National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 301 | Red-Cockaded Woodpecker--A Decision Too Soon?

By Jess Repanshek - November 17th, 2024

The vulnerable red-cockaded woodpecker is known to be found in national park units throughout the southeast. Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park in Florida, Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee are just a few of the parks that either are, or once were, home to the woodpecker.

Recently the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved to downlist the red-cockaded woodpecker from being an endangered species to being threatened. While that normally would be welcome news, the decision has been criticized as being premature and ignorant of climate-change threats to the species.

This week the Traveler’s Lynn Riddick discusses this decision with the southeast program director of Defenders of Wildlife…and the thinking behind that organization’s belief that this decision comes at a questionable time.

0:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
0:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
0:53 Blue Mist - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenandoah
1:12 Smokies Life
1:36 Friends of Acadia
2:01 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
2:24 NPT NewsMatch Drive
3:41 Episode 301 - Red-Cockaded Woodpecker--A Decision Too Soon?
3:51 Red Cockaded Woodpecker Call
40:27 Caribbean Song - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of the Everglades
40:51 Episode Closing
41:11 Xeno-Canto.org
41:26 Orange Tree Productions
41:59 Splitbeard Productions
42:10 National Parks Traveler footer

Apalachicola National Forest

National Parks Traveler Podcast

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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 309 | Yellowstone Wolves at 30

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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 307 | A Walk in the Park

Many of us like to take a walk in our favorite national park, whether it’s a short stroll down one of the boardwalks at Yellowstone National Park, the hike to the top of Old Rag at Shenandoah National Park, or up the Mist Trail at Yosemite National Park, we like to get out and experience parks up close.

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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 306 | Introducing St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

There are across the country more than 430 units of the National Park System. And no doubt, most of us are only familiar with the so-called name brand parks. Places like Shenandoah, Acadia, Everglades, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon… But just because you’re not already familiar with a park unit doesn’t mean you should write it off your to-do list.

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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 305 | The Elephant Seals of Point Reyes

Elephant seals are not your small, cuddly marine mammals. They are behemoths. Males, known as bulls, can reach 5,000 pounds, while females, known as cows, routinely clock in at around 1,000 pounds or so.

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The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks