The great outdoors isn't just a backdrop for American life — it actively shapes how we live and what we value. This summer, the American Storytelling Collection features four podcasts from across the NPR Network, from the Great Lakes to the Rocky Mountains. These narrative series track how land, water, and wildlife form our deep sense of belonging.
Nature tests our limits, sharpens our sense of independence, and reminds us of our responsibility to one another and the world around us.
Beyond The Shore, Michigan Public
The Great Lakes of Michigan contain about 20 percent of the entire world's surface fresh water, so they're a crucial resource for Michiganders, but climate change is expected to make the region an even more desirable location for people to relocate to. In each episode, five in total, hosts Rebecca Williams, Dustin Dwyer, Kate Furby, Jodi Westrick attempt to answer a question with an environmental tie about what makes each Great Lake so great — to appeal to people who live outside the region and people who live in Michigan but might not know what makes each lake so unique.
How Wild, KALW
Hit the trails around the country and explore the meaning of wilderness. A century ago, the U.S. set aside the first official wilderness. With host Marissa Ortega-Welch as your guide, hear stories from rangers, scientists, hikers, environmentalists, and Tribal leaders as they grapple with the realities of wilderness on a changing planet, and whether the concept of "wilderness" has ever really existed.
Howl, Boise State Public Radio and Idaho Capital Sun
In 1995, wolves had been eradicated from the Western U.S. That's when the Federal Government undertook its most ambitious, controversial wildlife project yet: bring wolves back to the Rocky Mountains. Thousands of wolves now roam across eight Western states. But a new war on wolves is brewing, threatening to turn back the clock to the bad old days of the Old West. Host Heath Druzin and reporter Clark Corbin take listeners on an immersive journey into wolf country, tracking 30 years of wolf reintroduction in the U.S.
Terra Firma, Colorado Public Radio
Become immersed in the sounds of the natural world and contemplate our place in it. Each episode runs about 5-10 minutes and pairs reflections on nature with gorgeous soundscapes captured in wild places. Terra Firma unites stories and musings by CMarie Fuhrman, a Colorado-born, Indigenous poet and writer, with audio captured by outdoor sound recordist Jacob Job.
The American Storytelling Collection is available on the NPR App and Apple Podcasts.
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