Listen Live on KKFI
Every Monday at 6:00pmAbout the Show
EcoRadio KC
EcoRadio KC is a magazine show, including live segments, prerecorded stories, and interviews. The weekly explores our interdependence with the rest of the world, showing the connections between the ways we choose to live and the health of the whole community of life.
On our show for June 5th, host Terri Wilke will speak with her guests, Cydney Ross and Chris Cardwell, both Program Managers with Deep Roots KC. Cydney is Outdoor Education Program Manager. She joined Deep Roots in March 2023 in a cooperative position with the Missouri Department of Conservation at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. At Deep Roots, she leads volunteer groups, fields trips and other outreach activities. At the Discovery Center, she stewards 9 acres of native plantings and shares the space with visitors during tours, classes and events.
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/anita-b-gorman-conservation-discovery-center
Chris Cardwell joined Deep Roots in April 2023. He leads the Nature Advisors program as well as other outreach programs. Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to all Deep Roots KC projects and volunteers. Growing up in the smoky hills of northern Kansas and exploring the grassland ecosystems instilled a quiet song in the back of Chris’ head. He loves to explore nature while hiking, kayaking and running with his family.
Deep Roots KC is teaching people that What You Plant Matters! Why Choose Native Plants?
– For Wildlife and Food Supply
– For Flood Mitigation, Clean Water and Air
– For Human Mental and Physical Health
– For Future Generations
– For Beauty
Native plants are foundational in ecosystems. Native plants provide nectar, shelter, and sustenance for butterflies, pollinators, and birds. Humans depend on pollinators – one out of every three bites of food we eat is the result of insect pollination!
Despite all this, most residents, parks, and businesses rely mainly on non-native species, which do not provide much if any wildlife benefit.
Native Plants manage water flow with their strong root networks. Once established, native plants thrive without the use of irrigation. Native plants take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and their deep roots put it back in the ground (where it belongs!) in a process called carbon sequestration.
Over and over, studies show that time spent with nature helps us decompress, lowers our stress levels, makes us happier and healthier. Native plants “bring nature home” along with all of its wellness benefits. Native plants, teeming with butterflies and caterpillars, can capture a child’s imagination and provide them with opportunities for inquiry, discovery, creativity, and more. Children who spend time in and feel connected to nature tend to become adults who are more inclined to care about the natural world.
Native landscapes at home don’t have to look wild and wooly unless you want them to. With good design and maintenance, native plants can also thrive in traditional gardenscapes.
WHAT YOU PLANT MATTERS
We at EcoRadio KC are glad to encourage awareness and protection of our world. Our goal is to assure our listeners are aware of how we can create a sustainable present for a sustainable future!
This will be a great radio hour!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can about the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
