New podcast tells local climate change stories

LIBERTYVILLE – “Words of the Woods,” the Lake County Forest Preserves’ award-winning podcast about nature and history, debuted its third season Dec. 4.

It’s available on all major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify: LCFPD.org/podcast.

This season focuses on climate change.

“It’s a global issue, yet many of its effects are local. Fortunately, so are opportunities to help mitigate and prevent it,” said podcast host Brett Peto, environmental communications specialist at the Forest Preserves.

Over nine episodes, Peto explores how climate change affects the forest preserves. How wildlife and plants may be adapting. And what the Forest Preserves as an agency is doing to make Lake County more climate resilient.

Episodes are released weekly through mid-February.

“I think many people are used to stories about climate change that take a global perspective. They talk about whole countries, continents and the entire planet. That’s useful but it can also be paralyzing,” said Peto, who has worked for the Forest Preserves for seven years. “For this season, I want to tell local stories about climate change that look at Lake County. Each episode is anchored by real places that people can visit.”

The show is a result of three years of reporting and interviews with Forest Preserves experts as well as Illinois State Climatologist Dr. Trent Ford.

Narrated in a warm, friendly style, the episodes transport listeners to forest preserves across Lake County.

“These precious open spaces are not only experiencing the effects of climate change. They’re also mitigating rising air temperatures, absorbing stormwater from more intense rains, taking pollution out of the air and so on,” said Peto, an Elmhurst University graduate. “Natural areas close to home are worth protecting and praising for many reasons, but these could be the most important.”