Oceanography

Voices from BelémCOP30 brought global climate negotiations to Belém, a city where the Amazon meets the sea. This episode offers a grounded introduction to the conference by centering the people who live there. Activist Catarina Nefertari and artist and event producer Danilo Pontes share what the event meant for their communities, the environmental challenges facing Pará, and how local experiences shape the wider climate conversation. This is the first part of a three-episode COP30 series, providing essential context on the host city before turning to ocean science and international negotiation dynamics in the episodes ahead.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Guests: Catarina Nefertari and Danilo PontesLearn more about Amazônia de Pé, Our Kid’s Climate, and Laboratório da Cidade. Find Danilo’s artistic portfolio hereEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dive into the ocean’s rainforests and how to save them. This episode explores the science and hope behind seaforestation—the restoration of underwater kelp forests that sustain marine life, capture carbon, and protect our coasts. Joined by Scott Bohachyk of OceanWise and James LaFlamme of the Tseshaht First Nation, Clark uncovers how innovative science and Indigenous stewardship are teaming up to revive ecosystems once lost to warming seas and urchin barrens. From growing “baby kelp” to rebalancing ocean food webs, this episode reveals how kelp could be a key climate ally. Discover what’s being done, what’s at stake, and why restoring these underwater rainforests might just help heal the planet.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalSpecial thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.Episode Guests: Scott Bohachyk and James LaFlammeFind more about OceanWise and the SeaForestation ProjectVisit the website of the Tseshaht First NationThe cause of wasting disease, discovered by the Hakai Research InstitueEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Film sparks action: from screens to shorelines.In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese talks with Julie Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Plastic Oceans International, about the Trees & Seas Film Festival and its “participatory film activism” model. We explore how curated films connect to on-the-ground efforts in global Blue Communities, turning awareness into cleanups, tree plantings, and policy conversations. Julie traces her path from witnessing a nurdle spill to building the SEE Positive Change film library, and we dig into timely themes—microplastics, ecotourism pressures, and how environmental stress can drive migration. Hear favorites like The Illusion of Abundance and House by the Sea, and learn how storytelling done locally and shared globally reframes who has the power to make change.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Guest. Julie AndersonFind more about Plastic Oceans International and the Blue Communities hereLearn more about the Trees & Seas Film Festival hereAccess the SEE Positive Change film library here More on The Illusion of Abundance hereEpisode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turn seawater into a species map. In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese talks with OceanOmics director Dr. Michael Bunce about how eDNA (environmental DNA), DNA barcoding, and genomics reveal what’s living in the ocean—from microbes to megafauna—using just a few liters of water. We follow the journey from deck to lab, then into powerful, human-friendly AI dashboards that translate massive datasets into decisions about fisheries, marine protected areas, water quality, and climate resilience. We also explore citizen science with easy eDNA kits and how these data help detect invasive species and track ecosystem health over time. If you’re curious how OceanOmics is transforming biodiversity monitoring into actionable ocean intelligence, this conversation is your field guide.Episode Guest. Dr. Michael BunceFind all Dr. Bunce’s publications on Google ScholarLearn more on the OceanOmics webpage and explore the OceanOmics DashboardDiscover the work of the Minderoo Foundation on their website and on InstagramListen to the other PFM interview with a team of Minderoo scientists on the impacts of plastic on human health Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antarctica’s Hidden Carbon Vault — Beneath the icy surface of the Southern Ocean lies a powerful ally in the fight against climate change: Antarctic blue carbon. In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese speaks with marine ecologist Dr. Narissa Bax about how deep-sea coral gardens, sponge fields, and seafloor ecosystems around Antarctica are quietly locking away carbon for thousands of years. Together, they unpack what makes Antarctic blue carbon different from coastal mangroves or seagrass, how climate change and global treaties shape its protection, and why these frozen carbon stores may hold a rare note of optimism for our warming world.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Find Dr. Narissa Bax website here. Read Dr Bax’s publication: The Growing Potential of Antarctic Blue CarbonFind all Dr. Bax’s publications on Google ScholarCover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.