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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, for a wide-ranging conversation about conservation, climate challenges, and the future of one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

Wade shares how a childhood spent outdoors in the Midwest shaped his path into public service, and how his work now spans everything from wildfire prevention and water management to protecting California’s vast natural landscapes. Together, Scott and Wade explore the realities of managing natural resources in a state of 40 million people—where conservation, development, and climate pressures all collide.

The conversation dives into:

How California is tackling wildfire through forest management and prescribed burns
 The future of water in the West, including drought, desalination, and the Colorado River
 The surprising resilience of nature—from salmon returning to restored rivers to rewilding efforts
 The role of technology and innovation in conservation
 Why protecting nature ultimately means protecting ourselves

From redwood forests to Monterey Bay, this episode offers a fascinating look at the challenges—and hope—facing conservation in the modern world.

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This episode is a first for Naturally Scott — a panel conversation.

Scott Harris brings together three remarkable voices — Sy Montgomery, Debi Shearwater, and Lynn Scarlett — for an honest, thoughtful discussion about the history of women in birding, how the experience has evolved, and where things stand today.

Each brings a different perspective: science and storytelling, business and field leadership, and public policy and conservation. Together, they reflect on what it was like entering male-dominated spaces decades ago, the challenges they faced, the progress that’s been made, and the work still left to do.

🐦 What birding and science looked like for women decades ago
 ⚖️ Moments of exclusion, resistance, and unexpected opportunity
 🌎 How perspectives in science and conservation have evolved
 🤝 The importance of mentorship, inclusion, and community
 ✨ Why diverse voices make both birding — and conservation — stronger

This is a conversation about more than birding — it’s about access, perspective, and the people who help shape how we see the natural world.

This episode is also dedicated to Scott’s mother — an incredible mind, an extraordinary woman, and a quiet force who shattered glass ceilings long before it was expected. Her influence lives on in conversations like this.

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Every spring, billions of birds move across North America — and for a brief moment, one place becomes the center of it all.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Kimberly Kaufman, Executive Director of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, to explore The Biggest Week in American Birding — one of the most important and accessible birding events in the world.

Held along the shores of Lake Erie in northwest Ohio, this 10-day festival brings together tens of thousands of birders to experience peak spring migration at places like the legendary Magee Marsh.

In this focused conversation, they explore:

🐦 Why northwest Ohio is a global hotspot for migration
 🌎 How a festival grew from zero to 80,000+ visitors
 🤝 The unique culture of birding — welcoming, generous, and shared
 🌿 How bird tourism directly supports conservation
 ✨ Why moments at the Biggest Week become lifelong memories

This is a conversation about more than a festival — it’s about community, conservation, and what happens when people come together around something they love.

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Few people understand owls like Denver Holt. As the founder of the Owl Research Institute, Denver has spent nearly four decades studying owls in the wild — from long-eared owls in Montana to snowy owls on the Arctic tundra.

In this episode, Denver joins Scott Harris to explore what it really means to be a “boots on the ground” field biologist. From cross-country skiing into remote nesting territories to enduring Arctic summers in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, his work is a testament to patience, persistence, and deep observation.

The conversation dives into the power of long-term research, revealing how decades of data can challenge assumptions about owl populations, lemming cycles, and environmental change. Denver also reflects on the early influences that shaped his path — including a chance encounter that set him on a lifetime journey with birds of prey.

They also discuss:

🦉 Why long-term studies reveal truths short-term research misses
 ❄️ Snowy owls, lemmings, and the mysteries of Arctic ecosystems
 🌙 The difference between field research and computer-based inference
 📊 What 35 years of data can (and can’t) tell us about population trends
 🌍 How owls can serve as powerful ambassadors for conservation

This is a conversation about curiosity, discipline, and the value of truly knowing a species — not just studying it, but living alongside it.

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Debi Shearwater — one of the most iconic figures in seabirding and pelagic birding anywhere in the world.

Often called the “Queen of the Seas,” Debi has spent more than four decades leading pelagic trips off the California coast and across the globe, introducing thousands of people to the magic of seabirds, marine mammals, and life on the open ocean.

From her early days as an Army wife to launching a life-changing pelagic career in 1976 out of Monterey Bay, Debi’s story is anything but ordinary. Along the way, she’s been featured in The Big Year (portrayed by Anjelica Huston), built a global reputation as a fearless leader at sea, and inspired generations of birders to step off land and into a completely different world.

In this wide-ranging and fun conversation, Scott and Debi explore:

🌊 The origins of pelagic birding and how it changed her life
 🐦 What makes seabirds so unique — and so addictive
 🎬 Her role in The Big Year and birding’s place in popular culture
 🦅 Stories from Antarctica, Iceland, and beyond
 🍸 A few unexpected detours — including bartending and life off the water
 🌍 A new birding festival launching in 2027

Debi’s life is a reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary journeys begin with simply saying yes — and stepping onto a boat.

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Keith Hackland, owner of the Alamo Inn B&B, Gear and Tours, and one of the best-known hosts in American birding. From the heart of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Keith shares what makes this corner of Texas one of the richest birding regions in the country — and why so many birders come once and then spend a lifetime coming back.

Keith reflects on his path from South Africa to South Texas, the restoration of the historic Alamo Inn, and how a building that might have been lost became a home base for birders from around the world. Along the way, he talks about the valley’s remarkable mix of resident species, migrants, rarities, and vagrants, and why birds like Green Jays, Bat Falcons, Muscovy Ducks, Clay-colored Thrushes, and parrots tell a much larger story about habitat, geography, and adaptation.

Scott and Keith also explore the culture of the valley itself — the food, the people, the influence of Mexico, the draw of South Padre Island and the ranch country farther west — and how birding here is about more than a list. It is about community, hospitality, and learning to see how birds and people shape one another’s worlds.

This is a conversation about place, migration, friendship, and why some birding destinations become part of you.

Learn more about the Alamo Inn and birding in the valley at the Alamo Inn B&B, Gear and Tours.

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with raptor biologist Bryan Bedrosian, Conservation Director at the Teton Raptor Center, for a wide-ranging conversation about birds of prey, applied science, and what conservation looks like when research is paired with action.

Bryan shares his journey into raptor biology and describes the work of the Teton Raptor Center across research, rehabilitation, and education. The conversation explores cutting-edge projects ranging from bioacoustic monitoring of forest owls to long-term studies of great gray owls, including how changing snow conditions may influence their survival and reproduction.

A major focus of the episode is golden eagles. Bryan explains emerging evidence of population declines in parts of the West, the complex causes behind those losses, and the practical solutions being developed — from reducing lead exposure through hunter-led initiatives to creating innovative artificial nesting structures that restore lost breeding territories.

Scott and Bryan also discuss migration mapping, habitat prioritization tools, ferruginous hawk conservation, and the expanding presence of barred owls in new regions. Throughout the conversation, Bryan emphasizes a central philosophy: conservation science should not only document change but help shape better outcomes for wildlife.

This is a conversation about raptors, resilience, and the people working to ensure these powerful birds remain part of our skies.

Learn more about the Teton Raptor Center and Bryan’s work at tetonraptorcenter.org

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with John Adams, Deputy Director and COO of Biosphere 2, for a conversation about one of the most ambitious environmental experiments ever attempted.

Often remembered for its early human habitation experiment, Biosphere 2 is far more than a historical curiosity. John explains how the facility continues to operate today as a living laboratory designed to help scientists better understand Biosphere 1 — Earth itself. The discussion explores how large-scale, closed ecological systems allow researchers to study climate processes, water cycles, ecosystem interactions, and the challenges of sustaining life in controlled environments.

Scott and John walk through the origins of Biosphere 2, the lessons learned from its early years, and how its mission has evolved into cutting-edge research that informs conservation, climate science, and even future space exploration. Along the way, John shares insights from his nearly three decades at the facility, reflecting on its growth, its enduring relevance, and why curiosity about complex systems remains central to scientific discovery.

This is a conversation about experimentation, learning from bold ideas, and the continuing effort to better understand the planet we already inhabit.

Learn more about Biosphere 2 and ongoing research at biosphere2.org

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In this 50th episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Chad Nelson, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, to talk about a coastal conservation organization that doesn’t just educate and inspire — it organizes, advocates, and fights for practical outcomes.

Surfrider’s work spans five core fronts: plastic reduction, ocean protection, beach access, coasts and climate, and clean water. Chad explains how a movement that began with surfers trying to protect beloved breaks has grown into a national network of volunteers running hundreds of campaigns — from cutting single-use plastics and improving water quality testing, to defending public access along shorelines, to building real solutions for coastal erosion and sea level rise.

A major focus of the conversation is offshore drilling. Scott and Chad walk through why Surfrider opposes new offshore drilling across U.S. waters, how the federal leasing process works, what’s being proposed, and what’s at stake for wildlife, fisheries, tourism economies, and coastal communities.

This is an episode about the places we love — and what it takes to protect them.

Learn more about Surfrider and their campaigns at surfrider.org

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society, for a wide-ranging conversation about birds, climate, hope, and what it really takes to turn conservation losses around.

Elizabeth shares the personal experiences that shaped her life in conservation — from childhood curiosity sparked by books, to studying endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers, to witnessing firsthand how climate change affects species that live nowhere else on Earth. The conversation moves through stories of loss, resilience, and recovery, including the return of bald eagles to the Potomac River and what those birds reveal about the health of entire ecosystems.

Scott and Elizabeth explore Audubon’s ambitious vision to “bend the bird curve” after the loss of three billion birds in North America, what that goal means across the Americas, and how habitat conservation, climate action, policy, and community science all fit together. They also discuss why birds act as sentinels for the planet, how everyday people can play a role, and why optimism — grounded in real success stories — matters more than ever.

This is a conversation about birds, yes, but also about clean water, healthy landscapes, and the belief that restoration is possible when people choose to act.

Learn more about Audubon’s work, programs, and how to get involved at audubon.org

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