Podcast · Tech & Science

Waterlands

by Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust · English · Tech & Science

Immerse yourself in the sounds of the riverbank, crashing tides, wild marshes filled with birds and the underwater sounds of the humble pond as we bring to life our incredible wetlands - and reveal their power to shape our future for the better. Join zoologist and wildlife presenter Megan McCubbin a

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 24 min
Latest: 14 Nov 2024
Language: English

Latest episode

14 Nov 2024 · 26 min

Eels and Estuaries

Where does a river become sea? And where do eels live? In this episode of Waterlands, Megan McCubbin takes us to the Severn estuary – one of the most dynamic estuarine systems in the world and also one of the most important for wildlife in Britain, in search of eels. Joining her on this quest, are three eel fanatics, who have come to know and love this slippery fish from three different perspectives. Michael Malay is an academic and author, whose book about migration and belonging, Late Lights, recalls the first time he held an elver in his hand. He is drawn to estuaries and stories of…

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Earlier episodes 20 most recent

S3 · E5 · 31 Oct 2024 · 24 min
Rivers and Birds
Amid all the wonderful wildlife that is attracted to rivers, birds are some of the most spectacular. In this episode of Waterlands, Megan McCubbin hears stories of birding and freedom, kingfishers and kittiwakes. David Lindo, aka the Urban Birder, “hit the wall” a couple of times in a gardenless flat in Spain during lockdown. He shares how he sought out a river as soon as the restrictions were lifted, and was brought to tears by the sight and sound of nightingales and Cetti’s warblers. The sound-recordist Chris Watson takes a bus into town to visit the very noisy, furthest inland colony of…
S3 · E4 · 17 Oct 2024 · 27 min
Weeds, Reeds and Healthy Streams
Have you ever wondered whether you could look at the plants and animals in a river and tell how healthy it is? In this episode of Waterlands, Megan McCubbin invites us on a journey to a sparkling clear chalk stream, where warblers sing and water crowfoot blooms – the River Wylye in Wiltshire. She’s joined by someone who has spent 45 years working in river conservation and still loves every second; Andy Thomas, Conservation Officer at the Wild Trout Trust, who explains the different life that can be found in the many different habitats of a healthy river, from reeds in the margins to larvae…
S3 · E3 · 3 Oct 2024 · 26 min
River Rambling
There is little more grounding than walking along a river. Scientists have shown that spending time near bodies of water, particularly while exercising, can boost your overall health and mood. In this episode of Waterlands, Megan McCubbin takes us on a journey to a remote and secret river in rural Wales followed by a city centre river in Cardiff. Three different river walkers explain why they do it and how it has changed their life. First up, television presenter (and president of WWT) Kate Humble shares her very special walk home with her trusty companion Teg, from the source of the River…
S3 · E2 · 19 Sep 2024 · 23 min
Rivers and People: A dance across time and space
We are all drawn to the beauty and power of rivers, but have you ever wondered how they have changed us? Or how we have changed them? In this episode, Megan McCubbin takes us to Devon, to meet the river poet Alice Oswald by her ‘pretty little stream’, the Torridge. Writers and artists through the ages have been drawn to the beauty and power of rivers, and Alice is no exception. The river was a paradise throughout her childhood; a place for skimming stones, catching (and setting-free) minnows and escaping to another reality. She believes we are drawn to the wildness and otherness, as well as…
S3 · E1 · 5 Sep 2024 · 29 min
Bouncing Bogs: At the source of a river
Have you ever stood beside a river and imagined where it all begins? In this episode of Waterlands, Megan McCubbin takes us to the Flow Country in Scotland, home to the world’s largest expanse of blanket bog, where water seeps slowly through a maze of pools before feeding rivers like the Thurso. Joined by someone who’s spent a lot of time in this ecosystem, Millie Revel Hayward, Megan explores this fascinating and fluid landscape, discovering how the bog acts like a sponge, absorbing rain and releasing pure water into the ecosystem. As they bounce on the waterlogged land, like a natural…
S3 · 3 Sep 2024 · 2 min
Introducing Series 3....Rivers
Waterlands is back for a third series. Hosted by Megan McCubbin, zoologist, conservationist and Springwatch presenter, join her as she takes you on a journey exploring the UK’s vibrant rivers. The series will unveil the vital interplay between our waterways and the life they support. Beyond literally travelling down rivers across the UK, this series also navigates the rich history and crucial roles that rivers play in maintaining balance in the environment and shaping human culture. Megan and her guests will cover all aspects of rivers, from explaining how they are formed to highlighting…
S2 · E6 · 26 Oct 2023 · 32 min
What Lurks Beneath...A Halloween Special
Have you ever peered into the blackness of a pond at night and wondered what lurks beneath? Come with us and find out in this special, spooky, episode! From creatures with unimaginably strange bodies that could be straight out of a sci-fi movie, to the bizarre upside-down swimming water boatmen - life in a pond can be brutal. It really is the world of eat, or be eaten. Like lots of other habitats, as dark falls, ponds turn other-worldy, yet often we don’t get to experience them. In this episode we’ll show you that there’s lots for us to see, and hear, that we can only experience at…
S2 · E5 · 12 Oct 2023 · 29 min
Puddles of wonder
When is a pond not a pond? Well, when it’s a puddle! When you think of a puddle, children jumping around in their wellies may be one of the first things that come to mind. But there are some types of pond which really have more in common with a puddle, they come and go, they’re wet, then they dry up. They’re known as ephemeral ponds, and in this episode Megan McCubbin heads back to where she grew up, the New Forest to hear their magical story. The mysterious temporary ponds we’re visiting are even more important because they’re one of the only places in the UK that are home to some very…
S2 · E4 · 28 Sep 2023 · 33 min
Watching (and waiting) for Watervoles
They’re one of our most precious but sadly most threatened species in the UK. So, how can ponds help sustain this wonderful species and why do we need to help them thrive? We’ve donned our binoculars for this episode as we celebrate the wonder of watching wildlife and go in search of the illusive watervole. Some of Megan McCubbin’s earliest memories were down at a local pond, waiting to catch a glimpse of it’s wildlife and remembers hearing a watervole’s distinctive ‘plop’ for the very first time. We meet Jo Cartmell in a favourite spot next to her village pond to hear about how she’s…
S2 · E3 · 14 Sep 2023 · 27 min
Ripple effects: people and ponds
Water has a way of calming us “it just does something to us” says Nadeem Perera...but it can also bring us together. In this episode Megan McCubbin explores the abundant pond life of Cody Dock in East London, which not only attracts the likes of Reed Warblers and Sticklebacks but members of the local community who have all helped transform and shape the area into a rich haven. We also join co-founder and nature activist Nadeem Perera next to one of his favourite slices of nature, right in the heart of Bristol. He tells us how an encounter with a crow near a pond in the heart of his community…
S2 · E2 · 31 Aug 2023 · 28 min
Ponds and potatoes
In years gone by a walk through farmland wouldn’t be complete without passing a pond or two. But sadly they’re increasingly rare on farms, but why? In this episode we head down to the farm to find out more about why rather than filling them in, farmers are now understanding the benefits that ponds can have in creating biodiversity. Riverford in Devon is one of the UK’s most well known organic farms and they’re bringing new life to the land, such as helping to provide homes for hungry toads, who are keeping the slugs off your lettuces. Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson tells us all about it…
S2 · E1 · 17 Aug 2023 · 27 min
The remarkable garden pond
When you think of ponds, do you think of the dizzying array of creatures that live within them? More than tadpoles and dragonflies, the humble pond is vital to entire ecosystems, and a small garden pond often supports more biodiversity than even a lake or river. And the best thing is – we’re never far from one. Whether it’s a bucket on an urban balcony or a mighty farm pond filled with amphibians and insects, these mini-wetlands can offer huge benefits to wildlife as well as our own wellbeing. In this episode we travel to Henry Slator’s garden pond in Devon to learn how it’s tranquillity and…
S2 · 11 Aug 2023 · 1 min
Series 2 'Pondlife' with Megan McCubbin ...Coming soon!
Join zoologist and wildlife presenter Megan McCubbin for a brand new series of Waterlands as she explores the wonders of the seemingly humble pond, home to a dizzying array of species. Whether it’s a bucket on an urban balcony or a mighty farm pond filled with amphibians and insects, this series of the podcast dives in to show us how these mini-wetlands sustain wildlife as well as our own wellbeing. You'll never look at a pond in the same way again!
S1 · E6 · 1 Dec 2022 · 21 min
A watery future
For our final episode, we’re peering into the depths of some mysterious local ponds with a hydrophone, discovering how the ghosts of wetlands past can lead us towards a more hopeful trajectory for living with water. With nearly all of our wetlands gone since the Roman times, we hear the story of how they disappeared so drastically, reaching back to a time when Britain was a wild, wet landscape and King Alfred hid from Vikings in the Somerset marshes. Holding onto the little that remains, we ask, what is the radical potential of wetlands today? Featuring: Jack Greenhalgh (Bristol University…
S1 · E5 · 17 Nov 2022 · 18 min
Fighting water with water (Flooding)
The ebb and flow of the waters that cover our lands is one of nature's well-known phenomenons, defining our yearly cycles and driving life on earth. But these cycles are being thrown out of balance, with devastating effects. On this episode, we explore the history of flooding in Britain — is what we’re experiencing now unique, or has it all happened before? We go to a special place in Somerset where water has been allowed to take over the landscape, as it did in the past. And we meet someone whose home was flooded, and hear how that experience led her to some profound truths about climate…
S1 · E4 · 3 Nov 2022 · 20 min
Mangroves, Marshes and the Climate Emergency
Around the world, we're witnessing the increasingly extreme impacts of climate change and global warming. Floods, landslides, tsunamis, storms, heatwaves and droughts are all becoming more frequent and more intense. When disaster strikes, it usually manifests itself through water. But can water also be part of the solution to solving the climate crisis? To find out, we’re spending time in the lush swamps of Madagascar's mangroves and the wild beauty of our British Estuaries. Along the way, we’ll ask how a mere trillion dollars could help the cause. Featuring: Leah Glass (Blue Ventures,…
S1 · E3 · 20 Oct 2022 · 19 min
The Mermaid and the quest for cleaner water
We meet ‘the mermaid swimmer’, Lindsey Cole, at Conham River Park in Bristol. While travelling the River Avon to raise awareness of plastic pollution, she ran afoul – literally – of another issue, when she suddenly fell very ill, poisoned by sewage. We learn more about why, exactly, our waterways are such a mess and head to Gloucestershire to look at an ingenious human-made wetland on the banks of the Severn. We discover how special places like these can protect us from some of the nastiest bugs that make their way into our water, all through the power of nature. Featuring: Lindsey Cole, Dan…
S1 · E2 · 6 Oct 2022 · 21 min
Feeling Blue
Why is it that being close to water makes us feel so much better? We travel to the water’s edge to understand more, meeting people whose lives have been profoundly changed by its effects. We hear from experts in nature prescribing who offer practical tips for improving our wellbeing, and we learn about the emerging science that reveals just how essential water is for our minds as well as our bodies. Featuring: Fashion designer Savannah Miller and Sarah Guise (The Rewild Swim Club), Dr. Lewis Elliott and Dr Jo Garrett (European Centre for the Environment and Human Health), Will Freeman…
S1 · E1 · 22 Sep 2022 · 23 min
Water on Our Doorstep
Humans are now officially an urban species, with over half of us living in cities. But how are urban centres and wetlands intertwined? And why should we continue to strive for a closer connection with the water on our doorstep? We travel to London Wetland Centre, in the shadow of Heathrow Airport, to find out what impact these small but vital pockets of wetland have on our collective health. Featuring Kwesia (City Girl in Nature), Beth Collier (psychotherapist, Wild in The City), Nick Oliver (Engagement Manager, WWT) and Tom Ash (Policy and Advocacy Officer, WWT). Presented by Roxy Furman.…
15 Aug 2022 · 1 min
Introducing...Waterlands
Coming 13th September 2022. Introducing Waterlands, a brand new series from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Immerse yourself in the sounds of the riverbank, crashing tides, wild marshes filled with birds and the underwater sounds of the humble pond. Waterlands takes you on a journey around our incredible wetlands here in the UK - and reveals their power to shape our future for the better. Through personal stories and intriguing interviews, join Roxy Furman, as she explore the wonders of our watery worlds.

About Waterlands

Waterlands is a English tech & science podcast from Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 24 min
Latest episode: 14 Nov 2024
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1639907069
Rights: Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, 2024

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