WTF is TFC?

FromOutside/In

Start listening View podcast show

WTF is TFC?

FromOutside/In

ratings:

Length:

25 minutes

Released:

Aug 18, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

When you walk a trail in the woods, have you ever wondered, how did this get here? Who carved this path? Was this stone staircase always like this? Nope. Chances are a team of hardscrabble men and women worked tirelessly to make sure the paths you follow blend right into the landscape. In this story, we find out why one such trail crew, known as the 'TFC', is the stuff of legend.

Released:

Aug 18, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

A show about the natural world and how we use it. We explore science, energy, environmentalism, and reflections on how we think about and depict nature, and always leave time for plenty of goofing off. Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio. Learn more at outsideinradio.org

Skip carousel

When the Cat's Away, The Mice Will Play: The producers commandeer the show while host Sam Evans-Brown is on a much-needed vacation. They sail into weird territory almost immediately. Note: Sam will be back with a new, normal episode right after Labor Day. by Outside/In
10 min listen
Trailer: What is Outside/In?: Introducing our new podcast about the outside world and how we use it. Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio by Outside/In
2 min listen
Gridlocked: We're gonna give it to you straight. This story is Sam's white whale. For years, the electrical grid has called to him like a siren, and lead him down a treacherous path of unintelligible tech jargon, mind-numbing energy reports, unfinished radio stories, and lots of mixed metaphors. But out of the ashes, the story of Boothbay, Maine rose like a Phoenix...or perhaps it was cobbled into existence, like Frankenstein. Either way, this is a story about the electrical grid, and it's darned interesting. Sam has slayed the beast. by Outside/In
22 min listen
Smashing Pumpkins-The Gourd That Changed A Town: In the early '90s Keene, New Hampshire created a pumpkin festival to bring the community together, but after 24 years the quaint festival tore the town apart. by Outside/In
23 min listen
Anothah Boston Cheat: Ari Ofsevit is a guy from Boston fueled by an intense, nerdy love for sports. The day after running this year’s Boston Marathon, his face was all over the cover of the Boston Globe and on all of the network news channels, but on the internet, people were accusing him of cheating. This is Ari’s story. by Outside/In
20 min listen
The Moose Whisperer: In 2015 about 2,700 of the 50,000 people who applied will receive a moose hunting permit. If you're one of the lucky ones who has waited 20 years for this moment, you're going to want an expert on your team. You're going to want a moose whisperer. by Outside/In
15 min listen
HumaNature - Hoofprints on the Heart: This week on the show we’re bringing you something a little different, a story from someone else. Caroline Ballard and Micah Schweizer started HumaNature, which is based in Wyoming, and they’re part of the team responsible for bringing us the story of a man, his walk through an unfamiliar culture and an unexpected friendship, in a couple of different ways. by Outside/In
23 min listen
Up Against the Ropes: The “Save the Whales” movement of the 1970’s was instrumental in putting a stop to commercial whaling. But even as humpbacks and other whale populations have bounced back, one species is still up against the ropes. Literally. In this story, Sam tackles the problem of whale entanglement - and discovers that proposed solutions include crossbows, Australian lobsters, and Chinese finger traps. by Outside/In
28 min listen
Champagne on the Rocks: This past summer, Scott Jurek set a new record for running the 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail. But on his triumphant day atop the last mountain in Northern Maine, his 21st century campaign for the trail's record ran afoul of a park founded on ideas about wilderness from a decidedly earlier time. Photo credit: "The Shared Experience" via Creative Commons BIT.LY/23A9KSV by Outside/In
18 min listen
Ask Sam | Syrup-titious: Two listeners, two very different questions for Sam. Can you 'taste' which state maple syrup comes from & why do dogs spend so much time deciding where to go #2? by Outside/In
22 min listen
Parenting At 24,000 Feet: For alpinist Ben Clark, scaling the world's toughest montains was a source of pride and accomplishment, for his parents it was a source of constant worry. After learning to live with their son's adventurous streak, Ben decided to quit mountaineering altogether. Why? The answer may surprise you. by Outside/In
19 min listen
What's the Deal with Coydogs?: This canine can be found all the way from Panama to Alaska, and shows no sign of going away anytime soon. But what are they? In this episode from Brave Little State, a podcast made next door in Vermont, we get some answers. by Outside/In
18 min listen
Tiny Terror: A mini-episode about the world's cutest predator. by Outside/In
8 min listen
The Kiwi Apocalypse: Or, how Sam learned to stop worrying and love the cold hardy kiwi. It's a fruit you've never heard of, but it could be the key to one man's dream, even though it's another man's invasive nightmare. by Outside/In
17 min listen
Full Disclosure: Nature documentaries and wildlife films transport us to places in the world that still feel wild, but what if the wilderness they present is staged? What if, in order to capture nature’s unvarnished beauty and conflict, filmmakers have to engage in a bit of fakery? In this episode we examine how deception is used to enhance the drama of nature documentaries, from Disney’s Oscar-winning film White Wilderness, to the incredible footage featured in the BBC’s Planet Earth II. Plus, we own up to some of the production tricks we use to make this podcast. by Outside/In
37 min listen
The Young Man of the Mountain: Tyler Armstrong is 12 years old. He likes to play laser tag. He’s learning to play guitar. And this spring he’s heading to China, where he will attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain. In this episode, an ethical debate: how young is too young to climb Everest? by Outside/In
20 min listen
Pier Pressure: In 1998, Forest Quimby spent thousands of dollars building one of the most beautiful, most elaborate docks on Franklin Pierce Lake in New Hampshire. There was just one problem – it was illegal. In this story, we hear about Quimby’s seventeen-year battle with the NH Department of Environmental Services, and find out why small-scale environmental regulations are so hard to enforce. by Outside/In
22 min listen
Nature is a Haunted House: Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Friday the Thirteenth, Blair Witch. It seems the woods make a great backdrop for scary stories, but why? Are we hardwired to fear the forest? Or, let’s throw it out there, do ghosts just like hanging out in the thickets? Sam goes on the trail with paranormal experts and talks with Lore’s Aaron Mahnke to find out what makes the woods so terrifying, and tests his own beliefs along the way. by Outside/In
22 min listen
Look Toward the Dawn: Today, we take a step back to imagine a world without a web of GPS satellites telling your smartphone where you are every second of the day. While this might sound scary, come along and maybe you’ll discover you have a secret sixth sense...one that’s been inside you all along, if you just knew how to turn it on. by Outside/In
25 min listen
Never Bring a Sledgehammer to a Scalpel Fight: When a Harvard professor accidentally let Gypsy Moths loose in the 1860s, he didn’t realize he was releasing a scourge that would plague New England forests for more than a century. Nothing could stop the moths except a controversial method of wildlife management called biocontrol. It’s the scientific version of “fighting fire with fire”: eradicate an invasive species by introducing another invasive species. Since then, there have been lots of biocontrol success stories, but also a few disastrous failures. In this episode, we ask whether biocontrol is the best--maybe the only way--to combat invasives, or if it’s just an example of scientific hubris. by Outside/In
30 min listen
The Accidental History of Solar Power: If you’re even the least bit interested in solar power, you’ve probably come across an obscure, hard-to-parse, seemingly conflict-free term: net metering. It’s a system that has come to be the bedrock of the American rooftop solar industry, and the root of one of today’s biggest energy battles. It was also started by a dude named Steven Strong, kind of by accident. Buckle up folks, we're going full energy nerd. by Outside/In
39 min listen
Fantastic Mr. Phillips: In the late sixties, a soap factory in suburban Illinois discovered one of its outflow pipes had been intentionally clogged by an industrial saboteur. Does environmental damage ever demand radical action? And when does environmental protest cross the line and become eco-terrorism? by Outside/In
33 min listen
Bonus Episode: 3 1/2 Feet Under: This is a follow-up to Episode 30: The Death Machine. by Outside/In
18 min listen
10x10 - Vernal Pools: ....or, why you should always be careful when you're traipsing through the woods in the springtime. In this episode we check out the most short-lived and abundant sources of life that you've never heard of. by Outside/In
11 min listen
The Pokémon Question: Pokémon Go is getting people outside and moving around, but is that enough? When it comes to developing a lasting appreciation for the natural world, will augmented reality make a dent? Sam hashes it out with a Poké-believer and a Poké-skeptic. by Outside/In
21 min listen
Dr. Percy & the Magic Soybean: It’s not surprising that many of the medicines we use today are derived from plants. The surprising part is how similar the molecular components of plants are to the building blocks of our own human, mammalian bodies. This week we dive head first into a vat of soybean oil with Dr. Percy Julian who, against all odds, became one of the most prominent chemists of his time and whose work paved the way for the birth control pill. Plus, why the cone snail and its deadly neurotoxin just might be the key to a pain free future. by Outside/In
36 min listen
Eat the Invaders - Lionfish: This is Eat The Invaders - our occasional segment where we take a bite out of invasive species populations. On the menu today, one of the scariest, most voracious and intractable invaders out there: the lionfish. by Outside/In
16 min listen
Champagne on the Rocks: If you're a long-time listener of the podcast, you might remember this as Episode 6: Champagne on the Rocks. But if you're new around here, we thought you'd like to hear one of our favorite episodes from the archives, complete with an update at the end. In the summer of 2015, Scott Jurek set a new record for running the 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail. But on his triumphant day atop the last mountain in Northern Maine, his 21st century campaign for the trail's record ran afoul of a park founded on ideas about wilderness from a decidedly earlier time. by Outside/In
19 min listen
The Early Birder Gets the Bird: In 2013, Neil Hayward was depressed. He had just left the biotech company he helped start, and he was getting over the end of a very serious relationship. He had disposable income, and free time. Suddenly, he found himself doing a lot of birding. A LOT. In this episode Sam delves into the subculture of extreme bird-watching. Plus, this week’s Ask Sam is all about assassin crows. by Outside/In
23 min listen
Don't Cheer For Me Argentina: Sam won’t tell you this, but he’s a really great athlete. He has another secret, too. There’s this photo of him leading a ski race, and it’s plastered on the side of a city bus in Argentina. So, how did Sam wind up on the side of a bus? This story explains. by Outside/In
18 min listen

More Episodes from Outside/In

Skip carousel

The Element of Surprise: From Napoleon's cutlery to the WWII occupation of Greenland, we dig up the hidden history behind the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust. by Outside/In
28 min listen
‘Til the landslide brings it down: What happens when the growing threat of landslides collides with a housing crisis? by Outside/In
29 min listen
The mystery of the missing extinctions: If we’re in the middle of a mass extinction, shouldn’t more species be going extinct? by Outside/In
41 min listen
Meet the meatfluencers: Some social media influencers tout the all-meat diet and say that plants are making people sick. The science says otherwise. by Outside/In
54 min listen
Reefer madness, the CBD bubble, and the future of hemp: Is hemp overhyped? Or is it a planet-saving super plant? by Outside/In
26 min listen
Songbird accents, eating rats, and why we need the moon: In which we consider Flaco the Eurasian eagle owl, impulse goat purchases, and a big night for salamanders. Plus, our host graces us with a rendition of a Tom Waits song. by Outside/In
32 min listen
In search of an ethical 401k: The SEC is trying to make sustainable investing easier. But can you save for retirement in a way that’s both good for the planet… and good for your pocketbook? by Outside/In
25 min listen
The story you won’t hear in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”: Host Nate Hegyi looks at the hidden history behind the world’s first radioactive fallout. by Outside/In
35 min listen
You can make kids hike, but you can’t make them hikers: We gather tips on how to manipulate — er, inspire kids into liking the outdoors, and stories of what happens when it doesn’t work out. by Outside/In
34 min listen
The disappearing dunes of 'Dune': Grass is the sand-killer. by Outside/In
34 min listen
Hunters do cry: Producer Felix Poon exits his comfort zone and picks up a crossbow, to find out if one weekend in the Catskills can convert him into a dedicated hunter. by Outside/In
37 min listen
What's the most successful species on Earth?: Who should wear the crown of GSOAT (Greatest Species of All Time), and are humans even in the running? by Outside/In
31 min listen
The edge of the ice: Life on a scientific mission to one of Antarctica’s most remote glaciers. by Outside/In
27 min listen
The plot thickens: What’s the greenest way to die: casket, cremation, or compost? by Outside/In
33 min listen
Blue is the loneliest color: Roses are red, violets are… red-absorbing? We tackle your questions on the illusory essence of nature’s most elusive color. by Outside/In
26 min listen
Not everyone is wild about wild horses: What happens when a symbol of the American West is also a nuisance? by Outside/In
28 min listen
Pigeons are weird: Thought these frequently frowned-upon birds were boring, metropolitan pests? Think again. by Outside/In
28 min listen
The Oatly Chronicles: In 1994, the world’s first oat milk company was born in Sweden. Three decades later, Oatly is on a high-stakes mission to defeat the dairy industry. by Outside/In
33 min listen
Dragons, trolls and pine trees: How game designers created the 'natural world' of Skyrim by Outside/In
36 min listen
Baby it’s GREAT outside: 12 more tips for embracing winter: The weather outside is frightful, but don’t let that stop you from having a wonderful winter. by Outside/In
39 min listen
Is 'Yellowstone' ruining Montana?: ‘Yellowstone’ is one of the most popular television shows in the country. What does it get right – and wrong – about the people and landscapes of the American West? by Outside/In
30 min listen
Dear ChatGPT: Are you a climate solution? Or climate problem?: AI is a powerful tool for climate science. It’s also a dangerous distraction. by Outside/In
30 min listen
How does the National Weather Service work?: A brief history of the national agency tasked with predicting the future by Outside/In
32 min listen
Why did the road cross the chicken?: From turtles to cougars, the answer to the roadkill epidemic might require more infrastructure, not less. by Outside/In
29 min listen
The secret lives of bugs: We peek inside the chrysalis and answer your questions about mosquitoes, fireflies, and more. by Outside/In
29 min listen
As American as hard apple cider: an immigrant food story: What if apples have more in common with American immigrants than they do colonial heritage? by Outside/In
32 min listen
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana: Let’s do the time warp again by Outside/In
35 min listen
Bat Out of Hell Ranch: Nate discovers a colony of bats living in the siding of his new house and is forced to either evict them or learn to coexist. by Outside/In
22 min listen
Environmental disinformation is getting weirder: We tracked down the people fighting fake news on social media to ask them how they do it. . by Outside/In
25 min listen
Do airports dream of electric planes?: Please fasten your seatbelts. The future of decarbonized aviation is preparing for take-off. by Outside/In
33 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Episode #5 - Maud Dillingham and Cesar Becerra: Hiking with dogs and movie-making in a year-long trek by Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
58 min listen
Ep. 76 - Texas Hill Country Route w/ Maxwell Johnston: On this episode I get a private tour of the new with it's creator . This is one of only four routes listed on Bikepacking.com in Texas and two of those are in Big Bend, which is beautiful, but also very remote, requiring a 10+ hour drive from Central... by Bikes or Death
125 min listen
Listeners' Walks: Stoke-on-Trent: Clare Balding joins five friends who are walking the Two Saints Way, Chester to Lichfield. by Ramblings
25 min listen
Labyrinths Everywhere! Why Are There So Many in the Bay Area? by Bay Curious
17 min listen
Plein Air Painting on the John Muir Trail, with Therese Morgan: Have you ever wanted to grab your materials and head for the mountains for a plein air painting session? While that specific scenario may not resonate with every artist, I know the desire to change things up and get out of a creative slump... by Savvy Painter Podcast with Antrese Wood
56 min listen
The Only Running Footman: (Esther) Country roads were rough, tough, and uneven. But the agile, handsome, and (sometimes) opulently dressed running footmen traversed these treacherous roads to scout, deliver messages, and honor their masters with their ultramarathon endurance. Hold by Footnoting History
13 min listen
Reading the Landscape with Mary-Ann Ochota: Pegsdon Hills: Clare Balding learns how to identify the curious features in our landscape. by Ramblings
25 min listen
The King and His Fairy Queen by Tudors Dynasty
46 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

WTF is TFC?

WTF is TFC?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Outside/In

Related podcast episodes