Humpback whales. California condors. Island foxes. What do these species have in common? In addition to a shared characteristic of general awesomeness, these special creatures also escaped very near extinctions thanks to protections from the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

A core environmental law in the U.S., the ESA represents one of the best tools we have for safeguarding wildlife and critical habitat. Yet, as you may have heard back in May, aspects of this important law are being targeted by the current administration. Federal agencies (the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration) recently issued a proposed rule to change a key component of the ESA's functions: its definition of harm.

Folks across the conservation sector are examining what this could mean for wildlife and regulations, so to give some context, today’s episode discusses the history of the law, its current definitions, and what exactly this proposed rule is trying to alter. WELC Wildlands and Wildlife Staff Attorney Karli Uwaine, who worked on WELC’s public comments in response to this proposed rule, provides in-depth background for why the ESA's specific definitions matter and how to take action in the waiting period before official rule updates.

BTW, if you’re liking what we’ve put together so far on Stories of Kinship, please do share it with a climate pal or fellow wildlife nerd in your life! Every listen and comment on these early episodes helps us figure out whether to keep up this lil audio experiment and what topics to explore in the future. Lastly and most importantly, thank you for your dedicated support to our work here at the Western Environmental Law Center. It’s an insane time to be in environmental work (or just to be alive, for that matter), but our team is staying strong together in HUGE part because we get to be in this fight with you all.

P.S. To hear updates on new episodes and what we’re up to, be sure and subscribe here, join our email list at westernlaw.org and follow us on socials (FB, IG, Bluesky). See ya next time!

Whether you love creatures with a gift for ecological engineering or want to see more stunning overpasses and underpasses help highways everywhere become safer (for drivers and wildlife!), this one’s for you.

Our team could not be more excited to share this episode featuring WELC deputy director and incredible wildlife advocate, Sristi Kamal, along with our special guest, Ben Goldfarb. You may recognize Ben from his beloved books, Eager and Crossings — two works responsible for converting quite a lot of folks into Beaver Believers and road ecology enthusiasts— and it’s a treat to have him join us this week.

This conversation will also dive into the latest updates from the Oregon 2025 legislative session, where bills covering wildlife topics from coexistence training to water quality are currently making significant headway towards becoming law. Of course, we’ll close with some awesome (and much-needed!) ways you can take action and speak up for ecological justice today.*

Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoy the episode, consider sharing it with a wildlife nerd in your life! And be sure to check out Ben Goldfarb’s amazing books and upcoming projects over at www.bengoldfarb.com.

*One of those opportunities includes showing your support for HB 3932 on Beaver + Water Quality! Take action today by contacting your legislator and sharing why you want to help restore Oregon waterways through an incredibly effective (and free) solution: beavers.

“Are you failing with the doomscrolling as much as I am?” The past two months have been a lot on every level. For those of us trying to strike the balance between informed and overwhelmed, it’s hard to know where to focus. So in this conversation, WELC’s Erik Schlenker-Goodrich guides us through impacts from recent Executive Orders, DOGE projects, and attacks on foundational environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. We discuss what this means from a broader national perspective (spoiler alert: it’s, uh, not amazing) and how we’re preparing to tackle these issues in the months ahead. Towards the end, we’ll provide a couple of quick updates on New Mexico and Oregon legislative session efforts, so stick it out for some good news there, and thanks so much for tuning in! P.S. Reach out to us with your questions or ideas for future episodes, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below! And if you’re enjoying Stories of Kinship so far, please do share with a friend you think might enjoy it, too.

Subscribe to WELC’s Stories of Kinship podcast for free and get updates in your inbox when we release new episodes (1-2x month).

In December 2024, 16 youth plaintiffs and the legal teams at WELC, Our Children’s Trust, and McGarvey Law made climate justice HISTORY! In a massive victory at the Montana Supreme Court after years of work, the court upheld a landmark decision in favor of youth climate activists. In a final 6-1 vote, the justices ruled that Montana was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment. For Stories of Kinship: Episode 2, host Suze Wehr interviews WELC staff attorneys Barbara Chillcott and Melissa Hornbein for an in-depth account of the long road to victory and what it now means for climate justice in Montana (and beyond). Learn more and tune in to this 20-minute listen! And check out how you can support our work to defend the west at westernlaw.org !

What is it like to be advocating at the state level while trying to track and oppose the chaos we’re seeing at the federal level right now? What are WELC’s priorities for the 2025 New Mexico legislative session? What can people do to stay focused and fired up during this brutal period of attacks on climate justice and human rights? In this conversation with WELC’s Erik Schlenker-Goodrich and Brian Sweeney, we dive into these questions and more, exploring key bills to support in NM right now and strategies for making the most of our agency wherever we are.

Learn more and support our work to defend the west at westernlaw.org!