This week Crosscut published an episode of the podcast series Crosscut Escapes that focused on the shrubsteppe ecosystem of central and eastern Washington State. The shrubsteppe is all the sageland country between the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountain foothills in the eastern part of the state, and is actually just the northern tip of the “Sageland Sea” that runs north-south across the inland western part of the US. While many people see it as a ‘beige blur’ as they drive past on the interstate, it is actually an incredibly rich and diverse ecosystem that is often overlooked—and is imperiled and in need of protection from wildfires, encroaching development etc.

I was thrilled to be able to provide ambient audio sound effects from that special landscape, which is filled with the sounds of songbirds, coyotes, crickets and breezes rustling through the sage and grasses. The podcast also serves as the soft launch for the new film that I’ve been working feverishly on with my colleague Darrin Gunkel for the partnership of Washington Department of Fish & WIldlife and Conservation Northwest. The film is linked to at the bottom of the podcast web page. The big launch and promotion of the film will begin next week!

Thank you to Ted Alvarez and his team for creating an entertaining and informative introduction to the shrubsteppe!