Michael Kudish is a Catskills legend and the authority on Catskills trees and forests. In 1971, Kudish earned his PhD with the thesis, "Vegetational History of the Catskill High Peaks." Five decades later, that research is ongoing.
In 2000, Purple Mountain Press published his landmark book, The Catskill Forest: A History. Now, an updated 6-volume set is in the works. I met up with Michael at his home/research library in Delaware County, to hear about his latest research sampling Catskills bogs and radio carbon dating peat and charcoal for even more insights into our Catskills forest past.
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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, and The Mountain Eagle.
Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and through the support of listeners like you!
Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast was just recognized for the third consecutive year as the "Best Regional Podcast" in the 2024 Chronogrammies! Thank you for your votes, and please take a moment to rate and review us on the app of your choice so even more listeners can find us!
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00:00 Introduction to Michael Kudish and His Work
00:46 Meeting Michael Kudish: A Visit to His Research Library
01:09 Sponsors and Supporters of Kaatscast
02:09 Michael Kudish's Research Journey
04:50 Understanding the Catskills' Unique Vegetation
08:47 The Impact of Glaciation on Catskills Vegetation
12:41 Discovering History Through Bogs
19:03 Defining and Differentiating Bogs and Fens
28:41 Discovering Ancient Moss in the Catskills
29:08 Peat Sampling Techniques and Challenges
29:57 Radiocarbon Dating: Methods and Costs
31:01 Funding Research Through Retirement
32:09 Transitioning to Writing: The Next Chapter
32:54 Expanding Knowledge: From One Volume to Six
34:22 Consistent Vegetation Over Millennia
37:41 Climate Change Insights
38:39 Exploring the Extent of Catskill Bogs
39:52 Ancient Charcoal and Forest Fires
42:48 Uncovering Prehistoric Forests
47:04 The Six-Volume Catskill Forest History
50:16 The Joy and Work of Field Research
52:15 The Interconnected Lives of Trees
53:45 Conclusion and Future Work
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