Feature Stories
“The Prairie Preacher” PBS Appalachia Virginia, Aug 28, 2024. Documentary.
“Saving Southeastern Grasslands | Dr. Dwayne Estes | TEDxClarksville”. TEDx Talks, Oct 11, 2024. TED Talk.
Webinars, lectures, Seminars & Symposia
WEbinars, lecutres,& seminars
“Dreaming Big; Saving the Forgotten Grasslands of the Southeast” Distinguished Speaker Seminar: Dr. Dwayne Estes”. Archbold Biological Station & Buck Island Ranch, Apr 25, 2025. Seminar.
“The Southeastern Grasslands Institute; Science and Strategy to Save Southeastern Grasslands” Southern Grasslands with Theo Witsell. Audubon Arkansas, Oct 24, 2024. Seminar.
“Live at The Eastern Native Grasslands Symposium with Dwayne Estes and Kyle Lybarger” Native Plants, Healthy Planet, Sept 13, 2024. Recorded Symposium.
“Dr. Dwayne Estes - Southeastern Grasslands” Wild Ones Southern Kentucky Chapter, Oct 11, 2020. Seminar.
“Arkansas’s Grasslands: Natural History and Conservation with Theo Witsell” Arkansas Native Plant Society, May 22, 2021. Seminar.
“From Marshes to Meadows: Exploring Maryland’s Grasslands” Maryland Native Plant Society 2020 Conference Keynote, Aug 29, 2020. Seminar.
“Assessment of Science Needs for Rare Plants of Conservation Concern in Southeastern Grasslands” Center for Plant Conservation, Mar 4, 2020. Seminar.
“Dwayne Estes - The Southeastern Grasslands Initiative” Clinton School Speakers, Nov 5, 2018. Seminar.
“The Pennyroyal Plain Prairie: a vision for restoring a forgotten ecosystem. Dwayne Estes (Southeastern Grasslands Initiative)” Available via Oak Woodlands and Forests Fire Consortium JFSP Fire Science Exchange Network. Dec 15, 2015. Webinar.
“Using Fire and Grazing to Maintain Productive and Ecologically Resilient Grasslands”. Chris Helzer (The Nature Conservancy) Available via USDA's Science & Technology Training Library Webinar Portal for Conservation of Natural Resources. 1 hr, 4 min. Jun 1, 2017. Webinar.
symposia
“Live at The Eastern Native Grasslands Symposium with Dwayne Estes and Kyle Lybarger” Native Plants, Healthy Planet, Sept 13, 2024. Recorded Symposium.
Podcast & Radio Appearances
podcast
“The Prairie Preacher and a Rant By Steve Ep. 667” The MeatEater Podcast, Episode 667, Feb 24, 2025. Podcast.
“Land & Legacy - Southeastern Grasslands Initiative with Dwayne Estes” Sportsmen’s Empire, Feb 16, 2025. Podcast.
“Ep. 206 The Great Forgotten Prairies of the Southeast” The Prairie Farm Podcast, Episode 206, Nov 29, 2024. Podcast.
“Episode 9 | Dr. Dwayne Estes” Top Hat STEM Chat, Episode 9, Sept 3, 2024. Podcast.
“Ep. 119: Dr. Dwayne Estes of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute” Beasts Of Burden, Episode 119, Jan 19, 2024. Podcast.
“BHA Podcast & Blast, Ep. 163: The Southeastern Grasslands Institute” Backcountry Hunter & Anglers Podcast and Blast, Episode 163, Aug 29, 2023. Podcast.
“Replaying the Hits - Dr. Dwayne Estes & Samuel Thayer” Native Plants, Healthy Planet, Apr 7, 2023. Podcast.
“Where the Internet Lives: Data center on the prairie” Google Cloud, Mar 20, 2023. Podcast.
“Measuring Success, Quantifying Natural History, and Grasslands with Dwayne Estes” Environmental Professionals Radio, Mar 24, 2023. Podcast.
“Ep 143: Preserving, Restoring & Re-Creating Grasslands on Your Property” Huntin’ Land Podcast, Episode 143, Mar 9, 2023. Podcast.
“The Forgotten History of Tennessee’s Native Grasslands” The Experience Austin Peay Podcast, Dec 24, 2022. Podcast.
“Ep. 363 - Celebrating the Grasses” In Defense of Plants, Episode 363, Apr 3, 2022. Podcast.
“#168 | Southeastern Grasslands Initiative with Jeremy French”. Birdshot Podcast, Episode 168, Mar 17, 2022. Podcast.
“Southeastern Grasslands- Theo Witsell” Stewarding the Land, Jan 17, 2022. Podcast.
“Podcast Ep. 119: Bobwhite Quail Habitat Through Southeastern Grasslands Initiative” On the Wing Podcast by Pheasants Forever. Habitat & Conservation, May 26, 2021. Podcast.
“Conserving our Southeastern Grasslands with Dwayne Estes” Backyard EcologyTM, Jan 7, 2021. Podcast.
“Meet the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative on Native Plants” Native Plants, Healthy Planet Podcast, Aug 28, 2020. Podcast.
“The Southeastern Grasslands Initiative” In Defense of Plants, Episode 238, Nov 10, 2019. Podcast.
“Dr. Dwayne Estes of Austin Peay State University on Sedges and Such” The Native Plant Podcast, Nov 15, 2016. Podcast.
radio & TV
“In Depth: Biology professor hopes to save endangered animals through grassland restoration” on NewsChannel 5, Nov 26, 2021. TV Interview.
“Saving Grasslands In The Southeast” on WUTC Scenic Roots, Oct 23, 2019. Radio Interview.
“Old-growth grasslands, a preview with SGI Director, Dr. Dwayne Estes” Interview with Roan Mountain Radio, Johnson City, TN, Feb 17, 2018. Radio Interview.
Articles
popular media by SGI staff
Conserving The Globally Rare Porter's Goldenrod by Cooper Breeden for CPC's Feb 2023 Newsletter. Article.
in print media
Forgotten Landscapes: Bringing Back the Rich Grasslands of the Southeast by Janet Marinelli in Yale e360, Jun 20, 2019.
What did Alabama’s landscapes look like in 1819? Hint: think Kansas with prairies and bamboo by Pat Byington in Bham Now, Aug 22, 2019. Article.
Seas of grass long gone from Tennessee, but APSU looks to restore them by Jimmy Settle. Published in The Leaf Chronicle, Jun 2, 2017. Article.
peer reviewed publications
selected scientific journal articles
Estes, D., & Small, R. L. (2008). Phylogenetic relationships of the monotypic genus Amphianthus (Plantaginaceae tribe Gratioleae) inferred from chloroplast DNA sequences. Systematic Botany, 33(1), 176-182. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364408783887375.
Estes, D., Tracey, C., Zimmerman, E., Knapp, W., Vanderhorst, J., Singhurst, J., & Witsell, T. (2023). Riverscour ecosystems of eastern unglaciated North America: A review. Natural Areas Journal, 43(3), 148-168. https://doi.org/10.3375/2162-4399-43.3.148.
Noss, R. F., Cartwright, J. M., Estes, D., Witsell, T., Elliott, G., Adams, D., ... & Weakley, A. (2021). Improving species status assessments under the US Endangered Species Act and implications for multispecies conservation challenges worldwide. Conservation Biology, 35(6), 1715-1724. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13777.
Weakley, A. S., LeBlond, R. J., Sorrie, B. A., Witsell, C. T., Estes, L. D., Gandhi, K., ... & Ebihara, A. (2011). New combinations, rank changes, and nomenclatural and taxonomic comments in the vascular flora of the southeastern United States. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, 437-455. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41972288.
books and book chapters
J.D. Ogle, T. Witsell, & J.L. Gentry. 2021. Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Arkansas. Ozark Society Foundation Press. 520 pp.
Witsell, C.T., T.L. Foti, & B.T. Baker. 2018. The Native Flora of Grasslands and Associated Woodlands in the Grand Prairie Ecoregion of Eastern Arkansas (Book Chapter) in Southeastern Grasslands: Biodiversity, Ecology, & Management. University of Mississippi Press.
Frameworks
Science needs of southeastern grassland species of conservation concern: A framework for species status assessments Noss, Reed F., Jennifer M. Cartwright, Dwayne Estes, Theo Witsell, K. Gregg Elliott, Daniel S. Adams, Matthew A. Albrecht et al. Open-File Report, (2021-1047).