Podcast: Nature is the Solution

Oyster reefs in the Northeast are like the coral reefs of the tropics—natural powerhouses that clean the water, shelter marine life and buffer our shorelines from storms. Yet most of these reefs have all but disappeared. This episode follows an inventive partnership between oyster farmers and conservationists with a shared goal of bringing oysters back. Through the intertwined worlds of oyster reef restoration and aquaculture, we explore how rebuilding reefs strengthens ecosystems, supports coastal economies and brings much needed resilience to our coasts.

Host: Steve Kirk, Coastal Program Director

Featuring: Dr. Boze Hancock, TNC Senior Marine Habitat Restoration Scientist; Island Creek Oysters; Honeysuckle Oyster Farm; Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group; and Tom O'Shea, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game

Learn more about our oyster aquaculture and restoration projects over the years.

What does a truly resilient shoreline look like? In this episode, we travel to Collins Cove in Salem, Massachusetts, where a living shoreline is helping the community adjust to rising sea levels and more powerful storms. By using natural materials and ecological design, they rebuilt marsh habitat to support wildlife and create a more inviting coastal environment for local residents. We explore how rethinking our shores through nature-based solutions can protect homes, strengthen ecosystems and shape coastlines where both people and natural systems flourish.

Host: Chris McGuire, Ocean Program Director

Also featuring: Dan Goulart, Coastal Project Manager; Emma Gildesgame, Climate Adaptation Director; Julia Knisel and Deanna Moran, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management; Tom O'Shea, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game

Learn more about these nature-based solutions and how TNC is helping scale them in the state and region.

As rising seas and stronger storms threaten homes and infrastructure, some coastal residents are wrestling with a fundamental question: when is it time to move away from flood-prone homes? We examine what it means to relocate thoughtfully—ensuring safety, preserving community ties and planning for a sustainable future. By shifting with the coastline rather than resisting the changes, relocation is a forward-looking strategy that can open pathways to long-term resilience for people and nature alike.

Host: Emma Gildesgame, Climate Adaptation Director

Also featuring: Leigh Meunier, CREW; Carrie Hulet, CH Consulting; and community members, town counselors, and others from Winthrop, MA.

Note: In the months since we recorded this episode, the town of Winthrop has made news for another reason—it’s being sued by the Massachusetts Attorney General for being out of compliance with the Commonwealth’s MBTA Communities zoning laws. This means that the town is no longer eligible for the state funding it desperately needs to act on climate resilience. The Winthrop Citizen’s Advisory Commission on Climate, which you’ll hear from in this episode, voted to suspend its operations until the town council takes action to change this. As of this episode’s release in February 2026, we’re not sure what’s going to happen next. There are still many people who are advocating and working towards action to keep people in Winthrop safer from climate impacts. Regardless of what happens in this one place, conversations like the one you’re about to hear are happening up and down the Massachusetts coast as people wrestle with hard but essential conversations about our shared future.

Learn more about the proactive relocation initaitive and find resources.

In this episode, the series shifts from ocean to rivers and lands as we explore the science and stories behind freshwater restoration and ecological connectivity. Host Marea Gabriel is joined by Alison Bowden and Herring Commission and Assawompset Pond community member Tom Barron for a boat ride in the Taunton Watershed of southeastern Massachusetts. Together, they reflect on the relationship between people and rivers, community safety, local history and the ongoing work to reconnect waterways across the watershed.

Host: Marea Gabriel, Senior Freshwater Manager

Also featuring: Alison Bowden, Director of Conservation Science and Strategy; Tom Barron, Middleborough Lakeville Herring Commission

Learn more about TNC and partners' work in the Assawompset Ponds Complex and Nemasket River. 

This episode explores why connected Appalachian ecosystems are essential for wildlife, people and climate resilience. TNC joins partners from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and local Berkshire Wildlife Linkage community partners along the Interstate I‑90 corridor. Together, they examine how this major roadway intersects a 2,000‑mile biodiversity corridor and discuss designing infrastructure that reduces barriers, supports wildlife movement, protects public safety and strengthens a thriving, connected Appalachian landscape.

Host: Barbara Charry, Director of Rivers and Lands

Also featuring: Heather Furman, Appalachians Program Director; Angela Sirois-Pitel, Watershed Conservation Manager; Dave Paulson, Massachusetts Department of Transportation; Meredyth Babcock, Wild & Scenic Westfield River Committee.

Drops Tuesday, March 17.

Take a deep look at Native-led land conservation and the connections between Indigenous communities and their homelands. Host Karen Lombard visits with partners from the Native Land Conservancy and members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to learn how they honor, protect and restore the landscapes of Cape Cod and the life that depends on it. 

Host: Karen Lombard, Director of Restoration and Stewardship

Drops Tuesday, March 31.

How clean energy solutions intersect with conservation and community needs.

Drops Tuesday, April 14

Unpacking natural climate solutions—from forests to farms to the coast.

Drops Tuesday, April 28

How environmental change shapes public health and well-being—and how nature can help.

Drops Tuesday, May 12