Actor, naturalist, and tree enthusiast Tobin Mitnick ( @jewslovetrees ) joins us this week for a delightfully rooted conversation about what it means to really see a tree. Best known for his hilarious and heartfelt social media content blending botany and comedy, Tobin has become an unexpected ambassador for curiosity, joy, and ecological attention. In this episode, we explore how he invites people to get up close and granular with trees — to allow each wild and wonderful tree to help you “chase...
Jun 14, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Join us on Tree Speech as we uncover the remarkable legacy of Lizzie McDuffie — a pivotal yet often overlooked figure in American history. In this episode, we're joined by author Shara Moon to discuss her powerful novel Let Us March On , inspired by the life and activism of McDuffie. As a maid in FDR’s White House, Lizzie McDuffie was more than a witness to history — she was a catalyst for it, quietly championing civil rights from within the halls of power. Together, we explore how McDuffie’...
May 27, 2025•31 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Join us on a captivating journey to Broadway as we explore the enchanting world of " Redwood ", a new musical that intertwines theater with the timeless majesty of redwood trees. This episode takes you behind the scenes of this extraordinary production, starring the remarkable Idina Menzel and a redwood tree named Stella. Joining us is Emmy Award-winning scenic designer Jason Ardizzone-West, who shares his journey from architecture to creating breathtaking theatrical environments. Jason’s inno...
May 08, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 9
What if you could rediscover your roots and connect with the wisdom of your ancestors to find peace amidst the chaos of modern life? Emmy-nominated TV host, author, and storyteller Robyn Moreno joins us to explore this intriguing question. Robyn shares insights from her transformative book, " Get Rooted ," which chronicles her personal journey of healing and self-discovery. Her story reveals the power of listening to subtle signals from within and reconnecting with nature and ancestral wisdom to...
Apr 17, 2025•49 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In honor of Valentine's Day, this episode is full of love! We are excited to celebrate the holiday by examining the 5 Love Languages and how they apply to trees. Dori Robinson also leads a meditation around love and the Jewish New Year of Trees, Tu B'Shevat, which also occurs this week. Click here for more information on the Melbourne Urban Forest Visual with information. Click here for examples of letters sent to the trees in Melbourne. Find information about the Park Avenue Armory's Wish Tree ...
Feb 13, 2025•23 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Happy New Year! We are starting the year fresh with a wintry labyrinth walk to commemorate this season of light. Along the way, we will examine the history and traditions of this Yuletide, shedding 2024 behind us and looking ahead to 2025. With every turn within the labyrinth, we discuss various winter traditions – including the 12 days of Christmas and Yule. We end with a meditation focused on light and the birch tree, so that we enter the new year ready for all that awaits! This week’s episode...
Dec 20, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 6
It’s Giving Tree Week! Listen to our highly-anticipated episode focused on the nostalgic and controversial Shel Silverstein book, THE GIVING TREE, which has been questioned by many since its premiere 60 years ago. In this episode, we share a brand new audio narrative written by playwright, actor, and advocate Jamie Roach , who felt compelled to examine, explore, and celebrate the classic book by continuing the story where the original leaves off. Join us to listen to this beautiful, thought-prov...
Nov 27, 2024•21 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Today’s guest, John Philip Newell , is an internationally acclaimed teacher, speaker, and author of several books, including Sacred Earth Sacred Soul , and his latest book entitled The Great Search , which examines the lives of several prophetic figures whose work and lives showed that to live in relation to what is deepest in us is to live in relation to the ground from which we and all things have come. John Philip Newell is a Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern worl...
Nov 15, 2024•48 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Gather round the campfire for a very special, supernatural episode. We have spooky, mysterious tree tales from around the world to get you into the halloween spirit! Listen now, if you dare! Special thanks to Cheryl Mullings, Charles Linshaw, Corey Roberts, and Emerald Forcier for joining our episode today. Learn more about Cheryl at https://cherylmullings.workbooklive.com/ , Charles at: https://www.charleslinshaw.com , Corey at https://coreymroberts.weebly.com , and Emerald at https://www.penob...
Oct 30, 2024•30 min•Season 5Ep. 3
This June, to celebrate Pride, we are excited to discuss the queerness of trees and nature, and how queer ecology contains the solutions to reversing climate change and living in harmony with our natural environments. We have an inspiring interview with walking artist and pedestrian dignity advocate, artist and author Jonathon Stalls, and we’ll examine the history of the first gay liberationist environmentalist group and how trees were the reason the group was formed. This week’s episode was wri...
Jun 26, 2024•50 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Welcome back, Tree Speechers! We’re thrilled to begin Season 5 with a new conversation in a clearing, as we continue to find new understandings to the tangled relationships we have with the natural world in which we inhabit. Could a row of trees really symbolize racial segregation and environmental racism? Join us as we unravel the contentious story of the Tamarisk trees in Palm Springs, California, with documentary directors Mina T Sun and Sarah Newins. This episode takes a critical look at the...
Mar 24, 2024•36 min•Season 5Ep. 1
In honor of the recent Winter Solstice and this holiday season, we are re-releasing our episode Let the Light In . Celebrate this moment of transition with a walk in the woods as we share stories of solstice celebration’s from around the world. From old legends to new traditions, join us as we explore how, even during these darker months, we can find ways to let light into our lives. New episodes forthcoming in 2024! In this episode, we share several folk tales about the season, rituals old and ...
Dec 24, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Happy Halloween! We are busy working on future episodes to be released soon, but couldn't let this magical time of year pass without a frightful celebration! As the full moon rises, we gather around the campfire for a replay of our special Spooky Trees episode! Join us for supernatural, mysterious, and unexpected tree tales from around the world to get you into the Samhain spirit. Special thanks to actor, educator, actor Peril - I mean, Cheryl Mullings , and dialect coach Charles Linshaw for joi...
Oct 28, 2023•27 min•Season 5Ep. 3
To commemorate the anniversary of Sept. 11, we share this replay of our episode that featured the 9/11 Survivor Tree, a Callery Pear tree found during the excavation of Ground Zero in NYC. Our guest, Ron Vega , shares his insightful and touching story of how he championed and helped nurture the tree from a wounded, burned stump to the powerful sign of hope and survival that it represents today. Learn more about the podcast at: www.treespeechpodcast.com , and IG: treespeechpodcast Addition...
Sep 11, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 1
We at Tree Speech are incredibly grateful to Stephanie Kaza and our mothers, Miriam Robinson , Anne-Marie Roach and Jackie Vandenberg for joining us today. Dr. Stephanie Kaza is Professor Emerita of Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont and former Director of the UVM Environmental Program. She co-founded the Environmental Council at UVM and served as faculty director for the Sustainability Faculty Fellows program. In 2011 Dr. Kaza received the UVM George V. Kidder Outstanding Facult...
May 13, 2023•39 min•Season 4Ep. 12
In the final episode of our fourth season, producer and co-writer Jonathan Zautner interviews podcast host Dori Robinson about the Jewish “New Year of the Trees” - Tu B’Shevat. We continue to commemorate the close of the season by discussing our thoughts on the guests and topics we have covered. Did you have a favorite episode, a thought about family trees, or a suggestion about what we should discuss next? Please message us on www.treespeechpodcast.com , or leave us a voice memo on Anchor. We l...
Feb 10, 2023•35 min•Season 4Ep. 11
In this episode, we speak with Meghan Buell, the founder of TREES, Inc. , the Transgender Resource, Education, and Enrichment Services organization that she created and leads to provide transgender education to small towns and rural America. TREES, Inc. is driven by the need to stem the rash of transgender discrimination by using education to create a more inclusive environment for trangender identifying individuals to live an enriched, safe, and successful life free of violence and strife. Megh...
Jan 20, 2023•35 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Happy New Year, Tree Speechers! We celebrate 2023 and our 30th episode by speaking with Swedish-American author Linda Åkeson McGurk, whose book " The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day ” shows us how to embody a Frilufsliv life by getting outside and embracing the outdoors no matter the time of year or temperature. Our conversations explore the many ways being outside strengthens our mental and physical health, builds community, and nurtures a nece...
Jan 06, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 9
In this episode, we celebrate the Winter Solstice through a midwinter walk in the woods while sharing several folk tales about the season, rituals old and new, and an interview with Jonathan Mearns of London Christmas Tree Rental , who offers an environmentally sustainable tree option to celebrate the lights of Yule. Throughout, we explore how we, during these darker months, can find ways to let light in and become a part of our lives. This week’s episode was written and recorded in Massachusett...
Dec 21, 2022•34 min•Season 4Ep. 8
In today’s episode we will examine the origins of the concept of family trees and speak with the award-winning singer, songwriter and educator, Neshama Carlebach, about her artistry, inspirations, and the journey of understanding that she has taken as a direct result of her own family tree as the daughter of the renowned and musical Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Neshama Carlebach is an award-winning singer, songwriter and educator who has performed and taught in cities around the world. She is a winne...
Dec 12, 2022•39 min•Season 4Ep. 7
In this episode, we discuss our first-ever immersive installation: A Conversation in a Clearing , which brings the Tree Speech podcast to life, allowing audiences to engage with trees and reflect on their relationship with nature and the environment. Combining audio narrative storytelling with a physical representation of a peaceful, winter clearing in the woods, the installation allows visitors to actively relax and settle into a peaceful place where their minds and hearts may feel at ease. Thi...
Nov 25, 2022•26 min•Season 4Ep. 6
On this Veteran's Day we revisit Boston’s Liberty Tree, including its origin story and how that story evolved over time depending on who was telling it. We have wonderfully spirited conversations with distinguished actor, singer, dancer, and educator, Mark Linehan and historian Maddie Webster, a Boston University PhD student in the American & New England Studies Program. Then, we seek to uncover what liberty and liberation means in the present day with activist and Applied theatre practition...
Nov 11, 2022•58 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Gather round the campfire for a very special, supernatural episode. We have spooky, mysterious tree tales from around the world to get you into the Halloween spirit! Listen now, if you dare! Special thanks to actor, educator, actor Peril - I mean, Cheryl Mullings, and dialect coach Charles Linshaw for joining our episode today. Learn more about Cheryl at https://cherylmullings.workbooklive.com/ and Charles at: https://www.charleslinshaw.com . Tree Speech’s host, Dori Robinson, is a director, pla...
Oct 28, 2022•27 min•Season 4Ep. 4
While we often speak of trees that tower over our heads, in this episode, we will examine what lies beneath to understand soil and how human interaction can affect the way we live on and with our land. We will also speak with Kesiah Bascom, who founded a mission-driven food scrap collection and composting program in the Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts. Kesiah was the founder/owner of OffBeet Compost and has spent the past 7 years working in the sustainable agriculture and food justice r...
Oct 14, 2022•29 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this episode, we will examine the intersections of reproductive rights with climate solutions, and will be speaking with Kristen P. Patterson, the inaugural Director of Drawdown Lift , launched in early 2021 as a part of the nonprofit Project Drawdown . We’ll also be speaking with Christina D. Eskridge, the Founder and Executive Director of Elevate Theatre Company , who worked to combine her expertise in performing arts with her public health background to facilitate and amplify healthcare to...
Sep 30, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 2
We are so excited to be entering into our fourth season with an exploration of this magical time of year, the Autumnal Equinox! Much gratitude to our guest, Heather Porter of Animisma podcast for her moving thoughts and insights regarding this time of year, and the benefits of sacred rot. To find out more about her, please visit her website, thepathofintegrity.com . Heather is a writer, storyteller, and advisor. She's been called an empath, a sensitive compass of compassion, and a 'Rosetta Stone...
Sep 21, 2022•36 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Give us your hands, dear friends, as we lead you along the path of our own Midsummer Night’s Dream! We conclude this season with a celebration of Midsummer and the summer solstice. Listen as our host hikes her way through the day, all while sharing stories about summer rituals and traditions from around the world. We have a newly-launched Patreon! We at Tree Speech strive to bring you insightful stories and information about trees and those who engage with them, including interviews with a wide ...
Jun 24, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 7
We at Tree Speech and Alight Theater Guild are incredibly grateful to John Philip Newell for joining us today. Newell is a Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern world to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being. Canadian by birth, and a citizen also of Scotland, he resides with his family in Edinburgh and works on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2016 he began the School of Earth and Soul (originally called the School of Celtic Consciousness) and teaches r...
Jun 11, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 6
We have a newly-launched Patreon! We at Tree Speech strive to bring you insightful stories and information about trees and those who engage with them. As we keep growing, we would appreciate your support! We now have a Patreon , and every dollar helps us continue to produce this podcast. Every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude including an invitation to Tree House, our new virtual community for patrons of all levels. We at Tree Speech and Alight Theater...
May 20, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 5
We at Tree Speech and Alight Theater Guild are incredibly grateful to Stephanie Kaza for joining us today. Dr. Stephanie Kaza is Professor Emerita of Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont and former Director of the UVM Environmental Program. She co-founded the Environmental Council at UVM and served as faculty director for the Sustainability Faculty Fellows program. In 2011 Dr. Kaza received the UVM George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award for excellence in teaching. Kaza received...
May 06, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 4
