In this episode, Daniel interviews Chase Clough about an Instagram account she created called FSUTrees, the growth of the account, and how it has helped Florida State University students connect with and appreciate the trees that surround them on campus. Daniel also speaks with Claudia Liebeskind, the FSU history department employee who has taken over running the account.
New episodes of Tallahassee Tree Talks will drop on Wednesdays (October 16 through December 4), on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube Music!
The Guests:
Chase Clough is an FSU alumnus. Her bachelor’s degree was a double major in English and advertising, and her Master’s was in integrated marketing communications. Chase is also the founder of the FSUTrees Instagram page, and she currently works as a Marketing Content Specialist.
Claudia Liebeskind is an Associate Professor of History at Florida State University. She runs the Department of History’s social media pages, and has recently taken over the FSUTrees Instagram page as well. Claudia teaches South Asian history, world history, and the history of Islam. She has previously taught at Auburn University and has held a Mellon Fellowship for Assistant Professors at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton. Claudia has published two books as well, one with Oxford University Press and the other with Bedford/ St. Martin’s.
Further tree reading:
- The FSUTrees Instagram account. See some of the incredible tree photos taken by Florida State University students on their campus!
- Stand For Trees webpage. Chase recommends this organization, which works towards forest protection—with a specific focus on tropical forests.
- FSU Special Collections Blog: “Memorial Trees on FSU Campus.” This blog post contains photos and information about the George Washington Memorial Trees on Florida State’s campus and their planting.
- “Natural Environments in University Campuses and Students’ Well-being.” This article, published by Helena Ribeiro, Keila Valente de Souza Santana, and Sofia Lizarralde Oliver in 2024, conducts a review of studies into the impacts of green spaces on student well-being.
- “Impacts of views to school landscapes on recovery from stress and mental fatigue.” This article, published by Dongying Li and William C. Sullivan in 2016, studies how views of trees help students achieve academic success.
This podcast was sponsored by a grant from the Sunshine State Biodiversity Group, a Tallahassee-based non-profit committed to conservation, education, and outreach related to biodiversity and rewilding in the state of Florida.
