KRFC Communities that Work

Enjoy a quick journey into the lives of Wolverines and discover why it’s important to reintroduce them to the Colorado high Country. My guest is Kaitie Schneider Representative of Rockies and Planes for Defenders of Wildlife. She provides a rich overview of Wolverine: habitat, natural history, behaviors , locations and updates on current plans for reintroducing them to Colorado landscapes.  

Explore the complexities of the Wilderness Act and public lands policies. Wilderness watch Executive Director George Nikas and Legislative Director and Analyst Katie Bilodeau discuss the history of the Wilderness Act, current issues surrounding Wilderness designation and threats to these lands. Discover how actions like  cattle grazing, and chain saw use in designated wilderness diminish the intent.  Most of all, learn how you can help protect these environments.

When in-district students need medical assistance, food and/or other resources to successfully obtain an education; Poudre Schools in Fort Collins can help. Through the Medicaid, Outreach and Enrollment Department; folks can get general information, complete application materials and work with a Medicaid Enrollment Specialist to complete a complicated process--efficiently. As the school district mission is to "Educate...Every Child, Every Day;" this department also partners with other local and in-district resources to help families who may require a variety of assets and assistance. 

Family farms are often under pressure due to changing climate and economic conditions. Find out how one multigenerational family farm in northern Colorado has found success as a producer of organic, gluten-free grains. Richard Cox talks with Bryce Hediger, president of Golden Prairie Farms, about the rewards and challenges of organic dry-land farming in the twenty-first century.

Find out how a long time, city-supported bike cooperative operates here in Fort Collins, Colorado. Subtopics include, among other things; repair options, opportunities to serve on the Board of Directors, community outreach programs--such as Bike to Work Day and more. Subtopics include general volunteer and public-oriented opportunities such as Earn-a-Bike, BARS (Bike Retrieval Squad) and Open Shop.

Nelson M. Nones discusses how people are exploited by Generative AI (GenAI) promoters, who use a certain amount of marketing hype and misinformation. As a recognized business strategist, computer industry expert and published author; Nones breaks down, among other things, what GenAI is and how it can work effectively, as well as some negative consequences for this technological advancement. 

John Giordengo explains how healthy ecosystems are models for healthy economies. Concepts include, among other things, ecological and economic restoration as well as agricultural and  ecosystem diversity, influence of scale and disturbance on restoration as well as beneficial competition and resiliency.

We see lots of articles, statistics and rants these days, about the homelessness problem. Being "home challenged," in Fort Collins isn't exactly a "walk in the park". It's a challenge. "Homeward Bound: Rita's Story" features not only current data with regard to the Fort Collins homeless population; but also (and more importantly) a personal conversation with Rita about her experience managing it.

When previous Executive Director Jen Parker came on board, KRFC FM 88.9 Radio was struggling to be heard outside Fort Collins. Within a couple years the station evolved to become an exceptional resource for Colorado musicians. On the website (KRFCFM.ORG) the Community Hub features, among other things; award-winning podcasts for all interests, local resources for volunteering and a variety of events. As well, find out about the rise of KRFC FM 88.9 Radiovision and "Live at Lunch".

Delia Malone Ecologist, and President of Colorado Wild takes us on a journey into the lives of wolves. Discover their history, locations, why they are so important for a healthy ecosystem and much more.

Join us for a 30 min whirlwind tour of this women led, national non- profit organization. We take a deep dive into the history, impacts and projects of this group. Discover what it means to defend public lands in this time of uncertainty.

Richard Cox talks with Meg Dunn of Historic Larimer County, the only historic preservation organization dedicated to protecting historic resources — whether rural or urban, pre-historic to mid-century — throughout the entire county. Meg explains what constitutes an historic property and discusses the economic and other benefits of protecting them, as well as the challenges of doing so. She offers guidance to communities looking to enhance their historic preservation and outlines the education and advocacy work done by Historic Larimer County.

NoCo Foundation President/CEO Kristin Todd, NoCo Engagement Consultant Claire Bouchard and Larimer County United Way President/CEO Joy Sullivan share a key to their agencies' success: collaboration. 

We take a deep dive into the topic of insect biodiversity. Entomologist Tristin Kubick takes us on a journey through the lives of insects, and their relationships with humans,  agriculture and the ecosystem. Discover how these little critters detoxify plant toxins and survive pesticides. As an added bonus we learn the fire fly illumination.

Paul Caputo, executive director of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), discusses the role interpreters play in connecting visitors to important natural, cultural, and historical resources at parks, nature centers, historical sites, aquariums, zoos, and anywhere that people come to learn about places. Interpreters can include people such as guides, docents, and rangers. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, NAI is a nonprofit trade group for interpreters that enhances their career growth and fosters meaningful connections through events, publications, scholarships, professional development, and more.

Natalie Shrewsbury speaks with Zach Hutinson from the organization Audubon Rockies about Colorado and how it fits into the scientific and ecological world of bird migration.Discover some of the birds who will be migrating through Northern Colorado.We discuss why birds migrate; where they come from and tips for creating a migratory bird friendly environment.

Whether you perceive it as ancient religion, spiritual experience or holistic healing practice; Shamanism has been around for hundreds of years. Find out how a modern American woman, Ellen Winner;  learned Shamism in the United States with Michael Harner, PH.D and World Shaman Mojan Rai in Nepal. 

KRFC Communities that Work host Richard Cox has a conversation with Noah Newman, Education and Outreach Coordinator for CoCoRaHS.The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS, is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail, and snow). Trained volunteers use low-cost measurement tools and an interactive website to provide high-quality data for natural resource, education, and research applications. The network originated with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University in 1998 as a result of a devastating flood in Fort Collins the preceding year. It now includes almost 20,000 volunteers in all 50 states, as well as Canada.

Surprising stories of the Insecta:. Take a journey through the natural history and evolution  of the insects with my guest: Entomologist Tristin Kubick. 

One of Betsy Perna's CaW-Favorites from 2024, she interviewed two local, Al-Anon administrative volunteers. Find out what Al-Anon is all about and how it has affected these folks. What is AL-ANON? Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. is a spiritually based organization that helps the families and friends of alcoholics connect and support each other through barrier free meetings, information, and shared experiences. Hear TMF and Linda (anonymity honored!) describe their experiences. 

One of Betsy Perna's CaW-Favorites from 2024, Betsy interviewed Poudre Libraries Staff Members Katie Auman and Angela Kettle. Find out what Poudre Libraries has to offer these days!We’re talking about what our local library system is like these days. New opportunities and services abound.