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In E33, Scott sits down with Chris Parish, President & CEO of The Peregrine Fund, for one of the most wide-ranging and compelling conversations we've ever featured. From California Condors to global vulture crises, from the San Joaquin Valley to India and the African savannas, Chris brings decades of experience, candor, humor, and unmatched field knowledge.

Born and raised in California’s San Joaquin Valley as a hunter, angler, and football player, Chris’s life took turns he never expected — from NFL Europe to prairie dog trapping, to running Arizona’s California Condor Recovery Program, and now leading one of the most respected raptor organizations in the world.

This episode dives deep into:

🦅 The fight to save California Condors from extinction — including how lead poisoning became the #1 threat, and how science + hunters created the most successful voluntary non-lead program in America.

🎯 Why hunters resist changing ammunition — and what truly changes minds (hint: tradition, trust, and generational hand-offs).

🌾 How grasslands collapsed — and how Opalmatto Falcons reveal the whole ecological story of brush encroachment, drought, predators, and rancher partnerships.

💊 The diclofenac tragedy in India, which wiped out entire vulture colonies and unleashed a massive public-health crisis.

🌍 Retaliatory poisoning in East Africa, electrified bomas, and how Maasai communities are protecting both wildlife and their cattle.

🔥 Why science alone is NOT conservation — and why change must be earned, not imposed.

🦉 Are vultures really “raptors”? Chris and Scott dive into classification, history, culture, and why humans have always been obsessed with birds of prey.

Chris’s approach is simple but rare:
 “We’re not here to tell you what to think — just to give you more to think about.”

📚 Chris’s Book Recommendation:
My Side of the Mountain — Jean Craighead George

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In this episode, Scott sits down with Steve Mietz, President & CEO of Save the Redwoods League, for an extraordinary conversation about Redwoods, Sequoias, wildfire, tribal stewardship, and the future of America’s greatest forests.

Steve traces his journey from Eagle Scout in New Jersey to environmental economist at Cornell, to a lifelong career across the National Park Service — including Grand Canyon, Great Basin, Point Reyes, Pearl Harbor, and Redwood National & State Parks. His path ultimately led him to one of the most ambitious restoration efforts in the United States: saving and rebuilding the Redwoods and Sequoias.

Together, Scott and Steve explore:

🌲 Why only 5% of old-growth Redwoods remain — and how we can create the next 5%
🔥 How fire suppression created a crisis, and how tribes & scientists are fixing it
🌊 Restoring buried creeks and watching salmon return within months
🤝 Partnerships with tribes to restore land, culture, and ecological balance
🏞️ Why Redwoods are Earth’s greatest carbon sink — even more than the Amazon
💡 Why hope, not despair, is the key to conservation
🌍 How protecting forests in California benefits people everywhere

Steve also shares inspiring stories about working with the Yurok Tribe to restore ancestral lands, the emotional return of elders to sites they hadn’t seen in 150 years, and how Redwoods “save us” as much as we save them.
 

This is one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had on Naturally Scott — a deep, hopeful look at what’s possible when science, tribes, communities, and passion all work together.

📚 Steve’s Book Recommendation:
A Sand County Almanac — Aldo Leopold

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Few people have done more to protect the birds of the Americas than Mike Parr, President of the American Bird Conservancy.

In this conversation, Mike joins Scott Harris to explore the breathtaking landscapes of the Tropical Andes, the vital link between birding and conservation, and how ecotourism can transform local economies while protecting critical habitats. From ground-cuckoo quests to stories of Fair Isle adventures, Mike’s journey is equal parts inspiration and education — showing how passion can lead to global impact.

They also discuss:
 🌎 Birds of the Tropical Andes — a stunning new book with photographer Owen Deutsch
🦜 How bird tourism drives conservation success stories in Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia
💚 The surprising connections between carbon offsets and birding travel
📘 Book recommendations from Jonathan Franzen, Carl Safina, and Amy Tan
🐦 Why protecting birds protects everything else — from frogs to forests

Join the mission and learn how every birder, traveler, and artist can make a difference.

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Few artists see the world like Matt Patterson. A lifelong wildlife illustrator and painter, Matt brings to life the hidden world of turtles, reptiles, and amphibians—creatures too often overlooked but central to the ecosystems around us.

In this episode, Scott Harris talks with Matt about his lifelong love of nature, his creative process, and his collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Sy Montgomery on their beloved Book of Turtles and The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle.

From the story of “Fire Chief,” a rescued snapping turtle now living safely in Matt’s backyard pond, to fieldwork in Madagascar, Belize, and beyond, their conversation celebrates the intersection of art, science, and deep compassion for the natural world.

They also explore:

• The difference between painting and photographing wildlife
• How art can drive conservation
• Why every turtle matters
• Adventures with rare species, from radiated tortoises to cold-stunned sea turtles

Matt’s work has earned international acclaim—including the Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Art Award and the Artists for Conservation Medal of Excellence—but his true success lies in inspiring others to see the beauty and worth of every living thing.

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Few people have shaped modern ornithology like Dr. John Fitzpatrick, the longtime Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and one of the visionaries behind eBird and Merlin. In this conversation, Scott Harris sits down with Fitz to explore the global transformation of birding—from field notebooks and film cameras to the data-driven citizen-science revolution that connects millions of observers worldwide.

From his early research on tropical flycatchers to decades of conservation work with the Florida Scrub-Jay, Fitzpatrick’s career has been defined by curiosity, mentorship, and an unshakable belief that birds can unite people across cultures and continents.

Tune in as they discuss:

• How eBird became the world’s largest wildlife database
• The origin and future of the Merlin Bird ID app
• Lessons from a lifetime studying endangered species
• Why curiosity remains the beating heart of conservation science

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Peter Kaestner has lived one of the most extraordinary birding lives on Earth. From his early adventures as a teenager in India to his years in the Peace Corps, Peter went on to serve as a U.S. diplomat across the globe—while quietly becoming the first person in history to see 10,000 bird species. In this conversation, he joins Scott Harris to share stories from jungles and mountaintops, the discovery of the bird that bears his name, and the lifelong wonder that keeps him chasing feathers across continents.

🕊️ Guest: Peter Kaestner — Diplomat, explorer, and the first human ever to record 10,000 bird species
🎧 Host: Scott Harris | Naturally Scott
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In this continuation of Scott Harris’ conversation with bestselling author and naturalist Scott Weidensaul, we dive deeper into the breathtaking world of bird migration — the science, the mystery, and the fragile magic that connects continents through flight.

From radar tracking and satellite tags to the sheer endurance of warblers, godwits, and Arctic terns, this discussion explores how birds navigate an ever-changing world and what that means for the future of conservation.

If you haven’t already, go back and listen to Episode 18 — “Migration, Marvels & The Secret Life of Birds” to hear the start of this incredible conversation.

Stay curious, stay kind, and keep watching the skies. 🌍🕊️

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Scott Weidensaul joins Naturally Scott to dive deep into the astonishing world of bird migration — from tiny warblers crossing oceans to owls riding the jet stream and the science that’s still unfolding. Scott is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, field researcher, and author of A World on the Wing and Living on the Wind, two of the most influential books ever written on migration and the global web that connects us all.

In this conversation, Scott Harris and Scott Weidensaul explore the mysteries of navigation, the marvels of endurance, and how conservation is evolving to protect these travelers on their journeys across hemispheres.

📺 This conversation ran long — this is Part 1. Part 2 will drop later today!

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Hob Osterlund — writer, nurse, and founder of the Kauaʻi Albatross Network. Hob shares her lifelong connection with the Laysan albatross, the extraordinary birds who nest on Kauaʻi, and what these seabirds can teach us about resilience, community, and hope.

We explore:

• The beauty and mystery of the albatross and their lifelong bonds
• Hob’s personal journey from nursing to conservation
• The challenges of protecting seabirds on Hawaiʻi’s shores
• Why albatross inspire awe, joy, and healing in human lives

This is a moving conversation about nature, grief, and the power of connection.

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris is joined by acclaimed writer, artist, and naturalist Julie Zickefoose. Julie has spent a lifetime capturing the beauty of birds and wildlife through both her art and her stories, and she brings that same passion and curiosity to this conversation.

Together, Scott and Julie explore:

• The intersection of art and conservation
• Memorable encounters with birds that shaped her work and worldview
• The power of storytelling in nature writing
• What it means to live a life fully immersed in the natural world

Julie’s illustrations and words have inspired countless people to see wildlife with new eyes, and this episode is no exception. Whether you’re a birder, an artist, or simply someone who loves a good story from the outdoors, you’ll find plenty here to spark your curiosity.

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Stay curious, and enjoy the conversation!