On this episode, we welcome Marilyn Hemingway, the founder and president of the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce. Marilyn talks about the history and legacy of the Gullah Geechee people in the U.S. and worldwide, and explains how nature plays an important role in their culture and communities. Marilyn's passion for the environment is evident as she discusses the Gullah Geechee Seafood Trail, the Gullah Geechee Environmental and Energy Conference, and other initiatives the Chamber is pursuing to support local communities, while also encouraging each one of us to find our journey, build our confidence, be intentional, and make an impact in our own communities.

Learn more about the Gullah Geechee:

• Hiking Groups: Outdoor Afros and Girl Trek

• Gullah Geechee Chamber Foundation

• Gullah Geechee Seafood Trail

• Gullah Geechee Nation

• Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area

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Conversing with Nature is hosted by Dr. Liz Fly, edited by Dr. Liz Fly and Nicole Pehl, and produced by The Nature Conservancy. Original music provided by Matt Williams, cover art designed by Amy Nguyen, and funding provided by Honda. To learn more, visit www.naturebasedexchange.org or on Instagram @naturebasedexchange.

On this episode, we sit down with Jared Bramblett, a senior water resources engineer at Moffatt and Nichol. Jared reveals how he uses his passion for photography to connect people with the science behind flooding in the Lowcountry while also offering suggestions on how to incorporate water into the build environment. Jared's training as an engineer combined with his interest in green infrastructure gives him a unique perspective to help communities plan, design, and learn to live with water on large and small scales.

Learn more:

• ⁠Mean High Water⁠ (website)

• ⁠Mean High Water⁠ (Instagram)

• ⁠Imagining our Future with Water | Jared Bramblett | TEDxCharleston⁠

• Christina Rae Butler’s book, Lowcountry at High Tide: A History of Flooding, Drainage, and Reclamation in Charleston, South Carolina

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Conversing with Nature is hosted by Dr. Liz Fly, edited by Dr. Liz Fly and Nicole Pehl, and produced by The Nature Conservancy. Original music provided by Matt Williams, cover art designed by Amy Nguyen, and funding provided by Honda. To learn more, visit www.naturebasedexchange.org or on Instagram @naturebasedexchange.

On this episode, we are joined by Kate Quigley, a natural resource and environmental economist with the NOAA Office for Coastal Management. Kate unveils what the study of economics is really about (hint: it's not just about money!) and explains how economists like herself study marine and coastal ecosystems to determine their value. Kate highlights some common economic valuation tools while also describing the importance of finding the co-benefits of natural systems, the need to tell nature stories using more than just numbers, and why our choices (such as how we spend our time and money) can show how much we support nature.

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Conversing with Nature is hosted and edited by Dr. Liz Fly and produced by The Nature Conservancy. Original music provided by Matt Williams, cover art designed by Amy Nguyen, and funding provided by Honda. To learn more, visit www.naturebasedexchange.org or on Instagram @naturebasedexchange.