Ask a Ranger Podcast

Last Episode

We say goodbye to the Ask A Ranger Podcast 💚

Environmental Justice

We chat with Deborah Ferruccio who helped start the environmental justice movement. It all started in Warren County NC.  For a full complete story you can check out her podcast she just started called Our Road To Walk Now And Then. 

Ranger Angelina and Beavers

Wyoming Education Rangers

Salamanders!

Ranger Lawson from Eno River State Park joins us to chat about Salamanders! 

Exploring a Wildlife Refuge with Ranger Josh

Ranger Josh explains what a ranger does working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service!!

The Black Park Ranger Experience

We chat with Ranger Daniel again! This time we talk about why he started the Black Park Ranger experience Instagram and why it’s important to tell these stories. 

Ranger Daniel: LA City Parks

We chat with Daniel about his journey to rangering and what it’s like working in an park in LA! 

Assistant County Ranger Jared

This month we chat with Jared who works for the NC Forest service! 

NC Wildlife Educator CC King: Place Based Environmental Education

We chat with Wildlife Resources Commissions CC King on why place based education is crucial for our children and us as adults. 

Park Superintendent Claude Crews: Working at Hammocks Beach State Park Part 2

Park Superintendent Claude Crews: Working at Hammocks Beach State Park in the Beginning of NC State Parks Career

Park Superintendent Claude Crews:Woolworth's Counter and Beginning of NC State Parks Career

Retired Park Superintendent Claude Crews shared with us his experience at the Woolworth Civil Rights sit in and how he got started as a park ranger with NC State Parks. 

Superintendent Claude Crews; Part One: Hammocks Beach State Park History

Retired Park Superintendent Claude Crews talks with us about the early history of the land that becomes Hammock Beach State Park. 

Internship with North Carolina State Parks with Battista

We chat with one of 2021s NC State Parks interns. 

Beetlemania

Jess and Crystal attend the Beetle Summer music fest and chat with some interesting Beetles 

Freetown and Schaffer Tract Portion of Mayo River State Park

This episode is part of a series that will tell the histories of portions of Mayo River State Park before these tracts of land became the park.   It is a brief synopsis of a larger history of the surrounding area. This is an early release as Fletcher's health is declining and we want to make sure he can hear his contribution.   Thank you to our historians Fletcher Dalton, Bob Carter, and Kitty Williams.  It was such a pleasure to sit and speak with you all.  

Bess Beatles with Patrick Coin

We chat about Beetles with Patrick! Join us for fun conversation about what makes a beetle a beetle and how cool the Bess Beetle is! 

Kween Werk: Keep Widening Environmental Engagement Narratives

Please join us in fan girling out with the incredible Parker! Parker is an outspoken social media diva that focuses on environmental justice and social justice issues. We chat with her about The Inclusive Guide the project she is the COO of. The goal is to help folks identify safe and welcoming spaces.  Please check out the great work being done! Follow her on instagram @KweenWerk and @inclusiveguide

An update on Rangers Crystal and Jess

Quick update on what we have been up to over the past year and a half! 

Ranger Keith TikTok Star

We were lucky enough to chat with Ranger Keith of TikTok fame about how to start birding and his journey to being a ranger. 

Ranger Luke endears us to Scotland Parks, Castles, and the Queen

We got to do our first ZOOM recording with our friend Luke who is a Ranger in Scotland! He tells us all about the different skills and tasks that are required of rangers there. He gets to work around castles and even the park by the palace that the Queen stays in! 

Ranger Bryan on Loosing His “Cool” Card; A Pep Talk for parents getting back outdoors with their kids.

We chat with one of our faves! Ranger Brian! We have a fun discussion on what it means to introduce your young child to nature. Also a little bit about Crystal's cat Gidget! 

The Three Sister Garden project with Ranger Jack

Ranger Jack sits down with us for a chat about the Three Sisters Garden he's growing at his park Historic Yates Mill County Park.  We discuss how to set up the garden and the history behind using the 3 sisters as the foundation of a garden.  If you have questions you can email Ranger Jack at [email protected] Note: The original interview was done last year.  Since the interview, we have educated ourselves on the preferred terminology of indigenous people rather than the terms Native ...

Deserts, Burros, and Stacked Rocks!

Last year while in Reno Nevada for the Park Rangers Association of California’s annual meeting we sat down with Ranger David! He’s a park ranger at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. He tells us what it’s like being a Desert park ranger! 

Superintendent Nora

Lake James State Park Superintendent Nora talks to us about what daily life is like running a park! 

Birding with Ranger Jamie

Ranger Jamie gives us the 101 on birding! 

Carolina Beach with Super-Star-Intendent Chris Helms

This month we chatted with Carolina Beach State Parks Superintendent Chris Helms. We discuss how unique the park is from the Venus fly traps to the movies that have filmed in the park! Add it to your 2021 travel list. 

Bottle Nose Dolphin Conservation with Jess Taylor

This month we chat with Jess Taylor who is the Director of the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research! They have internship opportunities that will be posted on their website starting in January! Please enjoy this episode learning about Bottle Nose Dolphins and the steps that are being taken to gain more information on their populations off the coast of North Carolina. 🐬

One more thing about Reedy Creek History

We received a wonderful letter from one of the children of the Dr. Walton, someone James Johnson spoke of.  Mary provides us another slice of the history into what is now William B. Umstead State Park. 

Reedy Creek State Park; a Personal History of Segregation

James Johnson grew up in William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh North Carolina during Jim Crow laws and Segregation.  At that there were two separate parks; Crabtree Creek State Park, and Reedy Creek State Park.  His father, James Johnson, was one of three African American Superintendents for the three segregated NC State Parks. This is a fascinating conversation on many levels.  James Johnson is a great historian and story teller of North Carolina Raleigh/Cary history.    

Hunting and Conservation with Ranger Cindy

We sit down with Ranger Cindy to chat about being a ranger out West and how hunting can be a useful tool in conservation. 

The Bewildering Bee with Laura Shields

How important are Bees? Should we be scared of Bees? What can you do to be a Bee friend? 

Connecting Families with Nature with Katheryn

Join us for a chat on just how important it is that children get out to explore nature! 

Outdoor Education Camps for Children with Meg and Maggie

Maggie and Meg sit down for a chat about their journeys into environmental education and how they help positively shape the youth of North Carolina. 

NC Zoo Series: Stephanie and the Gorilla

Zookeeper Stephanie talks about her journey to end up with the Gorillas at the NC Zoo. 

NC Zoo Series: Nancy and the Elephants

Zookeeper Nancy talks about her day working with the Elephants at the NC Zoo! 

NC Zoo Series: North America Northwoods with Alexis

Zookeeper Alexis talks about being greeted by a Grizzly Bear every Morning and the Red Wolf breeding program. 

NC Zoo Series: Cypress Swamp Habitat with Audrey

Zookeeper Audrey takes us through her day at the NC Zoo Cypress Habitat 

Stagville Historic Site, Durham NC

We sit down with the site manger of Stagville Historic Site to discuss why it’s important to talk about slavery and it’s impact on the country. 

Parks Planner- Christy Rosas

Ranger Avery at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

Ranger Avery gives us some pro tips for how to get into fishing! Also did you know there was a 143 pound catfish caught in Kerr Lake! 

Venus Fly Traps

Join us for a chat with Ranger Carla about the mysterious Venus Fly Trap and what makes them unique.  

What Does a Park Ranger Do? A Closer Look at the Law Enforcement

We sit down with North District Superintendent Kristen Woodruff (then Falls Lake State Recreation Area Park Superintendent) and take a closer look at the law enforcement component of the North Carolina State Park Rangers multi-specialist roles.

The Director of North Carolina State Parks; Dwayne Patterson

Rangers Jess and Crystal sit down with NC State Parks director Dwayne Patterson to talk about his journey to parks and his vision for their future. 

Sea Turtle Internship at Hammocks Beach State Park

Ranger Renee is back to sit down with us and let us in on one of NC State Parks coolest opportunities for students- a Sea Turtle Summer Internship!  Listen in to find out how YOU can be a part of helping the critically endangered Loggerhead turtles.   Photo by Ranger Randy Newman

The Den Owner's Association

Ranger Crystal travels to Yates Mill, a Wake County Park, to help Rebeccah get things lined up for the annual Den Owners Association meeting. Listen in as they hike and canoe around Yates Mill and chat with everyone from otters to toads and squirrels to grumpy ole Walter, the groundhog. You will learn some interesting facts about many of the Yates Mill residents and concerns of den dwellers. Thank you to our voice actors Ranger Rebeccah: Rebeccah Cope, Ranger Crystal: Ranger Crystal Lloyd,...

Edible Plants

Disclaimer: This episode is intended as a brief introduction to edible plants. We do not advise anyone to go out and try plant life without proper and intensive education and technical ID knowledge of the plant life.   In this episode of Ask a Ranger, we sit down with Ranger Neil who will chat with us about edible plants.  

Prehistoric Mammals

We sit down with Dr. Kammerer from the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and explore what prehistoric mammals roamed North Carolina BEFORE the age of dinosaurs. 

Hemlocks at Hanging Rock State Park with Ranger Mary

How can an insect no bigger than the period at the end of a sentence take down an entire tree?  We sit down with Ranger Mary from Hanging Rock State Park to find out.   Thank you Ranger Mary for your wealth of knowledge and your knee slapping jokes.