top of page
Search

NEW YEAR, NEW SYSTEMS THINKING: SUBURBITAT, with JIM TOLSTRUP






As we continue our new year, we’re once again gaining elevation and new growing thinking. We’re in conversation with Jim Tolstrup, Executive Director of the High Plains Environmental Center in Loveland, Colorado, where, by development design, they caringly cultivate Suburbitat. Suburbitat is a land ethic, a mind-set, and a book that all hold a vision of a built environment where suburbia and native ecosystems exist side by side and intertwined.


It is magical in all seasons! And, we can all take notes.


Suburbitat promotes public awareness of how communities can restore natural resources, conserve water, and support pollinators through the thoughtful use of native plants in our landscapes.


"This is about how can we regenerate life and nature in disturbed an degraded places, and that I think is a really exciting inspiration and challenge of the 21st century."

-Jim Tolstrup


Suburbitat believes that both wildlife and humanity can thrive on the same land. It believes in a world in which children attend schools surrounded by pollinator gardens, where families walk dogs on streets shaded by native trees, and communities enjoy clean local water supplies thanks to native plants filtering and sequestering nutrients around lakes and streams. 


Through the SUBURBITAT ethic, and Jim’s book of the same name, the High Plains Environmental Center advances this vision every day — promoting public awareness of land stewardship, providing education in gardening, nature journaling, and birding, and offering recreational opportunities through our community gardens and trails.


I first met Jim at the 10th Annual Landscaping with

Colorado Native Plants conference in early 2025. Jim has served on the planning committee for this esteemed conference all 10 of those years.


The next conference is coming up on February 28th of 2026. As their keynote speaker last year, I was incredulous at all the innovative and groundbreaking work going on within the partner groups. I’m so excited for us to explore more for listeners about his work at the High Plains Environmental Center.


Enjoy!




Follow Suburbitat online:

and on Instagram:


All Photos courtesy of Jim Tolstrup and High Plains Environmental Center, all rights reserved.


If you enjoyed this program, you might also enjoy these

Best of CP programs in our archive:




JOIN US again next week, when it is prime seed catalogue season and with that in mind we’re revisiting a favorite conversation all about good seeds and seed people with Ken Green of Hudson Valley Seeds. That's right here, next week. Listen in!



Cultivating Place is made possible in part by listeners like you and by generous support

from

in honor of Bailey Shaw


supporting initiatives that empower women and help preserve the planet through the intersection of environmental advocacy, social justice, and creativity.






Thinking out loud this week...


Hey, it's Jennifer—


The intentional design of better developments in our world is just so simple, so obvious and no-brainer an implementation in our world. WHY does clear thinking to solutions have to be so much harder than we have made it for so long? Federal, state, city, and county policies mandating such easy choices for a healthy planet, for healthier communities, for more intelligent design starting with the starter gardens and landscapes surrounding new build homes and developments.


Starting with our own gardens. Starting where we are.


There’s a new year’s resolution worth trying.


Happy New Year!

WAYS TO SUPPORT CULTIVATING PLACE

Cultivating Place is a co-production of North State Public Radio, licensed to Chico State Enterprises. Cultivating Place is made possible in part listeners just like you through the support button at the top right-hand corner of every page at Cultivating Place.org


The CP team includes producer and engineer Matt Fidler, with weekly tech and web support from Angel Huracha, weekly communications support by Sheila Stern and Carley Bruckner, and regular hosting by Founder, Jennifer Jewell, as well as Abra Lee in Atlanta, Georgia, and Ben Futa in South Bend, Indiana. We’re based on the traditional and present homelands of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of the Chico Rancheria. Original theme music is by Ma Muse..


SHARE the podcast with friends: If you enjoy these conversations about these things we love and which connect us, please share them forward with others. Thank you in advance!

RATE the podcast on iTunes: Or wherever you get your podcast feed: Please submit a ranking and a review of the program on Itunes! To do so follow this link: iTunes Review and Rate (once there, click View In Itunes and go to Ratings and Reviews)

DONATE: Cultivating Place is a listener-supported co-production of North State Public Radio. To make your listener contribution – please click the donate button below. Thank you in advance for your help making these valuable conversations grow.

Or, make checks payable to: Cultivating Place Foundation EIN #33-1665277

PO Box 37

Durham, CA 95938


bottom of page