Think of the acres, the running miles under power lines that connect us all to the electricity we want and need. Now see, under these lines, vibrant habitat: running corridors of native plants growing food and reproductive cover for beneficial insects, birds, and more. This kind of land-use transformation is real.

Wires Over Wildlife, a cost-share and expert-advisory program, works with utilities and owners of power line rights-of-ways from our Missouri Department of Conservation. Jason Jensen, Private Lands Conservation Unit Chief, leads a team of MDC experts in negotiating WOW agreements and supporting WOW partners in making these management changes work. 

MDC has negotiated the first WOW agreement with a rural electric cooperative, Grundy Electric Coop. Jensen talks with Earthworms host Jean Ponzi about how this kind of agreement works, why this first coop agreement is significant, and how ecological management can save money, decrease chemical use and mowing, and restore the biodiversity bloom to power line rights-of-way across our state.

Jensen is also on the statewide Feral Hog task force. Hear how MDC is working to tackle this major invasive species issue. 

THANKS to Earthworms engineers: Andy Heaslet, Jon Valley and Andy Coco. Virtual podcasting takes a team!

Related Earthworms Conversations:
Biodiversity for Corporate Lands? (May 2020)

Richard Louv: Our Wild Calling (Oct 2019)

Songbirds injured or orphaned in Missouri have one source of human help: Wild Bird Rehabilitation, a focused, modest, resourceful non-profit nesting in suburban Overland MO.        

Joe Hoffman, Executive Director of Wild Bird, returns to Earthworms with an update from their 38 years of dedicated work, plus a basket of noisy Chimney Swifts, a surrogate nest of Song Sparrows, and some musical chirping with his backpack guitar.

This fall, as a fund-raiser, Wild Bird will make four CDs of songs Joe and fellow bird-champions have composed and recorded, for free online download, for two months. Get their eNews to get details for music access. Fun tunes for kids, families and enviro-messaging. Music from Joe's band The Raptor Project was a favorite Earthworms element over our years live on-air. The KDHX Sound Cloud holds a clutch of these tunes.

In addition to primary healing services for the birds, Wild Bird Rehab offers

• Seasoned advice for well-meaning folk thinking they should help a bird they "find" 
• Volunteer opportunities, including plenty of ongoing need for fielding "help" calls, a job you can contribute remotely!
• Resources from other groups helping wildlife
• Ways to support the work of Wild Bird Rehabilitation

THANKS to Earthworms flock of engineers: Andy Coco, Andy Heaslet, Jon Valley

Related Earthworms Conversations: Bluebirds! (June 2019)
Nature's Best Hope? Ecologist Doug Tallamy says WE ARE (Feb 2020)

Eagle Days, Raptor Ways with World Bird Sanctuary (Jan 2020)

Keeping Geese with Kirsten Lie-Nielsen (Nov 2017) 

A Tribute to St. Louis' Legendary Bird Man, Walter Crawford (July 2015)