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1:01

This is, but why? A

1:03

podcast for curious kids from

1:05

Vermont Public? I'm Jane went

1:08

on this show. We take

1:10

questions from kids just like

1:12

you and we find answers.

1:14

And while your question sometimes

1:17

sound simple, the answers are

1:19

often really complex. Like this

1:21

one I'm Lee Yell I

1:23

live in Cincinnati, Ohio, I'm

1:26

almost five. Why did people

1:28

being in basis he sees

1:30

to other countries? Why do

1:32

people bring invasive species to

1:34

other countries? There are so

1:36

many different ways to tackle

1:39

that question. Leo First, we

1:41

need to know what it

1:43

means to be an invasive

1:45

species. Then. We need to

1:47

think about how invasive species get from

1:49

one place to another. Sometimes people move

1:52

plants or animals on purpose, and sometimes

1:54

they don't even know they've picked up

1:56

by hitchhiking snail or in sector algae.

1:58

And then we can. talk about what

2:01

to do about invasive species once they

2:03

start crowding out or hurting the plants

2:05

and animals that are already established in

2:07

a place. And it

2:09

turns out you might have a role to

2:12

play in preventing the spread of plants or

2:14

animals that aren't really supposed to be in

2:16

your neighborhood because once something

2:18

has a strong presence in a new place

2:20

it can be really hard to get rid

2:22

of. That's the case

2:24

in Florida where we're going to start today

2:27

where a very large type of

2:29

snake originally from very far

2:32

away in Asia has exploded

2:34

in population over the last

2:36

few decades. Today we are actually

2:38

in an area of Everglades National

2:40

Park known as Shark Valley. This is

2:42

a very popular area for bicyclists and

2:45

hikers because there is a paved 15

2:48

mile loop that allows people

2:50

to explore the heart of

2:52

the Everglades. Everglades National Park

2:54

covers almost 2,500

2:57

square miles in southern Florida and

2:59

is known for having some really wonderful

3:01

wildlife including alligators and crocodiles,

3:04

beautiful big birds and plants

3:06

like cypress trees and flowering

3:09

orchids. But the

3:11

ecosystem is also threatened by

3:13

invasive species. I

3:15

paid a visit to a park ranger at

3:17

the Shark Valley Visitor Center recently to learn

3:19

a little bit about the threats from relatively

3:21

new plants and animals that don't belong in

3:24

the park. My name is

3:26

Yvette Cano and my official title

3:28

is Director of Education at Everglades

3:30

National Park. We could talk to you about

3:33

a million different things here at Everglades National

3:35

Park but one of the things that we're

3:37

discussing lately and that kids have been wondering

3:39

about are things called invasive

3:41

species and I know you have some

3:44

here in South Florida and maybe here

3:46

in the park too that can cause

3:48

problems and they can be plants or

3:50

animals. So what makes

3:53

something an invasive species? So

3:55

there are native species and non-native

3:58

species. A Native species of a. The

4:00

plant an animal living things is

4:02

something that has made it naturally

4:04

to an area to grow. Or.

4:07

Lives and reproduce, have

4:09

young. I'm a non

4:11

native species is described

4:13

as something that is

4:15

moved by people. To.

4:18

An area. So for the sake of

4:20

an example I would say that we

4:22

go to our favorite place in the

4:24

world and we love a plant and

4:26

we pick up the seed and we

4:28

bring the see back home And we

4:30

plant that see that home and we

4:32

planted in our backyard that is now

4:35

a non native species. In contrast, if

4:37

a seed makes it to South Florida

4:39

in the winds of a hurricane that

4:41

is a natural process. That species is

4:43

considered a native species. First has to

4:45

give you an example. Know when you're.

4:47

Looking. At. The behavior

4:50

of being invasive

4:52

most. Non. Native

4:54

species have become a

4:57

problem is because they

4:59

have that invasive ability

5:01

the outcompete our native

5:03

species known. Don't. Misunderstand me.

5:06

There are some native species that

5:08

have a little bit of an

5:10

invasive attitude and. That's

5:12

okay to write on, and

5:14

they are propelled sometimes by

5:16

nutrients, extra nutrients in the

5:18

water, and things like that

5:21

on the when we're looking

5:23

at non needed invasive species.

5:25

Like I mentioned, the outcompete.

5:27

Our native species so.

5:29

One of the poster child of

5:32

non native species that have been

5:34

on the news and has been

5:37

all over the papers now for

5:39

an extended period of time is

5:41

of course the Burmese Python. I

5:44

actually have a skin here for

5:46

you and as you look at

5:48

the skin you can see that

5:51

it has a beautiful brown and

5:53

can pattern on and really allows

5:55

this snake to blend into this

5:58

environment just beautifully. Park. The injury

6:00

had been holding a rolled up snake

6:02

skin and when she tried to unroll

6:05

at it was so long she couldn't

6:07

even unravel the whole thing when her

6:09

arms were completely stretched out. So.

6:12

These snakes are big, but they're

6:14

also a very big problem. This

6:16

is probably about a thirteen foot

6:19

Burmese python that's really large for

6:21

snakes Here in South Florida are

6:24

native snakes don't get this big

6:26

so when you see a snake

6:28

this thing in Florida, it's definitely

6:31

a non native. Now the Burmese

6:33

Python or came because of course

6:36

people wanted it as a pet

6:38

and are ecosystems here in South

6:40

Florida are conducive. This warm

6:42

environment. Even during our winters,

6:45

it's still pretty warm. so

6:47

if you're reptile, Or

6:50

and even in and cbn you like

6:52

this kind of weather right? See that?

6:54

Plenty of water, plenty of food, and

6:56

the warmth that you need for that

6:58

cold blooded body. So

7:00

these guys and actually start

7:02

really small this on thirteen

7:04

feet but when their baby

7:07

they're hardly a foot long.

7:09

And just like all reptile,

7:11

they will grow to the

7:13

size of what they consume.

7:15

Know The Everglades was set

7:17

aside for his biological diversity

7:19

for life, so we have

7:21

plenty of food for these

7:23

pythons to eat. Unfortunately so

7:25

they have really rec have

7:27

it, especially on our small

7:29

mammal population. On we

7:31

started to see a decline in

7:33

small mammals things such as rabbits

7:36

and raccoons for example which may

7:38

not seem as a big deal

7:40

because rabbits and raccoons exists pretty

7:43

much all over the world. but

7:45

when you start to create I'm

7:47

an unbalanced system as a result

7:50

as of an introduction of a

7:52

non native invasive species on it

7:54

becomes very challenging because the animals

7:57

who were relying on the rabbits

7:59

and raccoons now no longer had

8:01

that as a food source. Or

8:04

for example rabbits eat vegetation and

8:06

disperse seats. That also very important

8:08

role that they play in our

8:11

ecosystem that now there isn't that

8:13

dispersal or that population of rabbits.

8:16

Forty. Or fifty years ago, there

8:18

were no Burmese pythons in Florida except

8:20

a few kept in captivity. But today

8:23

there are may be as many as

8:25

three hundred thousand of them living in

8:27

the Everglades and all. Probably because people

8:30

were keeping these snakes has pets and

8:32

then letting them go. No one release

8:34

their snakes on purpose to do damage

8:37

to other native animals. The maybe just

8:39

couldn't take care of them anymore and

8:41

didn't want to kill them or have

8:44

to admit that they couldn't handle them.

8:46

So they let them go. Lots of people

8:49

probably thought they were doing the right thing.

8:51

But. Now these snakes are doing a

8:54

lot of damage and they're really

8:56

hard to get rid of. So in

8:58

some cases people are licensed to hunt

9:00

and kill Burmese pythons. That

9:03

is correct to they are impacting

9:05

are ecosystems. They very very difficult

9:07

to find. So we have licensed

9:09

individuals who know how to identify

9:12

the snakes. Because you're in South

9:14

Florida we have over thirty species

9:16

of native snakes. We want the

9:18

individuals catching the pythons to know

9:20

exactly what they're catching, that they're

9:23

not searching our native snakes. They

9:25

are indeed catching pythons and and

9:27

those organize efforts help but unfortunately

9:29

there are a lot of snakes.

9:32

In the Everglades and the Everglades

9:34

is really difficult to get across.

9:37

We are mostly watch weight of

9:39

a splash, water, brackish water or

9:41

salt. It's not like we can

9:44

walk across the lawn for example,

9:46

looking for a snake and these

9:48

pythons do an excellent job of

9:51

utilizing the ecosystem. For

9:53

their advantage and you can see in

9:55

this one that I have in particular

9:57

how beautiful these patterns are, How they.

10:00

Land right in to the ecosystem.

10:02

they will go right underneath the

10:04

water and disappear from plain sight

10:06

knowing that there right at our

10:08

feet. And so there are efforts.

10:10

but unfortunately this is one invasive

10:13

species that is going to be

10:15

a part of the Everglades and

10:17

we're going to continue to educate

10:19

about it And I'm. Get

10:21

rid of them as much as

10:23

we can from the landscape. And

10:25

like you mentioned, we do unfortunately

10:28

have to euthanize them. We can't

10:30

ship them back to where they

10:32

originally from because that of course

10:34

start to their problems. But with

10:36

new invaders we really put a

10:38

lot of effort into understanding them

10:40

And that's where the science comes

10:42

in right? What are their behaviors

10:44

and attacking them before they become

10:46

a larger problem? right? Looking at

10:48

where those are concentrated populations might

10:51

be. And making sure that we're

10:53

getting rid of them very, very early

10:55

on. Not allowing them

10:57

to become more of a problem

10:59

in to the ecosystem. What

11:02

are some of the other invasive

11:05

species here in the Everglades? So

11:07

we have a number of plant

11:09

species. Many time we actually talk

11:11

about animals because they have a

11:13

face right on. But we have

11:16

more plant species than we do

11:18

animal species invaders. Things

11:20

like Brazilian pepper. Australian.

11:24

Pine Melaleuca. All three of

11:26

those plans are within the

11:28

top five of our top

11:30

leaders. Of. Our. plants in the

11:33

everglades that we manage for so

11:35

we'll burn we will apply herbicide

11:37

to than ah to be able

11:39

to manage for those plants awful

11:41

lot of money and it's not

11:44

possible to spend the money to

11:46

do that in every place where

11:48

there are invasive species that is

11:50

correct whether it's a plant or

11:52

an animal removing invasive species is

11:55

extremely costly it is very very

11:57

difficult starting from the science of

11:59

understanding what we're up against, whether

12:01

it's a plant or an animal, and how

12:03

that plant or animal will respond to

12:06

what we think might work. And what

12:08

will work here in Everglades National Park

12:10

might not work in other places around

12:13

the world because of the different situations,

12:15

right? We don't have snow, for example,

12:17

where in a place you might have snow, you're

12:20

still gonna have invasive species. Or you

12:23

might have terrestrial animals that don't do

12:25

well in water. Well, this Everglades might

12:27

not be their place, right? This might

12:30

not be a place for them to

12:32

be an invasive species. So those kinds

12:34

of things also dictate how we manage

12:37

for invasive species very, very

12:39

costly indeed. You brought

12:41

up an interesting point about some of the

12:43

plants, which is that in some cases invasive

12:46

species have been brought here or

12:48

brought to wherever they are living on purpose.

12:51

Not to be invasive. People didn't

12:53

try to do something bad, but

12:55

in a lot of cases invasive

12:57

species are brought here for farming or

12:59

as pets or a

13:01

lot of plants are landscape plants that somebody

13:03

thinks, well this would look really pretty in

13:05

my front yard. I'm gonna plant this here.

13:08

And then it gets away from them. Or

13:11

you mentioned some animals have been brought over

13:13

as pets and then they're released by people

13:15

who realize, oh I don't have the ability

13:17

to take care of this animal. What

13:20

are some other ways invasive species get

13:22

into an environment? So accidentally,

13:24

so here in South Florida for

13:26

example, we have two really big

13:29

ports and a

13:31

frog for example might jump on a

13:33

boat or might be in a shipment

13:35

of plants that are being moved

13:37

from one area to another. And

13:39

then they happen upon South Florida and they

13:41

say, hey, in their own frog language

13:43

this place is pretty comfortable and they

13:46

decide to call it home. And sometimes

13:48

for example for using the frog and

13:50

they're being brought in these shipments of

13:52

plants, those frogs might be laying eggs

13:55

in the plants. So that We

13:57

believe was the case for the Cuban tree.

14:00

I'm as well as the Iguanas, so

14:03

some of that is still debatable because

14:05

they have been here on the landscape

14:07

for so many years back when we

14:10

really weren't keeping records how's how things

14:12

were moving, but we believe that both

14:14

of those are species came as a

14:17

result of our ports through jumping on

14:19

ships. To. Be clear, the

14:21

word invasive is a pretty negative

14:23

word and it might sound like

14:25

the invaders are doing something mean

14:27

or bad or wrong. They're definitely

14:29

not. they're just doing what they

14:31

naturally do. It's just that the

14:34

other plants and animals around them

14:36

evolved to compete with each other

14:38

and then this new species comes

14:40

in and it's able to sort

14:42

of take over. partly because none

14:44

of it's natural predators are competitors

14:46

are around in this new place.

14:48

Plants and animals are not. At

14:50

fault. It's not their fault that

14:53

they're here and that they're being

14:55

called an invasive. They did not

14:57

raise their hand and say pick

14:59

me, move me right We have

15:02

made those decisions. The word invasive

15:04

really describe the fact that they

15:06

aren't competing. Whether it's a native

15:08

are non native, they are competing

15:10

and out competing and area. They

15:13

are growing way too fast or

15:15

having too many babies And there's

15:17

no competition, right? So in nature

15:19

of. Their cells ads inflows.

15:22

When something is is can cause

15:24

competition. There's something like a predator

15:26

that might eat right and they're

15:28

keeping things imbalance. When you have

15:31

a non native invasive species, the

15:33

natural environment doesn't know how to

15:35

respond to it. So let's take

15:37

again the python as an example.

15:41

Our dear Whitetail Deer that exist

15:43

and all North America. They know

15:45

how to respond to things like

15:47

panther right? We have a Florida

15:49

Panther. They see that

15:51

as who? That. Cat

15:53

might eat me right. I should probably

15:56

run, but when they see a snake

15:58

a snake has never post. The threat

16:00

to a deer. However,

16:03

this large snake, especially as large as

16:05

the one that I have steered the

16:07

skin of the one that I have

16:10

here could eat a full grown dear.

16:13

So a deer doesn't necessarily run away

16:15

or respond as we we think a

16:17

human would. For example, if we see

16:19

a thirty foot snake right, we're running

16:21

right. We're not interested in hanging out

16:23

with a deer, doesn't see it as

16:25

a thrift. So they

16:28

don't necessarily understand because it

16:30

is not part of our

16:32

native ecosystem. And. That's

16:34

also the difference between an invasive species

16:36

and a non native but non invasive

16:39

species as they've either I'm not doing

16:41

so well or they've reached a kind

16:43

of equilibrium as a sense of balance

16:45

with said need of ecosystem and they're

16:47

not causing a problem, they're not out

16:49

competing. But maybe they do live here

16:51

now so that still non native but

16:53

we wouldn't consider that an invasive species

16:55

right? That is correct. So if you

16:58

have a non natives and for example

17:00

we have a number of palm trees

17:02

that there have been brought from all.

17:04

Over the world and they do well

17:06

here. but they don't have a whole

17:08

lot of seeds and the it takes

17:10

them a very long time to grow

17:12

so they're not causing competition for a

17:15

native species. So yes, spot on. Okay

17:17

so range Rivette Here I am in

17:19

South Florida and there's some beautiful plants

17:21

here and I think they would look

17:23

really pretty where I live. I'm getting

17:25

the sand From what you're saying that

17:28

I shouldn't put one of the seeds

17:30

of one of the plants that I

17:32

really like in my pocket and try.

17:34

To planted at home. even if it's just me.

17:36

Just one home, just one plant. That's

17:39

a hundred percent correct. Leave the plan

17:41

for they belong, Leave them in their

17:43

home. Right here in South Florida. We

17:46

don't have snow, and I know in

17:48

Vermont there's quite a bit of snow.

17:50

Luckily, the plant here probably won't do

17:53

so well over there, but on the

17:55

chance that it might. Go.

17:57

Ahead and leave those seeds where they belong.

18:00

Is that plant is intended to be

18:02

one day in Vermont. Mother nature will

18:04

make it's way there and it to

18:06

will be. Part. Of your need. Is

18:08

planned community so don't take the

18:11

seeds, just travel and admire the

18:13

plants in their homelands. Coming

18:16

out we learn about a small

18:18

insect that's causing big problems. But

18:22

first a message for the adults who

18:24

are listening. Support for our show comes

18:26

from Oak Meadow How his school going

18:28

this year is. The answer is not

18:30

great. Maybe. It's time to

18:32

rediscover the joy of learning. Oakmeadow

18:35

provide student centered home schooling curriculum

18:37

and teacher supported distance learning for

18:39

k through twelve. To learn how

18:42

home schooling can work for your

18:44

family. visit oakmeadow.com. This.

18:47

Is, but why a podcast for

18:49

curious kids? I'm Jane. Went home

18:51

and we're learning about invasive species

18:53

today. We were talking earlier with

18:55

event Kano about Burmese Pythons and

18:57

some of the other animals and

18:59

plants doing damage in the Everglades

19:01

National Park in a different part

19:03

of the United States. Something much

19:05

smaller is getting people concerned. Either

19:08

or my name is. Kim

19:10

Yet I'm. In

19:13

Philadelphia. Many

19:25

spring. When couldn't fly

19:27

as if you were. In

19:31

much of the Eastern United States,

19:33

spotted lantern flies has started appearing,

19:35

and in states where they haven't

19:37

taken hold, people are encouraged to

19:39

kill them if they find them.

19:41

Brian Walsh knows all about these

19:43

insects. He's done research on them

19:46

for Penn State University, so we

19:48

asked him to help answer juliet

19:50

question. First. Of all their

19:52

name is pretty cool but do they

19:54

look like lanterns with spots? The

19:56

kind of look a little bit like a

19:58

cross between a grasshopper. More when they're

20:01

flying in a of hang winks at

20:03

a bright red that everybody recognizes. So

20:05

they're They're kind of cool but when

20:07

their ways are closed. The. Really?

20:11

Sometimes. Tough to see because they're david

20:13

Gray either way of were wings and

20:15

was little black black and gray patterns

20:17

spots on it and that really help

20:19

it blend into tree bark and things

20:21

like that really well. but when they

20:23

open up his wings they're they're bright

20:25

red hot wings show and then you

20:27

can see enrollees and does not a

20:29

whole lot of looks like it in

20:32

our environment where their native and in

20:34

I'm. In Asia a

20:36

not parts of China and Vietnam

20:38

and think it's Indonesia as well

20:40

and so they don't belong in

20:42

our atmosphere. All they don't belong

20:44

on the side of the world.

20:46

But we accidentally moved them pair.

20:48

Oh and some material was being

20:51

moved daily. Looks like they lay

20:53

their eggs on. Maybe.

20:55

Some pallets or the material that was

20:57

being moved and the eggs got here

20:59

and and hatched and started a whole

21:01

population here. Remember. How injury

21:04

That told us that sometimes species travel

21:06

to a new place because they're tucked

21:08

in recent vegetables or they might be

21:10

on the side of a big ship

21:13

that springing goods to in Newport? Well,

21:15

it's the same thing with Spotted Lanterns

21:17

Lies They were first found in the

21:19

United States in Pennsylvania and Twenty Fourteen,

21:22

and immediately people who work in agriculture

21:24

and scientists who study insects were worried

21:26

because these flights had already caused problems

21:28

in other places where they had shown

21:30

up uninvited. When they got

21:33

to South Korea where they didn't belong

21:35

either, they quickly became a problem. and

21:37

that's where they realized in South Korea

21:39

that they attack a lot of native

21:41

plants and can do some damage, especially

21:44

to the grape industry. Needs grapes that

21:46

they really go after and can kill,

21:48

and that's a problem. They can reduce

21:50

the the yields and harvest and they

21:53

can kill the grapevine, so that's where

21:55

we're most concerned with our farming and

21:57

agriculture. but they will attack just about

21:59

any. They're plant. it's out there trying

22:01

get a meal with a from. it's

22:03

with the exception of conifers like pine

22:06

trees and spratlys. They don't like the

22:08

coffers, but I'm. Pretty much

22:10

any deciduous trees they'll feed on, including

22:12

all the way down to of vegetables

22:15

in the garden. things like that. So

22:17

them though they're they're less likely to

22:19

to cause a lot of problem. For

22:22

those. But it's the grapes that

22:24

were most concerned about. Back to

22:26

Juliet Question researchers wanted to make

22:28

sure spotted lantern size don't take

22:30

hold in the United States or

22:32

don't continue to spread at least.

22:34

But wire assistance telling people to

22:36

just go ahead and kill them.

22:39

To. That's a great great question. Juliet

22:41

The. The. Reason that we want

22:43

to kill Leno flies is because they

22:45

don't belong here. And. While

22:48

we don't like to encourage killing things that

22:50

are nature, we don't like to kill animals

22:52

for no reason. Even insects insects can teach

22:55

us how kind of things insects and spiders.

22:57

It can be really good for us. spot

22:59

a leaner flies or not, they don't belong

23:01

in our environment. We brought them here accidentally.

23:04

Humans dead and so. Because.

23:08

They're here. We wind up having to

23:10

do other things to trying to control

23:12

the spot Atlanta flies to keep them

23:14

from. From. Destroying our

23:17

crops that we need to feed

23:19

and feed ourselves and. Because

23:22

of that, we want to encourage people

23:24

to kill them when they can. And

23:26

also the other thing is if you

23:28

kill them then it's less likely to

23:30

get accidently moved somewhere else and be

23:32

the season Pennsylvania. There's a good chance

23:34

she's already seen them and their a

23:36

lot of parts of our country that

23:38

have not seen him and don't have

23:40

the me at and they are really

23:42

good hitchhiking either. They'll lay their eggs

23:44

on different things that we move. Where

23:46

the all human just hop into a car

23:48

or on the trains and so we want

23:50

to keep them from accidentally being spread. Further,

23:53

Away and into other parts of our country

23:55

where they aren't yet and so they can't

23:57

spread. if we kill them, that's does. The

24:00

thing and the other thing I would

24:02

say is if you're in an area

24:04

where they don't have later flies yeah

24:06

and you see one, make sure you

24:08

report it reported to. Your

24:11

local county again and see were year extension

24:13

offers but let somebody know if you're somewhere

24:15

else where it hasn't been found yet. Make

24:18

sure if you if you see one are

24:20

your parents who were, make sure that they

24:22

report it and then I'm. People

24:25

can start taking a look at, maybe maybe getting

24:27

it under control and that new area. There

24:30

are also traps are pesticides that can

24:32

be used to kill them. and research

24:34

is underway by Brian and others to

24:36

find new ways to control these insects

24:38

without needing to squash them. Still, it

24:40

probably does feel weird to be told

24:43

to kill these bugs when you've been

24:45

told before not to kill other insects.

24:47

Or types of animals. Important thing

24:49

to remember is most bugs don't do

24:51

us any harm at all. most of

24:54

the bugs and are out there just

24:56

gonna do a nursing work. They actually

24:58

help us in a lot of ways

25:00

and this bug unfortunately doesn't. It feeds

25:03

on it, feeds on our plants that

25:05

other bugs or other animals might need

25:07

to use to make their living and

25:10

so because of that you know we

25:12

we worry about this was invasive species

25:14

that they displace our native species and

25:16

so that's that's why it's okay to.

25:19

Kill this one. It doesn't belong here. and

25:21

we didn't bring it here on purpose. And

25:23

because it's here and it's kind of getting

25:25

out of control, you know we need to

25:28

do what we can. The tried. Stop it.

25:30

Just make sure you know what

25:32

spotted lantern size look like before

25:34

you start standing bags at recess.

25:37

Always do your research before taking

25:39

any action. We've

25:41

learned a lot about invasive species today

25:43

and it's a really complicated topic when

25:45

they can bring up strong feelings. There

25:47

are things though, that you can do

25:49

to be part of the solution. The

25:52

first is never intentionally spread invasive

25:54

species. so if you're riding and

25:56

about, be careful to make sure

25:58

that that votes. it's clean before

26:00

it goes from one waterway to

26:02

another. And also, you can make

26:04

sure you're buying native plants at

26:06

garden centres. You. Can also be

26:09

careful about which animals you by as

26:11

pets. Do a lot of research before

26:13

bringing an animal into your home. Some

26:15

cute baby animals get really big, like

26:17

the Burmese Python. Are you going to

26:19

be ready to feed and care for

26:22

a snake that's thirteen feet long and

26:24

can eat a whole Dear. And

26:26

some animals live for a very long

26:29

time. Are you prepared to keep your

26:31

pet turtle for thirty or maybe fifty

26:33

years? If you

26:35

do find yourself with a pet you can

26:37

no longer care for, never release it into

26:39

the wild, even if you think it's just

26:41

a cute little frog and no one will

26:43

notice, Surrender it to an animal care center.

26:46

Or check in with your areas Fish and Wildlife

26:48

Agency to get advice for what to do. Everglades

26:51

ranger he that tunnel also says

26:53

learning about the world around you

26:56

can be a good first step

26:58

in thinking about how to protect

27:00

your local ecosystem. Educating yourself right,

27:02

going to wherever home is, signing

27:04

these natural. Areas signing.

27:06

The Why: Why Does a display special?

27:09

What makes it tick? Why am I

27:11

connected to this place right? Is it

27:13

the history? Is it? For example, like

27:16

Everglades National Park that were connected to

27:18

the water, right? The water goes into

27:20

the distant uncle for and we drink

27:22

that water and everything is a sensitive

27:25

balance in this biological diverse park. So

27:27

finding the Why when you find the

27:29

lie that fuels your passion and you

27:32

desire to here and educate others. And

27:34

when I talk about education, I don't.

27:36

want you to think that you need

27:38

to be some old per se and

27:40

like in your twenties becoming a teacher

27:43

because for something i know it's a

27:45

long long time from now you can

27:47

be a teacher right now when you're

27:49

three or five or ten we all

27:51

can be teachers and the way we

27:53

do that is by educating ourselves getting

27:55

the information right making sure we know

27:57

we're talking mouth and then in power

28:00

others. That's pretty good advice for all kinds

28:02

of things. Explore what's around you, figure out

28:04

what makes you passionate, and then learn all

28:07

about it so you can share your knowledge

28:09

with other people. That's

28:11

it for this episode. Thanks to Yvette Cano,

28:13

Everglades National Park, and Brian Walsh for taking

28:16

the time to talk invasives with us. Now

28:19

if you have a question about anything, have an

28:21

adult record it. You can do

28:23

it on a smartphone using a free voice memo

28:25

or voice recorder app. Then have

28:28

your adult email the file to

28:30

questions at but whykids.org. You

28:32

can find all of this information also

28:34

at our website but whykids.org where you

28:36

can submit your questions directly. Remember

28:39

we can't answer every question we get, but we do

28:41

listen to all of them and we love hearing what's

28:44

on your mind. But Why

28:46

is produced by Melody Beaudet, Kiana

28:48

Haskin, and me, Jane Lindholm at

28:50

Vermont Public. We're distributed by PRX.

28:53

Our theme music is by Luke Reynolds. We'll

28:55

be back in two weeks with an all-new

28:57

episode. Until then, stay curious.

29:12

Remember our question from just before

29:14

this episode started about how trees

29:16

make maple syrup? Well

29:19

here in the Northeast, especially in Vermont

29:21

and Quebec, sugar makers are hard at

29:23

work making this sweet treat. But

29:25

it doesn't come out of the tree quite like

29:27

it looks when you pour it onto your pancakes.

29:30

For our series about Northeast ecology, we

29:32

visited a local sugar maker named Brandon

29:35

Mansfield to find out how

29:37

it's done. Yeah,

29:39

this is where the magic happens. So from

29:42

the holding tank it goes through my

29:44

reverse osmosis machine. This concentrates it down

29:46

instead of boiling that 40 gallons

29:48

of sap to make one gallon of syrup.

29:51

Instead it only takes four gallons of this

29:53

concentrated sap to make one gallon of syrup.

29:55

So there's a lot more sugar in that concentrated

29:57

four gallons. A lot more sugar. Yeah, exactly. Next

30:01

it moves into the evaporator and this is

30:03

where actually the water is boiled off and

30:05

so you end up concentrating even more

30:07

to become closer and closer to syrup.

30:10

It goes through a series of chambers

30:12

in here and eventually the end product

30:14

is pure maple syrup. If you

30:16

want to learn more about maple and trees, we've

30:18

got a video all about it. It's

30:21

part of our video and curriculum series

30:23

for schools and homeschoolers. But why adventures?

30:26

In this monthly series, we learn more

30:28

about what's happening outside and offer curriculum

30:30

and activity guides for all kinds of

30:33

students. Find out

30:35

more at butwhykids.org/nature.