Outside/In: Of Hooting Bears and Agroforestry

In this episode, we open up the Outside/In mailbag to answer all of your burning questions: a query about the impacts of wildlife smoke on bird migration; a long-smoldering family debate over whether or not bears can hoot; and, perhaps, stamping out the fire in the gas furnace heating your home.

Question 1: What home heating system is best for the climate?

Question 2: Is wildfire smoke impacting bird migration?

Question 3: Do bears hoot?

Question 4: Are farmers practicing agroforestry in New England?

Featuring: Nate (The House Whisperer) Adams, Emily Mottram, Joe Lajewski, Olivia Sanderfoot, Anni Yang, Dave Mance III, Andy Timmins, David Telesco, Kate MacFarland, Meghan Giroux.

1 of 7

Heat pump outdoor unit

Kristoferb / Creative Commons

2 of 7  — Wildfire Smoke in Joshua Tree National Park

Wildfire Smoke in Joshua Tree National Park

Emily Hassell / NPS

3 of 7  — california brown pelicans

California brown pelicans overwintering at Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge.

Roy W. Lowe / USFWS

4 of 7  — black bear lounging

Black bear lounging

Jitze Couperus / https://bit.ly/2ZBUzQJ

5 of 7  — Barred Owl

Barred Owl

Rodney Campbell / https://bit.ly/3GvSJla

6 of 7  — Silvopasture_Agroforestry0405.psd

Permission granted by Richard Straight, USDA Forest Service, National Agroforestry Center SILVOPASTURE SYSTEMS. Trees can be combined with livestock and pasture. The trees can be managed for timber and other tree crops while at the same time provide shade and shelter for livestock.

Richard Straight / https://forest-atlas.fs.fed.us/benefits-agroforestry.html

7 of 7  — littleleaf linden

The flowers of the littleleaf linden tree are known for their creamy fragrance, and are often dried for tea.

Dinesh Valke / Flickr

If you’ve got a question for the Outside/In[box] hotline, give us a call! We’re always looking for rabbit holes to dive down into. Leave us a voicemail at: 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). Don’t forget to leave a number so we can call you back.