Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Chris Hawkins is the Colorado Urban Conservation Manager for The Nature Conservancy, where he leads the organization's efforts in Denver to "solve global challenges like the biodiversity and climate emergencies by supporting and creating more sustainable, efficient ways of living." - When many people think of The Nature Conservancy, they may envision large-scale conservation efforts across vast grasslands and wild landscapes– but TNC also conducts some of its most innovative conservation work in cities— work that leads to more resilient, healthy, and equitable communities. Chris's work in Denver is a shining example of how nature-based solutions in densely populated urban areas can have positive ripple effects far beyond the city limits. - Chris was born and raised on the east coast, attended college in Boston, and from the very beginning of his career, he's been focused on service and causes greater than himself. He's worked as a Corps Member of AmericaCorps, as Chief of Staff in New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, and for the past nine years, he's been with the Nature Conservancy. As you'll hear in this conversation, Chris's diverse professional experiences have allowed him to bring a unique and effective perspective to the complex world of urban conservation. - Chris was nice enough to join me at my dining room table for an engaging and educational conversation about all things urban conservation. We started out by discussing why TNC has chosen to devote its resources and expertise to conservation in cities, and he explains the unique challenges facing cities in the West. We discuss how public health is directly related to people's access to nature, and how the simple-but-not-easy strategy of planting trees in neighborhoods can have huge conservation and public health benefits. As is the case with all of my conservation-related conversations, we discuss the critical importance of relationships, and how Chris has managed to build relationships with a diverse group of Denver residents. We also discuss his professional trajectory, the importance of exporting urban conservation ideas to other cities, and the critical roles of mayors and local leadership. And finally, Chris is a serious history buff, so we have a great discussion about books. - There is so much fascinating information packed into this episode, and I greatly appreciate Chris's taking the time to share his wisdom with the Mountain & Prairie community. Check out the episode notes for links to everything we discuss. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. --- Chris Hawkins TNC's Urban Conservation Program in Denver TNC's Global Cities Program Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/chris-hawkins/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy's leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy's impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:45 - Why do Chris and TNC work in cities 7:00 - Thriving cities in the West and the unique challenges they present 9:30 - Whether or not the health benefits of the outdoors have become a larger part of Chris's work recently 15:30 - Discussing trees 27:45 - How Chris builds relationships in his work in cities 33:45 - Specific strategies Chris uses to build trust 38:30 - Where Chris grew up and why he became involved in this work 43:30 - Discussing the work of city mayors 53:00- How ideas that are exported or imported between cities show up in Chris's work in Denver 1:00:15 - Chris's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Back in September of 2022, I held the first annual Strenuous Life Retreat at the renowned Zapata Ranch in Colorado's San Luis Valley. The retreat consisted of five days of adventure and education inspired by Theodore Roosevelt's well-known commitment to living "the Strenuous Life." We hiked high into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, rode horses in Great Sand Dunes National Park, and enjoyed world-class meals. And each afternoon, we enjoyed facilitated conversations about land stewardship, conservation, and regenerative agriculture. This episode is a recording of one of those conversations. - I was honored to be joined by conservation veteran Nancy Fishbein, who serves as Director of Resilient Lands for the Colorado Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Nancy has been a long-standing leader in the Western conservation community, so we were all honored that she took time out of her full schedule to join us and share some stories and hard-earned wisdom. The Zapata Ranch is owned by the Nature Conservancy and managed by Ranchlands, so Nancy has a unique insight into the history of the ranch, as well as the importance of conservation in the San Luis Valley. - We recorded this conversation at the ranch's education center, one afternoon after a morning of horseback riding. The first half consists of me asking the questions, and the second half consists of questions from the retreat participants. We cover everything from the history of the Zapata Ranch to the establishment of Great Sand Dunes National Park, which adjoins the ranch to the north. We talk about the conservation bison herd that calls the ranch home, and some of the ongoing challenges in the San Luis Valley created by water speculation and development. We discuss how mineral rights development can coexist with conservation, the protection of biodiversity on ranches, how TNC and the National Park Service work together, and much more. As you'll hear, everyone in attendance was super engaged and curious about Nancy's work, and it showed in the range of interesting and thoughtful questions. - I hope this episode will give you a bit of insight into the types of conversations we had at the 2022 Retreat and the kind of conversations you can expect in 2023 and beyond. Colorado is blessed to have so many committed conservationists like Nancy who devote their time and energy to protecting and stewarding these spectacular landscapes, and I can't thank Nancy enough for taking the time to join us. - If you're interested in joining me for the 2023 Retreat, as of this recording, there are still a few spots left. You can click here to learn more and reserve your spot. Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy! --- Nancy Fishbein Zapata Ranch Strenuous Life Retreat Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/nancy-fishbein/ --- SUPPORT M&P: Become a Patreon supporter today! --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - A quick intro to Nancy 5:30 - The story of the Education Center on Zapata Ranch 7:00 - How Zapata Ranch first got onto TNC's radar 10:00 - How TNC goes about acquiring properties like Zapata Ranch 12:15 - Why the previous owner of Zapata Ranch did not charge TNC full fair market value for the property 13:30 - The importance of relationships in TNC's work 15:30 - What happened after TNC acquired Zapata Ranch 18:15 - Explaining a conservation easement 20:00 - Why the bison herd on Zapata Ranch were such a focal point of TNC's conservation work there 22:15 - Why TNC has chosen to hold onto Zapata Ranch as an owner for so long 25:45 - How TNC works with various levels of government agencies 27:30 - Nancy's biggest concern for the San Luis Valley 29:00 - The most recent scheme to remove water from the San Luis Valley 31:45 - Audience questions begin 32:00 - Whether or not Nancy wished that TNC had done something different in their acquisition of Zapata Ranch 32:45 - Nancy's surprises and lessons learned about Zapata 34:30 - Why an easement cannot be put on San Luis Valley's aquifer 36:15 - TNC's role in the establishment of Baca Wildlife Refuge and the Great Sand Dunes National Park 40:45 - The distinction between a national park and a national monument 41:30 - How the TNC navigated purchasing land that was managed by a private company (Rocky Mountain Bison) but on leased state land 42:30 - Exploring the potential causality between water export schemes in the San Luis Valley and the establishment of the Great Sand Dunes National Park 44:00 - Whether or not there remains the appetite for bipartisan action, such as the kind that led to the creation of the Great Sand Dunes National Park, in our current political climate 45:00 - Exploring TNC's support of agriculture as a conservation service 43:30 - Whether or not TNC deals with agricultural leases 51:30 - How easements impact mineral and mining rights on a property 53:30 - How fracking might complicate conservation easements, and whether or not easements are a successful tool for reducing oil and gas development 55:45 - How TNC measures success in its conservation work and the preservation of biodiversity on a property, and how they respond to and act on those measurements 1:00:55 - What TNC is working on right now in Colorado --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Jesse Griffiths is an Austin-based chef, author, hunter, and fisherman, and he's also the co-owner of Dai Due Butcher Shop & Supper Club and the New School of Traditional Cookery. Jesse's work has been featured everywhere from The New York Times to the Joe Rogan Experience, and he's a regular contributor to Steven Rinella's MeatEater. As an author, Jesse has received great praise for his two books, the James Beard Award-finalist cookbook, "Afield: A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish," as well as his most recent title, "The Hog Book: A Chef's Guide to Hunting, Preparing, and Cooking Wild Pigs." - Born and raised in Denton, Texas, Jesse grew up obsessed with fishing– he loved catching the fish, but he also loved cooking and eating them. As a teenager, he started working in restaurants and became more and more interested in cooking– an interest that he pursued full-time after graduating from high school. Propelled by a deep curiosity and a desire to broaden his perspective, he would save up his money and then travel, studying food and cooking in a wide variety of cultures around the world. Eventually, Jesse combined all of his unique personal and professional experiences and opened his own restaurant, Dia Due, which features food that is "produced in a fair and equitable way, represent(s) local culinary traditions, and support(s) farmers and ranchers who are striving to improve the quality of our food." - I've been a fan of Jesse's work for many years, so I was thrilled when we were introduced by a mutual friend. Over the course of our hour together, we covered a lot, include: Jesse's upbringing in Texas and his early days in cooking, the importance of international travel, the challenges of getting Dai Due off the ground, the importance of humility and curiosity, a deep dive into wild hogs in Texas, his approach to writing, Jesse's recent obsession with wild turkeys, and, of course, Jesse offers a ton of great book recommendations. - I loved this conversation and was blown away by Jesse's kindness and humility. I really appreciate his taking the time to chat with me, and I know you'll learn a lot from Jesse's fascinating life story. Enjoy! --- Dai Due New School of Traditional Cookery The Hog Book by Jesse Griffiths Afield by Jesse Griffiths Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/jesse-griffiths/ --- Join Ed for five days on Utah's Green River for his Freeflow Institute Course: PLACE, POWER, PURPOSE --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - Jesse's upbringing 7:30 - How Jesse got involved in cooking 12:15 - When Jesse first left the USA 13:30 - The importance of international travel 16:45 - Jesse's mentors 24:15 - Getting Dai Due started 27:15 - How Jesse learned to be a manager 31:15 - The source of Jesse's humility 36:15 - Jesse's work with Texas wild hogs 50:15 - Jesse's ethos in writing 51:30 - Jesse's recent work with turkeys 1:01:15 - Jesse's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

For today's conversation, I was thrilled to chat once again with Christian Beckwith, a Jackson, Wyoming-based writer, historian, conservationist, and entrepreneur. Christian's latest project is "Ninety-Pound Rucksack: A podcast about the US Army's 10th Mountain Division and the dawn of outdoor recreation in America." - If you enjoy spending time up high in the mountains here in the American West, then you've surely heard at least a passing mention of the 10th Mountain Division. It's nearly impossible to travel up and down the I-70 corridor here in Colorado without seeing a few references to the 10th. But if you're like me, you probably do not have a sufficient appreciation for the exciting story of how and why the division was formed, and how its creation set the trajectory for climbing, skiing, and recreational outdoor adventure for decades to come. - Whether you're a climber, skier, or simply a history buff who enjoys diving into untold stories from pivotal moments in our past, then I highly recommend Ninety-Pound Rucksack. The podcast starts out exploring the 1939 Russian invasion of Finland, and how, despite being outmatched on nearly every level, the Fins were able to put up a heroic fight thanks to their ability to efficiently maneuver through cold, snowy, rugged terrain on skis. The story then shifts to America, where a small group of young mountaineers and skiers recognized the importance of mountain warfare and began to lobby the government to focus on this unconventional approach to battle. I won't give any more details away, but the podcast is just the kind of history I love: big adventures, one-of-a-kind characters, and people driven by causes larger than themselves. - To learn more about Christian's personal background, I'd encourage you to go back and listen to our first conversation from many years ago. Because in this one, we talk all history, all the time– from the backstory of the 10th, to the adventurous young men who dreamed it up, to how that time period affects us still today. Toward the end of the conversation, Christian offers up some valuable wisdom on the need to be tenacious in all creative and entrepreneurial endeavors, and he also has some really great book recommendations. - Follow the links in the episode notes to listen to Ninety-Pound Rucksack, and please pass the podcast along to any of your history-loving friends. A big thanks to Christian for working so hard to create this podcast and for joining me for another conversation. Hope you enjoy! --- Ninety-Pound Rucksack Christian Beckwith Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/christian-beckwith-2/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - An overview of Christan's background 13:15 - How the 10th Mountain Division was established 26:15 - How the 10th Mountain Division impacted the development of skiing in the US 32:15 - How digging into the history of the 10th impacted Christian's thinking about the present 40:45 - Discussing Christian's code switch from adventure writing to engaging history writing 45:15 - The podcast's advisory council 50:15 - Christian's advice for people who have an idea but feel they are not qualified to pursue it 54:45 - Discussing Christian's tenacity 57:00 - What can we do to help get the word out about Christian's work 1:00:00 - Christian's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Matt Moorhead and Galen Guerrero-Murphy are conservationists who work for The Nature Conservancy on its Southern Highs Plains Initiative (SHPI), a collaboration between five states with the shared goal of protecting the nation's grasslands. The Southern High Plains encompasses approximately 71 million acres across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The region is home to some of the country's most important grasslands, as well as the people and wildlife who depend on the invaluable shortgrass prairie ecosystem. - Officially, Matt is TNC's Conservation Business & Partnership Development Advisor and Galen is TNC's Land Conservation Program Manager– but at their core, they are both relationship builders. As you'll hear in this conversation, both Matt and Galen work tirelessly to build long-term, rock-solid partnerships with landowners and conservation partners with the goal of finding win-win solutions that can be mutually beneficial for all parties. Through genuine curiosity, creative thinking, and a deep respect for landowners and their legacy, Matt and Galen have helped to implement lasting conservation outcomes in the Southern High Plains. - The three of us connected virtually and had a fascinating conversation about grasslands, ranching, buidling relationships, and purpose-driven work. We start out by defining exactly what constitutes the Southern High Plains and why this is such an important region for conservation. We then discuss why the large percentage of private ownership creates such a compelling case for conservation, the need for balancing conservation with various forms of energy development, the current markets around grasslands carbon sequestration, and the all-important role of TNC's partners. We also discuss Matt and Galen's mentors, how they measure conservation success, and some of their favorite books. - I've considered Matt and Galen to be friends and mentors for many years now, so I was grateful for the opportunity to talk with them on the podcast. Hope you enjoy. --- More Information: Southern High Plains Initiative Full episode notes & links: https://mountainandprairie.com/southern-high-plains/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy's leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy's impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:10 - Introductions 6:25 - What are the Southern High Plains 9:55 - Why the Southern High Plains are so critical in conservation 16:10 - How the patchwork of private lands in the Southern High Plains allows Matt and Galen to be effective in their conservation work 20:55 - The process of building relationships in private lands conservation work 29:10 - Balancing the potential for landowners to earn revenue through energy development with the interest in conserving landscapes 35:10 - Where things stand on grassland carbon sequestration as a method of generating both landowner revenue as well as conservation outcomes 39:10 - The importance and skills of TNC's partners 43:10 - Matt and Galen's mentors 50:10 - What progress on the Southern High Plains Initiative would make Matt and Galen happy in 10-15 years 53:40 - Matt and Galen's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Walt Morgan is a retired Navy Commander and Navy helicopter pilot, and he's also the founder of Translational Lift Coaching, where he works with individuals and teams to help them reach their full potential. Walt's wide-ranging background as a leader, teacher, student, and parent gives him a unique approach to helping people identify what they are doing well, what they could be doing better, and how to make subtle-yet-powerful adjustments that can lead to lasting change. - Walt grew up in rural Oregon, where agriculture and working lands were an important part of his upbringing. He attended college on a military scholarship, graduated, and began flying helicopters for the Navy. After 23 rewarding years of service, Walt retired from the Navy and made his way into corporate America, where he quickly discovered his talent and passion for coaching. Today, Walt has combined his innate skills as a coach with his deep desire to help people, and he's created a meaningful second act to his already impressive career. - I have had the great fortune of being coached by Walt for many years now, and I credit him and his guidance with helping me to identify the beliefs and ideas that are serving me well and to discard those that created friction. As you'll hear in this conversation, several of the insights I gained from Walt's coaching are what led me to leave the real estate business and fully focus on the purpose-driven work of conservation and this podcast. While I generally avoid blabbing about myself in these conversations, I feel that my personal experience with Walt speaks to the power of the work he does on a daily basis with many, many people. - Walt and I sat down at my dining room table and had a fun conversation about his life and career, including: Walt's upbringing in rural Oregon; his decision to join the military; lessons learned from helicopters, deployments, and decades of service; his experience on the morning of 9/11 and his work in the aftermath; discovering his love of teaching; harnessing youthful wild energy into something productive; becoming a coach; the difference between coaching and therapy; the Enneagram and Integral Coaching methodology; favorite books and music; and much more. - A big thanks to Walt for taking the time to chat and for his guidance over the years. You can find links to everything Walt is doing in the episode notes, so be sure to click through. Hope you enjoy. --- Walt Morgan Translational Lift Coaching Walt on LinkedIn Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/walt-morgan/ --- Join Ed at the 2023 STRENUOUS LIFE RETREAT Support M&P on Patreon --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - How a saddle made it into Walt's living room (a look into his upbringing) 8:300 - Walt's journey in college 10:00 - Discussing Walt's hometown of Yoncalla, OR, and the remarkable people connected to it 13:45 - Why Walt became involved in the military 15:30 - Walt's character pivot from his 19-year-old self to now 18:30 - When Walt started at the US Navy post graduate school 19:15 - Discussing when flying helicopters became a dream of Walt's 21:45 - Whether or not flight school was a means for Walt to channel the negative experiences he was having in his personal life into something productive 23:45 - Describing Walt's missions with helicopters 28:15 - Where Walt was on 9/11 31:00 - Walt's deployments following 9/11 34:45 - Walt's spiritual and emotional journey in corporate America, and starting his own business 42:15 - People's reactions (including Ed's) to receiving the kind of coaching Walt provides 48:15 - Defining Integral Coaching and the process that Ed has specifically worked through with Walt 53:30 - The difference between Integral Coaching and therapy 56:45 - Exploring the Integral Coaching methodology further, and discussing success stories in Walt's work 1:05:15 - Why this coaching strategy is not widespread 1:08:00 - How folks can work with Walt 1:13:45 - Walt's book and music recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Kathie Sever is an artist, designer, and the founder of Fort Lonesome, an Austin-based company that creates one-of-a-kind, hand-cranked, chain-stitched western wear. What started with Kathie hand-embroidering garments for friends out of her home has transformed over the years into a globally known fashion brand that is worn by well-known personalities such as Matthew McConaughey and singer-songwriter Nikki Lane. Using decades-old chain stitching machines, Kathie and her team create some of the most intricate and rich designs imaginable, and Fort Lonesome has been credited with the resurgence of Western wear's popularity in fashion circles around the world. - Kathie was born, raised, and educated in California, but soon after graduating from art school, she took off for Montana, where she worked at a dude ranch. She worked at the ranch off and on for several years, and she took note of how the ranchers brought creativity, craftsmanship, and an artist's eye to so many of their tasks– from welding to sewing to leatherwork. Kathie loved the idea of functional art, and she has since made a career of combining handcrafted artistry with pragmatic design. And now, as the head of Fort Lonesome, she and her team continue to innovate and push the boundaries of functional art with Fort Lonesome's unique brand of what they call Cosmic Western wear. - I loved this conversation with Kathie and could've talked with her for many more hours. We covered a lot, including Kathie's upbringing in California and how her family affected her artistic trajectory; her experience in Montana and how it laid the foundation for Fort Lonesome; her work as a pastry chef and the challenges of working in the restaurant scene of the 1990s; the power that can come as a result of negative experiences; her growth and evolution as a manager and business owner; how parenthood affected her goals; the pros and cons of working with famous people; the nervous feelings that come with creating art; our shared Enneagram personality profiles; favorite books; and much, much more. - Whether you're interested in art, fashion, the creative process, entrepreneurship, or balancing a career with the demands of parenthood, you'll glean a lot of value from this conversation. A huge thank you to Kathie for the conversation, and thank you for listening. --- Fort Lonesome Fort Lonesome on Instagram Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/kathie-sever/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - How Kathie's childhood led her to a career in art 9:00 - Kathie's goals as she went into art school 10:00 - How Kathie ended up in Montana 13:30 - Kathie's takeaways from her time in Montana 15:45 - When Kathie started to recognize Western wear as a creative outlet 18:30 - Kathie's next steps after working at a ranch in Montana 20:15 - When pastry making came into the equation, and exploring the connection between pastry making and art 23:30 - Kathie's time in Austin and the misogyny she experienced in the restaurant scene in the late 90s 29:00 - Exploring the motivational power of negative experiences 32:00 - How having a kid impacted Kathie and how it led to her work with clothing 37:45 - Kathie's journey in figuring out the business side of making clothes 43:45 - When Kathie realized she was onto a good business idea, and how she balanced managing a small business from home while raising kids 1:00:00 - How oil painting impacted Kathie's embroidery work 1:03:45 - The first time a celebrity reached out for one of Kathie's pieces 1:07:15 - How Kathie balances her vision for her art with that of her clients when making clothes for performers 1:11:00 - Whether or not Kathie still feels nervous about putting her art into the world 1:18:30 - Kathie's vision for Fort Lonesome in the next 5-7 years 1:22:15 - Kathie's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

This is the second of two live episodes that were recorded at the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society's 2023 annual meeting in Houston, Texas. The topic of this panel discussion was Achieving Landscape-Scale Management in a Private Land State. As you learned in the previous episode, Texas has very little public land compared to other western states, so large-landscape conservation in Texas brings with it a number of extremely unique challenges and opportunities. In this conversation, we heard from four of Texas's most respected conservation leaders– individuals who are finding ways to achieve ambitious conservation goals using their own unique skillsets and approaches. - I was joined on stage in front of an audience of nearly 600 people by Roel Lopez, Director of the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute; Chad Ellis, CEO of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust; Terry Anderson, co-founder of Conservation Equity Management and Conservation Equity Partners; and Billy Tarrant, Associate Director of Stewardship Services at Borderlands Research Institute. You can check out the episode notes for more information on each of the panelists and links to their respective bios and organizations. - As you'll hear in the conversation, there are a wide range of innovative approaches and tools– from academic to non-profit to market-based– that are allowing Texas to be a trailblazer in private lands conservation in the United States. So we had a lot to cover in this hour-long session, including: The evolution and use of conservation easements, the importance of building solid relationships with landowners, new conservation tools on the horizon, how Texas has exported is private lands conservation tools to other states, data around population growth in Texas, advice for you and aspiring conservationists, and a long list of books, podcasts, and resources that have influenced these conservation leaders. - And just before this conversation, each of the panelists did a brief presentation that summarized all of the important work they are doing in Texas. If you'd like to listen to those talks and access their Powerpoint presentations, there's a link in the episode notes. However, you don't need to listen to those presentations to get full value out of this episode– but they are there if you want to go a little deeper. - If you're interested in conservation and learning from impressive individuals who have devoted their lives to land, stewardship, and conservation, then I know you'll enjoy this episode. Once again, thanks to John Kinsey and the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society for inviting me down to Houston and for giving me the opportunity to have these meaningful conversations. Enjoy! --- Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society The Wildlife Society Panelists Bios Listen to the pre-podcast presentations Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/landscape-scale/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 – Introduction 5:00 – Discussing the Conservation Easement as a tool, and how it has evolved 10:30 – The importance of relationships in this work 13:30 – What new tools do we need in private lands conservation 22:00 – Discussing the private lands conservation strategies that Texas has been able to export to other states 27:15 – Whether or not the experts predicted the population numbers and growth that Texas is seeing today 29:45 – Advice for young professionals who want to become better storytellers 40:30 – The importance of building relationships with politicians for conservation work 53:00 – Books, podcasts, heroes, and other resources that have influenced the panelists 56:30 – Where the panelists find hope and motivation --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

This is the first of two live episodes that were recorded at the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society's 2023 annual meeting in Houston, Texas. The topic of this panel discussion was Equitable Access to the Outdoors, a subject that is timely and important in all areas of the West, but especially important in Texas, where 93% of the state's land is privately owned. Whether your interest is outdoor recreation, public health, climate change, or public-private conservation partnerships, the ability for people to have access to parks, trails, open spaces, and wild places is becoming more and more important with each passing year. - For this conversation, I was joined on stage by five Texas conservation innovators– folks who are working hard to ensure that Texans of all stripes have ample opportunities to spend time outside– whether in the cities or in the state's more rural areas. In order of their appearance in this conversation, we had Jaime González, Healthy Communities Director for the Nature Conservancy; Sarah Coles, Executive Director of the Texas Children in Nature Network; Immanuel Salas, Texas Parks and Wildlife's R3 Coordinator for Hunting and Shooting Sports; Neal Wilkins, President and CEO of the East Foundation; and Joseph Fitzsimons, conservationist and owner of the San Pedro Ranch. You can check out the episode notes for more information on each of the panelists and links to their respective bios and organizations. - I could've spent hours talking to each of the panelists individually, but as a group, we had a very informative and educational conversation– one that provided a different perspective from some of my past episodes that focused on equitable access. we covered a lot in this hour-long discussion, including: the importance of building thriving cities with ample parks, trails, and outdoor space; how these organizations are working to reverse some of the disheartening trends around children's health and their access to the outdoors; the importance of collaborative partnerships, the R3 program in Texas– what it is, why it's important, and how it is evolving; the role of private landowners in providing access opportunities; the importance of youth education; the role of government; public land in Texas; the need to engage with elected officials; favorite books; and much more. - I learned a lot from this conversation and was honored to share a stage with such an impressive group of people who are working so hard on this all-important issue. Click the link in your podcast player to access all of the notes and links from this episode– we've listed tons of excellent resources from this episode. - Thanks to John Kinsey and the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society for inviting me to host this event, and thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy! --- Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society The Wildlife Society Panelists Bios Full episode note and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/equitable-access/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED 3:04 - An introduction, and then Jaime discusses his work with TNC in Houston 9:25 - The quantitative way that Jaime and TNC evaluate success in connecting youth with the outdoors 11:25 - Sarah introduces Texas Children in Nature Network 15:55 - Sarah explains TCINN's partnership model 19:10 - Immanuel discusses the R3 program and its importance 26:40 - Neil introduces the East Foundation 30:55 - How the East Foundation's educational programs have shifted over time 32:10 - How Joe became involved in public lands conservation work through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission 38:55 - The panelists' experience in dealing with politics and elected officials 46:40 - The panelists discuss the importance of storytelling 58:40 - Panelists' suggestions for books, podcasts, resources to access, etc --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Taylor Hawes is the Director of the Colorado River Program for the Nature Conservancy. As the leader of the program, she guides TNC's efforts to conserve the freshwater biodiversity of the Colorado River Basin while also meeting human demands for water– challenging objectives given the wide-ranging stresses facing the river today. But despite the challenges brought about by climate change, overallocation, and increasing demand, Taylor and her team are making great strides toward finding long-term solutions to create a sustainable future for the Colorado River and the people, plants, and animals that depend on it. - Taylor grew up on the east coast, and, from a young age, she felt a deep connection to land, water, and natural resources. She fell in love with wide-open spaces while on a course with the National Outdoor Leadership School, and she's devoted her career to protecting land and water in the West. Prior to joining the team at TNC, she served as Associate Counsel to the Colorado River Water Conservation District on Colorado's Western Slope, working on water quality, water policy, environmental permitting, and water rights litigation. - If you pay attention to the news, then you'll know that the Colorado River has been receiving tons of media attention for the dire conditions and projections facing the entire region. Reservoirs are at historic lows, temperatures are rising, and the need for more water is increasing. In the first part of this conversation, I ask Taylor to decipher many of the surface-level sound bytes that I've heard in the news, and she provides some much-needed context and background regarding the river basin's current challenges. We then talk about how TNC is working to solve these problems, by building community support, working collaboratively with Tribal nations, and helping agricultural producers become more efficient. And we spend the last part of the conversation talking about Taylor's professional journey– why she chooses to do this work, what gives her hope, and her goals for her work on the Colorado River. - This was a timely conversation, and I hope it sheds some light on the challenges facing the Colorado River today– and provides some optimism about the river's future. Thanks to Taylor for taking the time to chat, and thank you for listening. --- Taylor Hawes TNC's Colorado River work Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/taylor-hawes/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy's leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy's impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - An overview of the situation regarding Colorado River water 8:00 - Discussing the "bandaid" solutions for the overallocated Colorado River implemented over the years 10:45 - Who is making the water allocation decisions for the Colorado River 12:00 - The breakdown of water use in the West 16:45 - Why has this situation has become an emergency right now, meriting the involvement of the federal government 19:30 - The timeline of Colorado river use reduction mandates 21:30 - The potential impacts of shrinking Colorado River on the Grand Canyon 23:00 - What will happen if the Colorado River Basin states do not agree on a plan to reduce water use in accordance with federal mandates 24:45 - How Taylor focuses on solutions regarding such a complex, difficult-to-model problem 28:30 - Some strategies TNC is employing to support and work with producers in reducing their water use 35:00 - Discussing the difficulties and importance of relationship building in this work 40:15 - TNC's work supporting Tribal water challenges 44:45 - What drives Taylor's work and what are her goals 47:00 - How Taylor ended up doing this work 53:45 - How law school helped Taylor 55:45 - What keeps Taylor energized about her work and TNC 58:15 - How anybody can get involved in this work 1:02:00 - Taylor's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts