In this episode we meet Australian meteorologist and Nine News presenter Jessica Braithwaite. We discuss all things weather, climate and Jessica’s beautiful, heartfelt newly released book and song ‘Whatever the Weather, We’re in This Together.

This episode was recorded at the end of 2025 and our conversation is more relevant than ever as we have watched Jessica for the first time put an unprecedented 50 Celsius on a weather map.

Jessica takes us on a journey of her early love of weather, her passion for both journalism and environmental science and her experience of how the climate conversation has moved on in Australia She speaks from the heart about the emotional challenge of forecasting in unprecedented extremes such as The Black Summer bushfires, a prolonged marine heatwave causing toxic algae blooms as well as extreme heat and the anxiety that comes with witnessing climate change firsthand.

Despite these challenges, Jessica highlights the importance of hope and community action, as well as showcasing positive climate stories that might not otherwise make the news. We then focus on Jessica's new children’s picture book, Whatever the Weather, We’re in This Together and how we think this is a book for not just children but for adults too.

Listen on to learn about Indigenous Australian seasonal calendars and how they offer a deeper, place-based understanding of climate, why spring and autumn feel increasingly symbolic in a changing climate and so much more.

If you would like to follow Jessica, you can find her on TikTok and Instagram @jessica.braithwaite. Her book can be found in any book store and we cannot recommend it enough; it is simply beautiful.

We really hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and leave loving the weather just a little bit more. If you want to hear more weather and climate chat - please hit subscribe, like and share with a friend. You can follow us on social media - @fortheloveofweather You can subscribe on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ForTheLoveOfWeather

Just when you think you know something about trees, you learn even more! Such an interesting episode with Dr Ruth Swetnam, Carbon & Research Manager for the Atlantic Rainforests Programme at the Wildlife Trusts. Ruth is a Chartered Geographer and Landscape Specialist with particular expertise in digital mapping (GIS), Environmental Science and Landscape Ecology.

Ruth tells us about temperate rainforests in the UK and her very important work in restoring these rainforests. Temperate rainforests in the UK are unique ecosystems that provide cooling effects, mitigate climate change, and reduce forest fire risk. They are more resilient to diseases and storms compared to conifer plantations. Temperate rainforests are full of deciduous trees, with their slower growth and deeper roots, are essential for carbon storage and forest regeneration.

We found this podcast fascinating and can't believe how important furry ferns actually are! If you would like to learn more about the work of the Wildlife Trust, here are the links.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/temperate-rainforest-restoration#:~:text=The%20100-year%20temperate%20rainforest,even%2C%20than%20its%20tropical%20counterpart.

You can also find a summary of the work being carried out on temperate rainforests in the UK here.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/Temperate%20Rainforest%20Programme%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.pdf

If you would like to chat to Ruth, please contact her through the Wildlife Trusts website.

We really hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and leave loving the weather just a little bit more.

If you want to hear a little more weather and climate chat - please hit subscribe, like and share with a friend.

You can follow us on social media - @fortheloveofweather

You can subscribe on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ForTheLoveOfWeather

Gemma and Aisling were invited to speak to some of the incredible people behind the new Carbon Garden at Kew Gardens in London which opened in July 2025. This is part 2, part 1 was released on the 27th of August 2025.

This extraordinary new space explores the story of carbon and how important it is to life on Earth. More than just a beautiful garden, this project communicates the scale of the climate crisis while celebrating the remarkable power of plants and mycorrhizal fungi as our planet's natural allies. With 35 carefully selected trees and 6,500 beautiful plants, the Carbon Garden is one of Kew Gardens' most ambitious garden projects in recent years.

The garden is filled with lots of brilliant features including a rain garden and a stunning central pavilion, which has been inspired by fungi and made with natural materials. Some of the planting also takes inspiration from the climate stripes, which were created by Professor Ed Hawkins at the University of Reading.

This episode focus’ on carbon storage and LiDAR measurement and what the team hope to learn and understand about carbon storage.

Each of the guests were unique, fun and above all so passionate about what they do. It was lovely to hear their story in person.

In part 2 we talk to Professor Justin Moat, Senior Research Leader and Spatial Analyst and to Dr. Phil Wilkes, Research Leader.

You can find out more about the Carbon Garden at Kew here https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/carbon-garden

And if you would like to know more about Professor Ed Hawkins Climate stripes - https://showyourstripes.info/. We recorded an episode with Professor Ed on June 18th 2025 https://rss.com/podcasts/for-the-love-of-weather/2078913/ or search Professor Ed Hawkins, for the love of weather podcast.

We really hope you enjoy this episode and leave loving the weather a little bit more.

If you want to hear a little more weather and climate chat - please hit subscribe, like and share with a friend.

You can follow us here…

Instagram - @fortheloveofweather - https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofweather

BlueSky @4loveofweather - https://bsky.app/profile/theloveofweather.bsky.social

Subscribe on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ForTheLoveOfWeather