Good Nature with Megan Leslie

What happens when the place you call home, a place that has stayed the same for centuries, suddenly starts changing?

In this episode of Good Nature, host Megan Leslie sits down with former Nunavut premier and Arctic conservation activist Paul Okalik. They discuss his Baffin Island upbringing in Pangnirtung, the creation of Nunavut, and why Inuit need a meaningful say in decisions about their lands and waters — especially when it comes to the climate-fuelled onslaught of industrial activities that could change them for good.

Megan also calls up WWF-Canada soil expert Cathal Doherty to make the case that being a good gardener is really about taking care of what lies beneath.

To stay up to date on what’s going on at WWF-Canada, sign up for Living Planet News: https://wwf.ca/signup-for-living-planet-news/

Tell us something good, suggest a guest or ask a question by emailing us at goodnature@wwfcanada.org

Or leave Megan a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/wwfgoodnature

This conversation was recorded on June 19, 2026, before the sharp spike in wildfires currently impacting communities across Canada, including in B.C.'s central Interior, where Joe lives. 

Did you know that one of the best tools for fighting wildfires…is fire?

2026 has been another historic year for the spread of wildfires in Canada. In part 2 of our miniseries on unexpected solutions to climate impacts, Megan digs into one of the oldest tools we have for fighting wildfires: cultural burning. 

Megan sits down with Joe Gilchrist, firekeeper for the Skeetchestn Indian Band and member of the Secwépemc Nation, about the Indigenous practice of cultural burning—the historic practice of using carefully planned, low-intensity fires to restore ecosystems and reduce wildfire risk. Megan and Joe discuss how and why these practices were suppressed for generations, what we've lost as a result, and why bringing Indigenous fire stewardship back could help build a safer, more resilient future.

Plus, WWF-Canada botanist Ryan Godfrey shares an exciting new kelp restoration project that's helping revive coastal ecosystems on Canada's Pacific coast.

To stay up to date on what’s going on at WWF-Canada, sign up for Living Planet News: https://wwf.ca/signup-for-living-planet-news/

Tell us something good, suggest a guest or ask a question by emailing us at goodnature@wwfcanada.org

Or leave Megan a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/wwfgoodnature

When most of us think about flood protection, we imagine storm drains or levees and dams. But what if the real answer is in the trees we plant, and where we choose to plant them?

On this episode of Good Nature, host Megan Leslie is joined by Donnie MacPhee, formerly of Canada's National Tree Seed Centre. He makes the case for the bur oak, a deep-rooted "super tree" built to withstand both floods and drought. Donnie and Megan talk seed shortages, Indigenous-led restoration partnerships and why protecting genetic diversity matters as much for trees as it does for endangered wildlife.

Plus, soil specialist Cathal Doherty gets on the orca phone with Megan to bust a myth about the dreary reputation of wetlands — with a little help from our friend Shrek.

WWF-Canada is helping to restore our forests by funding seed orchards across Canada. Learn more here: https://wwf.ca/seed-orchards/

Learn more about the National Tree Seed Centre: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/science-data/science-research/research-centres/national-tree-seed-centre

To stay up to date on what’s going on at WWF-Canada, sign up for Living Planet News: https://wwf.ca/signup-for-living-planet-news/

Tell us something good, suggest a guest or ask a question by emailing us at goodnature@wwfcanada.org

Or leave Megan a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/wwfgoodnature

Conservation isn’t just about protecting habitat. It’s also about bringing damaged ecosystems back to life.

In this episode of Good Nature, host Megan Leslie sits down with WWF-Canada's Vice President of Restoration and Regeneration, Elizabeth (Liz) Hendriks, to explore what restoration really means. Spoiler: it's much more than planting trees.

From restoring rivers so salmon can return home to rebuilding coastal eelgrass meadows that protect communities from storms, Liz explains how healthy ecosystems benefit both wildlife and people. She also shares why restoration is ultimately about relationships, and why everyone has a role to play, whether you're planting native flowers on your balcony or leading a large-scale conservation project.

Finally, WWF-Canada botanist Ryan Godfrey stops by to share the remarkable story of the zebra swallowtail butterfly, which was spotted in Toronto last year for the first time in more than a century!

Check out our other podcast, This Is Wild, to learn more about habitat restoration and native plants: https://wwf.ca/this-is-wild/

Learn more about Mission Restoration: https://wwf.ca/mission-restoration/

To stay up to date on what’s going on at WWF-Canada, sign up for Living Planet News: https://wwf.ca/signup-for-living-planet-news/

Tell us something good, suggest a guest or ask a question by emailing us at goodnature@wwfcanada.org

Or leave Megan a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/wwfgoodnature

Most of us never think twice about the names of birds. But across North America, more than 150 bird species are named after historical figures, including colonizers, enslavers, and people who promoted racist pseudoscience.

On this episode, Megan Leslie sits down with filmmaker and environmental journalist Aliya Jasmine to talk about her new short film, Bird Names, which explores the movement to change the names of these birds and the reasons why a simple change in language might have a much bigger impact than people realize.

Aliya and Megan talk about the merits of renaming (or “unnaming”) these beautiful birds, as well as the importance of making conservation spaces more welcoming and inclusive for all different kinds of people. Plus, if there was an Aliya Jasmine bird, what would it sound like?

Finally, WWF-Canada community engagement specialist Kathy Nguyen pops in to share a nature hot take about how small a habitat can really be. 

Watch Aliya’s short film, Bird Names, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL4lCBPWUbs

To stay up to date on what’s going on at WWF-Canada, sign up for Living Planet News: https://wwf.ca/signup-for-living-planet-news/

Tell us something good, suggest a guest or ask a question by emailing us at goodnature@wwfcanada.org

Or leave Megan a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/wwfgoodnature