#012: Planting the Biosphere - Linda Leigh

Biosphere 2 Podcast

In this episode we are joined by systems ecologist and original Biospherian Dr. Linda Leigh. Linda was one of the eight crew members living inside the closed system here at Biosphere 2 during the first mission. Before her time inside Biosphere 2, Linda worked as the Biome Design Coordinator during the building phase, where she assisted in collecting plant species from around the world that would be added to the Biosphere 2 biomes like the Tropical Rain Forest, Fog Desert, and Savannah. Following Biosphere 2, Linda went on to study with systems ecologist H.T. Odum, where she deepened her expertise in ecological systems. Linda is now the co-owner of the Vermillion Wormery and the Oracle Community Garden, right here in Oracle, AZ. In this episode, we learn about Linda's early years, how she joined the Biosphere 2 team, and how she and a group of science specialists came together to design and build entire ecosystems. Linda shares her own experiences and challenges from life on the inside of Biosphere 2 and shares with us how Biosphere 2 has had an impact on the rest of her life.