{"id":1476,"date":"2026-07-10T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/?p=1476"},"modified":"2026-07-10T10:38:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:38:26","slug":"flipped-conversation-urban-ecology-and-the-pigeon-paradox-with-dr-kevin-matteson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/2026\/07\/flipped-conversation-urban-ecology-and-the-pigeon-paradox-with-dr-kevin-matteson\/","title":{"rendered":"Flipped Conversation: Urban Ecology and the &#8220;Pigeon Paradox&#8221; with Dr. Kevin Matteson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1014\" height=\"410\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-4.45.32-PM.png\" alt=\"A split-screen video call capture on a red background. On the left, Aimee Kemp, a smiling woman with her hair pulled back sits in front of a bright window. On the right, Kevin Matteson, wearing glasses and a tropical-print shirt, smiles in front of a digital background showing the green Northern Lights over a silhouette of trees. \" class=\"wp-image-1477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-4.45.32-PM.png 1014w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-4.45.32-PM-300x121.png 300w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-4.45.32-PM-768x311.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1014px) 100vw, 1014px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In this &#8220;flipped&#8221; episode, Dr. Kevin Matteson joins student Aimee Kemp to discuss the importance of urban ecology and why nature &#8220;finding a way&#8221; in our cities is a powerful metaphor for human resilience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a special &#8220;flipped&#8221; episode, Project Dragonfly\u2019s own&nbsp;<strong>Dr. Kevin Matteson<\/strong>&nbsp;moves from the host\u2019s chair to the guest\u2019s seat. Interviewed by graduate student&nbsp;<strong>Aimee Kemp<\/strong>, Kevin shares his journey from the urban landscape of the Bronx to becoming a leading voice in urban ecology and pollinator conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f9faaab3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/etnyWPmgwdg?si=xrso_doWkgFSChEA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"68\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/youtube-image-removebg-preview-300x68.png\" alt=\"Listen on Youtube\" class=\"wp-image-432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/youtube-image-removebg-preview-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/youtube-image-removebg-preview-1024x233.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/youtube-image-removebg-preview-768x175.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/youtube-image-removebg-preview.png 1047w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/urban-ecology-and-the-pigeon-paradox-with-kevin-matteson\/id1866616919?i=1000776269327\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"71\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/apple-podcast-1-300x71.png\" alt=\"Listen on Apple Podcast\" class=\"wp-image-435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/apple-podcast-1-300x71.png 300w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/apple-podcast-1-768x182.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/apple-podcast-1.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/4EhK0ohvnL62WLzezmYlOS?si=zrKezw4qTuiawrDBSlRNJg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"73\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/Spotify-300x73.png\" alt=\"List on Spotify\" class=\"wp-image-437\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/Spotify-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/Spotify-768x186.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/01\/Spotify.png 1015w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Rise of the Urban Planet:<\/strong>&nbsp;For the first time in history, more people live in urban areas than rural ones. Kevin emphasizes that conservation success now depends on making cities livable and helping urbanites connect with nature to prevent the &#8220;extinction of experience.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The &#8220;Pigeon Paradox&#8221;:<\/strong>&nbsp;If city dwellers only interact with species they perceive as &#8220;dirty&#8221; or common (like pigeons), they may lose their appreciation for the natural world. Urban ecology aims to provide high-quality nature experiences right where people live\u2014from Coney Island to Chicago.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A &#8220;New World&#8221; Gardening Ethic:<\/strong>&nbsp;While native plants are ideal for specialists, Kevin suggests a pragmatic approach for urban gardeners. In highly altered city environments, non-invasive &#8220;butterfly magnets&#8221; (like butterfly bush) or culinary herbs can provide vital nectar and pollen for generalist bees when native options are scarce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/sadikali-pm-ukg-6bg4WYc-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A flock of grey pigeons walks across a sunlit, paved city sidewalk in a bustling urban area. In the background, tall modern buildings, a green tree, and pedestrian barriers are visible under a clear blue sky.\" class=\"wp-image-1478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/sadikali-pm-ukg-6bg4WYc-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/sadikali-pm-ukg-6bg4WYc-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/sadikali-pm-ukg-6bg4WYc-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/sadikali-pm-ukg-6bg4WYc-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/dragonfly\/files\/2026\/05\/sadikali-pm-ukg-6bg4WYc-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kevin Matteson discusses the &#8220;Pigeon Paradox,&#8221; arguing that finding value in common urban species is a vital first step in preventing the extinction of ecological experience for city dwellers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The &#8220;Hidden Gem&#8221; Teaser<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listen for Kevin\u2019s &#8220;Real Life&#8221; cameo: halfway through the interview, his young daughter interrupts to ask about his Northern Lights screensaver and announce that she\u2019s hungry\u2014a perfect, unscripted moment that mirrors the episode&#8217;s theme of finding nature (and life) in the middle of our everyday environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em><strong><em>Listen to the episode on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/urban-ecology-and-the-pigeon-paradox-with-kevin-matteson\/id1866616919?i=1000776269327\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/4EhK0ohvnL62WLzezmYlOS?si=zrKezw4qTuiawrDBSlRNJg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/etnyWPmgwdg?si=xrso_doWkgFSChEA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">YouTube<\/a>,<strong><em><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>or on your favorite podcast platform.<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Check out the full list of podcasts on our <a data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"464\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/\/dragonfly\/dragonfly-conversations\/\">Dragonfly Conversations<\/a><\/strong> <strong>page<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a special &#8220;flipped&#8221; episode, Project Dragonfly\u2019s own&nbsp;Dr. Kevin Matteson&nbsp;moves from the host\u2019s chair to the guest\u2019s seat. Interviewed by graduate student&nbsp;Aimee Kemp, Kevin shares [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9421,"featured_media":1477,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[13,27],"class_list":["post-1476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dragonfly-conversations","tag-dragonfly-community","tag-inquiry-based-learning"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 4.9.10 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a special &quot;flipped&quot; episode, Project Dragonfly\u2019s own Dr. Kevin Matteson moves from the host\u2019s chair to the guest\u2019s seat. 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