Mountain & Prairie

Conversations & Contemplations from the New American West

Category: TNC

Celene Hawkins & Izabella Ruffino – Tribal Partnerships, Indigenous Voices, Cutting-Edge Conservation
Celene Hawkins

Celene Hawkins is the Colorado River Tribal Water Partnerships Program Director for the Nature Conservancy, and Izabella Ruffino is the Tribal and Indigenous Engagement Program Manager for the Colorado Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Both Celene and Izabella use their skills to advance and support tribal-led land and water conservation work throughout the American West.  

Most of Celene’s work is centered around the Colorado River Basin, and she has played an integral role in many cutting-edge water conservation projects that have sought out Tribal voices and Indigenous perspectives to create some of the West’s most effective and equitable solutions to complex water challenges. Perhaps most notably, she worked with the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, and her colleagues at TNC to create a first-of-its-kind water agreement that was a true win-win for nature and people.

Izabella Ruffino

Izabella’s work builds on TNC’s strong foundation of partnerships with Tribal Nations for land and water issues, and she is also focused on expanding Tribal and Indigenous engagement into all aspects of TNC’s wide-ranging conservation work. Additionally, she is responsible for internal efforts to fortify organizational cultural awareness and humility within TNC’s Colorado Chapter. As you’ll hear, Izabella is doing everything from leading internal educational initiatives to working with wide-ranging stakeholder groups on projects such as determining the best uses for TNC-owned land and preserves.

In this episode, we dig into the details of many of their specific projects and initiatives, but we also talk more broadly about the importance of seeking out Indigenous perspectives to help guide TNC’s critical conservation work worldwide. They both offer plentiful resources– online courses, books, podcasts, essays, and more– that will help me (and you, the listener!) better understand the importance of bringing together diverse perspectives to guide the next chapter of conversation work in the West and beyond.

Celene and Izabella mention so many excellent books, people, and resources, so don’t forget to check out the episode notes for links to everything. A big thanks to them both for such a fun, inspiring, and educational conversation. I hope you enjoy!

Photos courtesy of The Nature Conservancy: Header © Roberto Rosales; headshots from Celene and Izabella.

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

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…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

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. You can access all of the episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Introductions
  • 8:30 – The win-win partnership between the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, and TNC
  • 14:00- Challenges and opportunities related to putting together the partnership deal
  • 19:00 – Benefits to all parties as a result of the deal
  • 21:30 – Positive ripple effects resulting from the partnership
  • 24:15 – TNC’s strategies for managing its preserves, including the Medano Zapata Ranch
  • 29:15- The process of gathering Indigenous and local perspectives
  • 32:00 – Strategies, tactics, and frameworks for building cross-cultural relationships
  • 36:30 – Balancing the time it takes to build solid relationships with the reality that “time is of the essence”
  • 40:30 – Upcoming exciting projects
  • 44:30 – Resources for further learning
  • 50:30 – Why they each chose to apply their talents, skills, and careers to the cause of conservation
  • 55:30 – Heroes and mentors
  • 1:05:00 – Favorite books
  • 1:11:00 – Parting words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on April 30, 2024 by

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Kevin Krasnow – Keeping Jackson Hole Wild and Beautiful
Kevin Krasnow

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.

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. 

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.

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 check out the notes below for a full list of everything we discuss, and I hope you enjoy!

Header photo courtesy of TNC: “Reflective Waters on Jackson Lake.” © Andrew Underwood; Headshot courtesy of Kevin Krasnow

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

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. You can access all of the episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org

RESOURCES:

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

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on February 27, 2024 by

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Ivy Spohnholz – Climate Solutions, Sustainable Fisheries, and Resilient Communities
Ivy Spohnholz
(credit Troy Bowler)

Ivy Spohnholz is the Alaska State Director at The Nature Conservancy, where she leads the organization’s critical work around climate solutions, sustainable fisheries, and resilient communities. Given its size, location, climate, demographics, and economics, Alaska presents a very unique blend of conservation challenges– challenges that can directly affect massive, landscape-scale ecosystems and the communities within them. We’ve rarely, if ever, dug into the details of conservation in Alaska on this podcast, so I was thrilled to have Ivy join me for such an in-depth conversation.

Ivy was born in a dry log cabin in the remote Wrangell Mountains, in what is now Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Her entire career has revolved around public service– she’s held leadership roles at the Salvation Army, University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Conservation Foundation, and Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis. She also served for more than six years in the Alaska House of Representatives, where she honed her skills as a pragmatic and effective problem solver. In the fall of 2022, she took the reins as TNC’s Alaska State Director and has been applying her skills as a leader and problem solver toward Alaska’s distinctive conservation challenges.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Alaska on two separate occasions, and I’ve had some of the most formative experiences of my life in the Alaska Range. The size and scale of the mountains, valleys, and wildlife are so staggering that it’s impossible to visit Alaska without gaining a deep respect for both the landscapes and the people who live there. So, I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with Ivy about her adventurous upbringing in Alaska and her service-oriented career. We talk in detail about her unexpected entrance into politics and how she quickly learned to lead and navigate the law-making process as an elected official. We discuss TNC’s focus areas in Alaska, and we talk a lot about Bristol Bay and its ecological and economic significance in the world. As you’ve probably come to expect, we talk about the all-important power of relationships, and we also discuss the need to be practical and optimistic.

A big thank you to Ivy for taking the time to talk with me– I greatly appreciate all of the important work being done by TNC Alaska. Enjoy!

Header photo by Matthew Waliszek, hunting photo by Troy Bowler

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

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. You can access all of the episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Ivy’s birth in a dry log cabin in the Wrangell Mountains
  • 7:15 – Ivy’s childhood
  • 10:15 – When Ivy left Alaska, and what brought her back
  • 12:00 – How serving others became a core part of Ivy
  • 17:00 – When Ivy became an elected official
  • 24:00 – Discussing the political landscape of Alaska
  • 28:15 – How Ivy became involved with TNC
  • 34:45 – Discussing TNC’s work in Alaska
  • 41:00 – How Ivy balances working urgently with the often slower pace of building relationships 
  • 46:30 – The importance of Bristol Bay
  • 52:00 – Potential future threats to Bristol Bay
  • 57:00 – The biggest surprise for Ivy in her work with TNC
  • 59:30 – Discussing “practical optimism”
  • 1:01:30 – Ivy’s book recommendations
  • 1:03:45 – Ivy’s parting words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on January 30, 2024 by

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Paige Lewis – Durable Conservation, Collective Action, and Strategic Thinking
Paige Lewis

Paige Lewis is the Deputy State Director and Director of Conservation Programs for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. In this role, she serves as the chapter’s chief conservation officer and is responsible for leading the development of innovative, large-scale and entrepreneurial solutions to the challenges facing people and nature in Colorado and around the world. Paige brings a unique skill set that combines big-picture thinking with tangible, one-the-ground execution– her work involves creating ambitious, large-scale strategies, while also ensuring that the TNC team has the resources, communication, and support to accomplish its goals.

Over the course of this 2023 podcast series with TNC Colorado, we’ve highlighted both the breadth and depth of the organization’s work in Colorado and beyond. From grassland conservation to sustainable water management to forest health to urban conservation efforts (and much more!), it’s been amazing to learn about the positive impact that TNC is having across such a broad spectrum of pressing environmental issues. And if you’ve wondered, as I have, how TNC successfully aligns so many initiatives, teams, and stakeholders toward common organizational goals, well, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what Paige does!

Paige and I sat down at the TNC office in Boulder just before the holidays and had a fun conversation that looked back at some of the 2023 conservation wins and looked forward toward TNC’s ambitious goals for the future. We started out discussing Paige’s lifelong appreciation for conservation, and her career that took her from her home state of Utah to Washington DC and eventually to Colorado. We discussed her skill of thinking strategically while also focusing on the need to get things done, and how she has managed to keep so many balls in the air year after year. We talk about durable conservation, collective action, and embracing risk, and we also discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with setting ambitious goals. Paige is a voracious reader and lover of history, so she has tons of excellent book recommendations.

A big thank you to Paige for taking the time to chat with me during such a busy time of year, and, once again, thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy.

Header photo by Ethan Herrold/TNC Photo Contest 2019; headshot by Lauryn Wachs.

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – How Paige became interested in conservation
  • 9:15 – Paige’s first conservation job 
  • 10:45 – Adjusting from the West to DC
  • 11:45 – Paige’s return West
  • 15:00 – How Paige ended up at TNC
  • 18:30 – Paige’s role at TNC
  • 23:30 – An example of successful collaborative work in Paige’s time at TNC
  • 27:15 – What Paige is most proud of in TNC’s 2023 work
  • 30:30 – Reflecting on TNC’s progress towards their 2026 strategic goals
  • 34:30 – How Paige prioritizes and keeps all the balls in the air
  • 39:45 – What “durable conservation” means and looks like to Paige
  • 42:30 – What “collective action” means and looks like to Paige
  • 45:30 – How Paige knows when to shift from ideation and relationship building to action
  • 48:45 – How TNC’s approach to taking risks has changed during Paige’s tenure
  • 52:15 – What qualities Paige thinks makes a good team member at TNC
  • 56:15 – Paige’s book recommendations
  • 1:02:15 – Paige’s parting words

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on December 26, 2023 by

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Diana Lane & Aaron Derwingson – Thriving Rivers, Resilient Agriculture, and Strong Communities
Diana Lane

Diana Lane is the Director of Sustainable Food and Water at the Colorado Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and Aaron Derwingson is the Water Projects Director for the Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program. Both Diana and Aaron work at the intersection of water sustainability, thriving rivers, resilient agriculture, and strong communities– harnessing TNC’s relationships and resources to advance some of the most cutting-edge and effective conservation initiatives in the American West.

Diana and Aaron bring a diverse set of skills and experiences to their work at TNC. Diana holds a PhD in Biological Sciences and has spent much of her career working with a wide array of partners on restoration ecology and planning, climate adaptation, and management of public funding. Aaron is a river guide-turned-conservationist who began his career focusing on conservation in the Rio Grande River basin, and now applies his skills toward creating pragmatic, solution-oriented approaches to freshwater challenges in the greater Colorado River basin. But perhaps most importantly, they both bring a deep level of passion and focus to their work– their optimistic commitment to solving some of the West’s most pressing water and agricultural challenges is infectious.

Aaron Derwingson

Diana, Aaron, and I connected virtually and had an educational and inspiring conversation about water, agriculture, and community here in Colorado and beyond. We discussed some of the most urgent water-related challenges and opportunities and how they are working with a wide range of stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutions. We discuss the Yampa River fund, their work helping agricultural producers adjust to a drier climate, and the all-important role of building solid relationships with stakeholders. We discussed the Maybell Irrigation Ditch Project, which is a fascinating, win-win project for both producers and recreational river users, and we discussed some of the water-related challenges that keep both Diana and Aaron up and night. And as usual, they both have plenty of excellent book recommendations.  

A huge thank you to Diana and Aaron for taking the time to talk with me, and thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy!

Header photo by Ken Geiger; all photos courtesy of the Nature Conservancy.

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Diana and Aaron’s backgrounds
  • 7:30 – Aaron’s read on the future of water
  • 12:30 – Diana’s overview of the Yampa River Fund
  • 18:30 – Aaron’s work with producers to adjust to the new water reality
  • 23:15 – The process of building relationships with producers for water projects
  • 27:00 – The Colorado Water Plan’s impact on Diana and Aaron’s work
  • 31:45  – Discussing the Yampa River Fund
  • 41:15 – The things about Colorado water that keep Diana and Aaron up at night
  • 47:15 – What makes a solid conservation professional
  • 51:00 – How you can help TNC in this work
  • 55:30 – Diana and Aaron’s book recommendations
  • 1:00:00 – Parting requests and words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on November 28, 2023 by

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Corissa Busse – Tribal-Led Buffalo Restoration in the American West and Beyond
Corissa Busse

Corissa Busse is the Buffalo Restoration Program Manager for The Nature Conservancy, where she oversees TNC’s work to advance Tribal-led efforts to restore buffalo, grasslands, and communities at scale. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, Corissa and her team at TNC partner with organizations including the InterTribal Buffalo Council and the Tanka Fund to bring buffalo back to tribal lands, which not only contributes to healthier, more resilient landscapes, but helps to heal and restore a web of natural relationships that has been broken for hundreds of years.

TNC has been working with buffalo for many decades now, and it owns herds at numerous TNC preserves across the United States. Each year, those herds produce approximately 1,500 buffalo that are in need of new homes, so TNC has begun working with Tribal nations to transfer these buffalo from the TNC preserves onto Native lands. But transferring the animals from one place to another is relatively simple– it’s the trust-building, infrastructure development, and long-term, collaborative vision that requires strong relationships and outside-the-box thinking. As you’ll hear in this conversation, it’s a complex and important project with amazing potential.

I’ve always loved learning about buffalo, and given the recent release of Ken Burns’ newest documentary on this very subject, I was extra excited to chat with Corissa. We started out with the most basic question of all– “Should we call them bison or buffalo?”– and then moved into the more complex topics. We discussed when and why TNC initially became interested in buffalo, TNC’s history of working with Tribal partners, the challenges of overcoming historical realities, the potential for tension between cattle and buffalo producers, specific success stories from TNC’s buffalo restoration work, the all-important role of strong relationships, resources to learn more about buffalo, and Corissa offers some excellent book recommendations.

I greatly appreciate Corissa taking the time out of her busy schedule to educate me on the finer details of buffalo as well as the large-scale vision for TNC’s work. I learned a lot from this conversation, and I know you will too.  Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy.

Header photo by John Fielder courtesy of The Nature Conservancy, headshot courtesy of Corissa Busse

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Is it buffalo or bison?
  • 6:30 – A brief history of buffalo in the US
  • 10:30 – Books and resources that have helped Corissa learn more about the history of buffalo 
  • 13:45 – TNC’s interest in buffalo
  • 17:00 – TNC’s history of relationship-building with Tribal nation partners
  • 22:15 – How buffalo from TNC’s herds are transferred to other partners
  • 23:30 – Exploring the tension between cattle and buffalo businesses
  • 27:15 – Examples of the success of Corissa’s program
  • 31:15 – Measuring success in this work
  • 35:00 – The challenges in this work that Corissa worries about
  • 39:15 – The market for buffalo
  • 42:15 – How Corissa got into work with buffalo
  • 48:00 – The importance of relationships to Corissa’s work
  • 52:30 – Corissa’s book recommendations
  • 56:00 – Ways you can support Corissa’s work, and Corissa’s parting words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on October 31, 2023 by

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Matt Cahill – A Deep Dive into the Sagebrush Sea
Matt Cahill

Matt Cahill is the Sagebrush Sea Program Director for the Nature Conservancy. Based out of Bend, Oregon, Matt leads all of TNC’s critical work restoring, managing, and protecting sagebrush habitat across six western states. This is a huge and complex effort– it combines protection and policy work with ground-breaking restoration advances, public and industry partnerships, and local community projects. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, Matt is optimistically leaning into the challenge and making great strides to protect this uniquely Western ecosystem.

To give you some context into the vastness of North America’s sagebrush ecosystem, it spans 150 million acres and is home to 350 rare, threatened, and endangered species. Since 1998, 14 million acres of sagebrush ecosystems have been lost, and currently, we’re losing approximately one million acres to invasive species, catastrophic wildfires, development, improper grazing, and climate change. 70% of the Sagebrush Sea is found on public lands, so efforts to protect, manage, and restore the ecosystem are dependent on creative, action-oriented public-private partnerships. Again, Matt is leading a huge and complex effort!

In this episode, we start our conversation by discussing why the Sagebrush Sea is important, and why even people who live far from the ecosystem should care about it. We discuss the history of the threats to sagebrush, and we also do a deep dive into the specific threat of cheatgrass– a true scourge on the landscapes of the West. We discuss the ecology of sagebrush, how TNC measures success when it comes to protecting such a fragile ecosystem, and the importance of partnering with ranchers. We talk about the efficacy of for-profit approaches to restoration, collaboration with government agencies, and specific cutting-edge approaches to restoration. Matt also explains his career trajectory that led him from the East Coast to becoming obsessed with sagebrush, and he offers several great book recommendations.

Be sure to check out the episode notes for links to everything we discuss, including a few videos and writings by Matt that will provide even more context into this nuanced issue. Thanks to Matt and his team for all of their hard work, and thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy.

Photos courtesy of The Nature Conservancy

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Description of the Sagebrush Sea
  • 7:45 – Why sagebrush matters
  • 10:30 – The state of the Sagebrush Sea and how it got there
  • 15:15 – Cheatgrass’s impact on the Sagebrush Sea
  • 23:30 – TNC’s Sagebrush Sea program
  • 26:45 – Exploring the restoration aspect of Matt’s work
  • 33:15 – The restoration timeline for sagebrush regions
  • 35:30 – Measuring restoration success
  • 39:00 – The management portion of Matt’s work
  • 41:30 – Matt’s success stories of collaborating with ranchers
  • 46:00 – The land protection (acquisition, easement, etc.) portion of Matt’s work
  • 49:15 – Evaluating the for-profit wing of conservation of sage grouse habitat
  • 43:15 – Discussing TNC’s collaboration across its own programs as well as with government land managers
  • 57:00 – How Matt ended up an expert in sagebrush biomes when he grew up on the East Coast
  • 1:00:30 – Matt’s book recommendations
  • 1:04:00 – Matt’s parting words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on September 26, 2023 by

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Carrie Segil & Duncan Gilchrist – Catalyzing Conservation in Colorado and Beyond
Carrie Segil

Carrie Segil is the People and Culture Manager at The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and Duncan Gilchrist is a Climate and Natural Resources Policy Associate at The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. Both Carrie and Duncan are deeply involved with TNC Colorado’s Catalyst Fund, a cutting-edge conservation funding initiative that supports forward-looking projects that enable innovation and rapid learning, both to test new ideas and to build greater capacity for innovation over the long term.

One of the Catalyst Fund’s most notable projects involves agrivoltaics, which is the simultaneous use of land for both solar energy production and agriculture. The project is called the Agrivoltaics Retrofit Partnership, and it’s a Boulder-based partnership between TNC, Jack’s Solar Garden, Drylands Agroecology Research, Boulder Housing Partners, and a conservation-justice / community outreach partner called FLOWS. The project aims to achieve multiple conservation and community objectives, including restoring degraded land, producing perennial plants with medicinal, economic, and indigenous cultural value, and providing a host of benefits to local marginalized community members– benefits that we discuss in this episode.

Duncan Gilchrist

In this episode, we talk in detail about this specific agrivoltaics project, as well as some of the other innovative projects that are being pushed forward thanks to support from the Catalyst Fund. We discussed how and why TNC Colorado decided to create the Catalyst Fund in the first place, and the need to push boundaries and take risks in the conservation space. Carrie offers insights into specific Catalyst projects, such as virtual fencing for bison, and Duncan discusses all the details about this agrivoltaics project– including the genesis of the idea, the challenges of the projects, and why it has proven to be so successful and replicable. We also discuss how policy on the state and federal level is creating more opportunities for agrivoltaics, why it garners bipartisan support, and lessons learned from all of the Catalyst Fund projects.

I was so impressed with Carrie and Duncan’s enthusiasm, professionalism, and commitment to innovation, and I learned so much from this conversation. Be sure to check out the episode notes to learn more about everything we discussed, and please share this episode with any friends or colleagues who might find it valuable.  Thanks so much for listening, I hope you enjoy!

Photos courtesy of The Nature Conservancy

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

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…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – An overview of the Catalyst Fund
  • 7:00 – Talking to funders about the Catalyst Fund
  • 8:45 – How TNC evaluates what it is looking for regarding the Catalyst Fund
  • 10:30 – Duncan’s project
  • 12:45 – Duncan’s job before his agrivoltaics project
  • 14:45 – More on Duncan’s project and his site
  • 19:00 – About Boulder Housing Partners, and how they reacted to Duncan’s idea
  • 20:30 – How Duncan worked to turn the rocky land he was working into agricultural land
  • 22:30 – The outlook for Duncan’s project, and how it stacks up against his expectations
  • 25:00 – The federal and state (CO) push for more projects like Duncan’s
  • 28:00 – Why agrivoltaics seems to garner bipartisan support
  • 29:30 – Why everyone isn’t doing agrivoltaics 
  • 31:30 – The potential for grazing under agrivoltaics
  • 32:30 – Other synergies between solar energy and agriculture
  • 33:30 – Carrie’s outlook on Duncan’s project, and some other projects funded by the Catalyst Fund
  • 36:45 – What it’s like for TNC to work with external partners
  • 37:45 – Other projects funded through the Catalyst Funds
  • 40:00 – Big lessons from the Catalyst Fund project
  • 45:00 – The power of advocating for policy
  • 47:15 – Where the Catalyst Fund is going
  • 51:00 – Carrie and Duncan’s book recommendations
  • 53:45 – Closing thoughts

Information Referenced:

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Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on August 22, 2023 by

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Lorelei Cloud – Solving Modern-Day Challenges with Ancient Tribal Wisdom
Vice Chairman Lorelei Cloud
Photo: Jeremy Wade Shockley

Lorelei Cloud is a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council. Lorelei’s commitment to conservation, leadership development, and Ute language, traditions, and culture is evident by the staggering number of leadership roles she holds– she is Co-Chairman of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, a Board Trustee for the Nature Conservancy, and serves on the Colorado River Basin’s Water & Tribes Initiative. Earlier this year, she was appointed by the Governor of Colorado to serve on the Colorado Water Conservation Board (“CWCB”), making her the first-ever Tribal member of the board.

Lorelei was born and raised on the Southern Ute Reservation, which is located in the far southwestern corner of Colorado. From the very beginning, water has played a central role in Lorelei’s life– much of her childhood was spent without running water and access to drinking water continues to be a challenge on the Reservation to this day. Much of Lorelei’s early career was spent working in various businesses, including banking and energy, all while being a mother and raising four children. In 2015, she was elected to the Tribal Council, which began this new phase of her life and career– a phase devoted to serving her Tribal Community, as well as the communities, landscapes, and natural resources of the American West.

I’ve been hearing such great things about Lorelei for years, so I was honored to have the opportunity to chat with her on the podcast. We enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation about her upbringing on the Southern Ute Reservation, the history of the Southern Ute Tribe, her recent appointment to the CWCB, why she decided to devote herself to public service, the goals of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, her work with the Nature Conservancy, the need to elevate Tribal voices on issues of water and land conservation in the West and beyond, advice for aspiring leaders, her favorite books, ways the listeners can get involved and support the work of the Southern Ute Tribe, and much more.

Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of topics discussed and links to everything. A huge thanks to Lorelei for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk with me and for her deep commitment to doing such impactful work in Colorado and beyond. Enjoy!

Header photo by Trennie Collins, Portrait by Jeremy Wade Shockley

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Lorelei’s youth on the Southern Ute Reservation
  • 6:15 – How Lorelei’s family would get water
  • 8:15 – Lorelei’s childhood personality, school years, and early jobs
  • 13:30 – Whether or not Lorelei wanted to stay on the reservation
  • 15:30 – A brief Ute history
  • 19:00 – How Lorelei’s appointment as the first Indigenous representative on the CWCB
  • 22:15 – What the CWCB does
  • 27:30 – How Lorelei decided to pursue public service
  • 30:15 – About the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network
  • 34:00 – Lorelei’s advice for aspiring leaders
  • 36:15 – Lorelei’s mentors
  • 40:30 – About Lorelei’s role as Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Tribe
  • 43:00 – How Lorelei became involved with TNC and how she evaluates whether or not to pursue a professional opportunity
  • 48:15 – Whether or not Deb Haaland has elevated Tribal voices through her work
  • 52:00 – Lorelei’s book recommendations
  • 55:00 – How you can help Lorelei’s work
  • 56:00 – Lorelei’s words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on July 25, 2023 by

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Rob Addington – A Deep Dive into Western Wildfires and Forest Health
Rob Addington

Rob Addington is the Director of the Forest and Fire Program with The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. He and his team are focused on increasing the pace and scale of forest restoration in Colorado to reduce hazardous fuels and promote landscape resilience to natural disturbances such as wildfire as well as climate change.

You don’t have to live in the West to know that the region has been battling ongoing drought, historically large and intense wildfires, and various forms of insect-induced forest devastation. Over the past few years here in Colorado, we’ve experienced some of the most destructive wildfires in recorded history, and the pine beetle infestation continues to be a source of serious and increasing concern. And Colorado is obviously not alone– there are similar stories of struggling forests throughout all of the Western states.

While the current conditions may be dire, you’ll be happy to know that Rob and his team at The Nature Conservancy are working extremely hard to find collaborative, creative, and effective solutions to the challenges facing our forests here in the West. By partnering with government agencies, Tribal nations, private landowners, various non-profits, and more, TNC has been leading and implementing some of the most innovative forest health work in the country– work that is creating more resilient, healthy landscapes across hundreds of thousands of acres.

For all the listeners who have been asking for a wildfire and forest health-focused episode, this one is for you. I met up with Rob at the TNC office in Boulder, and he was kind enough to educate me on both the big picture and finer details of all things forest health. You can check out the notes for a full list of everything we discussed, but a few of the topics include: The infamous 2020 wildfire season and the outlook for 2023, the history of land management and how that has affected wildfires, pine beetles, wildfire’s effects on water quality, how beavers can play a role in fire mitigation, some specific success stories, business solutions for forest health, the all-important focus on partnerships, post-fire land management strategies, good books, and much more. Be sure to visit the episode webpage for links to everything, including TNC’s exciting new Western Division Forest and Fire Initiative.

A huge thanks to Rob for taking the time to answer all my questions and another huge thanks to TNC for leading all of this important work. I hope you enjoy!

Headshot courtesy of The Nature Conservancy

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Discussing the fire season of 2020
  • 9:45 – The outlook for the fire season of 2023
  • 12:00 – Discussing the variability in Colorado’s recent fire seasons
  • 14:45 – The causes for Colorado’s changing fire seasons
  • 17:30 – Exploring, specifically, the role of historic land management and how it impacts fire behavior
  • 20:30 – Discussing pine beetles
  • 26:00 – How the forest regime progresses in beetle-killed stands without fire, and how changing fire behavior is impacting the forest regime
  • 32:00 – How fires impact water
  • 39:15 – Discussing potential solution strategies for Colorado’s fire situation
  • 42:00 – Discussing the importance of managing partnerships in this work
  • 44:45 – A specific, fire-related project that Rob is happy about
  • 47:15 – Exploring the potential of a for-profit business that is incentivized to thin out fire-prone forests
  • 50:30 – Beavers’ role in wildfire prevention
  • 54:30 – Rob’s favorite period of history to read about
  • 56:30 – Management strategies for an area that has been wiped clean by fire
  • 1:00:30 – Rob’s book recommendations

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on June 27, 2023 by

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Chris Hawkins – Using Nature to Build Healthier & More Equitable Communities
Chris Hawkins

Chris Hawkins is the Colorado Urban Conservation Manager for The Nature Conservancy, where he leads the organization’s efforts in Denver to “solve global challenges like the biodiversity and climate emergencies by supporting and creating more sustainable, efficient ways of living.”

When many people think of The Nature Conservancy, they may envision large-scale conservation efforts across vast grasslands and wild landscapes– but TNC also conducts some of its most innovative conservation work in cities— work that leads to more resilient, healthy, and equitable communities. Chris’s work in Denver is a shining example of how nature-based solutions in densely populated urban areas can have positive ripple effects far beyond the city limits.

Chris was born and raised on the east coast, attended college in Boston, and from the very beginning of his career, he’s been focused on service and causes greater than himself. He’s worked as a Corps Member of AmericaCorps, as Chief of Staff in New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, and for the past nine years, he’s been with the Nature Conservancy. As you’ll hear in this conversation, Chris’s diverse professional experiences have allowed him to bring a unique and effective perspective to the complex world of urban conservation.

Chris was nice enough to join me at my dining room table for an engaging and educational conversation about all things urban conservation. We started out by discussing why TNC has chosen to devote its resources and expertise to conservation in cities, and he explains the unique challenges facing cities in the West. We discuss how public health is directly related to people’s access to nature, and how the simple-but-not-easy strategy of planting trees in neighborhoods can have huge conservation and public health benefits. As is the case with all of my conservation-related conversations, we discuss the critical importance of relationships, and how Chris has managed to build relationships with a diverse group of Denver residents. We also discuss his professional trajectory, the importance of exporting urban conservation ideas to other cities, and the critical roles of mayors and local leadership. And finally, Chris is a serious history buff, so we have a great discussion about books.

There is so much fascinating information packed into this episode, and I greatly appreciate Chris’s taking the time to share his wisdom with the Mountain & Prairie community. Check out the episode notes below for links to everything we discuss. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Photos courtesy of Chris Hawkins and The Nature Conservancy

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:45 – Why do Chris and TNC work in cities
  • 7:00 – Thriving cities in the West and the unique challenges they present
  • 9:30 – Whether or not the health benefits of the outdoors have become a larger part of Chris’s work recently
  • 15:30 – Discussing trees
  • 27:45 – How Chris builds relationships in his work in cities
  • 33:45 – Specific strategies Chris uses to build trust
  • 38:30 – Where Chris grew up and why he became involved in this work
  • 43:30 – Discussing the work of city mayors
  • 53:00- How ideas that are exported or imported between cities show up in Chris’s work in Denver
  • 1:00:15 – Chris’s book recommendations

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on May 23, 2023 by

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Matt Moorhead & Galen Guerrero-Murphy – Grasslands Conservation on the Southern High Plains
Matt Moorhead

Matt Moorhead and Galen Guerrero-Murphy are conservationists who work for The Nature Conservancy on its Southern Highs Plains Initiative (SHPI), a collaboration between five states with the shared goal of protecting the nation’s grasslands. The Southern High Plains encompasses approximately 71 million acres across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The region is home to some of the country’s most important grasslands, as well as the people and wildlife who depend on the invaluable shortgrass prairie ecosystem. 

Officially, Matt is TNC’s Conservation Business & Partnership Development Advisor and Galen is TNC’s Land Conservation Program Manager– but at their core, they are both relationship builders. As you’ll hear in this conversation, both Matt and Galen work tirelessly to build long-term, rock-solid partnerships with landowners and conservation partners with the goal of finding win-win solutions that can be mutually beneficial for all parties.  Through genuine curiosity, creative thinking, and a deep respect for landowners and their legacy, Matt and Galen have helped to implement lasting conservation outcomes in the Southern High Plains.

Galen Guerrero-Murphy

The three of us connected virtually and had a fascinating conversation about grasslands, ranching, buidling relationships, and purpose-driven work. We start out by defining exactly what constitutes the Southern High Plains and why this is such an important region for conservation. We then discuss why the large percentage of private ownership creates such a compelling case for conservation, the need for balancing conservation with various forms of energy development, the current markets around grasslands carbon sequestration, and the all-important role of TNC’s partners. We also discuss Matt and Galen’s mentors, how they measure conservation success, and some of their favorite books. 

I’ve considered Matt and Galen to be friends and mentors for many years now, so I was grateful for the opportunity to talk with them on the podcast. Hope you enjoy.

Photos courtesy of The Nature Conservancy, header photo by Lauryn Wachs

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:10 – Introductions
  • 6:25 – What are the Southern High Plains 
  • 9:55 – Why the Southern High Plains are so critical in conservation
  • 16:10 – How the patchwork of private lands in the Southern High Plains allows Matt and Galen to be effective in their conservation work
  • 20:55 – The process of building relationships in private lands conservation work
  • 29:10 – Balancing the potential for landowners to earn revenue through energy development with the interest in conserving landscapes 
  • 35:10 – Where things stand on grassland carbon sequestration as a method of generating both landowner revenue as well as conservation outcomes
  • 39:10 – The importance and skills of TNC’s partners
  • 43:10 – Matt and Galen’s mentors
  • 50:10 – What progress on the Southern High Plains Initiative would make Matt and Galen happy in 10-15 years
  • 53:40 – Matt and Galen’s book recommendations

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on April 25, 2023 by

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Taylor Hawes – Innovative Conservation in the Colorado River Basin
Taylor Hawes
Photo credit: Matthew Staver

Taylor Hawes is the Director of the Colorado River Program for the Nature Conservancy. As the leader of the program, she guides TNC’s efforts to conserve the freshwater biodiversity of the Colorado River Basin while also meeting human demands for water– challenging objectives given the wide-ranging stresses facing the river today. But despite the challenges brought about by climate change, overallocation, and increasing demand, Taylor and her team are making great strides toward finding long-term solutions to create a sustainable future for the Colorado River and the people, plants, and animals that depend on it.

Taylor grew up on the east coast, and, from a young age, she felt a deep connection to land, water, and natural resources. She fell in love with wide-open spaces while on a course with the National Outdoor Leadership School, and she’s devoted her career to protecting land and water in the West. Prior to joining the team at TNC, she served as Associate Counsel to the Colorado River Water Conservation District on Colorado’s Western Slope, working on water quality, water policy, environmental permitting, and water rights litigation.

If you pay attention to the news, then you’ll know that the Colorado River has been receiving tons of media attention for the dire conditions and projections facing the entire region. Reservoirs are at historic lows, temperatures are rising, and the need for more water is increasing. In the first part of this conversation, I ask Taylor to decipher many of the surface-level sound bytes that I’ve heard in the news, and she provides some much-needed context and background regarding the river basin’s current challenges. We then talk about how TNC is working to solve these problems, by building community support, working collaboratively with Tribal nations, and helping agricultural producers become more efficient. And we spend the last part of the conversation talking about Taylor’s professional journey– why she chooses to do this work, what gives her hope, and her goals for her work on the Colorado River.

This was a timely conversation, and I hope it sheds some light on the challenges facing the Colorado River today– and provides some optimism about the river’s future. Thanks to Taylor for taking the time to chat, and thank you for listening.

Photos courtesy of Taylor Hawes and The Nature Conservancy

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:15 – An overview of the situation regarding Colorado River water
  • 8:00 – Discussing the “bandaid” solutions for the overallocated Colorado River implemented over the years
  • 10:45 – Who is making the water allocation decisions for the Colorado River
  • 12:00 – The breakdown of water use in the West
  • 16:45 – Why has this situation has become an emergency right now, meriting the involvement of the federal government
  • 19:30 – The timeline of Colorado river use reduction mandates
  • 21:30 – The potential impacts of shrinking Colorado River on the Grand Canyon
  • 23:00 – What will happen if the Colorado River Basin states do not agree on a plan to reduce water use in accordance with federal mandates
  • 24:45 – How Taylor focuses on solutions regarding such a complex, difficult-to-model problem
  • 28:30 – Some strategies TNC is employing to support and work with producers in reducing their water use 
  • 35:00 – Discussing the difficulties and importance of relationship building in this work
  • 40:15 – TNC’s work supporting Tribal water challenges
  • 44:45 – What drives Taylor’s work and what are her goals
  • 47:00 – How Taylor ended up doing this work
  • 53:45 – How law school helped Taylor
  • 55:45 – What keeps Taylor energized about her work and TNC
  • 58:15 – How anybody can get involved in this work
  • 1:02:00 – Taylor’s book recommendations

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on March 28, 2023 by

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Dr. Katharine Hayhoe – Effecting Change Through Authentic Conversation
Katharine Hayhoe
[Photo Credit: Ashley Rodgers]

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is a world-renowned climate scientist, professor, and Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, where she leads and coordinates the organization’s scientific efforts. She is also the author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, an excellent book you’ve likely heard me reference on the podcast. Whether you are interested in learning more about the facts, data, or projections regarding climate change, or if you are seeking guidance on how best to approach challenging conversations about climate, I highly recommend Saving Us. It’s an optimistic, solutions-oriented guidebook for finding common ground and having productive conversations.

Katharine was born and raised in Canada and has been obsessed with science, the natural world, and the universe for as long as she can remember. Her undergraduate studies focused on physics and astronomy, but as she was finishing up her degree, she happened to take a climate science course, which captured her imagination and changed the focus of her education and career. Today, Katharine is a distinguished professor at Texas Tech, a highly respected researcher, and a sought-after speaker with a TED Talk that’s been viewed more than 4 million times. And to top it all off, in 2021, she joined The Nature Conservancy as its Chief Scientist.

Katharine and I met up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where she was the keynote speaker at a community event focused on climate and climate change in the Yampa Valley and beyond. Katharine and I chatted for an hour before her event, and we managed to cover a lot of ground. We discussed her book Saving Us, her TED talk, and a concept known as “The Six Americas of Global Warming.” We discuss how and why her Christian faith plays such an important role in her work to solve climate change, and she offers some common-sense, optimistic approaches to having challenging conversations with smart people who do not think that climate change is a threat. She also talks about her role at The Nature Conservancy, specific climate opportunities and challenges facing the American West, and she offers a ton of excellent book recommendations.

Thank you to Dr. Hayhoe for taking the time out of her busy schedule to chat with me, and thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy.

Header photo and headshot by Ashley Rodgers

LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:

Download on Apple Podcasts

Download on Spotify

Download on Google Podcasts

…or wherever you get your podcasts!

EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:30 – Why Dr. Hayhoe wrote Saving Us
  • 5:45 – Regarding Dr. Hayhoe’s TED Talk
  • 8:15 – Discussing The Six Americas of Global Warming
  • 12:00 – The relationship between Dr. Hayhoe’s faith and climate work
  • 17:45 – When religion and climate change dismissal historically became tied together
  • 21:30 – Discussing the balance between fear and guilt as motivating and stagnating forces
  • 28:00 – What surprised Dr. Hayhoe in writing the book
  • 33:45 – Role-playing how to interact with intelligent people who doubt climate science
  • 37:30 – Applying lessons learned from COVID-19 to climate change
  • 41:30 – Dr. Hayhoe’s time as a 9-year-old abroad in Columbia and how it influenced her thinking and career
  • 46:15 – Why Dr. Hayhoe decided to work with The Nature Conservancy, and the impacts she hopes to make
  • 50:15 – The stats Dr. Hayhoe would want to see to feel she has had an impact in five years
  • 54:45 – The challenges and opportunities facing the arid West amidst climate change
  • 57:00 – Dr. Hayhoe’s reading habits and some books she has loved

Information Referenced:

Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:

Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.

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 Posted on February 28, 2023 by

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Carlos Fernández, Part 2 – Creating Conservation Opportunities During Uncertain Times
Carlos Fernández

Carlos Fernandez is the Colorado State Director of The Nature Conservancy, one of the most effective conservation organizations in the American West and around the globe. You probably remember Carlos from our first conversation back in August of 2020, in which we discussed his inspiring career trajectory, the importance of collaborative conservation partnerships, and several of TNC’s cutting-edge initiatives throughout the West.

When we recorded that first episode, we were in the very early stages of the pandemic– a time marked by unprecedented uncertainty in almost every aspect of life. When we recorded today’s episode– nearly two-and-a-half years after that first conversation– the worst of the pandemic is now behind us. Carlos was able to look back on that trying period with some perspective, discussing the many challenges and opportunities that arose from such a difficult few years. This conversation is a case study of how critical work can be produced during challenging times, and how optimism, focus, and old-fashioned teamwork can lead to lasting outcomes.

Carlos and I met up at his office in Boulder and had an in-depth conversation about TNC’s conservation initiatives and collaborations over the past few years. I asked Carlos about his leadership strategies and tactics during the most intense days of the pandemic and what he and TNC  learned from those challenges. We talk about Carlos’s recent 2022 year-end letter and TNC Colorado’s 2022 Year In Review, and we dig into several inspiring conservation victories from the past 12 months. We also revisit the Southern High Plains Initiative and the Yampa River Fund, and we discuss TNC’s future plans around climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We also talk about this year-long partnership between TNC and Mountain & Prairie, which we are both very excited about.

A huge thank you to Carlos for taking the time to chat, and a huge thanks to all of you for listening. I hope you enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Carlos Fernández

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EPISODE PARTNER:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. 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 fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, 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. You can access all of the 2023 episodes here.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado.

RESOURCES:

Topics Discussed:

  • 3:00 –  Carlos discusses the evolution of TNC Colorado during COVID
  • 10:00 – Why the eastern plains and grasslands of Colorado are important and such a focus area of TNC Colorado’s work
  • 12:00 – The power of partnerships in conservation work
  • 14:45 – Why TNC Colorado feels it is important to focus on underserved and underrepresented groups in any work concerning climate change and conservation
  • 19:30 – The importance of storytelling in conservation work
  • 23:00 – How he and TNC prioritizes the focal points of their work, including who he seeks council from
  • 30:45 – What he is excited about for TNC Colorado moving forward
  • 33:30 – How he evaluates difficult choices and newest trends in conservation to ensure action is intentional and not controlled by external trends (not chasing every shiny object)
  • 36:30 – What he thinks TNC Colorado’s role is in the state’s overall conservation sector, returning again to the importance of partnership and collaboration in this field 
  • 44:00 – The Yampa River Fund and updates us on its progress
  • 49:45 – TNC’s relationships with businesses 
  • 53:00 – Advice for folks looking to work in conservation
  • 56:00 – Carlos and Ed talk about the upcoming podcast series that Mountain & Prairie will be conducting with TNC Colorado
  • 59:45 – Book recommendations
  • 1:01:45 – Parting words of wisdom

Information Referenced:

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 Posted on January 24, 2023 by

 Blog, Podcast, The Latest, TNC

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