Wolves, bears, prairie dogs and more (start time: 7:12) A couple of months ago, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife agency released a plan to support biodiversity and guide how the state conserves some of the state’s most vulnerable species and habitats. Everything from iconic bears, wolves and prairie dogs, to tiny humble invertebrates and even plants. The 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan ( the first in 10 years ) has been met with both praise and crticism. And it raises big evergreen questions, such as, How can we humans thrive while allowing for other species to thrive in their native homes? And how to manage differing, often opposing, human perspectives? After all, some animals (take wolves) are deemed a nuisance to some people while a treasure to others. In this week’s show, host Susan Moran interviews Dr. Richard Reading, a wildlife ecologist who serves as chair of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. He is also Vice President of Science and Conservation at the Butterfly Pavilion. His research has focused on conserving grassland and arid ecosystems, ranging from the Great Plains of North America, to the steppes and deserts of Mongolia.
Some volunteer opportunities in wildlife conservation in Colorado:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Butterfly Pavilion
Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker
Show Producer: Susan Moran
Engineer: Joel Parker
Headline Contributors: Beth Bennett, Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett
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In this week’s show Beth speaks with science writer, educator, and scientist 
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The physiology of deciduous trees (start time: 11:09) For many people living in places with four distinct seasons, such as here in Colorado, a favorite pastime at this midpoint in autumn is watching the faded leaves fall from their branches, and listening to the crackling sound while raking up the dried leaves. In this week’s How On Earth show, we explore questions like, Why do the leaves of aspen, ash and other deciduous trees “change” color in the fall? (Spoiler alert: They actually reveal their true colors.) Why do they shed their leaves every fall? And what happens to the naked trees in the winter? Host Susan Moran interviews Dr. 
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Into The Unknown (starts at 9:05) What do we know about the universe, and how do we