S6E1: Don’t Maximize Carbon; Maximize Life with Thomas Crowther of Crowther Lab & Restor

Thomas Crowther returns to the Internet of Nature Podcast to open Season 6 with a simple provocation: don’t maximize carbon—maximize life. We revisit the whirlwind after the “trillion trees” paper, the shift from monoculture planting to restoring Indigenous-led, locally stewarded ecosystems, and why climate action should feel joyful, not joyless. Tom shows how Restor lets anyone map a garden, pocket park, or farm—and why tens of thousands of urban projects already do. Plus: Costa Rica’s national bioacoustics study (soundscapes ~86% back toward intact forest), music that echoes nature, health links, policy lessons, and an update on his new Branch Foundation.