The Wildstory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by The Native Plant Society of New Jersey, is hosted by Ann E. Wallace, Poet Laureate of Jersey City. Art and nature intercept in each episode to bring listeners inside the world of poetry about the natural world and to introduce them to other well-known voices from the world of ecology. This show challenges us all to think about our own relationship with nature.
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During The Wildstory, the conversations—often funny, sometimes sad, but always reflective—are about the natural world and our connections to the environment. As Wallace explains, “In our weekly conversations with guests who are inspired by nature, we invite people to slow down, observe the world around them more closely, sink into its rhythms and mysteries, and reflect on what role we wish to play in the environment.” Indeed, a recurring theme of the series is that when we shine a lens on the life around us, whether through the smartphone cameras we all carry in our pockets now or through the language of poetry, we are likely to respect, care for, and even love that which we are seeing. More than that, The W challenges us to look beyond, spatially and chronologically, that which lies before us, as we unpack the historical, cultural, and familial language of the land.
The Wildstory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants is co-produced by Ann E. Wallace, Poet Laureate of Jersey City, and Kim Correro, Master Gardener and Co-leader of the Hudson Chapter.
Episode 29: Featuring Dorsia Smith Silva; Tedor Whitman, Executive Director of the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Joe Lamp’l, host The Joe Gardener Show
March 12, 2026Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 29 is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon Listen Here! The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a FREE resource to learn from and available to everyone! Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City Co-host Kim Correro Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ Do you have a question about native plants for Randi? Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org |
| This month, our guest poet is Dorsia Smith Silva (0:02:51), whose collection In Inheritance of Drowning, published by CavanKerry Press, bears witness to the devastating impacts of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico. Dorsia speaks with me about the long recovery process and the power of the community, both in moments of crisis and in the extended aftermath of extreme weather events. On Ask Randi (0:34:13), Randi Eckel, entomologist and owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm, introduces one of spring’s quiet treasures: Spring Beauty. After hearing Randi speak about this tiny native wildflower at a Wildstory event a few years ago, Ann wrote a poem, included in her new book Keeping Room, titled “Such a Perfect Ecosystem,” celebrating the delicate beauty of this often-overlooked plant and the rich web of life it supports. So we asked Randi to tell us more about Spring Beauty for all of you. Next, in celebration of Women’s History Month, Kim sits down with Tedor Whitman (0:45:42), Executive Director of the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary in Short Hills, NJ. Tedor shares what makes the arboretum so special—from protecting native plants and local wildlife to inspiring the next generation—and gives us a preview of Beak Week, happening April 17–24. To close the episode, Kim and Ann chat with Joe Lamp’l (1:01:17)—host of the Emmy-winning PBS series Growing a Greener World, founder of joegardener.com, and creator of The Joe Gardener Show podcast. Joe shares how he got started, reflects on a time when birds and butterflies were everywhere, and reminds us why native plants pack a powerful punch—and why planting them matters now more than ever. Plus, Joe shares the story behind the Ultimate Gardening Sheath he co-designed with Wheeler Munroe, a wildly popular tool that keeps your pruners and essentials within easy reach and makes life in the garden a whole lot easier. Keep reading to learn how you can find one. |
Episode 28: Featuring Ann E. Wallace, Poet, Author of Keeping Room, interviewed by James Crews; Samuel Pott, Founding Artistic Director of Nimbus Dance; N. West Moss, Author of Birdy; and Larry Weaner, Ecological Landscape Designer
February 20, 2026Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
| Episode 28 is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon Listen Here! The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a FREE resource to learn from and available to everyone! Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City Co-host Kim Correro Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ Do you have a question about native plants for Randi? Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org Welcome to Season 4 of the WildStory! We have a wonderful, jam-packed season opener, and we hope you enjoy all that we have in store for you this episode! To open, Award winning poet James Crews (0:3:15), author of the forthcoming book Breathing Room (Battenkill Books, March 17th), and our featured poet in Episode 19, is back! This time as our guest host, speaking with Ann E. Wallace about her new poetry collection Keeping Room, out this month from Nixes Mate Books. James and Ann have a lovely conversation about holding space—for pain and disruption, but also nature, love, and unexpected joy. In Ask Randi, Randi Eckel (0:28:47), owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm, spills some inside details about the NPSNJ Annual Meeting on March 7th—and trust us, you won’t want to miss what she’s teasing. Then she jumps into listener questions, breaking down the mysteries of native seed stratification. We’re joined by Samuel Pott (0:39:27), Founding Artistic Director of Nimbus Dance, to explore ANIMA, a powerful new trilogy confronting environmental crisis and reimagining our place in the natural world. There will be a special performance on Friday, February 27, at 8 pm at the Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey. We catch up with N. West Moss (0:49:51) to talk about her new middle-grade novel Birdy (Christy Ottaviano Books/Little, Brown, Feb. 17), the story of an 11-year-old girl who, after her mother’s death, spends a summer in the country where the natural world helps her protect her little brother, heal her grief, and discover that family and belonging can take root in unexpected places. We wrap the episode with legendary ecological landscape designer Larry Weaner (1:14:47), founder of Larry Weaner Landscape Associates and New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) and keynote speaker for NPSNJ’s Planning for the Unplanned, where ecological restoration meets bold landscape design. Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org  Nimbus Dance Company ANIMA: Patch of Turf Original music by Qasim Naqvi Choreography and Costumes by Samual Pott Next performance: Friday, February 27, at 8 pm at the Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey.    ; The Wildstory Season 4 In Person Event! Join us by the cozy for an evening where stories, science, and the natural world collide. Cora Hartshorn Arboretum 324 Forest Drive South Shorthills, NJ Tuesday, March 12th 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Register for here! |
Episode 27: Featuring Han VanderHart, Poet, Author of Larks; Mare McClellan, Visual Artist, Manager of Gino’s Nursery; and Benjamin Vogt, Ecological Designer and Author of Prairie Up
December 18, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
| Episode 27 is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon Listen Here! The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a FREE resource to learn from and available to everyone! Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City Co-host Kim Correro Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ Do you have a question about native plants for Randi? Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org In season three finale of The WildStory, poet Han VanderHart (0:2:29) joins Ann to discuss their collection Larks, which was published in 2025 by Ohio University Press. Han and Ann talk about the uncertainty and mutability of knowledge and the ordering of the natural world, and about the poet’s work of observation—not only of what we can see and hear, but of all that we can’t. In the Ask Randi segment, Dr. Randi Eckel (0:29:05), owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm answers a question from Rikki and takes a deep dive into native versus non-native wisteria, explaining why invasive wisteria overwhelms ecosystems, resists competition, and is notoriously hard to remove. She closes with practical resources for controlling invasive vines. Kim then talks with Mare McClellan, (0:39:15) artist and nursery manager at Gino’s Nursery in Newtown, PA about her upcoming spring show of multi-media artwork at Morpeth Contemporary. Mare shares how the Dogbane Tiger Moth caterpillars sparked her imagination and how she keeps a quiet promise to a Cecropia moth, whose emergence you can watch on our Instagram. Hyalophora Cecropia, Cecropia Giant Silk Moth Dogbane Tiger Moth, Delicate Cycnia, and their larval host plant, Dogbane, Apocynum cannibinum Cecropia, Giant Silk Moths, emerged from their cocoons on June 20,2025 To close the season, Kim and Ann talk with Benjamin Vogt, (0:58:04) author of Prairie Up about how social and cultural pressures and affordability shape our gardens and landscapes. Ben reflects on the “happy accidents” that have guided his work, talks about his forthcoming Timber Press book, Unlawning America, and offers practical advice for navigating weed management, local ordinances, and the design of public space. Thank you for joining us during season 3 of The WildStory. We look forward to bringing you a brand new season in 2026. Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org |
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| Only 2 spots left for the upcoming four week Zoom course with Sara F. Jayne! Design Your Wildlife Habitat: A Hands-On Workshop Based On the Popular Book Nature’s Action Guide Begins February 2, 2026 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Learn more here |
Episode 26: Featuring Julie Zickefoose, Poet, Nature Writer & Advising Editor of bwd; and Dr. Lea Johnson, Director of Conservation Native Plant Trust
November 18, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 26 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a FREE
resource to learn from and available to everyone!
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro
Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
In this episode of The Wildstory, Ann Wallace and Kim Correro sit down with the incomparable Julie Zickefoose (0:2:39), beloved writer, birder, and wildlife rehabilitator. Julie shares a first listen to her unpublished nature poetry and dives into the brand-new edition of Birdwatching for Dummies, co-written with bwd editors Jessica Vaughan and Dawn Hewitt. And don’t miss the finale: Julie reveals how you can create her popular Warbler Fall and gives an exclusive sneak peek at the updated Enjoying Bluebirds More, returning this spring after selling over half a million copies.
Next up, Dr. Randi Eckel, owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm (0:42:02), tackles a listener’s question by demystifying the confusion around Purple Giant Hyssop. She also breaks down the fundamentals of proper plant naming and offers a quick guide to reading nursery labels so you can tell whether you’re choosing a true native species or a cultivar.
In our final segment, we are thrilled to talk with Dr. Lea Johnson (0:53:03), Director of Conservation at the Native Plant Trust, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. A plant ecologist specializing in community ecology, ecological restoration, and urban forestry, Dr. Johnson bridges foundational research with real-world land management and design. Her work brings together multiple disciplines to better understand human-altered environments and to strengthen the science that guides effective ecological restoration in a rapidly changing world.
Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org
Episode 25: Featuring Holli Carrell, author of Apostasies; Kazys Varnelis, President, NPSNJ; and Mary Anne Borge, editor of Butterfly Gardener Magazine & naturalist at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
October 18, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 25 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a FREE
resource to learn from and available to everyone!
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro
Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
This month’s featured poet is Holli Carrell (0:2:22), whose debut collection Apostasies was recently published by Perugia Press. Holli speaks about her personal process of reflection and discovery—including an intentional turn toward the natural world—after leaving the Mormon church of her upbringing.
In Ask Randi (0:29:15), Dr. Randi Eckel, Owner of ToadShade Wildflower Farm, tackles a listener’s question about Oleander aphids and explains why buying ladybugs isn’t the best approach to eliminating them.
In Five Questions, President of the Native Plant Society of NJ, Kazys Varnelis (0:38:46), shares the lineup of speakers for Weird NJ, this fall’s virtual conference, happening Saturday, November 1. From parasitic plants to carnivorous, aquatic, and fungal species, discover how these fascinating natives play vital roles in our ecosystems.
And to close out the episode, we speak with Mary Anne Borge (0:55:31), editor of Butterfly Gardener Magazine, a publication of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), and a naturalist at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. Mary Anne talks with us about how we can each make a difference for butterflies, the connection between the Sleepy Orange butterfly and Wild Senna, and why ants deserve a spot on every gardener’s “thank you” list.
Check out Mary Anne’s blog The Natural Web, and her recent Wednesday webinar for NPSNJ All About Asters!
Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org
Episode 24: Featuring Lynne Shapiro, Poet; Chris Martine, President Elect, Botanical Society of America; and Jean Epiphan, Assoc. Professor of Ecology, Rutgers University
September 12, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 24 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a
FREE
resource to learn from and available to everyone!
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro
Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
This episode features poet Lynne Shapiro (0:2:29) of Hoboken, New Jersey, who speaks with Ann about her collection To Set Right, published in 2021 by WordTech Editions, and about her work in progress. Lynne’s work holds space for the life we can and cannot see. She talks with Ann about the importance of returns, learning to see, and the persistence of nature, and reminds us that, to truly know a place, we must look upward and study the sky.
In this Ask Randi segment, Dr. Randi Eckel (0:33:10) answers a question from Eilika about native alternatives to the ecologically harmful Barberry (Berberis thunbergii), particularly options that still provide distinctive purple or burgundy foliage with vibrant red stems.
Later, we debut our new segment, Five Questions With. Kim sits down with Chris Martine, (0:45:35), who is the President-Elect of the Botanical Society of America and the David Burpee Professor of Plant Genetics and Research at Bucknell University. He shares stories behind his newly re-published field guides from the NJ Forest Service, Trees of New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic States, and Shrubs and Vines of New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic States.
In our final segment, Kim and Ann talk with Jean Epiphan, (1:03:05) Associate Professor of Ecology at Rutgers University and the newly appointed arborist on the NPSNJ board. Jean reminds us that the future of our forests begins in our own backyards, underscoring how true forest stewardship starts with the everyday choices we make as caretakers of our own land. Jean is also a Coordinator for Region 1 (Northern NJ) for the Rutgers Environmental Steward program with an extensive background in forestry, ecology, and landscape restoration, as well as garden design, landscape management, tree care, and land stewardship.
Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org
Episode 23: Featuring Charise Hoge, Poet; Ken Chaya, Naturalist and NYBG Instructor; and Melina Mangal, Children’s Author
May 24, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 23 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro
Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
Today’s featured poet is Charise Hoge (0:03:35) whose latest collection, Inheritance of Flowers, came out this spring from Kelsay Books. Reflecting on her grandmother’s legacy as a southern flower shop owner, Charise speaks with Ann about ancestry, belonging, and our internal connections with nature that are sustaining even in times of upheaval and hibernation.
In the Ask Randi segment, Dr. Randi Eckel (0:29:27) dives into New Jersey’s game-changing Bill S1029, which was just passed by the State Senate. This bill tackles the sale of invasive plants and creates an Invasive Species Council—huge wins for our native ecosystems. But this bill is not law yet. The New Jersey State Assembly still needs to pass Bill A4137 to seal the deal. So now is the moment to act: Call or email your State Assembly member and urge them to support A4137 or reach out to NPSNJ Advocacy with questions. Your voice can help protect the landscapes we love! Plus, Randi answers a listener question about living native Christmas trees—sharing her top picks for outdoor planting after the holiday season.
Kim then talks with Ken Chaya (0:43:43) celebrated artist and New York-based urban naturalist. Ken shares why Central Park has become one of the premier birding spots in the United States. With its unique geography and rich canopy of over 20,000 trees, the park is a vital oasis for migratory birds—and a paradise for birders. Ken was instrumental in creating the Central Park Entire App, is the past President of the Linnaean Society and teaches at the New York Botanical Garden, where he helped design the Urban Naturalist Certificate Program. Most recently, he led a four-week deep dive into The Natural History of Birds for NPSNJ.
Kim and Ann close the episode in conversation with the remarkable Mélina Mangal (1:11:32)—author of children’s books that explore our deep connections between nature and culture. Her latest works, Birds Sing Their Words and Trees Stand Tall, are lyrical board books for young readers, published by Free Spirit Publishing. Mélina is also a school library teacher in Minneapolis, where she champions the joy of reading every day. Together, we discuss book censorship, the vital role of storytelling, and why the freedom to read and access information is essential to the health of our democracy.
Announcement from The WildStory: We will take a short hiatus this summer—offering regenerative time for gardening, writing, family, and more. We will be back with a new episode in September!
Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org
Episode 22: Featuring Ibe Liebenberg, Poet & Firefighter; William Cullins, Author and Executive Director of Morris Arboretum & Gardens; and Kelly D. Norris, Author and Ecological Horticulturist
April 15, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 22 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro
Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor
Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
Today’s featured poet is Ibe Liebenberg (0:03:51) who joins Ann Wallace to talk about his new collection, Birds at Night, published in 2025 by Texas Tech University Press. Ibe is a member of the Chickasaw nation, as well as a firefighter from Paradise, California. With wildfires causing increasing destruction across the nation in recent years, we have wanted to speak with a firefighter on The WildStory—and this conversation with Ibe does not disappoint. It is a reflective one, highlighting the intertwining threads—of land, migration, and ancestry, of family and memory, of fire, loss and healing—contained within his poetry.
Spring is here, and in this month’s segment of “Ask Randi,” Randi Eckel (0:31:47), owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm encourages listeners to take a gentle approach when tidying up their gardens this season. She explains that because insects and other wildlife rely on leaf litter, stems, and decaying wood throughout the year, plant debris is essential for the survival of many creatures.
Next, Kim Correro is joined by guest host Susan Landau, one of the people behind the Foote’s Pond Wood Park restoration project in Morristown, New Jersey. Susan has also been instrumental in creating the “Going Native” planting guide for Northern New Jersey, and she collaborates each year on the popular Great Swamp Watershed Native Plant Sale, which is open online through April 18th. More information can be found at greatswamp.org.
Together, Kim and Susan interview William Cullina (0:41:10), the F. Otto Haas Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens at the University of Pennsylvania. Cullina is a well-known author and recognized authority on North American native plants. During their conversation, he shares his long-term goals for the Morris Arboretum and discusses his research in tree genetics and soil microbiology, as well as an exciting new exhibition titled “Bees, Butterflies, and Blooms: A Pollinator Paradise,” which will run this year from May 23 to September 30.
In the final segment, Kim and Ann speak with award-winning author and designer Kelly D. Norris (1:08:39), one of the leading ecological horticulturists of his generation. Kelly’s new book, Your Natural Garden, is a page-by-page guide through the seasons of a naturalistic garden’s life, and the tasks that come with each stage. Kelly explores the connections between people, plants, and place through ecological, site-specific design and art. He talks with Kim and me about the history of natural places, the value of abundance—in life and in planting—and the importance of becoming familiar, beyond the limited information contained on labels, with the plants we have in our gardens and parks.
Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org
Episode 21: Featuring Theta Pavis, Poet The Red Strobe; Heather Holm, Pollinator Conservationist and Award-Winning Author; Paula Whyman, Author of Bad Naturalist
March 15, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 21 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro,Rutgers
Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
In this episode, featured poet Theta Pavis (0:03:00) speaks with Ann Wallace about her new chapbook, The Red Strobe, which just came out from Finishing Line Press. Theta’s work is marked by grief and pain, but also love, family, protection, and a fierce kind of resilience—as can be seen in the garden her mother created many years ago, a garden which is now Theta’s, in her Jersey City yard. Follow Theta online at ThetaPavis.com
Randi Eckel returns for a brand-new Ask Randi segment about NPSNJ’s upcoming BioBlitz, (0:34:31) to celebrate National Native Plant Month. Randi describes how volunteers, scientists, and naturalists collaborate to document as many native species as possible in a specific area within a set timeframe.
Kim Correro is then joined by Bobbie Herbs, (0:41:36) co-leader of the NPSNJ Southwest Chapter. Bobbie has played a crucial role in establishing the IGC Committee, which aims to encourage independent nurseries throughout New Jersey to stock native plants. Together, Kim and Bobbie talk with award-winning author and pollinator conservationist Heather Holm. Heather is an expert on the interactions between native pollinators and native plants, and she will teach a four-week course for NPSNJ beginning in April.
In the final segment, Kim and Ann speak with Paula Whyman (1:09:57) about her new book, Bad Naturalist: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop, which was released this winter by Timber Press. Blending memoir, natural history, and conservation science, the book chronicles her efforts to restore a former mountaintop farm to its natural habitat. If you enjoy the book, you can continue following Paula’s journey by signing up for her popular newsletter, Bad Naturalist at PaulaWhyman.com and meet her on March 13th during a live conversation with Kim and Ann at The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts in Madison, New Jersey.
Thank you for joining us on The WildStory. Follow us on Instagram @Thewildstory_podcast
Episode 20: Featuring Shaun Spencer-Hester, Jerri Mitchell-Lee & Abra Lee
February 27, 2025Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 20 is now available on Spotify,
Apple, Google, and Amazon
The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants
by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City
Co-host Kim Correro,
Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs
Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel
Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ
Do you have a question about native plants for Randi?
Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org
The WildStory presents a special episode this month in celebration of Black History. We have three amazing guests, who share the stories of Black Americans who wrote poetry, created gardens, advanced the field of horticulture, and inspired others—and who are each doing important work themselves today. An unexpected throughline in these conversations is the influence of W.E.B. DuBois, the Black leader, visionary and author of the 1903 book The Souls of Black Folk, which inspired generations of Black Americans toward self-realization and liberty through education, the arts and culture, and more.
The first guest is Shaun Spencer-Hester (0:04:43), granddaughter of the poet, gardener, and community leader Anne Spencer. Anne Spencer’s home and garden in Lynchburg, Virginia was a gathering place for Black intellectuals of the Harlem Renaissance, offering a garden refuge and retreat at a time when many Black Americans had migrated north to urban centers for new opportunities. Shaun shares family stories about her grandmother’s life, garden, and poetry, and brings us inside the Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum, where she is the Executive Director and Curator.
In lieu of our usual Ask Randi segment, this month, Kim and Ann take the mic and dive into the exciting opportunities on the horizon for NPSNJ members (0:41:10). Mark your calendars for the highly anticipated Spring Annual Meeting and Conference on March 1st, where we’re proud to welcome the esteemed keynote speaker Doug Tallamy. NPSNJ is rolling out six brand new classes that explore a range of captivating topics, and is thrilled to introduce a Spanish language version of the helpful brochure, “Going Native: A Guide to Landscaping with Native Plants in Northern New Jersey.” Don’t miss these incredible chances to elevate your knowledge and skills!
In the second interview, Jerri Mitchell-Lee of Newark, NJ speaks with us about her remarkable great-aunt, Effie Lee Newsome (0:50:33) a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Newsome was the editor of the children’s column “Little Page” in W.E.B. Du Bois’s influential publication, The Crisis, where she showcased several of her own children’s poems. An avid lover of the outdoors, Effie Lee Newsome possessed an extraordinary talent for connecting people—especially children—with the wonders of nature. Whether she was marveling at a spider, a goldfinch, a snowflake, or a violet, she made the natural world come alive. In 1940, she published Gladiola Garden: Poems of Outdoors and Indoors, which was reprinted in 2020, making her work accessible to a brand new audience.
In the final segment, horticulturalist Abra Lee (1:10:01) tells us about her highly anticipated book, Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers (Timber Press, 2026). This remarkable work is set to inspire readers and shed light on the profound history and culture of Black growers across our nation. Abra serves as the Director of Horticulture at the historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, GA. During our conversation, we delve into Abra’s impressive career path and explore the influential figures in her life, particularly her parents, who encouraged her curiosity and ambition.
Thank you for joining us on The WildStory. Follow us on Instagram @Thewildstory_podcast
Episode 19: Featuring James Crews, Award-Winning Poet; Fran Chismar & Tom Knezick, Podcasters, “Native Plants, Healthy Planet”; and Joanna Brichetto, Urban Naturalist & Author
December 12, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 19 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon Listen Here! The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plantsby the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. … Read more
Episode 18: Featuring Elizabeth Sylvia, Beloved Poet; Elissa Altman, Acclaimed Food Writer and Memoirist; and Margaret Roach, Award-Winning Podcast Host and New York Times Garden Columnist
November 13, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 18 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon The Wildstory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plantsby the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhDPoet … Read more
Episode 17: Featuring Nadia Colburn, Poet & Author; Sarah F. Jayne, Author and Native Plant Advocate and Doug Tallamy, Author and Co-Founder of Homegrown National Parks
October 12, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 17 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plantsby the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhDPoet … Read more
Episode 16: Featuring Pat Sutton, Author and Naturalist; Mark Garland, Naturalist and Director Emeritus of the Cape May Monarch Monitoring Project; and Penny Harter, Poet
September 11, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 16 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plantsby the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhDPoet … Read more
Episode 15: Featuring Barbara Kingsolver, Best-Selling Author and Poet; Katie Bliss, Director of Horticulture at Cape May Point Science Center; and Nancy Lawson, Naturalist, and Nature Writer
August 14, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 15 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, … Read more
Episode 14: Featuring Poet and Master Naturalist Kai Coggin, Ecological Horticulturist & Designer Rebecca McMackin and Botanist & Cultural Ecologist Jared Rosenbaum
July 10, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 14 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plantsby the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhDPoet … Read more
Episode 13: Featuring Poet and Author Camille T. Dungy New Jersey Artist Susan Darwin and Designer Claudia West
June 13, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 13 is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. … Read more
Episode 12: Featuring Poet and Ecologist Dr. J. Drew Lanham, Nature Writer and Illustrator Marni Fylling and NYC Botanist Marielle Anzelone
May 15, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 12 is now available on Spotify,Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plantsby the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhDPoet … Read more
11. Featuring Poet Ross Gay, Margaret Renkl & Billy Renkl
April 8, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Episode 11 is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Hosted by Ann … Read more
10. Poet Lauren Camp and Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture at Native Plant Trust
March 14, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
In this episode, Lauren Camp, (02.38) Poet Laureate of New Mexico, speaks with Ann Wallace about her recent collection Worn Smooth Between Devourings (NYQ Books, 2023), as well as In … Read more
9. Poet Adrie Rose and Land Stewards John & Susan Landau
February 14, 2024Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
February 13, 2024 In this episode, poet and herbalist Adrie Rose speaks with Ann Wallace (02:22) about her new chapbook Rupture, published last month by Gold Line Press. They discuss the … Read more
7. Poet Emily Hockaday and Elaine Silverstein, NPSNJ Vice President of Chapters
November 28, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
November 27, 2023 Poet Emily Hockaday speaks with Ann Wallace about her new poetry collection, In a Body, published in October 2023 by Harbor Editions. Emily discusses the layered ways in … Read more
6. Guest Host N. West Moss Interviews Jersey City Poet Laureate Ann E. Wallace and We Talk With Best-Selling Author Brie Arthur About Alpha-Gal Syndrome and More
November 4, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
November 4, 2023 Guest host N. West Moss, author of the memoir Flesh and Blood (Algonquin Press), joins us for the opening interview of today’s episode. West turns the tables … Read more
5. Migration with Poet Susan Glass and Don Torino, President of Bergen County Audubon Society
October 18, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Poet Susan Glass, who has been blind since birth, speaks with Ann Wallace about the integral role birds have played in her life—and in her poetry—as she uses their songs … Read more
4. Poet Christine Klocek-Lim and Jennifer Jewell on her new book What We Sow
September 26, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Poet Christine Klocek-Lim talks with Ann Wallace about the ways in which her work engages with nature, whether she is taking us onto the trail with her or creating the … Read more
3. January Gill O’Neil and Edwina von Gal
September 15, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Poet January Gill O’Neil, author of Glitter Road (CavanKerry Press, 2024) and Edwina von Gal, landscape designer and founder of the Perfect Earth Project.
2. Lisbeth White and Katy Lyness
August 31, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Lisbeth White, poet and author of American Sycamore (Perugia Press, 2022) and Katy Lynness, botanical illustrator.
1. Sati Mookherjee and Kim Rowe
August 23, 2023Listen on Spotify / Listen on iTunes / Listen on Amazon
Poet Sati Mookherjee, author of Ways of Being (Moonpath Press, 2023) and Kim Rowe, NPSNJ Monmouth Chapter leader talks about the Independent Garden Center Initiative.
Kim Correro is producer and co-host of The Wildstory. She is a certified Master Gardener and Rutgers Environmental Steward committed to encouraging others to incorporate sustainable landscape practices into their gardens and greenspaces. Inspired by native plant enthusiasts who are dedicated to preserving the planet’s biodiversity and supports important conservation work being done to protect New Jersey’s native plant species, Correro is involved with The Native Plant Society of New Jersey in multiple ways as a volunteer. She is the co-leader of NPSNJ’s Hudson County Chapter, and is the Director of New Programs, recently creating nature poetry and botanical art classes for membership. Correro also has an active role in planning the yearly conferences for the state and recently joined the Independent Garden Center initiative (IGC) that works to encourage more nurseries to stock native plants. Creating wildlife habitat for urban spaces excites her and she has contributed to many garden projects throughout Hudson County. She is on Instagram @Kimcorrero
Ann E. Wallace, PhD, is host and producer of The Wildstory. She is a member of The Native Plant Society of NJ, for whom she has taught a nature poetry workshop. She is Professor of English at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, NJ, where she specializes in creative writing, illness narratives and trauma studies, and composition and rhetoric. Wallace is a poet and essayist who has written and spoken extensively about her experience with Long COVID for a variety of media outlets. She is the author of three poetry collections: Keeping Room (Nixes Mate, 2026), Days of Grace and Silence: A Chronicle of COVID’s Long Haul (Kelsay Books, 2024), and Counting by Sevens (Main Street Rag, 2019). Although as a cancer survivor, woman with multiple sclerosis, and COVID Longhauler, she focuses on articulating pain and illness, her writing and teaching are informed by her gardener’s disposition—infused with nature, hope, and an appreciation for the life found in unexpected spaces when we slow down and look. Her published creative work and media appearances can be found at AnnWallacePhD.com, and she is on Instagram @annwallace409.
Ask Randi
Randi Eckel, PhD, is the entomologist and president of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. She is a life-long naturalist, lover of nature, and one of the most in-demand speakers across the state of NJ on growing and propagating native plants. Eckel specializes in the interactions between plants and other living things and is known throughout the industry for her lively and engaging lectures and workshops offering interesting, nuanced information on the complex issues facing native plant communities. In 1996 Eckel founded the mail-order native plant nursery, Toadshade Wildflower Farm, a business that catapulted her career to become a top competitor and purveyor in the field of native species.
