Earth to Humans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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