Episode 75: Disturbance by Design

This week on the Outdoor Ruhls Podcast, Mike sits down with Karl Malcolm—conservation professional, lifelong outdoorsman, and one of the most compelling recent voices in the conservation space. Recently featured on the MeatEater Podcast, Karl brings a rare blend of deep scientific knowledge, field experience, and thoughtful perspective to a wide-ranging conversation about forests, wildlife, and the role humans play in shaping both.

At the heart of this episode is a powerful (and sometimes misunderstood) idea: disturbance is not only natural—it’s necessary. From fire and logging to historic wildlife impacts like passenger pigeons and bison, Karl explains how healthy ecosystems have always been shaped by disruption. The absence of disturbance, especially in eastern forests, has led to declining habitat quality for species like ruffed grouse and American woodcock—and many others that depend on diverse, early successional habitats.

Mike and Karl also explore:

Karl’s unique career path, from the U.S. Forest Service to his current role as Vice President of Conservation for the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society

His research on black bears in Wisconsin and China—and how those experiences shaped his worldview

Why “habitat” is almost always the answer when wildlife populations decline

The tension between simple conservation messaging and complex ecological realities

How hunters—and non-hunters alike—can play a role in improving conservation outcomes

This is a thoughtful, big-picture conversation about conservation, one that challenges assumptions and reinforces a core truth: if we want better wildlife outcomes, we have to be willing to engage with the complexity of how ecosystems actually work.

Reading List & Influences

If you enjoyed this conversation, here are a few works and authors discussed in the episode:

A Sand County Almanac — Aldo Leopold

The Lorax — Dr. Seuss

Wildlife in America — Peter Matthiessen

The Search for the Genuine (featuring “Spring Coda”) — Jim Harrison

How to Love a Forest — Ethan Tapper

Get Involved

Want to support the kind of conservation work Karl is leading?

Learn more or become a member: https://ruffed.org

Listen to Karl’s recent appearance on the MeatEater Podcast:
https://www.themeateater.com/listen/meateater

As Karl and Mike discuss, conservation works best when more people are invested—whether through time, attention, or direct support. If you care about wildlife, forests, and the future of wild places, this is a great place to start.

As always, you can find more from the Outdoor Ruhls Podcast at www.outdoorruhls.com and on Instagram @OutdoorRuhls.

Thanks for listening.