After reading the synopsis for the film Kelp! I headed straight to their website - it featured so many things I’m passionate about that I had to watch it immediately! I hit the play button, sat back and enjoyed half an hour of pure hope and joy - something it can sometimes be a bit tricky to find within the environmental space.

I was aware of seaweed farming being a big deal in South East Asia, as I have seen vast coastal areas that are home to this form of agriculture, but I was surprised to learn that it was very much booming in the UK. The film goes into great detail about how amazing kelp is - it’s a habitat for numerous marine species, its potential to sequester carbon is unbelievable, it is a highly nutritious superfood, and it can be used as an alternative to plastic which is completely safe for humans and the planet.

Artwork by Jasmine Hortop

Not only was I in awe of kelp itself, but also the team who made this film. I’ve heard of the great lengths production teams have gone to to ensure their films do not create more environmental problems that they’re attempting to solve, but the extreme efforts of the Kelp! team became as much of an integral part of the story as the kelp itself. I’m not going to ruin the film by going into too much detail, but it’s definitely the only production I’ve ever been aware of being filmed entirely on a sailboat!

We somehow came up with the phrase ‘hungry for joy’ throughout the interview, and it’s something I regularly experience, with the greatest of appetites. If you’re looking for a big dose of hope and inspiration, I’d certainly recommend heading straight to the Kelp! website and getting exactly what you need! Scroll down to find the trailer, and a here’s a (free) link to the full film. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

By Hannah Mulvany

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Anthony Cohen is a historian, author and expert on the Underground Railroad who has taken a truly unique approach towards researching and teaching history. His career was launched in 1996 when he traveled 1,200 miles by foot, boat and rail to retrace one of the routes of the Underground Railroad.

Since completing this remarkable journey, Anthony has developed his expertise in experiential history, establishing a living history center that teaches people about slavery and life on an 1850s plantation. His work has been featured in a number of documentaries, most recently the series, “Rooted Wisdom”, about nature’s role in the Underground Railroad.

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I’m super excited to bring you this bonus episode of the podcast! We’re still a few months away from launching our new season of Earth to Humans - that will happen in April for Earth Week - but I wanted to feature this conservation with the director of our latest Wild Lens Collective co-production, Children of the Wolves.

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Ted Howard is the chairman of the Shoshone-Paiute tribe. These tribes once freely occupied the land in the tri-state area of what is now Idaho, Nevada and Oregon, and Ted Howard, who was the cultural resources director for the tribal government before becoming the chairman, is steeped in this history.

This interview was recorded as a part of an oral history series on the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA. This series, called Dedication Point, was produced by the Birds of Prey NCA Partnership, with support from the Bureau of Land Management and the Archives of Falconry. While many of the interviews recorded for this series are focused on the very recent history of the Snake River canyon region, this interview with Ted Howard takes us back to the earliest interactions that humanity had with this landscape, and also provides crucial insight into issues over land ownership in Southwest Idaho and throughout the West.

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Today’s guest is a filmmaker working to document the complex situation unfolding in Denali National Park surrounding the management of this area’s wolf population. Ramey Newell is the documentary filmmaker behind the new film “A Good Wolf”.

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Locals and tourists marvel at the yearly northward migration of the Gray Whales, which occurs every spring. But 2019 has been a year that has confused both locals and scientists. Not only did more gray whales than usual enter the highly trafficked San Francisco Bay in search of food, but 13 gray whales were found dead, washed up on our beaches or found floating in the water. Scientists and researchers are concerned about this unusual mortality event, and continue to search for not just for answers for the spike in deaths, but for solutions to protect and preserve our marine life. Though the science is currently inconclusive, climate change and melting arctic sea ice are thought to be responsible for causing inconsistencies in these mammals' primary food source.

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Can you count to 1 trillion? Sure, it sounds like an overwhelming number, but according to Plant for the Planet and the Crowther Lab, we already have 3 trillion. So 1 trillion more should be a breeze, right? Right? Sagar Aryal, global chairman for Plant for the Planet, and EOC producer, Gregory Haddock visit about what it means to plant 1 trillion trees across the globe. Please consider making a donation to EOC on our Patreon campaign at patreon.com/wildlenscollective. Your contribution makes shows like this possible. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Julia Barnes is the young filmmaker behind the award-winning feature documentary Sea of Life.  Julia has been working on a new film project for the past two years, and she just launched a crowdfunding campaign – which means you can become a part of this new film, called Bright Green Lies. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Crima Pogge is a professor of Biology and Ecology at City College of San Francisco. In this episode, Kristin Tieche lets you be a student again, as she takes you along on her class with Crima: Ecology of the Mendocino Coast. You’ll visit a harbor seal rookery, a dune ecosystem, and a redwood forest. In 2016, San Francisco voters made City College of San Francisco free for residents, providing life-long learners an opportunity to continue their education with zero financial risk. Crima describes the civic value of the ecology classes she teaches for San Franciscans, and their accessibility to all types of learners.   Also interviewed is Kristin’s classmate Hilda Ngan, who teaches us about red abalone.   Learn more about Crima Pogge here: https://sites.google.com/a/mail.ccsf.edu/aboutcrima/   Learn more about City College of San Francisco here: https://www.ccsf.edu/   Closing music: Orange+Blue by Chris Collins.   Support Eyes on Conservation by become a Patron:   https://www.patreon.com/WildLensCollective Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Welcome to Northern Colorado. Ehret Nottingham loves Colorado. He loves the wilderness, and he wants everybody to have a piece of it. He's also one incredibly driven 18 year old. Ehret, with the help of some gifted, talented, and passionate friends organized and launched Northern Colorado's Youth Climate Strike, and offshoot of the international group, Youth Climate Strike. In this episode, Ehret walks us through Library Park where his march took place, he talks about what drives him, and shares what inspires him to take action when it comes to one of the biggest challenges facing mankind today. Show music by the Humidors with additional music by Lee Rosevere and Blue Dot Sessions. For more information check out EOC producer, Kristin Tieche's episode #176 "Youth Climate Strike!" Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Larry Larocco spent his political career working on public lands issues in the Western US.  He began his career working for Senator Frank Church and played a key role in the establishment of the River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho.  As a congressman he introduced the legislation that created the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA, an area just south of Boise, ID that is home to the highest nesting densities of birds of prey anywhere in North America.  Few political leaders have had such an outsized influence on the current makeup of our public lands system, and it was an honor to speak with Congressman Larocco about his unique political career.  This interview was recorded for an oral history project focused on the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA.  This oral history series was produced by the Birds of Prey NCA Partnership, a friends group for this NCA, working in close collaboration with the BLM, the Peregrine Fund’s Archives of Falconry, and the Wild Lens Collective. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Podcast producer Kristin Tieche was at the California Youth Climate Strike on March 15th, documenting this growing youth movement in support of the Green New Deal and immediate action to solve our climate crisis. To learn more check out Youth vs. Apocalypse:  http://youthvsapocalypse.org/ Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today, Sarinah Simons brings you interviews from the front lines of the 2019 Film Festival. After wandering the streets of Park City, Utah and seeing more films in five days than she would in an entire year, Sarinah interviews the filmmakers and creators behind some of her favorite films seen at the festival. This included the films Anthropocene: The Human Epoch co-directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky and Nicholas de Pencier, Honeyland co-directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubo Stefanov and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. Learn what inspired the filmmakers and what motivates the meaning behind the art. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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As 2023 comes to a close, our Earth to Humans team took a look back at some of the episodes that were the most meaningful to us.

We closed out our end-of-the-year roundtable conversation with a discussion about COP28. All of us agreed that just about everything that we’ve been hearing coming out of the COP thus far has been deeply disheartening - we struggled to find any kind of positive message. This is the balancing act that we play here on Earth to Humans on a regular basis - we yearn to tell hopeful stories, but refuse to peddle false hope. The situations surrounding COP28 and our continued struggle to make progress on climate is the reality that we live in, and we’ll continue to seek out stories that highlight this struggle.

This is the final episode of this season of Earth to Humans. We’ll be back with new episodes in mid April of 2024 - just in time for Earth Day.

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Kristin Tieche explores issues of accessibility at the festival and analyzes it's role in spreading awareness of social, racial and environmental justice issues. This episode features: Cassandra Begay of PANDOS https://www.pandos.org/   Maikiko James of Women in Film https://womeninfilm.org/   Poonam Basu & Esther Mira of Team Rebelution https://www.facebook.com/teamrebelutionfilms/   Tamara Kotevska & Ljubo Stefanov, directors of Honeyland https://www.facebook.com/honeyland.earth/   Juan Pablo Polanco & César Alejandro Jaimes, directors of Lapü https://www.facebook.com/lapudocumentary/   Dan Madison Savage, director of Them That Follow http://www.sundance.org/projects/them-that-follow   Gabe Dominguez, bandleader of SHAKE YOUR PEACE! https://shakeyourpeace.bandcamp.com/   Jo Cruz and Teao Sense of Audio Pharmacy https://www.audiopharmacy.com/   Ben Dupris, director of Sweetheart Dancers https://www.instagram.com/sweetheartdancers2019/ Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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EOC podcast contributor Emma Tyrell interviewed representatives from indigenous communities all around the globe for this special episode of the show.  Climate change affects every community in a different way, and the variety of perspectives presented here show the scope of issues that indigenous communities are already facing.  These interviews also show the resiliency of indigenous communities, discussing how traditional knowledge can help communities adapt for the change that is coming. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Environmentalism and its sister message of conservation have echoed throughout the ages. The love, fascination, and sublime fear of nature have been as much a part of humankind as any book or historical document can recall. But, it doesn’t mean that we’ve always understood our duty to it, or even been able to comprehend our capacity to permanently change it. In fact, despite our affinity to the outdoors, our respect of Mother Earth has often come second to our ability to dominate it. "A Sense of Wonder" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isoJxPZH1LQ (Here, writer and actress Kaiulani Lee portrays Rachel Carson in the biographical play, “A Sense of Wonder”. The play has been touring the world for nearly a quarter of a century.)   RACHEL CARSON SILENT SPRING https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC3jAQBqb38 (Taken from American Experience on PBS) 6th Great Mass Extinction https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=cmb5hn2X2ok (From video, produced of Stanford Biology Professor, Paul Ehrlich. Credit: Rob Jordan)   What is Climate Change? https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/10/ipcc-report-climate-change-impacts-forests-emissions/ (From National Geographic, October, 2018)                                                                                                  Greta Thurnberg, United Nations, Poland https://www.democracynow.org/2018/12/13/you_are_stealing_our_future_greta (15 year old Greta Thurnberg addresses the United Nations on taking effective action on Climate Change) This has been a production of the Eyes on Conservation podcast, brought to you by Wild Lens. To visit the show notes for this episode and to see a whole host of amazing stories and incredible adventures, start now at www.wildlensinc.org/eoc172. Show intro and outro music by the humidors. Show music by The Humidors. Additional music from Lobo Loco provided by the Freemusicarchive.org under Creative Commons licensing. For a full list of clips and show notes – head over to the website. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today we are going to learn about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a piece of legislation that the Trump administration is attempting to dismantle 100 years after it was passed.  We are presenting for you in today's episode a presentation given by the Chief Network Officer of the National Audubon Society, David Ringer.  David highlights the key role played by the Audubon Society in the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 100 years ago, and discusses how Audubon is currently working to ensure that this and other important protections for birds and our environment are maintained. David gave this presentation back in November of 2018 as Audubon was winding down it’s celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act - but this message remains equally critical now, at the start of the new year.  While our current political situation can be downright depressing, it’s important to remember that we do have options for making our voices heard. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Kristy Oriol and Paul Bancroft recently co-authored an article on the surprising and unsettling link between climate change and violence against women and their words serve as some of the earliest discussions surrounding this important topic. Oriol and Bancroft work to provide victims of domestic and sexual violence and child abuse with safety, advocacy, support and education services through the non-profit, the Tahoe Safe Alliance.  Learn how increasing knowledge of these connections could simultaneously work to dismantle rape culture and remedy the climate crisis. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Most endangered species are easy to see in peril. There simply aren’t very many of them, and we struggle to see them in the areas where they’re from. Others aren’t so clear. Take, for example, the black-tailed prairie dog. It seems like they’re everywhere, and yet, their numbers are some of the lowest they’ve every been. This isn’t just bad news for the prairie dog. It’s bad news for animals like the black footed ferret, and a whole host of other animals who either feed on prairie dogs or rely on their burrows for shelter. Meet Deanna Meyer, the Executive Director of Prairie Protection Colorado, the group working to relocate prairie dogs from certain eradication in places like the City of Castle Rock’s Promenade Shopping Mall in Colorado. While only a fraction of these animals were able to be saved by Deanna and her team, the ones that did make it to the relocation area just outside of Sedalia have no idea how lucky they are. And maybe we don't either. Find out more about Deanna and the whole team of Prairie Protection Colorado at prairieprotectioncolorado.org and prairieprotectioncolorado@gmail.com. Show music by The Humidors. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions via Creative Commons Licensing. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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On today’s episode of the show, we are taking you to Sun Valley Idaho where we’ll sit in on a panel discussion featuring the voices of both local and global innovators on the topic of resiliency, innovation and opportunity in the face of climate change. Aimee Christensen is the executive director of Sun Valley Institute for Resilience and lead’s today’s panel discussion. The theme of the discussion revolves around turning risks into opportunities and how economics, policy and natural resources fair in the face of climate change. With the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently releasing their special report on the effects of a 1.5 degree global temperature increase, and the very real and very urgent implications of those findings, these discussions on mitigating and adjusting our approaches to climate change in these dire times is more timely than ever. To learn more information about Sun Valley Institute or about the Sun Valley Forum on Resilience, visit: sunvalleyinstitute.org. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Bill Ulfelder is the New York Executive Director for the Nature Conservancy.  The Nature Conservancy is known throughout the world for purchasing, managing and conserving land to protect and improve wildlife habitat, but in recent decades the focus of the organization has shifted towards finding solutions to the big environmental challenges of our time.  No challenge is bigger than that posed by climate change, and Bill sat down with EOC contributor Emma Tyrell to discuss how the Nature Conservancy is approaching this enormous challenge in light of the recently released report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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When it comes to fracking regulations on the ballot, there are likely fewer places more concerned than Weld county, Colorado, where I live. Weld county has a lot invested in the outcome, because nearly 12% of its workers are somehow either directly or indirectly tied to its production. Proposition 112 made it on the ballot because for many the debate over how safe this process actually is and how dangerous the wastewater byproduct can be has not been adequately dealt with. While the fight for Proposition 112 in 2018 ended in defeat for organizers, supporters treat the loss like another major milestone in the path to victory. So what would the legislation actually do? Proposed guidelines set by Proposition 112 would create a “setback” for all new oil and gas development a minimum of 2500 feet away from any “vulnerable” area such as homes, hospitals, schools, and highly trafficked or used areas by people. This would include public open spaces, water sources, or playgrounds. Any other areas deemed vulnerable by state or local governments would be added to the list. It would not affect any new oil and gas projects on federal land, and existing projects would be exempt. However, re-entering old wells would be considered new development and would therefore be subject to the new laws. Current restrictions demand wells be 1,000 feet away from high-occupancy buildings: schools, hospitals, and the like. 500 feet away from occupied buildings like homes, and only 350 feet away from playgrounds. I followed Anne Lee Foster, ballot initiative proponent and CO Rising volunteer, from the “yes” campaign’s office to election night to find out what this means for the future of oil and gas in Colorado. Show music by the Humidors. Additional music by Gillicuddy and Scott Holmes via the Free Music Archive through Creative Commons Licensing, and 112 through Fair Use. https://corising.org/ https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoRising/ Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today, we're taking you to a remote island off the coast of Alaska, just above the Aleutian Islands and not too far from Russia. Among the bellows of the fur seals and windswept sea cliffs of St. Paul Island, Aquilina Lestenkof, an indigenous Unangan woman and pioneer for her community in revitalizing the Unangan language, is teaching a new generation of youth about where their people have come from, and how far they still have to go in order to protect what she calls the "ingredients" that make up her community and culture. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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As of September 10, 2023, there have been 9,614 civilian deaths reported in Ukraine since Russia’s latest invasion began on February 24, 2022. And in Gaza, the latest numbers of civilian casualties in just over a month are estimated to be over 13,000. These scenes of unfathomable death and destruction have displaced millions, breaking apart families and disjointing entire communities; ripples that will have lasting effects for years to come.

But there is also a quieter victim of these wars. The land, the water, the plants, animals and fungi that call those places home. I have been thinking a lot about how these conflicts are impacting the ecosystems within them and I wanted to talk to somebody about it.

And that’s how I found Oleksiy.   

As a Ukrainian scientist, Oleksiy knows better than most, how these wars shape and change not only people, but amphibians, insects and birds. I asked Oleksiy about his life and work before the war, the idyllic lands he once explored, and also life after, the bombing, the militarization of the world around him and an ongoing race to save invaluable data sets before they’re lost forever. He’s smart, he’s candid, and he has a lot to say.

Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group

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Earlier this year, I got an email from a listener that stood out.  It read, Listening to your podcast in college help me realize I wanted to get into filmmaking rather than field biology because I agree SO much with your viewpoints and the reasons you got into wildlife filmmaking. Holy shit!  I thought.  We had altered the course of someone’s life with this podcast! His name is Zach Steinhauser, and he had already begun working on his first film by the time he reached out with that email.  I responded right away to set up a conversation - there was a sense of responsibility that I had never felt before - I wanted to help ensure that Zach’s project was successful. Now I’ve fielded many calls like this from aspiring filmmakers, but this one was different, and not just because Zach was crediting this podcast as his inspiration.  Zach reached out at a time when we were re-assessing the strategic plan for our organization, Wild Lens.  You may have heard about this on the episode we released a few months back - episode 153. In a nutshell - we had decided to re-structure the organization as a collective, and to place a heavier focus on creating a network of collaboration and support for people working at the intersection of conservation and media arts.  Zach was exactly the type of person we wanted to help - so I asked if I could record our conversation for an episode of the show. Zach's film is about a topic if particular interest to me - purple martin conservation.  Purple martins are cavity nesters, like the subjects of my film Bluebird Man, but unlike bluebirds they are completely reliant on man made nesting boxes for their survival throughout most of their range.  Zach seeks to explore this relationship between humans and the purple martin in his new film, Purple Haze. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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“She was looking for another member of her own kind, and there was never a response.”   Meet Mike Phillips, co-founder and Executive Director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund and co-founder and adviser to the Turner Biodiversity Division. Mike knows wolves. His work with them began in the 80s where his big break coordinating the Red Wolf Recovery Program. In 1994 he became Project Leader for Yellowstone’s Gray Wolf Restoration. Mike is also an adviser to the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. Oh, and he’s a Montana State Senator While Mike’s experience is rich and impressive, his way of speaking is humble and accessible. Listen to hear how Mike Phillips defines success and appeals to our better senses to embrace our inner ecological senses. Learn more about the work Mike and his colleagues are doing to save endangered species at www.tesf.org and visit the website www.rockymountainwolfproject.org. You can email Mike at Mike.Phillips@tedturner.com. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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The chambered nautilus is the only living descendant of a group of ocean creatures that thrived in the seas 500 million years ago when the earth’s continents were still forming. Older than the dinosaurs, these deep sea dwellers are often referred to as the oldest living fossils. But, after withstanding countless challenges, they are being sought after for their beauty and dwindling toward extinction. A young activist and several curious scientists traveled to Fiji recently on an expedition to learn more about this ancient animal and how to save it. Gianna Savoie traveled with them to capture some of the story of this threatened ancient animal and the work being done to rescue it. I spoke with this filmmaker and founder of Ocean Media Institute, a non-profit conservation organization based in Bozeman, MT, to learn more about their adventure and her work as a science storyteller on behalf of the ocean. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today on the show we are going to learn about how one city is taking responsibility for the trash that it produces, and setting a global example for how to stop plastic waste from entering our oceans. That city is Baltimore, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with one of the key figures behind Baltimore’s campaign to clean up their waterways - Adam Lindquist.  Adam works for the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore where he serves as the director of the Healthy Harbor Initiative.  Listen in to the episode to learn how Adam and others are using Mr. Trash Wheel, and a variety of other initiatives to clean up Baltimore's harbor and improve the lives of those who live in the city. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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On today’s episode of the show, I interview a woman who has inspired me and many people like me to embrace themselves in outdoor spaces and find community even when its not always easy.  Her name is Rue Mapp, and she is the CEO and founder of Outdoor Afro, a not-for-profit organization founded in Oakland, California that is at the forefront of celebrating and inspiring African American connections in nature. Outdoor Afro represents a network across 30 states, challenging and changing representation in the outdoors and connecting thousands of people to outdoor experiences. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Last week I took a trip. In the Rocky Mountains, Northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado, just past Bellvue. I wasn’t very equipped. Welcome to Eyes on Conservation. I’m Gregory Haddock. Today you will hear part 1 of a 2-part series on protecting and conserving wolves and their legacy in the Rocky Mountains. W.O.L.F Sanctuary is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public and rescuing as many of the large number of wolves and wolf-dogs raised in captivity. These animals were saved from a larger pool of exotic animals in the United States - either given up or euthanized. Michelle Proulx has worked with the W.O.L.F. (Wolves Offered Life and Friendship) Sanctuary most of her adult life. Other than being a hero to animals that would otherwise be headed for much tragic endings, Michelle and the others at the sanctuary consider themselves first and foremost educators. For more information on Michelle and the work she and the rest of the team at W.O.L.F. Sanctuary are doing – you can check out their website and great resources at www.wolfsanctuary.net. You can find out more about the show on the show note’s page at Wildlensinc.org/eoc159. Stay tuned for part II of this story when I speak with Mike Phillips, Director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund, former Field Coordinator for the Red Wolf Recovery Program and former Project Leader of Greater Yellowstone’s gray wolf restoration project. Show music is brought to you by The Humidors. If you liked today’s episode, please consider checking out The Majority Villain Podcast – a podcast I host and produce – dedicated to democratizing the planet politically and ecologically. Thanks for listening today to Eyes on Conservation. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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For her feature-length film, Sea of Life, the ever-talented Julia Barnes interviewed scientists and activists working to save the ocean and shared an interview with Callum Roberts with Eyes on Conservation. Callum is a marine conservationist, oceanographer, author and researcher based at York University. Julia spoke with Callum about human impacts on the ocean, going back through the history of fishing and looking towards the future of ocean conservation. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today’s episode is about drones.  I spoke with the founders of an organization called Oceans Unmanned about how they are using drones to assist in conducting biological research, as well as how they are working to reduce wildlife disturbance from drones. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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To have or not to have children, that is a most vexing question and one I wrestled with personally during my 30s. A career in conservation and, in particular, being steeped in issues of climate change, firmly planted me on the fence on the issue. After all, how could I bring a life into this doomed world? At the same time, I witnessed nature’s resilience first-hand, opening the possibility of hope for the future, so maybe a new life could thrive and contribute to making the world an even better place. Then I hit 40 and was quietly relieved that nature had made the decision for me and that answer was: “No.” That is until it wasn’t anymore. I have no idea what changed, but suddenly my husband and I were expecting. And my world flipped. Matt Podolsky and I chatted about this flip and the curious business of having and raising a conscientious child that makes a positive contribution to the world and how finding answers to these questions lead to the idea for a new podcast. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today we are welcoming back our guest from episode 92 of the show - Nate Dappen.  Nate is a filmmaker focused on telling stories about science and conservation, and he has a new film, just released this week, called “the Passage”. The Passage is a bit of a departure from Nate’s typical storytelling style - it’s a deeply personal story focused on the importance of family and explores what it’s like for him to watch his parents age. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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There are lots of amazing stories about the early days of the Appalachian Trail, but none match the story of Grandma Gatewood. In 1955, Gatewood set out to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. She was 67 years old at the time. She began her hike in secret - she didn’t want her children to know what she was doing because she knew they’d try to stop her. But news of her trek traveled fast, and by the time she was a few months into her hike, she had become a national celebrity. When she finished her hike she appeared on the Tonight Show and had stories featured about her in magazines and newspapers across the country.

For many Americans at the time, hearing news stories about Grandma Gatewood was their first exposure to the Appalachian Trail. The trail had been completed in the 1930s, but had been in left unmaintained during World War II, and by the 1950s it was in danger of being lost to obscurity. Gatewood awakened the public consciousness to this unique footpath, ensuring that it would receive the recognition and protection that it deserved.

Gatewood hiked the entire Appalachian Trail not just once, but three times. She became a fixture of the long distance hiking community in the 1950s and 60s, and has long been considered a legend of the Appalachian Trail. But until Ben Montgomery’s book was published, very little was known about her life before her Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Her motivation to hike the trail was largely a mystery.

Montgomery’s research and conversations with family members revealed that Gatewood’s husband was an long-time abuser. Her ambition to hike over 2,000 miles along the Appalachian Trail was in part a reaction to decades of physical abuse and suffering. This added a layer to Gatewood’s story that hadn’t yet been told, and it brought her motivation into clearer focus.

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Summer is often cited as a favorite season, what with long days and favorable weather for outdoor adventures. Living in Montana, however, Summer has gotten shortened by a new, worrisome season: Fire. Months of smoke-filled skies, waking up to a layer of particulate matter covering everything and a worry that seeps into every cell of my being makes it easily my least favorite time of the year. When the impacts of climate change are at my doorstep, the need to get nature on a better trajectory becomes urgent. Rather than utilizing great scientific minds to argue over whether what we all are experiencing in increasingly devastating examples is indeed reality, I have long been a proponent of developing solutions to strengthen ecosystems. This starts with scientists, land managers and advocates working together. I spoke with Jeff Burrell, the recently retired Northern Rockies Program Director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, about the role of science in the long-term preservation of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in light of climate change. He beautifully articulates why using the best available science to choose how and where on-the-ground efforts are most effective has the greatest capacity to build climate change resilience at a landscape-scale. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Today, we take you for a tour of the inside of Wild Lens as the organization starts the difficult process of transforming, growing and differentiating. Following a weekend retreat with collaborators and contributors to the work of Wild Lens, I spoke with Matt Podolsky and Sean Bogle about this process, what it has looked like, how it feels and the circumstances leading up to their recognition for the organization’s need to undergo a metamorphosis. The music for today’s show was recorded live at the retreat and is the talented Greg Willis, who not only provided wisdom and insight that will inform this next iteration of Wild Lens, but contributes his art to the Wild Lens collective that is beginning to form and is mentioned throughout today’s show. Sean kicks this discussion off with an overview of how Wild Lens has grown. Have a listen! Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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If you’re like me, you are a total sucker for story. The kind that make me lean-in, as if my ears closer to the speaker could possibly offer more, is my favorite. I’ve come to learn that this is, in fact, a nearly universal human trait, emerging spontaneously in childhood, and existing in all cultures studied thus far. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—taking on a form of existential problem-solving. As Spring begins to hint of Summer and outdoor adventures start filling up my calendar, it feels like the season of storytelling; shared on the trail, around the campfire, over beers after some epic Type II fun. Amid all of it, I ache for ways to take more people with me to these places, to engage them in these experiences, to awaken a passion in them for the preservation and protection of nature. When Matt Podolsky interviewed Fitz Cahall, well-known outdoor adventure storyteller, I left the show filled with inspiration on doing just this. In honor of this seasonal transition, I wanted to re-broadcast this show on the off-chance it may prove equally inspirational for others. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Over the past decade, carbon offsetting has become increasingly popular, but it has also become increasingly controversial. While some argue that carbon offset programs allow people to feel absolved of their carbon consuming sins without genuinely changing behaviors, which may very well be true in some instances, we here at the Eyes on Conservation Podcast as part of the larger Wild Lens crew all work to be active participants in a sustainable future. As all of us at Wild Lens prepare to gather from all across the country to discuss the future direction of the organization, we will be participating in a carbon offset program to make this a more sustainable venture. But, as we began researching the options, it was difficult to figure out which programs were genuinely effective. That is, until we discovered ECO2. ECO2 works in Kenya and offers carbon offsets that pay for several programs, including locally produced efficient stoves that reduce wood consumption and help to preserve the unique vegetation and biodiversity of the Kakamega rainforest. These stoves have a cleaner burning process, decreasing indoor air pollution and associated acute respiratory infections in women and children. Moreover, savings in burning unsustainably harvested fuel wood cuts down CO2 emissions. Matt Podolsky spoke with Anton Espira, a founder and principle of ECO2 and Solibrium, that has been overseeing this inspiring project that Wild Lens is excited to contribute to. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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As many know, the March for Science is a grassroots, all volunteer-organized event, celebrating science across the nation and it serves as a call to support and safeguard the scientific community. Recent policy suggestions and changes have caused heightened worry among scientists, and the incredible and immediate outpouring of support has made clear that these concerns are also shared by countless people around the world. If you missed one of these recent events near you, but were curious what it’s all about, the fabulous folks from the Majority Villain podcast attended the March for Science-Denver and shared their episode with us to bring to listeners of Eyes on Conservation. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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When he launched Conservation International in 1987, Peter Seligmann recognized that the conservation movement had yet to genuinely consider people as an integral part of ecosystems. Along with his team their thinking was on jobs and health and the health of a family, the health of the community and how these are all impacted by the conservation of nature. This seemingly intuitive approach was novel, innovative. They went further to generate science and ideas that were pragmatic, applicable and inclusive and utilizing this to guide decision making. Through hard work, passion, compassion and an openness to learning from mistakes, a strong, highly accomplished organization flourished and continues to today. After 30 years as the CEO, he recently stepped down from that role and handed the reins to a new generation of leaders, remaining on as chairman and exploring new endeavors. Producer Matt Podolsky spoke with Peter about his story, the challenges of being an innovative leader and the phenomenal work of CI during his tenure and moving forward. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Hurricane Maria was the worst storm to hit Puerto Rico in over 80 years, arriving only two weeks after Hurricane Irma passed just north of the island. The effects of these storms on Puerto Rican families — and the island’s infrastructure — will take many years to heal. The effect on the wildlife inhabiting this island was also, not surprisingly, equally devastated. When the Peregrine Fund’s team of biologists surveyed the population of Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawks in 2017, they found 75 birds comprising 16 breeding pairs in four locations on the island. Following hurricanes Irma and Maria, the population was down to just 19 individual birds. Nearly 75 percent of the subspecies was lost. Matt Podolsky sat down with Russel Thurstrom at the Peregrine Fund to learn more about this discovery and the actions being taken to prevent this species from blinking out. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Making a documentary involves learning a lot of information and then condensing it into a very short format. For Sea of Life Julia Barnes, filmmaker and ocean activist, interviewed over 50 experts and only about 20 of them were featured in the movie; sometimes only for a few minutes. With a depth of information sitting on her hard drives, today she shares with listeners some never before heard clips from an interview with Tom Campbell. Tom Campbell is an underwater filmmaker who has witnessed big changes in the ocean over his lifetime. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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At 16 years old, Julia Barnes learned that the world's coral reefs, rainforests and fisheries are expected to disappear within her lifetime. For her, action became a necessity and the journey to make a feature-length film to inspire and engage others in these issues began. She bought a couple of cameras, learned to dive, and set out on a mission to expose the biggest threats facing the ocean. After 3 years of exploration of these issues, she released Sea of Life: an extraordinarily beautiful film with a powerful message. I spoke with Julia about the ideas behind her work and discovered an awe-inspiring person with passion and grit fighting for the living world. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Technical outdoor gear can make all the difference in the world when you are traveling in wild places and enduring whatever weather nature tosses out. But, the trade-off is too often, ironically,  a negative environmental impact with an excess of non-biodegradable pieces sitting in the land-fill. The outdoor apparel industry, with their history of championing environmental conservation efforts can serve as an industry leader in creating truly sustainable products. As consumers, we can do our part by prolonging the life of our trusty technical garments and repair these rather than replace them. Colleen Tretter, also known as The Green Darner, does just this for the environmentally conscious outdoor junkies of Bozeman, Montana. I stopped into the shop and spoke with Colleen about how she got her start and any ethical shifts she’s seeing in consumer and brand behavior. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Having moved to Scotland very recently, I’ve been really keen to get started on telling some stories from this amazing country. As some of you who are keen listeners to the podcast will already know, I love a good bit of folklore, especially when it relates to landscapes and relationships with nature. So, it’s only natural that my first episode from here was with Folklore Scotland.

It also just so happened to fall on Halloween and, seeing as the origins of the holiday are very much engrained in Gaelic and Celtic history, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to talk about all the sinister creatures that contribute to some of the absolute best folk stories that Scotland has to offer. Think vampires, water monsters, witches, evil fairies…these stories have it all. So if you wanted some spooky stories this Halloween, you’ve come to the right place.

Artwork by Jasmine Hortop

During the episode, we discuss Beira, Queen of winter and creator of Scotland’s hills and mountains in great detail - you can find out more about her and the other characters we discuss on the Folklore Scotland website. We also discuss the fearsome baobhan sith, who I made a special request for this week’s artwork to be centred on. Baobhan sith are said to be extremely attractive women who hate all creatures apart from deer, therefore they hate deer hunters the most. As the story goes, they’ll enchant deer hunters with their beauty before…I’m not going to ruin the episode for you so you’ll have to listen and find out!

We mention a Robert Burns classic poem which is all about witches, and is also very much a lesson in not catcalling! I’d never heard it before and as soon as I’d finished the episode I went to read it, and instantly wanted to share it as part of the show notes. It’s incredibly long, so if you want the full version you can check it out here, but here’s a wee excerpt as a taster…

Ah, Tam! ah, Tam! thou'll get thy fairin!

In hell they'll roast thee like a herrin!

In vain thy Kate awaits thy comin!

Kate soon will be a woefu' woman!

Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg,

And win the key-stane of the brig:

There at them thou thy tail may toss,

A running stream they dare na cross.

But ere the key-stane she could make,

The fient a tail she had to shake!

For Nannie far before the rest,

Hard upon noble Maggie prest,

And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle;

But little wist she Maggie's mettle—

Ae spring brought aff her master hale

But left behind her ain grey tail:

The carlin claught her by the rump,

And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.

         Now, wha this tale o' truth shall read,

Ilk man and mother's son, take heed,

Whene'er to drink you are inclin'd,

Or cutty-sarks run in your mind,

Think, ye may buy the joys o'er dear,

Remember Tam o' Shanter's mear.

If you love this episode as much as me and want MORE Scottish folktales, check out Folklore Scotland’s podcasts and website.

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Greg Luther is an avid hunter, living in Montana. As a sportsmen and a gun owner, he supports stricter gun control. In a recent op-ed piece published in High Country News, Luther stated: We hunters pride ourselves on self-sufficiency, so let’s work from the ground up. That means looking at the facts, talking about it around the campfire, voting for candidates that aren’t in the NRA’s pocket, and donating dollars to organizations that help protect the things that actually are under threat — like our public lands. Matt Podolsky caught up with Greg Luther to discuss the inspiration behind this powerful piece. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Matt podolsky and Sean Bogle are down in San Felipe filming another installment of the Vaquita story. They take you to the marina, sharing a snippet of the scene at the and provide updates on the project. We'll add updates to the diary as they become available, so stay tuned for more installments. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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Hunters have historically been leading conservation efforts, going back to Teddy Roosevelt, who was himself an avid hunter and huge proponent of the protection of wildlife and wildlife habitat. This merger of hunting and conservation persists today. Matt Podolsky spoke with Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Chief Conservation Officer Blake Henning about the organizations efforts to maintain the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, recognizing that fish and wildlife belong to all Americans, and that they need to be managed in a way such that their populations will be sustained in perpetuity. Join private conversations with top authors and access exclusive bonus content!

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