Forage and Grasslands Unpacked
Episodes
1 - What IS a Grassland?
Host Cedric MacLeod sits down with Dr. John Pattison‑Williams, natural resource economist and producer, and Heather Peat Hamm, botanist and plant ecologist, to unpack the many ways grasslands are understood — from native prairie to tame pasture, from ecological function to cultural significance. Together, they explore why these landscapes matter for biodiversity, climate solutions, agricultural livelihoods and the communities who steward them.
This episode sets the stage for a season of conversations featuring producers, researchers, Indigenous voices, youth, policy makers and land stewards from across Canada.
2 - Condition of Grasslands
This week, we're talking about the current state of grasslands.
Host Kaylee Healy sits down with professional agrologist and director of conservation at the Meewasin Valley Authority, Renny Grilz, and Sam Robinson, a sustainable agriculture research scientist for Ducks Unlimited Canada. They're talking about grasslands, how they've changed over the past five decades and the challenges which face them today.
3 - Protecting Biodiversity
This week, we're discussing the role grasslands play in supporting biodiversity; we'll talk about species at risk and ways to mitigate habitat loss.
Host John Pattison-Williams chats with Silke Nebel, vice-president of key conservation initiatives at Birds Canada, and Paul Galpern, a professor at the University of Calgary and lead of a multi-institutional research program in agricultural sustainability called the Prairie Precision Sustainability Network.