On this episode, we welcome Kate Ancaya, founding partner and design principal at Living Roofs, Inc., a firm out of Asheville, NC that specializes in creating green roofs and landscape on structure. As Kate dives into building plant communities in unlikely spaces, she explains the beauty and benefits behind this growing method of infrastructure and resilience. Kate reminds us that resilience starts in our backyards (or roofs!) and as we bring nature back into our everyday lives - whether that's through a living roof or a pollinator garden - we can shift nature-based designs from simply being accepted in our communities to becoming the standard.

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Conversing with Nature is hosted by Dr. Liz Fly, edited by Nicole Pehl, and produced by The Nature Conservancy. Original music provided by Matt Williams, cover art designed by Amy Nguyen, and funding provided by the Therblig Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. To learn more, visit our website (www.naturebasedexchange.org) or follow Nature-Based Exchange on Instagram @naturebasedexchange and Facebook.

On this episode, we welcome two of The Nature Conservancy's leaders in South Carolina land protection: Katy McWilliams, the director of land protection, and Dr. David Bishop, senior project director. Together, Katy and David explain how The Nature Conservancy (and partners) are investing in land protection across the state to protect South Carolina's wild places through land purchases and conservation easements. As Katy and David explain their process of identifying, protecting, restoring, and maintaining these unique spaces, we are reminded that land protection isn't just about promoting biodiversity or maintaining wildlife corridors, it's also about us - how the preservation of these lands leaves behind a legacy of clean water, fresh air, and open spaces for current and future generations to enjoy.

Learn more:

• Explore more of South Carolina’s protected lands on The Nature Conservancy’s Land Protection Dashboard.
• Visit the South Carolina Heritage Trust to discover a heritage preserve near you.

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Conversing with Nature is hosted by Dr. Liz Fly, edited by Nicole Pehl, and produced by The Nature Conservancy. Original music provided by Matt Williams, cover art designed by Amy Nguyen, and funding provided by the Therblig Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. To learn more, visit our website (www.naturebasedexchange.org) or follow Nature-Based Exchange on Instagram @naturebasedexchange and Facebook.

On this episode, we welcome April Magill, the owner of Root Down Designs, an architectural firm focused on sustainable design; April is also the executive director of the non-profit Root Down Building Collective, which provides architectural services, consulting, and house plans for climate-smart structures. An advocate for natural building materials, April explains how plant-based and mineral-based building products help reduce our carbon footprint, increase building performance, and are better for our health than commonly used plastic-based products. As April navigates this growing movement of sustainable design for us, she reminds us of two very important things: 1) making even one sustainable building choice matters and 2) community building, skill building, and empowerment work together to elevate the health of our neighbors and our environment.

Learn more:

• For more information on natural building materials, check out the US Hemp Building Association.
• (Coming soon!) Be sure to check out Root Down Building Collective's "Events" page throughout the year to discover new women-centered programming.

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Conversing with Nature is hosted by Dr. Liz Fly, edited by Nicole Pehl, and produced by The Nature Conservancy. Original music provided by Matt Williams, cover art designed by Amy Nguyen, and funding provided by the Therblig Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. To learn more, visit our website (www.naturebasedexchange.org) or follow Nature-Based Exchange on Instagram @naturebasedexchange and Facebook.