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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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• Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance
• Kevin Krasnow
• Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/kevin-krasnow/

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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

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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

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