Forest History with Jennifer Ott

I talk with Jennifer Ott, environmental historian and Executive Director of HistoryLink.org, the online encyclopedia of Washington State history. Jennifer shares her journey as a writer, editor, and park historian, and we explore the newly launched Forest History Project: a massive and growing archive of curriculum, essays, oral histories, and timelines that document how forests, forestry, fire, and resistance have shaped this place.

We talk about the values behind public history, how knowledge circulates through communities, and why telling forest stories - about people, species, and systems - matters more than ever in a time of climate disruption and ecological awakening.

Jennifer brings her deep grounding in Seattle's transformation, literally, the movement of land and water. And reflects on the influence of environmental writers along with tribal leaders and fire lookouts, conservationists and company-town residents.

Resources and Links

Forest History Project (HistoryLink):
https://www.historylink.org/forest-history

Learn more about Jennifer Ott's work
Olmsted in Seattle: Creating A Park System for a Modern City
Seattle at 150: Stories of the City Through 150 Objects
Waterway: The Story of Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal

This episode features music from The Grey Room / Golden Palms. Find more at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoOTOoAbEhY-WD_XhkvJBJg

Upcoming Event: Plants as Teachers

I'll be giving a talk on January 28, called Plants as Teachers, Messengers and Climate Partners: Habitat Care and Adaptation in a Warming World, hosted by Tacoma Tree Foundation. As climate change reshapes our ecosystems, ecological restorationist Michael Yadrick invites us to rethink so-called "weeds" as allies in adaptation, revealing how plants respond to stress, guide our land care decisions, and help us imagine better futures. Register here:
https://tacomatreefoundation.org/calendar/plants-as-teachers

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