Remembering and Restoring the Oldest South: Bison traces, salt licks, the nation’s rarest plants, and the role of fire in creating life, with Kyle Lybarger | Episode 6

In this episode of Carrying the Fire, Hal Herring sits down with Kyle Lybarger, founder of the Native Habitat Project, to talk about prescribed fire, forgotten landscapes, and the secret plant world hiding in plain sight. From a controlled burn that turned into an all-out firefighting effort to rediscovering "extirpated" native plants right in his own backyard, Kyle shares how curiosity, grit, and personal loss shaped his relationship with the southern outdoors. We dive into the concept of "plant blindness," trace 19th-century bison licks across North Alabama, explore how plants - and one of the richest grassland complexes in the world -  co-evolved with fire, and discuss why preserving and restoring these vibrant ecosystems is critical for the health and well-being of the next generations. Books & Historical Literature Mentioned Early Settlers of Alabama by James Edmonds Saunders Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies: Providence Canyon and the Soils of the South by Paul S. Sutter Smarter Every Day YouTube Channel with Destin Sandlin Ep. 331: Backwoods University - Bison East of The Mississippi with Lake Pickle, featuring Jeremy French.  Dwayne Estes with Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) Videos and Podcast Carrying the Fire Episode 3 with Jeremy French and Dwayne Estes Southeastern Grasslands Institute YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices