State park rangers always get questions, and with their training in the outdoors and managing natural resources, they usually have the answers or can find them right away. Here, our rangers answer some of the questions they’re frequently asked and take on topics that can expand your knowledge of the natural world.
Ask a Ranger PodcastRanger Crystal and Ranger Jess host a monthly podcast that answer a variety of questions about North Carolina State Parks.
Email them at askaranger@ncparks.gov.
To listen to the episodes, visit our BuzzSprout page or click each headline below.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast with Apple iTunes. | Click here to subscribe to the podcast with RSS feed.
In this episode, Ranger Jess is out in the western United States exploring Bureau of Land Management lands with BLM Park Ranger Daniella Barazza. Join Ranger Jess as she sits down with Ranger Daniella and delves into the beauty and intrigue of New Mexico's Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument and Prehistoric Trackways National Monument.
After you take your First Day Hike, come with us on our virtual hike with Ranger Carla at Mount Mitchell. You'll learn about some of the winter residents that call Mount Mitchell home.
Tune in with us this month and sing along with this musical Ask a Ranger Podcast episode: Music and Environmental Education. Ranger Keith shares with us how to connect outdoor education and music.
Lucky us! We get to sit down and chat with Ranger Kim from Eno River State Park again! This time, she makes sure Ranger Jess, who is about to go on a hike, is prepared for a safe and fun hike at Eno River State Park. Listen in and find out all the hiking essentials so your next hike will be safe and fun!
In this episode, we chat with the affable Ranger Kevin about his favorite animal – SNAKES! Ranger Kevin delves into the wonderful world of snakes and helps demystify some of the myths and fears that sometimes surround these wonderful creatures.
Listen in as Rangers Crystal, Jess and Kevin sit around a campfire and demystify the often misunderstood coyote.
In this episode Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess delve into the wonderful and mysterious world of the American eel. Listen in as Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess explore the research history, ecology, and behaviors of this awesome species of fish!
Ranger Jess learns the difference between archaeology and paleontology with Assistant State Archaeologist Mary Beth Fitts and helps with an archaeology survey area down at Lumber River State Park.
Many of our North Carolina state parks were affected by gristmills and millponds that were created in and around our North Carolina communities. We do not have any working gristmills in North Carolina state parks, so Ranger Jess and Ranger Crystal traveled to a Wake County park in Raleigh, Yates Mill Pond, to talk all things millpond and gristmill. From how a gristmill works and the community aspects of a gristmill and millpond, to the nature that is in and around a millpond — Ranger Rebeccah Cope educates on it all!
Ever wondered what to do with your tree after the holidays? The families around Fort Macon have a time-honored tradition of gifting their tree to the dunes around the fort. Join us as we discuss this program with Park Superintendent Randy Newman.
In this episode, Ranger Nick discusses renewable energy and, in particular, the power of solar energy.
Ranger Renee Evans talks about her discovery of a dolphin that washed up on the shores of Bear Island and the steps her and others are taking to use the dolphin's skeleton as an educational tool for Hammocks Beach State Park.
Take a road trip with Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess as they bring Terrance the Turtle and Snooty the Snapper down to the 50th birthday party for Wave the Loggerhead. Meet a few different types of species of turtle native to North Carolina and laugh at the antics of Snooty and her cousin Shirley.
Our guest for this episode of the Ask a Ranger Podcast is the stupendous Ranger Jake from Hammocks Beach State Park. In this episode, we cover the basics of what you need to have a safe and fantastic trip on your next canoe, kayak or paddleboard excursion.
In this episode of Ask a Ranger, Ranger Paul Terry lets us in on the secret to the cannons at Fort Macon — teamwork! Learn all about the various cannons at Fort Macon State Park and how the replicas went from an idea to a reality.
During this episode, we discuss the North Carolina State Parks education theme for 2018 — the year of the FISH!!! We talk with Ranger Brian Swanson about fish and fun crafts you can do with — you guessed it — FISH! Who knew there were crafts you can do with actual fish?
The peace of the woods, the crackle of the campfire, trying different s'mores recipes — who amongst us doesn't love camping? From its past as a necessary part of exploration to its present status as an excursion and break from our daily lives, camping is something that is held near and dear by most people who do it. Whether you enjoy camping in a van or living out of a backpack for a week, camping is personal and treasured by us all. In this podcast, we discuss everything from wearing socks while sleeping to a perfect camping environment. Join Rangers Jess and Crystal and guest Ranger Brian as we discuss the finer side of camping and maybe even share a couple of our favorite camping hacks to make your experience even better.
Learn the basics of herpetology with our guest educator Mike Ramano.
Ranger Crystal is out in the winter bluster interviewing a few of our animal friends to find out how they survive a North Carolina winter.
In this episode, we wrap the year up talking with our Piedmont Region Education Specialist Brian Bockhahn about the North Carolina State Parks theme for 2017 — spiders!!! Brian helps us dispel spider myths, expands our minds about the wonderful world of spiders and helps us develop an even greater curiosity about these wonderful arachnids!!
Ranger Jess is a little nervous hiking at night, but NEVER FEAR, Ranger Crystal is here! Ranger Crystal is taking Ranger Jess and you on a night hike to demystify the sounds and the animals that make them. Come, join us and take a virtual night hike!
In this episode of Ask a Ranger Podcast, join Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess as they recount personal ghost stories and tell spooky North Carolina ghost stories. This is perfect for your camping trip to a North Carolina State Park — ready to be played or retold around your campfires.
This is our mid-month "Naturally Wonderful" moment, in which we introduce you to one of our coworkers. Listen in and find out why Sean Gough enjoys working for N.C. State Parks.
In this episode, we visit with Ranger Kim from Eno River and pick her brain about invasive plant species of North Carolina.
In this episode of Ask a Ranger, we will delve into all the things a North Carolina Park Ranger does. Our guest is Superintendent Joe Shimel from New River State Park in Laurel Springs, N.C.
This episode introduces the podcast series, as well as gives the Park Ranger podcast host an opportunity to introduce themselves to you.