Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Jim Howell is the CEO of Grasslands LLC, which is the land management arm of the Savory Institute, an organization that Jim co-founded. Both Grasslands and Savory focus on conserving and restoring the world’s grasslands through what they call “Holistic Management.” We discuss the details of Holistic Managment in the interview, but the basic idea is that the world’s grasses evolved to be grazed, and they need to be grazed in a natural manner to be healthy and resilient. • Jim and his team use livestock to mimic natural grazing patterns from hundreds of thousands of years ago, long before the world’s grasslands were covered with people, fences, houses, and cities. Savory and Grasslands’ results speak for themselves—after just a few years of holistic managment, their ranches are measurably healthier, more productive, more biodiverse, and more financially successful. • Even if you have absolutely no interest in grazing or ranches, you still need to listen to this interview, because the work Jim and his team are doing has a positive effect on land, people, plants, animals, and communities all around the world. Anyone who considers themselves to be conservation-minded and loves the outdoors needs to understand Jim’s work. I have no doubt that you’ll gain a new appreciation for the role that livestock needs to play in conserving grasslands around the world. Even if you’re a vegan living in New York City, you’ll gain some valuable insights from Jim’s point of view. • Jim is also an experienced world traveler, an avid reader, and an author, having written one of the best books I’ve read on land and conservation in the West and beyond: For the Love of Land: Global Case Studies of Grazing in Nature’s Image. And on top of all of that, he finds the time to run ultra-marathons and has completed some of the most challenging 50-mile trail races in Colorado. • Between Jim’s professional and personal interests, we had a lot to discuss. It was a fun conversation filled with valuable information, so I hope you enjoy. • http://mountainandprairie.com/jim-howell/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:05 – How Jim describes his work 5:45 – How Grasslands’ Holistic Management differs from other ranch management practices 8:00 – Why are grasslands important? 11:00 – The natural history of grass 14:30 – Importance of grazing animals’ grazing behavior 17:30 – History of grass and animal relationships in the U.S. 18:40 – How modern commercial grazing differs from natural grazing patterns 22:00 – Comparing the health of grazed land versus National Park land where grazing is prohibited 26:15 – How grazing leads to more healthy soil and grasslands 27:50 – Common mistakes that conservationists make when evaluating grassland health 29:15 – Methods and results of measuring grassland health 31:15 – Specific methods for holistic grazing 35:30 – Length of time to truly understand a ranch’s grazing potential and needs 37:00 – Challenges related to the human component of ranching 40:30 – What are common objections to holistic grazing? 41:40 – The intellectual challenges of holistic grazing 43:50 – The economic benefits of holistic grazing with specific examples 48:20 – Jim’s unconventional path to ranching 52:20 – Jim discovers Savory’s work 55:15 – Jim’s travels and work on ranches around the world 57:40 – Lessons learned from traveling and working abroad 1:00:10 – How Jim started running ultra-marathons 1:02:50 – How humans evolved to run long distances 1:04:55 – Advice for people who want to run ultras 1:09:15 – Jim’s favorite books 1:12:50 – Favorite documentary 1:13:45 – Jim’s favorite place in the West 1:14:55 – Jim’s request of the listeners 1:17:30 – Grasslands and Savory contact information

Brady Robinson is the Executive Director of the Access Fund, a conservation and advocacy organization that helps to protect climbing areas throughout the United States. Despite being a relatively small non-profit, the Access Fund’s work has a broad ripple effect far beyond the climbing community and extends into areas of conservation, public lands policy, and general outdoor recreation, just to name a few. Under Brady’s leadership, the Access Fund has been incredibly effective, and as climbing becomes more popular, the Access Fund's work will only become more important. • Brady also has a seriously impressive outdoor resume—he was an instructor for both Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and has done a number of large-scale expeditions throughout the Himalayas. He still finds time to push himself hard in climbing, mountain biking, and other adventures, while simultaneously leading the Access Fund and being a fully committed family man. • We had a fun conversation that covered a wide range of topics. We dig into the details of the Access Fund’s mission and methods, including why non-climbers should care about its work. We talk about Brady’s diverse career experience, and he tells a few crazy stories from his big-mountain expeditions with climbing partners such as Jimmy Chin and Conrad Anker. Brady also offers advice to young people who would like to pursue a career centered around the outdoors, conservation, or advocacy. • Even if you’re not a climber, you’ll gain some solid insights from this interview, so I hope you enjoy. • http://mountainandprairie.com/brady-robinson/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:10 - How Brady describes his work 5:00 - Specific methods that the Access Fund uses to protect climbing areas (public policy & acquisitions) 10:30 - How does the Access Fund prioritizes projects 10:45 – Correction from Brady: The Homestead is between Phoenix and Tucson, not Phoenix and Flagstaff 13:15 - Access Fund’s nationwide partnerships 13:55 - Access Fund’s stewardship team 16:30 - Access Fund’s support for landowners and education initiatives 18:40 - Foundation of the Outdoor Alliance 21:20 - Why should non-climbers care about the Access Fund’s work? 26:00 - Early outdoor experiences 27:30 - First climbing experiences 31:44 - Brady and Jimmy Chin learn photography 33:50 - Brady’s near miss with a massive avalanche in Pakistan (see photos above) 41:10 - The closest Brady ever came to dying in the mountains 45:00 - Lessons learned from a life of adventure 46:15 - Memories of the late great Alex Lowe 47:45 - Brady’s decision to pursue a career in education/advocacy/conservation instead of full-time climbing 52:00 - Reflections on finding your passion 57:00 - Advice to young people - a career in the recreation/conservation 1:07:50 - The Access Fund’s biggest threat and opportunity in the next five years 1:11:15 - Favorite books 1:16:30 - Favorite documentary 1:18:30 - Favorite locations in the West and the world 1:21:00 - Brady’s request of the listeners 1:25:55 - Connect with the Access Fund /// This episode is brought to you by Mountain Khakis. Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand. Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life. Join the conversation at www.mountainkhakis.com

Lloyd Athearn is the Executive Director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI), a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and preserve the natural integrity of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks through active stewardship and public education. CFI's work includes building and maintaining trails, educating hikers and climbers on best practices in the high country, conserving the native alpine tundra ecosystem, and generally helping to ensure that these popular mountains are not inadvertently "loved to death" through overuse. • Much of Lloyd's career has centered around mountains, so we had a fun and wide-ranging conversation with topics including 14ers, climbing adventures, ecology, books, advice to first-time hikers, and plenty more. Lloyd is a super interesting guy who's doing very important work, so I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! • http://mountainandprairie.com/lloyd-athearn/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:50 - How Lloyd describes his work 3:45 - What is a 14er? 4:30 - Officially, how many 14ers are there? 7:50 - Why do 14ers need protecting? 11:55 - How CFI prioritizes 14er projects 14:30 - CFI’s trail inventory project 20:50 - How many people climb 14ers annually? 24:00 - How is CFI funded? 26:40 - Youth crews 28:30 - How private land can impact access to 14ers 33:00 - Specific 14er success stories 35:20 - Explaining the class rating system 36:45 - CFI’s April Fools jokes 38:20 - Lloyd’s personal background and early outdoor experiences 40:30 - Lloyd’s career path 43:40 - Lloyd’s advice to young people who are interested in a career centered around the outdoors 47:50 - Advice for a first-time 14er hike 52:20 - Lloyd’s scary Ecuador lightening experience 54:10 - Lloyd’s favorite 14er 55:15 - One of Lloyd’s (and Ed’s!) favorite books 57:45 - Favorite documentary 58:55 - Favorite non-14er outdoor activities 1:00:15 - Craziest thing that’s ever happened to Lloyd in the outdoors 1:02:50 - Favorite place(s) in the West 1:04:00 - Biggest challenge and opportunity facing Colorado in the future 1:06:10 - Lloyd’s request of listeners 1:07:45 - How to connect with CFI --- This episode is brought to you by Mountain Khakis. Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand. Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life. Join the conversation at www.mountainkhakis.com

Connie Sciolino is the owner and head coach at The Alpine Training Center in Boulder, Colorado. The ATC is a no-frills gym on the outskirts of town that helps outdoor athletes become better skiers, climbers, runners, and bikers through strength training. Connie trains everyone from professional athletes to weekend warriors, including one of the climbers in the hit mountaineering documentary, Meru. • The workouts are grueling, both physically and mentally. But her clients' results speak for themselves—committed athletes leave the gym stronger, tougher, more resistant to injury, and better equipped to tackle the challenges of the high mountains. Thanks to her diverse collection of educational, professional, athletic, and outdoor experiences, Connie is setting a new standard for training for mountain-focused sports. • http://mountainandprairie.com/connie-sciolino/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 6:25 - Connie explains her work 7:00 - History of the Alpine Training Center 9:55 - How is ATC different than Crossfit 11:25 - “Special” ATC exercises (i.e. "sandbag getups” and “Curtis Ps") 14:15 - Connie’s athletic, educational, and professional background 18:15 - Early days of experimenting with ski-focused weight training 23:10 - Connie’s athletic experiences in Jackson Hole and the West 26:00 - How Connie built ATC’s unique culture 30:20 - How Connie builds programs for such a wide range of abilities 33:15 - How Connie trains mental toughness 36:55 - The coaching team at ATC 49:25 - Gym Jones 53:00 - Meru and training Renan Ozturk 1:02:30 - Advice for ATC-like training if you don’t live in Boulder 1:05:40 - Connie’s 1-hour body weight challenge: As many push-ups, air squats, and sit-ups. Equal reps across. (Ed’s note: You may want to start with 100-100-100. You will be destroyed.) 1:08:20 - One of Connie’s favorite success stories 1:12:50 - Favorite books 1:15:15 - Connie’s favorite place in the West 1:18:30 - Connie’s request of listeners 1:21:50 - Find the ATC online --- This episode is sponsored by Mountain Khakis. Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand. Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life. Join the conversation at MountainKhakis.com

Spencer Williams started his career as a river guide in Colorado’s Upper Arkansas River Valley. Those experiences on the water led him to law school and to a career as a water rights attorney. He now works for Ponderosa Advisors, advising clients on water rights and water markets across the American West. Spencer also works with Ponderosa's new software platform Water Sage, an innovative software program that is redefining water research across the West. • In this episode, we dig into the details of water in the West—What exactly a what right is, how water rights can be severed from the land, and the history of water as a property right. We talk about water as an investment, and how big money is currently rushing into the West’s water markets. We discuss his work at Ponderosa and Water Sage, and we also tell some stories from his days as a river guide. It was a fun and informative conservation about an important topic. I hope you enjoy! • http://mountainandprairie.com/spencer-williams/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:30 - How Spencer describes his work 7:00 - Water Rights 101 9:00 - History of water in Colorado 10:10 - Water as a property right 12:00 - Ability to severe water from the land 16:15 - Wells versus water rights 18:33 - “First in time, first in right” explained 21:50 - Ranch buyer “rules of thumb” for evaluating water rights 25:30 - Non-use and water rights abandonment explained 28:55 - Water rights as an investment 35:30 - Spencer’s experience as a river guide 37:00 - Describing Colorado's Upper Arkansas River Valley 40:00 - Arkansas River flow management explained 42:45 - More river guiding stories 45:00 - Water Sage explained and discussed 54:00 - Future plans for Water Sage 55:35 - Spencer’s thoughts on the future of water in the West 57:35 - Favorite books 59:17 - Favorite documentaries 59:45 - Favorite location in the West 1:00:15 - Recommended location and activities 1:01:40 - Biggest challenge facing Colorado 1:03:05 - Spencer’s request of the listeners 1:05:00 - Spencer’s contact info --- This episode is sponsored by Mountain Khakis. Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand. Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life. Join the conversation at www.mountainkhakis.com ---

Erik Glenn is the Executive Director of the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust, a land conservation organization that has protected over 465,000 acres of working ranches throughout the state of Colorado. In this episode, Ed and Erik discuss a wide array of topics including the importance of keeping ranches in agricultural production, the basics of land conservation in the West, Colorado's role as a leader in national land conservation, Erik's family history as ranchers, and much more. --- http://mountainandprairie.com/erik-glenn/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 5:06 - How Erik describes his work 6:11 - History of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) 8:45 - What “land conservation” means to Erik 11:20 - Details on how CCALT conserves ranches, basics of conservation easements 14:40 - The effects of ranch subdivision 17:15 - Why a vegan living in LoDo should care about working ranches 22:30 - The importance of grazing for a healthy ecosystem 26:40 - Colorado’s role as a leader in conservation 29:45 - Erik’s family history in agriculture 33:00 - Why Erik chose conservation as a career 36:15 - Advice to young people who want to work in conservation 43:20 - Importance of financial sustainability for land trusts 49:30 - One thing that Erik would change about conservation 53:30 - Erik’s favorite books 55:20 - Erik’s favorite documentaries 57:30 - Erik’s favorite place in the West 59:10 - Erik’s recommendations for people visiting the West 1:00:30 - Erik’s request of the listeners --- http://mountainandprairie.com/erik-glenn/ --- This episode is sponsored by Mountain Khakis. Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand. Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life. Join the conversation at www.mountainkhakis.com