Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

This is a completely different kind of episode, featuring a fun and at times crazy conversation with my two daughters, Janie and Louise. - Back in June, we were eating dinner when, out of the blue, both girls expressed an enthusiastic interest in being guests on the podcast.  So the next day, we set up the podcast gear at our dining room table, sat down, and had what I thought was a funny conversation. - Both girls were surprisingly relaxed and acting pretty naturally despite having microphones jammed up in their faces, and I thought that the conversation highlighted their personalities, curiosities, and senses of humor. But I fully understand and admit that I am about as biased as any human can be when it comes to these two girls, so you can take my opinion with a grain of salt. - As you’ll hear, we jammed a lot of crazy topics into thirty minutes, including: camping, what makes for an ideal campground, their understanding of conservation, violin, rock climbing, jiu-jitsu, North Carolina versus the American West, the Biltmore House, silly 19th-century rules about girls wearing bathing suits, Costa Rica, Alcatraz, drunk people, earthquakes vs tsunamis, our favorite secret spot in Colorado, favorite books, commentary on my choice of shirts and underwear, and more topics you probably never thought you’d hear on Mountain & Prairie. I also asked them each to prepare a question to ask me, and one of them involved the unexpected topic of me getting into a fight with a wild animal– a subject I’d never really considered in detail until that moment. - Anyway, I appreciate you humoring me with this episode. It was fun for the girls, fun for me, and my wife Kim and I will be happy to have this audio time capsule years from now when they are out of the house, living their own lives, and having their own adventures. - Next week, we’ll be back to the normal episodes featuring grown-ups. I’ve got a great line-up of conversations coming your way, including a deep dive into Aldo Leopold’s life and work, a conversation with a Canyonlands conservation/cowgirl/ranching legend, and live interviews from the Old Salt Festival. - Thanks for listening, and hope you get a few chuckles from this conversation with Janie and Louise. --- 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

Nancy Smith is the Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program, and Austin Rempel is the Riparian Restoration Program Manager at The Nature Conservancy. Both Nancy and Austin are working on the front lines of some of the West’s most innovative water and habitat conservation projects– projects that benefit everything from groundwater supplies to wildlife habitat, climate resiliency to ecosystem health. - If you’ve listened to many of these TNC-focused episodes, then you’ll know that TNC works extensively throughout the Colorado River Basin on a wide range of conservation issues that affect people, wildlife, and landscapes. In this episode, we’re going to zoom in on one very specific, very simple, and very effective process that has the potential to have massive positive impacts on ecosystem health throughout the West. - The process is called “low-tech process-based restoration,” which is the practice of adding simple, low-cost structures made of natural materials like rocks, wood, and posts to simulate natural processes like beaver dams in streams and wetlands, kick-starting natural cycles of recovery. These structures require minimal permitting, can be built quickly by hand without heavy equipment, use locally sourced materials, and can be installed by local workers who do not need extensive training. The end result creates surprisingly effective outcomes that can be scaled quickly across vast stretches of the West. - We recorded this conversation the day after Colorado River Day, which was a fitting time to highlight such an important project and process. We started out by discussing how this project came to be, which involved a significant amount of funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. We discuss how rivers have historically looked in the West versus how they look now, as well as the ecological complexities of riverscapes and riparian corridors.  We then dig into the details of “low-tech process-based restoration”-- timelines, challenges, opportunities, partnerships, and measuring success. We also talk about beavers, shifting cultural norms around conservation, overlaps between forest and riparian restoration, favorite books, and much more. - As you’ll hear, Nancy and Austin provide such an excellent overview of several varieties of low-tech process-based restoration. But for those of you who want to dig deeper into details of the various processes and case studies, they’ve provided me with extensive additional resources that you can access in the episode notes. I’d also encourage you to check out the short film embedded on the episode’s webpage, which will give you a visual overview of the process and its results. - A big thanks to Nancy and Austin for the fun conversation, and thank you for listening. --- Nancy Smith Austin Rempel Riparian Restoration short film Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/nancy-austin/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. 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 last Tuesday of every month throughout 2024, 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 and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:00 - Nancy’s intro 5:26 - Austin’s intro 7:15 - The impact of wet upland meadows on the Colorado River (Nancy) 10:00 - How the Inflation Reduction Act has funded TNC’s important partnership work (Nancy) 13:30 - Defining the low-tech, process-based, restoration (LTPBR) involved in this project (Austin) 16:30 - What meadows have historically looked like in the American West (Austin and Nancy) 21:00 - Describing more of the structures TNC uses in this work, like beaver dam analogs (Austin) 26:30 - What kind of land TNC does this restoration work on (Austin) 29:30 - How long this work takes (Austin and Nancy) 33:30 - What success will look like for this work (Nancy) 37:30 - How LTPBRs help empower crucial work by being simple 40:45 - What could make or break this project (Austin and Nancy)  44:00 - TNC’s ability to balance innovation with responsible stewardship of funding (Nancy) 46:30 - Overlaps between river and forest restoration (Austin) 50:30 - What would make a good staff member for this work 55:45 - Nancy’s book recommendations 57:00 - Austin’s book recommendations 59:18 - Nancy’s parting words of wisdom 1:00:10 - Austin’s parting words of wisdom --- 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

Dr. Alan Townsend is a scientist, author, and Dean of the Franke College of Forestry & Conservation at the University of Montana. His new book is titled “This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist’s Path from Grief to Wonder,” and it’s an unbelievably powerful book. It’s the story of Alan’s family being rocked to the core by two unthinkable, back-to-back tragedies– his four-year-old daughter and wife both being diagnosed with brain tumors. - Alan is a highly trained, Ph.D.-level scientist who spent his entire career using cold hard facts, emotionless inquiry, and academic rigor to try and solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Yet when faced with a father/husband’s worst nightmare, he was forced to accept that science alone was simply not enough to make it through the gauntlet. I was blown away by Alan’s insightfulness and vulnerability and how he managed to constructively meld science and spirituality to make sense of an unimaginable catastrophe. - Alan was born in Hawaii and grew up in Montana, where he spent much of his youth hunting, fishing, and exploring the West’s wide-open landscapes. His education and career in science allowed him to delve deeper into the natural world, giving him an even more intense respect and appreciation for the beautifully complex biological systems that make our world work. He’s worked in Amazonian forests and Costa Rican jungles, and he’s published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles. But, as you’ll hear in this conversation, Alan also embraces the more ethereal and unknown aspects of our existence, and he has a gift for discussing and writing about them in a very powerful and helpful manner. - We met up at Alan’s office at the University of Montana, and had a very meaningful conversation about grief, curiosity, generosity, open-mindedness, focus, and family. We discussed Alan’s upbringing in Montana, his path to becoming such a highly trained scientist, and his process of re-evaluating the limits and usefulness of science in the face of tragedy. We talked a lot about his late wife Diana and her unbelievable toughness and his daughter Neva, who thankfully beat the tumor and is now a happy and healthy young lady. We discussed the compassion and skill of medical professionals, Alan’s years-long process of writing the book, and the indispensable role of his agent and editor. Alan also offers some wise, hard-earned wisdom for anyone who may be going through their own set of challenges. - I loved this conversation, I loved the book, and I really appreciate Alan taking the time to talk with me. Be sure to click through the link in the notes to grab your own copy of "This Ordinary Stardust." Hope you enjoy. --- Dr. Alan Townsend “This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist’s Path from Grief to Wonder” by Alan Townsend All episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/alan-townsend/ Leave a (5-Star!) review on Apple Podcasts --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:10 - An introduction to the power of Alan’s book 6:10 - The importance of focus in Alan’s book, and the strength of Alan’s wife and daughter 10:40 - Discussing Alan’s writing 13:40 - Alan’s birth and early childhood in Hawaii 15:30 - When science became a focus for Alan 17:00 - Alan’s reading choices 18:45 - When Alan found out his daughter Neva had a brain tumor 21:00 - How Alan got through this incredibly challenging period in his life 23:15 - The importance of routine for finding mental stability and peace in difficult times 25:15 - The power of curiosity in Alan and his wife, Diana’s, life after Diana was diagnosed with brain cancer 27:45 - The difference between people who are curious when it is easy to do so and those who remain curious when life becomes difficult 30:15 - Why Alan reevaluated his relationship with science, and how he challenges readers to do a similar reevaluation in his book 37:15 - How we share more than we don’t, regardless of political belief 39:15 - How Diana invited Michael Brown into their home to learn more about his work with FEMA, demonstrating the importance of respecting and learning from people with different opinions 45:00 - Unpacking the theme of generosity in Alan’s book 47:45 - How Alan handled vulnerability and the desire for this book to have impact 49:45 - Alan’s relationship with his agent and editor 52:15 - Discussing Doctor Henry Freedman 56:00 - Alan’s take on how doctors dealing with mortality are able to handle the difficulties of that subject on a daily basis 58:15 - Alan’s work right now 1:01:30 - The next 5-10 years for Alan 1:02:45 - Of generosity, curiosity, and the willingness to fail 1:03:45 - Alan’s book recommendations 1:08:00 - Alan’s parting words of wisdom --- 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

If you’re a longtime Mountain & Prairie listener, then you’ll definitely remember Pete McBride. He’s a renowned photographer, filmmaker, and author, and he’s joined me on the podcast twice before– once to discuss his epic hike of the length of the Grand Canyon, and then to chat about his global search for silence in a very loud world. I’m glad to say that he’s back again, and this time, we’re chatting about his backyard river– the mighty Colorado– and the challenges, opportunities, and realities facing the people and wildlife that depend on it. - Pete’s newest book is titled “The Colorado River: Chasing Water,” and it features Pete’s stunning photography and insightful essays, along with a foreword by Nick Paumgarten and an introduction by Kevin Fedarko. The book follows the Colorado River from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains all the way down to the Colorado River Delta, where it peters out just before reaching the Gulf of California. - I’ve read a lot of books about the Colorado River and water in the West, but “Chasing Water” opened my eyes to a number of very specific and sometimes-maddening challenges facing the Colorado River Basin. The book delves into issues such as the unchecked exportation of water-intensive alfalfa to foreign countries, how dust leads to increased evaporation and water loss, as well as more optimistic topics, such as how Las Vegas has become an imperfect-yet-inspiring case study in responsible water conservation. But at its core, the book demonstrates Pete’s deep love and respect for the Colorado River, and showcases his two decades of dedication to telling the story of this world-famous waterway. - We met up at Pete’s house in Basalt, overlooking the Roaring Fork River, and talked about all things water and conservation. We started by talking about Pete’s father, and how his advice many years ago led Pete to shift his focus from global adventure photography to the Colorado River. We discussed the disconnect between people and their water sources, the challenge of using an over-appropriated water source to grow food for an entire country, Pete’s firsthand experience observing changes in the river and surrounding landscape, his work with Indigenous communities throughout the basin, and his preferences between photography, filmmaking, and writing. We also discuss some of his recent favorite books, and much, much more. - Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we discussed and links to all of Pete’s books. - A big thanks to Pete for graciously letting me barge into his house and hassle him with questions yet again, and thank you for listening.  --- Pete McBride The Colorado River: Chasing Water by Pete McBride Seeing Silence: The Beauty of the World’s Quietest Places by Pete McBride The Grand Canyon: Between River and Rim by Pete McBride Into the Grand Canyon documentary Full episode notes & links: https://mountainandprairie.com/pete-mcbride-3/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - All the places Pete has seen in the Colorado River watershed 6:30 - How Pete’s dad influenced Pete’s career  11:30 - The immense changes to the Colorado River over the course of Pete’s father’s lifetime 13:00 - Reconciling how much of the West’s water comes from the Colorado, and how few people know it  14:30 - Pete’s hope for his new book 18:00 - Pete’s style of writing for this visual book  21:00 - Discussing how much Colorado River water goes to cattle and cattle feed, and the water challenges that face agriculture 29:00 - The impact of dust on Rocky Mountain snow, and how that impacts the Colorado River 34:30 - Highlighting an unexpected water conservation success story: Las Vegas, and how southwestern cities can start conserving their water.  39:00 - How many times Colorado River water has been reused along its trek to Mexico, and discussing the state of the Colorado River Delta 44:45 - How Peter wants to divide his time between books and films, and a discussion about “earning” hope 53:00 - Pete’s work with Indigenous communities’ access to Colorado River Water 1:01:00 - Pete’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

Peter Gower is the Nature Conservancy’s Climate and Renewable Energy Program Director for the Western United States and Canada Divisions, and Chris Menges is the Director of Climate Action for the Colorado Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Both Peter and Chris are on the front lines of North America’s transition from fossil fuels to renewables, working to find solutions that protect and benefit working lands, natural landscapes, wildlife, and communities. - As you’ll hear in this episode, the transition from fossil fuels to renewables is an incredibly complex process, and Peter and Chris are highly skilled at breaking down the issues and explaining them in a substantive yet easy-to-understand manner. While the details of their work may be complicated, everything Peter and Chris do is built on the very simple foundation of strong relationships, partnerships, and trust, which has been the common theme of all of these TNC-focused episodes. - We connected virtually and had a great conversation about The Nature Conservancy’s work in the renewables space, exploring everything from TNC’s big-picture strategies in the American West, down to a few on-the-ground examples of successful initiatives and projects. We discussed how TNC is working with Western states to help them achieve their energy goals and some of the specific renewable work being done here in Colorado. - We also talked about the challenges of finding sites for renewable energy projects, how market incentives can be used to ensure siting that benefits both people and nature, and recently passed legislation in Colorado that addresses these issues. We chatted about TNC’s extensive research in the renewables space, including its Power of Place studies. As usual, we discuss their favorite books and some resources to learn more about the issues surrounding renewable energy. - Renewable energy has long been one of those topics that I have never been able to fully wrap my head around, but after this conversation, I felt that I had a solid foundation of knowledge– as well as the curiosity and desire to go out and learn more. - A huge thanks to Peter and Chris for devoting the time to have this extremely educational conversation, and thank you for listening. --- Peter Gower Chris Menges TNC’s energy work Power of Place West Report Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/peter-chris/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. 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 last Tuesday of every month throughout 2024, 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 and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:20 - The state of renewables in the West (Peter) 8:05 - Chris’s renewable work on the ground in CO with TNC (Chris) 12:35- Challenges and opportunities associated with finding physical sites for renewable projects (Chris) 15:50 - Examples of market incentives that Chris thinks would help develop renewable sites to the benefit of as many interests as possible (Chris and Peter)  22:20 - Discussing the Power of Place studies (Peter) 26:35 - Other major challenges to implementing more renewable energy solutions (Peter) 33:05 - Discussing the Connected West study, to be released soon (Peter) 36:20 - Building relationships with businesses and large entities (Peter) 39:05 - Discussing Colorado SB24-212 (Chris) 47:35 - Developing renewable energy sites on “brownfields” (Peter) 51:05 - Where to learn more about renewable energy (Peter and Chris) --- 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

Beatriz Soto is the Director of Protégete, a statewide program from Conservation Colorado, whose mission is to elevate Latino-driven solutions to protect our lands, water, air, and fight for environmental and climate justice. Prior to joining Conservation Colorado, she held a number of leadership and founding positions with conservation-focused organizations here in Colorado. At her core, Beatriz is a gifted and highly effective leader, one who combines her professional expertise with her unique personal story to act as a cultural bridge and give voices to both underrepresented communities and the threatened lands and waters of the West. - Beatriz is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, and she spent her childhood and youth in a bicultural setting between Mexico and the United States. She graduated from Colorado’s Basalt High School, and then went on to study architecture back in Chihuahua City, Mexico. For nearly 20 years, she applied her talents in architecture and design to a wide range of projects, from Net-Zero affordable housing projects to high-performance strawbale homes and everything in between, in locations ranging from the Pacific Coast of Mexico to Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley. But as you’ll hear in the conversation, she eventually realized that she wanted to work more directly on issues including conservation and community vitality, so she pivoted and began her new career as a conservation leader in Colorado. - Beatriz and I connected virtually and had an inspirational and instructive conversation about her amazing life story and her present-day conservation work. We talked about her bicultural upbringing between Mexico and the US, and the realities of growing up as an undocumented child. We discussed her family’s emphasis on service and community, and how those values have expressed themselves throughout her career. We talk about the uncertainty that accompanied her transition from a career in architecture to a career in conservation and advocacy, and why she decided to apply her talents to the mission of Conservation Colorado. We discuss the mind-boggling process of becoming an American citizen, how she builds trust with community stakeholders, her favorite books, and much more. Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we covered. - A huge thank you to Beatriz for taking the time to share her wisdom, and thank you for listening. --- Beatriz Soto Conservation Colorado Protégete --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation. To whom much is given, much is expected. This value guides the philosophy behind the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation today. Committed to its cause and infused with an entrepreneurial spirit, Mighty Arrow aims to invest in solutions that take action on climate change to build a more vibrant future, repair relationships from farm to market to table, heal our connection to the lands and waters we call home, and demand a more just and equitable society. To learn more about Mighty Arrow’s forward-thinking, optimistic, and visionary work here in the American West and beyond, please visit www.mightyarrow.org. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Beatriz’s childhood 5:30- What brought Beatriz and her family from Mexico to the US 8:30 - Reflecting on adaptation within Beatriz’s very mobile childhood 11:30 - Whether or not looking back on the US from Mexico changed Beatriz’s outlook on the US 14:00 - Beatriz’s experience growing up undocumented, and how that affected her upbringing 17:45 - Where Beatriz’s commitment to service comes from 22:45 - The importance of community 24:15 - Beatriz’s goals in college 26:30 - Beatriz’s work in design and architecture 33:00 - Beatriz’s shift away from design and architecture, and the fear that comes with transitions like that 36:30 - How long it took Beatriz to feel like it was the right move to shift from professional architecture to conservation work 39:30 - When Conservation Colorado came into Beatriz’s world 43:15 - Beatriz’s day-to-day work with Conservation Colorado 48:30 - Whether or not leaders and stakeholders are happy to hear from Beatriz and her team 51:15 - How Beatriz handles rejections from potential partners 53:30 - Discussing the Colorado Latino Justice Handbook 1:00:00 - What is next for Beatriz 1:02:45 - How Beatriz became a documented American 1:04:30 - Discussing how to simplify an overcomplicated immigration process 1:08:45 - Beatriz’s book recommendations 1:11:15 - Beatriz’s parting words of wisdom --- 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 a special episode recorded live in Bozeman at the premiere of the important new short film titled "Good Fire, Bad Fire: Inside the Race to Restore America’s Forests." - On the evening of May 16, 2024, around 200 folks gathered at Bozeman’s Museum of the Rockies to watch the 15-minute film, which captures the breathtaking beauty of our nation’s forests and delves into the urgent crisis threatening their existence. Following the screening, I moderated a panel discussion featuring an extremely impressive line-up of some of the nation’s leading conservationists and forest-health experts. The on-stage conversation gave us the opportunity to dig deeper into some of the issues raised by the film, and glean valuable insights into the importance of responsible forest management from ecological, recreational, economic, and policy perspectives. - “Good Fire, Bad Fire” was directed by filmmaker Eric Ian, and produced by the team at the Property and Environment Research Center, better known as PERC, who also hosted the event.  The panelists you’ll hear in this episode are:   Brian Ferebee, Chief Executive of Intergovernmental Relations for the U.S. Forest Service Randy Newberg, renowned conservationist and Host of Fresh Tracks and Hunt Talk with Randy Newberg Morgan Varner, Director of Fire Research at Tall Timbers Corey Lewellen, District Ranger for the Bozeman Ranger District Hannah Downey, Policy Director at PERC Brian Yablonski, CEO of PERC (and a past Mountain & Prairie podcast guest)   I could’ve spoken with each of these experts individually for several hours, but having them all share a stage and combine their wide range of expertise into a single conversation was a powerfully educational experience. - While you can listen to this episode on its own, I would strongly encourage you to first spend 15 minutes watching “Good Fire, Bad Fire” as a primer.  There’s a link in the episode notes and it’s embedded on the episode webpage. - I’d also encourage you to check out the episode notes for a full list of all of the topics we discussed, which included everything from a history of fire as a resource management tool to the Forest Service’s evolving approach to wildfires and forest health. We talked about forest health’s impact on hunting and fishing, the pros and cons of policies such as the ESA and NEPA, on-the-ground success stories, optimistic good news about the future of forest health, and much more. There were tons of resources mentioned, all of which are listed and linked on this episode’s webpage. - A huge thanks to Brian Yablonski and the team at PERC for creating such an important film and for inviting me to participate in such an enlightening conversation. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I did, and I hope that this discussion provides some new insights into the all-important issue of forest health in the American West. --- WATCH THE FILM: "Good Fire, Bad Fire" Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/good-fire-bad-fire/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - Introductions  6:15 - Where the USFS stands right now on its approach to wildfire and forest health (Brian F) 8:45 - A hunter and public lands advocate’s perspective on the state of the forests (Randy) 10:30 - A brief history of how fire became a resource management tool in the US and before the US (Morgan) 13:45 - Discussing obstacles to the forest management work described in Good Fire, Bad Fire (Corey) 18:00 - How we can streamline large federal processes like the ESA and NEPA (Hannah) 21:00 - Why PERC became involved in this forestry work (Brian Y) 23:15 - What is preventing ideal progress on forest management in Montana (Brian F) 27:30 - How Randy would recommend hunters and anglers take action and advocate for forest health 31:00 - Discussing how lessons in forest management from the Southeast can impact forestry in MT (Morgan) 35:15 - On-the-ground success stories in forest management (Corey) 39:45 - An example of fire outpacing procedure, and the impacts that can have (Hannah) 41:15 - How discussions of conservation and forestry are received by elected officials (Hannah) 43:00 - Predictions for the next five years of forest management (Morgan and Randy) 47:15 - Brian Y’s optimistic take on the state of forest stewardship --- 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 a special Shed Session episode, normally published exclusively for Mountain & Prairie Patreon supporters. In it, I answer the most common question I receive, which is some variation of "How do I start a podcast?" - In this episode I answer that question in excruciating detail, laying out everything I know about it, based on my own bumbling, meandering, eight-year journey through Podcastlandia. - I hope this episode will provide a little bit of actionable guidance that will allow you to put your own unique ideas into the world. - To listen to all past, present, and future Patreon-exclusive episodes, you can sign up at www.mountainandprairie.com/patreon. Memberships start at as little as $2 per month. - Back to the regular episodes next week!!   – TOPICS DISCUSSED: [2:15] - Intro [6:55] - Disclaimers [10:00] - How and why I started Mountain & Prairie [22:13] - Intentions [28:12] - Getting started + endurance [39:25] - Finding your voice, authenticity, enthusiasm [52:55] - Finding an audience [1:03:09] - Interview techniques [1:08:48] - Finding guests [1:11:40] - Dealing with negative feedback [1:15:14] - Equipment and editing [1:21:38] - Money (least important!) [1:25:54] - Further reading – RESOURCES: All Patreon-Exclusive Podcast Episodes Ed's 2024 Freeflow Course on the Rogue River Seth Godin Books: Purple Cow, Tribes, This is Marketing, The Practice Steven Pressfield Books: The War of Art, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh!t Originals by Adam Grant 1000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly Conan interviewing Jack White Spreadsheet with all my podcast equipment

Dan Stellar is the State Director for the Arizona Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where he leads the organization’s efforts across a wide range of cutting-edge initiatives, including forest health, water conservation, resilient cities, healthy grasslands, and more. Arizona is one of the nation’s largest and most biodiverse states, which creates a host of extremely unique conservation challenges and opportunities– both in its arid, wide-open landscapes and densely populated urban centers. As you’ll hear, Dan and his team are implementing conservation solutions that not only benefit people and nature specifically in Arizona, but they are also creating actionable conservation frameworks that can be applied all over the American West. - Dan was born and raised on the East Coast, and he has spent his career in the non-profit sector, applying his talents to important issues both domestically and abroad.  He began his tenure at TNC Arizona in 2016, when he assumed the role of Deputy State Director. He quickly fell in love with Arizona and TNC’s critical work in the state, and, in 2020, he assumed the role of State Director. Dan is also a committed endurance athlete, and he’s run a mind-blowing number of marathons and half-marathons. And on top of all of that, he’s a dedicated father, husband, and family man. - Dan and I share so many common interests in conservation, endurance sports, and family, so I was super excited to have the opportunity to learn more about the specifics of his work and his fascinating personal and professional journey. We started the conversation with an overview of what makes Arizona such a unique place from a conservation perspective, then we dug into the details of TNC’s work in forest heath, rivers, aquifers, outdoor recreation, and resilient cities. We talked about some of the lessons he learned from traveling and working internationally, why he chooses to push himself so hard athletically, and how he goes about building such strong relationships with stakeholders, partner organizations, and his TNC team members. Dan is also a voracious reader, so we obviously chatted about books, and he wrapped up the conversation with very wise parting words. - I really felt like I’d met a real kindred spirit in Dan, and I greatly appreciate everything that he and his team are doing to make Arizona– and the West– a better place. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. --- Dan Stellar TNC Arizona's 2023 Annual Report Spring 2024 Field Notes Magazine Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/dan-stellar/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. 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 last Tuesday of every month throughout 2024, 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 and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Setting the scene for conservation work in Arizona 8:45 - Forest health work in Arizona 15:00 - Aligning profit motives with forest health goals 22:00 - Whether or not there are down-sides to forest thinning 25:15 - Discussing the Verde River 31:15 - Discussing the Big Chino Aquifer  35:00 - Collaborating with the Trust for Public Land to build a new park in Arizona 39:45 - TNC’s work with cities in Arizona 46:00 - Dan’s passion for running, and his attraction to doing hard things 50:15 - How Dan fits running into his schedule 52:00 - How Dan became interested in conservation 57:30 - Dan’s lessons from traveling 1:00:00 - Dan’s book recommendations 1:04:30 - Dan’s parting words of wisdom --- 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

Sandy Colhoun is the President of the National Outdoor Leadership School, also known as NOLS. - Founded in 1965 by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzolt, NOLS is widely considered to be the world’s premier wilderness school, and its mission is “to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment.” NOLS operates in many of the world’s wildest outdoor classrooms, and it provides the highest quality instruction in many outdoor skills, including wilderness travel, mountaineering, rock climbing, sea kayaking, and more. But perhaps most importantly, through these outdoor adventures, NOLS students learn the foundational and all-important life skills of leadership, teamwork, humility, and responsibility. - Sandy was named the seventh President of NOLS in October of 2023, after serving as the interim President and, before that, as a member of the NOLS Board of Trustees. Prior to his work with NOLS, he had spent much of his career in the worlds of education and journalism, most notably leading a $750 million fundraising campaign at Colby College in Maine. Sandy is also a proud graduate of a NOLS Wind River Mountaineering course, and he’s no stranger to hardcore outdoor adventures– he worked as a ski patroller in Park City, climbed in Alaska, Nepal, and Bolivia, and cycled up and over the Himalayas from Tibet to Nepal. As you’ll hear in our conversation, he’s focused, driven, and lots of fun, and he’s s fully committed to leading NOLS into the future. - I’m a proud graduate of a 1999 semester-long NOLS course, which was hands-down one of the most formative and valuable experiences of my entire life. Yes, I learned plenty of outdoor skills that have served me well for nearly 25 years now, but the most important lessons were those that taught me the value of good exhibition behavior, being comfortable in uncomfortable situations, and keeping a positive attitude when life gets difficult. If not for that semester, I highly doubt I would’ve ever moved out west, worked in conservation, or started this podcast. So, I’m obviously a superfan of all things NOLS. - I was so excited to chat with Sandy, and we covered a lot in our hour-long conversation. We discussed the history of NOLS, what separates NOLS from other wilderness schools, risk management, exhibition behavior, expanding one’s comfort zone, a description of the ideal NOLS student, Sandy’s own leadership style, his vision for the future of NOLS, how he will measure success, leaders that Sandy admires, favorite books, and much more. Be sure to check out the episode notes for links to everything we discuss. - A huge thank you to Sandy for being so generous with his time and for everything he and the entire team at NOLS do to make the world a better place. Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy! --- NOLS Sandy Calhoun Ed's Freeflow Institute Workshop Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/sandy-colhoun/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:00 - A brief history of NOLS 8:15 - What sets NOLS apart from other outdoor schools 10:30 - Discussing NOLS’ partnerships 13:00 - How NOLS manages risk 16:30 - The talent of NOLS instructors 19:00 - What “expedition behavior” is 22:15 - How NOLS recruits students in a world that prioritizes job opportunities and career advancement 24:45 - How NOLS expands one’s comfort zone 28:45 - The ideal NOLS student 30:15 - Determining the next chapter of NOLS in the early 2020s 33:30 - Sandy’s career pre-NOLS 37:00 - Sandy’s leadership style 42:30 - How Sandy got his mind around the task of taking the helm at NOLS 46:00 - Measuring future success at NOLS 49:00 - Leaders that Sandy admires 52:15 - Sandy’s book recommendations 58:15 - Sandy’s parting words of wisdom, and how you can support NOLS   --- 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