Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Kevin Krasnow is the Conservation Director at the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, a long-standing, highly effective organization whose mission is to “protect the wildlife, wild places, and community character of Jackson Hole.” For more than four decades, the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance has been a staunch advocate for keeping Jackson Hole wild and beautiful, and it has proven to be a nimble and creative protector of the legendary Wyoming valley. The organization has served as a watchdog against poorly planned development, a champion for public land, a community voice that holds elected officials accountable, and much more. - Kevin brings a fascinating and diverse professional background to his work at the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance– he’s worked as an Outward Bound instructor, a high school teacher, a college professor, and, most notably, he earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of California Berkley. Prior to joining the team at the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, he worked for ten years at the Teton Science Schools in Jackson. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Kevin is a high-level expert in forest and wildfire ecology, and he speaks eloquently about the role of wildfires in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond. - When I first headed out West from North Carolina nearly twenty years ago, I moved to Jackson Hole— and I will always have a tender spot in my heart for that particular area. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to connect with Kevin and talk about all things related to ecology, wildlife, fire, and conversation in Jackson Hole. We started with a deep dive into Aspen trees, and why they are such an important and unique part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. We discussed the Yellowstone Fire of 1988 and how that disaster shaped forest management in the future. We discussed the unprecedented development pressure in and around Jackson, how Kevin and his organization collaborate with a wide range of conservation partners, his professional journey from indirect to direct conservation work, and how his career as an educator informs his work today. - If you’ve ever spent time in the Tetons, Yellowstone, or the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, then you’re going to learn a lot from Kevin. Please visit the episode notes for a full list of everything he mentions, and I hope you enjoy! --- Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance Kevin Krasnow Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/kevin-krasnow/ --- 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 - Discussing Aspen trees and how they captured Kevin’s attention 9:30 - Threats to Aspen populations 13:30 - Looking at the Yellowstone Fire of 1988 24:00 - How significantly forestry and attitudes toward fire have changed after the Yellowstone Fire of 1988  28:30 - What brought Kevin to the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance  31:00 - Whether or not COVID has impacted the urgency of JHCA’s work 35:15 - What specific problems Kevin works on at JHCA  39:15 - How Kevin and JHCA have collaborated with The Nature Conservancy 43:00 - Kevin’s switch from “indirect” conservation to “direct” 45:00 - When the outdoors became a part of Kevin’s life 47:15 - Kevin’s early career in experiential education, and how it benefits his career now 52:30 - Kevin’s words for a young person looking for career advice 55:00 - Kevin’s book recommendations 58:15 - Kevin’s parting words of wisdom, and how folks can support JHCA --- 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

Mike DeHoff is the Principal Investigator at Returning Rapids Project, a one-of-a-kind project that is documenting the recovery of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, upper Glen Canyon, and along the San Juan. Back in 1963, the construction of Glen Canyon Dam created Lake Powell, which submerged many of the area’s canyons– turning what were once wild stretches of the Colorado into flat water. Today, the southwest’s ongoing historic drought has caused Lake Powell’s water levels to drop significantly, revealing historic rapids, recently hidden geologic features, and riparian ecosystems that had been deep underwater for nearly fifty years. - Returning Rapids began as a personal project for Mike and three of his river-loving friends– Meg Flynn, Peter Lefebvre, and Chris Benson. They began to notice changes in the river created by Lake Powell’s receding waters and started documenting those changes and using historic photographs and documents to better understand the reemerging landscape. Over the years, their work caught the attention of universities, academics, scientists, and government agencies, all of whom were fascinated by what was being discovered deep in those canyons. Fast forward to today, and their work is not only enabling cutting-edge research, but it’s capturing the attention of bigtime media outlets, including a recent feature in Rolling Stone. - Mike connected with me virtually from his home base in Moab, Utah, and we had a fascinating discussion about the Colorado River, Lake Powell, and the history of the Returning Rapids project. We started out with a brief history lesson on the drought’s effect on the Colorado River, then we dug into issues such as the mind-blowing amount of sediment created by Glen Canyon Dam. We discussed when Mike and his partners realized that their personal project was capturing the attention of the public, the challenges of garnering attention for lesser-known places like Cataract Canyon, and the idea of combining Lake Powell and Lake Mead. We also talk a lot about Mike’s personal journey with this project, and how his willingness to follow his curiosity, partner with very smart people, take risks, and work extremely hard has had a significant scientific impact. We also discuss books, his mentors, his desire to learn from everyone he meets, and much more. - A huge thanks to Mike, Meg, Peter, and Chris for their important work, and for providing such a solid example for all of us who feel drawn to make a difference here in the American West. --- Returning Rapids Project Rolling Stone article on Returning Rapids Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/mike-dehoff/ --- 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 - The drought of the early 2000s and how it started a 20+ year journey for Mike 16:30 - How an entire land mass of Colorado River sediment can be created with no one claiming management or responsibility of it 21:30 - When Mike’s project shifted from a personal interest to an interest of the public 26:15 - The surprising rate that Lake Powell and Cataract Canyon are capable of recovering 34:30 - How Mike garners attention for lesser-known but important places like Cataract Canyon 37:15 - Discussing the idea of combining Lake Powell and Lake Meade 44:15 - Mike’s advice for people wanting to do something similar to he and his team 47:30 - Mike’s powerful appreciation for the people he meets, and his mentors and heroes 50:30 - Mike’s book recommendations 53:45 - Mike’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

An excerpt from my most recent Shed Session episode, highlighting seven of my favorite books that you may have never heard of. To listen to the full episode and all future Shed Sessions, become a Patreon supporter. FULL EPISODE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/shed-session-you-97515649 PATREON: https://mountainandprairie.com/patreon MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: https://mountainandprairie.com/

This is a special live episode that was recorded at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas. The event was centered around the museum’s ongoing exhibition titled Trespassers: James Prosek and the Texas Prairie, and the episode features a fascinating on-stage conversation with artist and past podcast guest James Prosek and art curator Spencer Wigmore. - Trespassers is an exhibit about grasslands– specifically, James examines how we think about and define America’s imperiled prairie ecosystem. Over the course of more than two years, James traveled throughout Texas and the Southern Plains, visiting private ranches and urban restoration sites, and he was often accompanied by some of Texas’s most well-renowned grasslands experts. He investigated ideas around how our man-made boundaries and concepts attempt to define grasslands, and how grasslands often do not conform to our desires to control them. He examines ideas around fire, species classification, conservation, and natural history, and the end result is a collection of more than 20 mind-blowing paintings and sculptures. - As the curator for this exhibit, Spencer played a very unique role throughout the entire project– he was the one who initially approached James with the idea, he accompanied James on many of his grasslands road trips, and he even arranged the exhibit in its stunning space within the museum. So I loved learning about the collaboration between artist and curator, how they complimented each other’s personalities, and how they ultimately worked together to bring this spectacular collection of meaningful art into the world. - As you probably remember from my first podcast conversation with James, he’s a deep thinker who has spent his entire career digging into the nuances of our natural world. And Spencer’s depth of understanding of art history and the artistic process– as well as his ability to communicate his knowledge in a fun and engaging way– is second to none.  So I know you’ll enjoy this conversation that covers everything from broad, big-picture ideas around the philosophies of defining species, all the way down to the details of how James created such intricate, delicate sculptures. Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we discussed. - I’d encourage you to visit the episode webpage, as I have included a gallery of images of the exhibit that will serve as a great reference point for some of our discussions. And the nice folks at the Carter also recorded a video of the entire event, that is embedded on my webpage and available on Youtube.  Follow the link in the notes to access all of that. - The episode starts with a kind introduction from The Carter’s Manager of Adult Programming, Madeleine Fitzgerald and then James, Spencer, and I begin our conversation.  I hope you enjoy! --- Amon Carter Museum of American Art Trespassers: James Prosek and the Texas Prairie James Prosek Spencer Wigmore Watch the YouTube video Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/carter/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - Welcome statements 10:45 - How the Trespassers exhibition came about in Spencer’s mind, and how it landed for James 19:15 - Comparing American grasslands to the Great Pyramids 23:45 - James’ painting process 29:15 - Spencer’s role as curator 34:00 - Discussing the work Fort Worth Composition No. 1 37:45 - Discussing James’ interest in silhouettes  42:30 - James’ use of bronze to depict burned logs 47:00 - James’ clay flowers 50:15 - The biggest surprise in this project for Spencer 54:00  -What James has learned about grasslands since finishing the project 1:01:15 - James’ read on the state of western grasslands conservation 1:06:15 - James’ book recommendations  1:09:30 - How Spencer sets up the gallery space 1:14:00 - Audience questions begin 1:14:45 - Spencer’s and James’ relationship to Fort Worth, and whether or not they found remnant prairies there 1:20:00 - Where Spencer and James feel the anti-fire bias came from? 1:23:30 - Inquiring about the significance of a Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout in one of James’ works 1:26:15 - Whether or not James or Spencer did some fly fishing as a part of their research for this project --- 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

Ivy Spohnholz is the Alaska State Director at The Nature Conservancy, where she leads the organization’s critical work around climate solutions, sustainable fisheries, and resilient communities. Given its size, location, climate, demographics, and economics, Alaska presents a very unique blend of conservation challenges– challenges that can directly affect massive, landscape-scale ecosystems and the communities within them. We’ve rarely if ever dug into the details of conservation in Alaska on this podcast, so I was thrilled to have Ivy join me for such an in-depth conversation. - Ivy was born in a dry log cabin in the remote Wrangell Mountains, in what is now Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Her entire career has revolved around public service– she’s held leadership roles at the Salvation Army, University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Conservation Foundation, and Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis. She also served for more than six years in the Alaska House of Representatives, where she honed her skills as a pragmatic and effective problem solver. In the fall of 2022, she took the reins as TNC’s Alaska State Director and has been applying her skills as a leader and problem solver toward Alaska’s distinctive conservation challenges. - I’ve been lucky enough to visit Alaska on two separate occasions, and I’ve had some of the most formative experiences of my life in the Alaska Range. The size and scale of the mountains, valleys, and wildlife are so staggering that it's impossible to visit Alaska without gaining a deep respect for both the landscapes and the people who live there. So I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with Ivy about her adventurous upbringing in Alaska and her service-oriented career. We talk in detail about her unexpected entrance into politics, and how she quickly learned to lead and navigate the law-making process as an elected official. We discuss TNC’s focus areas in Alaska, and we talk a lot about Bristol Bay and its ecological and economic significance in the world. As you’ve probably come to expect, we talk about the all-important power of relationships, and we also discuss the need to be practical and optimistic. - A big thank you to Ivy for taking the time to talk with me– I greatly appreciate all of the important work being done by TNC Alaska. Enjoy! --- Ivy Sponholtz The Alaska Chapter of the Nature Conservancy Episode notes & Links: https://mountainandprairie.com/ivy-spohnholz/ -- 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 - Ivy’s birth in a dry log cabin in the Wrangell Mountains 7:15 - Ivy’s childhood 10:15 - When Ivy left Alaska, and what brought her back 12:00 - How serving others became a core part of Ivy 17:00 - When Ivy became an elected official 24:00 - Discussing the political landscape of Alaska 28:15 - How Ivy became involved with TNC 34:45 - Discussing TNC’s work in Alaska 41:00 - How Ivy balances working urgently with the often slower pace of building relationships  46:30 - The importance of Bristol Bay 52:00 - Potential future threats to Bristol Bay 57:00 - The biggest surprise for Ivy in her work with TNC 59:30 - Discussing “practical optimism” 1:01:30 - Ivy’s book recommendations 1:03:45 - Ivy’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  

Chad Ellis is the CEO of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT), which is one of the nation’s leading ag-focused conservation organizations. TALT’s mission is “to conserve the Texas heritage of agricultural lands, wildlife habitats, and natural resources,” but at its core, TALT’s work is built on the foundation of long-term, trusting, mutually respectful relationships. - Given the small proportion of public lands in Texas compared to other western states, much of the responsibility for landscape-scale ecological health falls on the shoulders of private landowners. And since 2007, TALT has helped these landowners find ways to not only protect their family legacies, but to improve the overall quality of grasslands, water, air, and wildlife for all Texans. - Chad was raised in rural Texas, and from a very early age, he felt a deep connection to land, agriculture, and wildlife. While his entire career has been devoted to thoughtfully and effectively stewarding natural resources, you’ll quickly realize that at his core, Chad is a relationship builder. During his tenures at the NRSC, the Noble Research Institute, and now as the leader of TALT, Chad has implemented many cutting-edge conservation solutions– but, as you’ll hear him explain, none of these projects would be successful without solid, trusting relationships between all stakeholders. - Longtime listeners will recognize Chad from an earlier appearance on Mountain & Prairie– back in 2023, he was one of the panelists in an episode called “Landscape-Scale Management in a Private Land State,” which was recorded live at the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society’s annual meeting. In this episode, we dig more into Chad’s personal and professional journey in conservation– why he has devoted his career to such a challenging-yet-critical cause, and how he approaches his work from both practical and philosophical perspectives. We discuss his love of entrepreneurial approaches, his leadership style, mentors, the storied legacy of TALT’s founder Blair Fitzsimons, supporting the next generation of conservationists, his favorite books, and much more. - If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to check out TALT’s website and follow its work on social media– TALT is a constant source of inspiration for me and all of the Western conservation community. Thanks for listening! --- Texas Agricultural Land Trust Chad on LinkedIn Chad's first M&P appearance: Landscape-Scale Management in a Private Land State TALT on Instagram Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/chad-ellis/ Ed's upcoming Rogue River Trip --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:30 - Where Chad grew up 7:45 - Chad’s work with PERC 10:15 - Where Chad’s entrepreneurial background came from 16:15 - How Chad moved up in the NRCS ranks 18:45 - Chad’s time with Mobil Foundation 21:45 - Chad’s personal vision 24:30 - Chad’s motivation to strengthen people’s connection to the land, instead of just supporting the land itself 27:15 - How Chad hires for a passionate team 29:15 - Chad’s work securing federal funding 32:45 - How Chad thinks about failure 34:45 - How Chad presented his vision for TALT to an already accomplished director, Blair Fitzsimons 40:30 - Chad’s goal to support the next generation of conservationists 44:30 - How Chad interprets the threats facing conservation in Texas 51:30 - How Chad prioritizes his allocation of resources 58:45 - Exploring Chad’s level of patience, as well as the various ways that people learn and work 1:03:30 - The importance of relationships 1:07:45 - Chad’s book recommendations 1:09:15 - Chad’s parting words of advice --- 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

Rick Wittenbraker is the CMO of Howler Brothers, an Austin-based apparel company that creates some of the most unique, stylish, quirky, and highly functional outdoor clothing for adventurers of all stripes. In a little over a decade, Howler has firmly established itself as the go-to brand for anglers, surfers, travelers, and fun-seekers– the kind of people who value good times with good friends in cool places. - Rick was born and raised in Texas, attended UT Austin, and spent the first years of his career in traditional businesses such as finance and sales. But in 2009, he joined an up-and-coming cooler company known as Yeti, and that is where Rick’s genius for storytelling really broke through. He eventually became Yeti’s VP of Marketing and was one of the major forces behind Yeti’s groundbreaking approach to building a brand through outside-the-box storytelling. Along the way, he met Howler Brother’s founders– Chase Heard and Andy Stepanian– and eventually decided to join them and apply his brand-building expertise toward expanding what is now known as “The Howlerverse.” - Rick has been a longtime mentor of mine, and I credit his wisdom and counsel as being one the main factors that have allowed me to build Mountain & Prairie from a silly little side project into my full-time job. And there are countless creatives and entrepreneurs who have a similar story of Rick generously taking an interest in their project, offering his hard-earned wisdom, and expecting nothing in return. So this episode with Rick was long overdue. - We recorded this in Austin, at the Howler Brothers HQ, and we covered a lot, including: Rick’s career path, lessons learned from living internationally, his philosophies around building authentic, completely original brands, his ever-present focus on generosity and humility, separating personal identity from brand identity, growing without abandoning core values, the spirit behind the Howler Brothers brand, the Howler Brothers book, some of his favorite books, and much more. - A big thanks to Rick for taking the time to chat with me, as well as for everything he’s done to help Mountain & Prairie grow and evolve over the years. Hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. --- Rick on LinkedIn Howler Brothers The Howler Brothers book Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/rick-wittenbraker/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:00 - Rick’s childhood and what he wanted to be when he grew up 9:15 - Rick’s first job out of college 11:15 - Rick’s mentor in his first job 14:45 - When Rick became interested in marketing 18:00 - When Rick realized he and Yeti were onto something big 20:45 - Inspirations for Rick’s style of marketing with Yeti, and why it works so well 25:30 - Fun that Rick has had on the job 27:45 - Why Rick decided to move along from Yeti 29:45 - A bump in Rick’s career road 31:15 - Balancing the merits of business ideas and businesses with the people who implement them 38:00 - Describing Howler Bros. 44:15 - How Howler Bros. balances their identity and values with the need for business growth 46:15 - Separating personal identity from brand identity 49:30 - Balancing initiative and recklessness as it pertains to business progress  51:30 - Where Rick’s generosity and willingness to help comes from 54:00 - The future of Howler Bros. 58:15 - Rick’s book recommendations 1:03:00 - Rick’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

Panel of conservation leaders discuss challenges and opportunities of the Endangered Species Act, collaboration and cooperative conservation, impact on private landowners and the Louisiana Black Bear, importance of relationships and trust, power of mentorship in conservation success, passing on advice and preparing young professionals, and concluding with a call to support the podcast.

An excerpt from the most recent Shed Session episode, highlighting some of the books, experiences, products, activities, and organizations that made 2023 a year to remember. To listen to the full hour-long episode and all future Shed Sessions, become a Patreon supporter. FULL EPISODE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/shed-session-12-95389124 PATREON: https://mountainandprairie.com/patreon MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: https://mountainandprairie.com/

Paige Lewis is the Deputy State Director and Director of Conservation Programs for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. In this role, she serves as the chapter’s chief conservation officer and is responsible for leading the development of innovative, large-scale, and entrepreneurial solutions to the challenges facing people and nature in Colorado and around the world. Paige brings a unique skill set that combines big-picture thinking with tangible, one-the-ground execution– her work involves creating ambitious, large-scale strategies, while also ensuring that the TNC team has the resources, communication, and support to accomplish its goals. - Over the course of this 2023 podcast series with TNC Colorado, we’ve highlighted both the breadth and depth of the organization’s work in Colorado and beyond. From grassland conservation to sustainable water management to forest health to urban conservation efforts (and much more!), it’s been amazing to learn about the positive impact that TNC is having across such a broad spectrum of pressing environmental issues. And if you’ve wondered, as I have, how TNC successfully aligns so many initiatives, teams, and stakeholders toward common organizational goals, well, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what Paige does! - Paige and I sat down at the TNC office in Boulder just before the holidays and had a fun conversation that looked back at some of the 2023 conservation wins and looked forward toward TNC’s ambitious goals for the future. We started out discussing Paige’s lifelong appreciation for conservation, and her career that took her from her home state of Utah to Washington DC and eventually to Colorado. We discussed her skill of thinking strategically while also focusing on the need to get things done, and how she has managed to keep so many balls in the air year after year. We talk about durable conservation, collective action, and embracing risk, and we also discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with setting ambitious goals. Paige is a voracious reader and lover of history, so she has tons of excellent book recommendations. - A big thank you to Paige for taking the time to chat with me during such a busy time of year, and, once again, thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy. --- Paige Lewis All 2023 TNC episodes Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/paige-lewis/ --- 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: 3:30 - How Paige became interested in conservation 9:15 - Paige’s first conservation job  10:45 - Adjusting from the West to DC 11:45 - Paige’s return West 15:00 - How Paige ended up at TNC 18:30 - Paige’s role at TNC 23:30 - An example of successful collaborative work in Paige’s time at TNC 27:15 - What Paige is most proud of in TNC’s 2023 work 30:30 - Reflecting on TNC’s progress towards their 2026 strategic goals 34:30 - How Paige prioritizes and keeps all the balls in the air 39:45 - What “durable conservation” means and looks like to Paige 42:30 - What “collective action” means and looks like to Paige 45:30 - How Paige knows when to shift from ideation and relationship building to action 48:45 - How TNC’s approach to taking risks has changed during Paige’s tenure 52:15 - What qualities Paige thinks makes a good team member at TNC 56:15 - Paige’s book recommendations 1:02:15 - Paige’s parting words --- 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