communities.
- Habitat University: Discusses the science behind wildlife habitat management and how landowners and managers can use different habitat management practices to improve their land for wildlife.
The Natural Resources University podcast network, which is funded by the Renewable Resources Extension Act, is a partnership between the extension services at several land-grant universities, including Mississippi State University Extension Service, University of Florida Extension, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Purdue Extension.
Source: FNR Faculty, Staff to Host Two Natural Resource Podcasts by Wendy Mayer
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.
