This butterfly is excited to speak with Jeff DeQuattro, Director of Restoration, Gulf of Mexico.

“I love the Gulf of Mexico, from alligators in the wetlands and sunsets over the marshes to its salty air and the sight of blue crabs scampering over tidal oyster reefs. I love this place.”

TNC hired Jeff to manage a $3 million Recovery Act project to restore 1.5 miles of oyster reef in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Soon thereafter, he found himself leading TNC’s oil spill recovery efforts along Alabama’s coast. His role at TNC was then expanded to encompass other conservation and restoration activities along Alabama’s coast.

Before TNC, Jeff worked as an environmental consultant and stormwater professional for large industrial clients and developers throughout Alabama. He has also worked as a hazardous and non-hazardous waste broker, which included cleaning contaminated sites and oil spills.

Jeff, who earned a degree in environmental studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, says life on the Gulf has a “priceless quality that is unmatched in bounty and possibility. It’s not appreciated for the natural resources that sustain the livelihoods of not only Gulf Coast residents but much of the entire country as well. Who would have thought that it would take the largest environmental disaster in the United States; history for the Gulf to be recognized for its contributions? But hopefully, this disaster made us realize that by working together with a sustainable frame of mind, we can achieve a more resilient and more bountiful Gulf of Mexico that will continue to support the quality of life that is our home.”

In this episode, you will hear about his work at the Gulf of Mexico, oil spills, the value of oyster reefs, community involvement, youth, and more.

Some notes...

More about 1treellion & Jeff DeQuattro.

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The great music is credited to Pixabay.

This butterfly is excited to be speaking with Shubber Ali.

Shubber Ali is the CEO of Garden for Wildlife, a program that began within the National Wildlife Federation. Shubber has spent the last three decades helping companies in the consulting and software industries solve problems through innovation. It was while Shubber was one of Accenture’s Global Leads for Digital Innovation that he worked with the NWF to launch Garden for Wildlife as its own for-profit e-commerce company.

Garden for Wildlife allows people to make a difference for the environment by shipping plants native to their zip code that support local wildlife. Their team of experts has thoughtfully utilized 50 years of experience, science, and data to curate plant collections that support wildlife and benefit local ecosystems in every season. And for every plant GFW sells, they reserve one plant for donation to a community garden or public space.

Shubber is incredibly passionate about innovation, nature, and wildlife, and is on a mission to get as many people as possible to help save the planet, yard by yard. In 2023, GFW shipped over 62,000 plants across 38 states and 2,900+ cities in America.

In this episode, you will hear about his journey, rain-friendly gardens, what’s the value of buying native species, our lawns, pollinators, and more.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Books:

Nature's Best Hope - Doug Tallamy

The Nature Fix - Florence Williams

Last Child in the Woods - Richard Louv

Links:

Buying Native Plants for your own yard - https://gardenforwildlife.com/

Fundraising platform signup - https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/fundraising

Native Plant Finder (NWF) - https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/

Some notes...

More about 1treellion & Shubber Ali and Gardens for Wildlife .

To support planting all over the world, please check out this link.

The great music is credited to Pixabay.

This butterfly is excited to be speaking with Devan Schowe.

Devan works as a Campaigns Associate for the wildlife conservation and animal welfare organization, Born Free USA, to fight against the exploitation of wild animals in captivity. 

Prior to her current position with the organization, she worked for several years as a Primate Caregiver and Veterinary Assistant at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in South Texas. In her current position, she researches and writes reports on target issues including the private trade of wild animals, wild animals in captivity, the effects of social media on wild animals, the fur trade, and trapping. She increases public awareness of these issues by campaigning on various platforms, including social media, blog posts, and podcasts.

Devan holds an MSc in Primate Conservation from Oxford Brookes University.

In this episode, you will hear about her work at Born Free USA, their different initiatives to help wildlife in captivity, “Compassionate Conservation”, and more.

Some notes...

More about 1treellion & Born Free USA.

To support planting all over the world, please check out this link.
The great music is credited to Pixabay.