Street-Smart Naturalist

About this program

For award-winning natural history writer David B. Williams, to be connected to a place you need to pause and look deeply at, is a true passion. The Street Smart Naturalist program is Williams’ delightful journey of discovery in this city where not only is nature all around, it’s also written in the stones of the urban landscape. Explore the geologic history of glaciers, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes as well as the ways humans shape the Seattle topography. From backyards to downtown, watch for coyotes, crows, seals, otters, owls, and so much more wildlife who also call the region home. Look up at the buildings to find terra cotta eagles, stone that traveled over millions of years from Asia to the San Juan Islands, and clues to the horses who used to power the city’s transportation network. Wrap your arms around a giant Douglas-fir, appreciate the unsung yet remarkable skunk cabbage, stop and listen to the spring chorus of frogs. All this and more will be featured on the Street-Smart Naturalist.

Thanks to SPACE 101.1 volunteer Jeremy Shaskus for recording and editing these episodes.

About the DJ

Raised in Seattle, David B. Williams is a writer, naturalist, and tour guide. For the past 28 years, his writing has tried to weave together the history and nature of place. He has done this through a variety of award winning books, including Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound, Too High and Too Steep: Reshaping Seattle’s Topography, and Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City. This program is based on his newsletter the Street Smart Naturalist. Every week, he explores the landscape of Seattle and its surroundings and shares ideas, stories, and observations, ultimately hoping that he encourages people to get outside, observe, and pay attention. His most recent book, Wild in Seattle: Stories at the Crossroads of People and Nature, contains 45 of his newsletters, paired with watercolors by artist Elizabeth Person.