Shows / TreeNote
TreeNote
TreeNote is a two minute weekly feature from renowned ecologist Dr. Nalini Nadkarni and KUER. Listen on podcast or on YouTube.
Episodes
- TreeNote
The mystery of witches brooms
Foresters call the clusters of twigs caught high in tree tops "witches brooms," but what causes them has nothing to do with the supernatural.
- TreeNote
Trees that inspire dancing
The next time you hear the bright sound of a marimba, think of the trees behind the music.
TreeNoteWhen trees helped us navigate
Before street signs and cell phones told us where we were, sometimes a tree did.
TreeNoteThe magic of grafting
Grafting is one of humanity's oldest horticultural techniques. But what does putting one tree's branch onto another tree mean for the two originals?
- TreeNote
Little tree air fresheners
We know trees pop up in unexpected places, but one of the most unexpected is hanging from a car rearview mirror. The story behind those little tree fresheners…
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The stalwart mountain mahogany
The mountain mahogany proves that being “in the middle” does not mean being ordinary.
TreeNoteWhy trees in a city matter
Salt Lake City's west side has about half the amount of trees as the east side — areas that urban foresters "tree canopy deserts."
TreeNoteTrees and Shade
On a hot summer day, tree shade can feel like a lifesaver. That's because trees do more than block the sun.
TreeNoteTrees and pencils
A wooden pencil seems pretty simple — a cylinder of wood, a tube of graphite and an eraser. But pencils and trees have a history that’s been shaped by the…
TreeNoteTermites and trees
We know that termites eat wood, but how do they actually digest it? And, what role do these tiny insects play in forest ecosystems?
TreeNoteThe cecropia tree and its tiny defenders
In the diverse tropical forests of Central and South America, one tree is easy to recognize — the Cecropia tree. But its who lives inside of it that makes it…
TreeNoteTrees and Classical Music
Trees have been inspiring artists for centuries — including musicians. Host Nalini Nadkarni looks at a piece of classical music that tells the story of the…
TreeNoteSkateboards and trees
Skateboards and trees may not have an obvious connection, but many skateboard decks are made from layers of wood. So the next time you see a skater carving…
TreeNoteHow to give dead trees new life
The black walnut pulpit at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City has a personal history with the man who conceived of the building.
- TreeNote
Nature's backup plan
If you walk through a recently-logged forest, you might see fresh green shoots growing out from a tree’s trunk. These epicormic shoots come from dormant buds…
TreeNoteHow trees get their names
Some of our favorite trees have strange and often fascinating stories behind their names.
TreeNoteThe strength of redwood communities
Redwood forests have been named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of America. Once you learn a little about them, its easy to see why.
TreeNoteIs bamboo a tree?
If you've ever experienced a bamboo forest, then you know that it is serene and elegant. But what it isn't is a group of trees.
TreeNoteHow beavers help prevent wildfires
Smoky the Bear is probably the best-known animal firefighter, but the North American beaver is the one doing the heavy lifting.
TreeNoteWhat tree stumps can teach us
A tree stump might look like the sad ending of a tree’s story. But to a sharp-eyed observer, that remnant can be the beginning of one.
- TreeNote
Trees with a twist
When I walk through an evergreen forest, I like to keep track of which way the trees twist. Many conifers have a spiral grain in their wood, meaning the fibers…
- TreeNote
The history of the mulberry tree
It's that time of year when many of our sidewalks are stained dark purple with the fruit of the Mulberry tree, whose history is long and complicated.
TreeNoteThe hidden world of fine tree roots
Fine tree roots are adventurers who hunt for ways to keep their tree watered and vibrant.
TreeNoteHow tree rings can show us a tree's past — and future
Most of us have heard that you can tell how old a tree is by looking at the rings in a cross section of its trunk. But the scientists who work at the Center…
TreeNoteThe tree that lives at the edge of the world
National Geographic Explorer Brian Buma studies trees that live at the extreme. In 2020, he set out to answer a deceptively simple question: What is the…
- TreeNote
The Neem Tree's Healing Powers
A native to India and parts of Southeast Asia, the Neem tree is something of a cure-all in those parts of the world. So, why aren't its healing properties in…
TreeNoteHow city lights affect urban trees
City trees get their normal share of sunlight during the day, but when night comes, many of them also are exposed to human-made lights, which can change their…
- TreeNote
Treehoppers' good vibes
Treehoppers, one of the insect world's most beautiful creatures, also have a remarkable way of communicating.
- TreeNote
Tree lovers and logger sports
Logger sports came to America and Canada in the mid-19th century. Almost 200 years later, logger sport competitions are still packed with people who love trees…
TreeNoteWhat cherry blossoms tell us about our changing climate
Cherry blossoms are more than pretty decorations — when they pop is a record of our changing climate.
- TreeNote
How trees adapt to dry climates
We usually think of water as being stored in oceans and rivers, but some trees act as reservoirs too.
- TreeNote
The humble toothpick
If you want to appreciate something connected to trees — but that’s overlooked because it seems so small and mundane — consider the toothpick.
- TreeNote
How wind shapes trees
We’ve all seen pictures or witnessed firsthand the destructive force of high winds on trees — all those images of crushed homes and downed power lines.
TreeNoteWhy some trees need flying buttresses
Like Europe's giant Gothic cathedrals, there are large trees that rely on flying buttresses for support.