Wilderness Podcast

Breaking News! On October 29th, the gray wolf lost protection under the Endangered Species Act. In this episode, I speak with Amaroq Weiss, Senior West Coast Wolf Advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity about this news and more. We talk about the history of delisting, the assault on the underlying science, public opinion towards wolves, cultural attitudes, mass wildlife killing programs sponsored by the federal government, regional recovery status, state wildlife agency attitudes, emotionally connecting with wolves, next steps in the courts, Amaroq’s background and all about the Center for Biological Diversity. 

biodiv.us/wolves

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

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In this episode, I interview Phil Knight, a long-time wilderness and wildlands activist in Montana. We discuss Phil’s guiding in Yellowstone, recently watching wolves kill a Bison, the accelerating destruction of wild nature, the fallacies of forest health initiatives, promoting forest resiliency, Phil’s early years, his activist history, his time with Earth First!, his early frustrations learning about how the government was managing public lands, the timber wars and locking his neck to a loading machine, Cove Mallard in Idaho, the evolution of activism, what Phil is up to today, his project to climb all the high points in Greater Yellowstone which he just recently completed, his hopes for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the insane influx of recreationists on public lands this summer and the inordinate influence of mountain bikers on forest planning policy.

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In this episode, I speak with Joseph Scalia, president of the Gallatin Yellowstone Wilderness Alliance in Bozeman, Montana. Joe is a practicing psychoanalyst in Livingston and brings a unique perspective to the wilderness movement through his vocation. We talk about the climate, ecological and biodiversity crisis on earth, group psychosis and pathological thought processes, how the Big Greens use propaganda to further their agenda, corporatization of the Big Greens, society’s death drive to “have fun”, misrepresentation of Montanan’s desires to protect Wilderness Study Areas, Joe’s time as president of the Montana Wilderness Association, his awakening and realization that he was participating in a destructive system, how to change hearts and minds within captured conservation groups, the social fallout from leaving the pack and the spiritual gains of speaking the truth and seeking higher purpose. 

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In this episode, I speak with Jon Marvel, public lands activist and the founder of Western Watersheds Project. We talk about his background, his first experiences on public lands in Idaho, what public lands mean to him, looking at ecosystems with fresh eyes, the vast destruction from intensive livestock grazing on public lands, a vision for public lands without the cows, multiple use mandates, the Bundy clan, the contentious founding of the Idaho Watersheds Project (pre Western Watersheds Project), buying grazing leases for conservation purposes, why some conservation groups don’t address the issue of public lands grazing, reflecting back on his time with Western Watersheds, legislative buyout programs, grazing as the most ubiquitous use of public lands and the reasons why grazing destroys ecosystems. 

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In this episode, I am honored to speak with Derrick Jensen. Derrick is a long time environmental activist, writer and philosopher. He has authored dozens of books and essays and is known in the environmental and conservation movement as one of the great movers and shakers of our time. Derrick challenges us to see the bigger picture, question authority and seek new ways of living with ourselves and the planet. We talk about Derrick’s background, his history as an activist, the gaps he discovered in the environmental discourse, our cultural hate of nature, the epistemology of science, how we perceive the natural world, reverting to hunter gatherer societies, the fact that we are in overshoot, the fundamental roles of natural communities, the problem with agriculture, the troubles with talk of sustainability without addressing psychopathy and power, the responsibility of participating in the predator pray relationship, Jevons Paradox, the ridiculous notion that renewable energy will save us, the hypocrisy of the green new deal, the collapse of civilization, why it’s still worth fighting for a future and living with dignity moving forward into terrifying and uncertain times. 

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In this episode, I speak with George Wuerthner, wilderness activist and wildlands ecologist. George is a frequent guest of the program and a prolific writer and advocate for the wild. He has authored more than 38 books on public lands issues and conservation. We talk about predator hunting and the associated ecological and social fallout, wolf hunting exacerbating cattle grazing conflicts, Aldo Leopold and the wolf as told in his Sand County Almanac, changing the direction and missions of state fish and wildlife agencies, taking on “the old boy”hunting  network, predator management and our value systems.

We then pivot the conversation and talk about how some conservation groups have kept their mission intact after experiencing changes and growth, groups that have lost their way (and some reasons why), how to help ensure that grassroots groups stay on track, the problem with the Conservation Collaboratives and how to keep the passion going. 

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In this episode, I speak with Adam Rissien of Wild Earth Guardians and Connie Wilbert of the Sierra Club about a massive Forest Service proposal to cut hundreds of thousands of acres of trees (including 80,000 acres in roadless areas!) in the Medicine Bow National forest in Wyoming called the LaVA Project. We talk about Adam and Connie’s organizations and backgrounds, the scale and scope of the LaVA project, its impacts, the harmful effects of road building on the ecosystem, lack of environmental analysis and oversight, similarities to the Four Forests Initiative in Arizona, rewriting the rules of the National Environmental Policy Act to allow for ambiguity, history of fires and logging on the Medicine Bow National Forest, how we should be managing our forests, the false promises of “Forest Heath” initiatives, climate change, forest resiliency and the Forest Service burying scientific information in support of their motives.  

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In this episode, I speak with David Mattson and Louisa Wilcox, grizzly bear and carnivore scientists and activists who live near Livingston, Montana. We talk about David and Louisa’s background, speaking truth to power in Greater Yellowstone concerning grizzly bear management, attempts to delist the grizzly bear, arguments for delisting, achieving viable population numbers, distrusting state management of endangered carnivores, hunting and conservation and as a business model, juxtaposing domination vs holistic world views towards natures, elk and deer population factors in grizzly country, shifting diets due to climate change, pepper spray vs firearms for countering grizzly attacks, preventing unnecessary grizzly deaths at the hands of hunters, all the positives of having carnivores on the landscape, native American relationships with grizzly bears, our responsibility towards bears, leaving wild things for future generation, the despair of the loss of wildness by Aldo Leopold and openly expressing the love we feel for the wild. 

www.grizzlytimespodcast.org/
www.grizzlytimes.org/
www.mostlynaturalgrizzlies.org/
www.allgrizzly.org/

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In this episode, we discuss Scott’s background, what Central Oregon was like back in the 1980s, being a gardener vs. letting nature take its course, the Oregon Malheur (Owyhee) Bill, about his organization, Wild Wilderness, Fee Demo (lifting the prohibition of charging user fees for outdoor recreation), the influence of the American Recreation Coalition and the RV Industries Association, the Wise Use Movement, The Blue Ribbon Coalition, the history of motorized recreation on public lands, commercialization and privatization of America’s public lands, promoting undeveloped recreation, the problem with industrial strength recreation, experiencing wilderness through transcendence, the dark side of Recreation.gov, Central Oregon Wilderness Reservation System, envisioning a dystopian future of tracking people in Wilderness and the death of the American environmental movement. 

"Wilderness is a place, a path, and a portal through which those who are willing to throw off their encumbrances are able to connect with their humanity."

"When Big “W” Wilderness is treated like little “w” wilderness and little “w" wilderness is treated like parks and parks are treated like playgrounds, the battle for the wilderness will be lost.” 

Quotes by Scott Silver

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In this episode, we discuss George’s background, the greatest current threats to wilderness, practicing restraint as humans, impacts of recreation on wildlife, the value of wilderness beyond human use and enjoyment, sacrificing our enjoyment as recreationalists for the benefit of wilderness, the lesson(s) of wilderness, changing our relationship to the planet, the similarities in the message of the Wilderness Act and climate activists today, recreational demand in the Gallatin Range, the GYE as a special place where we can still protect wilderness on a grand scale, all about the work of Wilderness Watch, the Three Sisters permit system in Central Oregon, noise pollution and its health consequences, noise issues in wilderness, the impacts of livestock grazing in wilderness, retiring grazing permits and climate change and its impacts on wilderness areas. 

"Founded in 1989, Wilderness Watch is the leading national organization whose sole focus is the preservation and proper stewardship of lands and rivers included in the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). The organization grew out of the concern that while much emphasis is being placed on adding new areas to these systems, the conditions of existing Wilderness and rivers are largely being ignored. We believe that the stewardship of these remarkable wild places must be assured through independent citizen oversight, education, and the continual monitoring of federal management activities." 

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