Land Ethic

Lakhan Clark is an outdoorsman and writer from Auckland, New Zealand. He's passionate about connecting to the natural world through the pursuit of wild food in the NZ backcountry. He's committed to helping preserve this human and wildlife connection by sharing his adventures and experience with others.We connected a while back on social media through shared interests in the outdoors and the tough questions surrounding ethical wildlife management. Lakhan has some interesting perspectives as a kiwi hunter. New Zealand is often thought of as a sportsman’s paradise with abundant wild game and relatively few restrictions. As you will hear, all of that comes at a price.We spent most of the episode talking about the various introduced species in New Zealand, how they got there, and how they are being managed. From Red Deer and Wallaby to Wild Turkeys and Peacocks, it’s a bizarre place. We also touched on firearms restrictions, culling programs, feral cats and all sorts of interesting wildlife stories. Thanks to Lahkan for coming on the show, and I hope you will check out his content online. I’d start by reading his articles on Meateater and by following him on Instagram @fillthefreezer2.0.

Robert Kent is the Texas State Director for The Trust for Public Land, where he leads a team of colleagues and volunteers working to make the health, climate, equity, and community benefits of parks and nature accessible to all. Born and raised in Dallas, Robert is passionate about building green, resilient cities in the Lone Star State. Since joining the TPL in 2014, Robert has led their work to develop a network of parks and trails across southern Dallas, help pass a $310 million bond package for parks and trails, develop an open space plan for City of Fort Worth, and acquire hundreds of acres of land for new parks throughout Texas, to name a few things. In 2009, Robert completed a 2,100-mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, followed by a coast-to-coast hike across Scotland in 2011. You will hear about Robert’s formative time at Baylor University in my home town of Waco, TX, his international studies in Scotland, his Appalachian Trail thru-hike, and all about the TPL’s work in Texas communities, from dusting off historic city plans for urban greenways and parks to the 2 billion dollar idea for a Texas Land and Water Conservation Fund.Head to TPL.org to find out more and to see some of the projects we discussed.

Dr. Jason LaBelle is a professor of anthropology at Colorado State University. He is the director of a research lab called the Center for Mountain and Plains Archaeology, and serves as the curator of the Archaeological Repository at CSU. He specializes in the study of hunter-gatherers, specifically pre and post-contact Native American cultures of the Intermountain West. He and his students research the early peopling of the North American continent, including such topics high altitude and mountain archaeology, communal hunting, and lithic technology. We talked about some of the incredible archaeological sites found throughout Colorado that help tell the stories of the first people in the Americas. These sites include ancient hunting grounds in high mountain passes and seasonal camps in the plains, the oldest evidence dating back to over 12,000 years ago. Dr. LaBelle’s research, and his ability to communicate it to a broader audience, opens a window to our shared past, connecting us to an ancient story of survival. It’s fascinating to speculate on the lives these people lived, and hard to imagine how they withstood it all.

Seth Wilson is the Executive Director of the Blackfoot Challenge, a leading collaborative conservation group based in western Montana. As an applied conservation biologist, Seth has worked on resolving issues between people and wildlife in the United States, Canada, and Europe for more than 20 years. He began working for the Blackfoot Challenge in 2001 as the organization’s first Wildlife Coordinator, conducting scientific research and developing strategies to reduce conflicts with grizzly bears and wolves as they returned to this part of their historic range. Recently, he spent three years in Slovenia as an advisor to the Slovenian Forest Service and partners from Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovakia, and Romania to support brown bear and Eurasian lynx conservation and management.We talked about the history and structure of the Blackfoot Challenge, the unique and majestic landscape it’s situated in, the challenges of working with such a diverse group of landowners, and their carnivore coexistence work that has become a model for other parts of the world.Check out Blackfootchallenge.org for more information and for stunning visuals of this landscape. You can start with a short 13-minute film called Landscape of Hope under the history page.

Jaden Bales is a sportsman and western hunting tag expert from Wyoming. He’s written for outdoor media websites like Rokslide and Modern Huntsman, and has appeared regularly on podcasts such as Eastman’s Elevated and the Rich Outdoors. When he’s not hunting or talking about hunting, he’s advocating for wildlife as the communications director for Wyoming Wildlife Federation, an organization that provides leadership in conservation for Wyoming’s wildlife, hunters, and anglers through policy, education, advocacy, and habitat projects. We did a deep dive into western hunting, from some of Jaden’s personal stories, to how he helps people find good opportunities through his new venture, Hunt West. A few days after this recording, I hired Jaden for a consultation. He put a lot of effort into producing a custom package for me to help me achieve some of my hunting goals and understand where and how I need to be applying for tags. Well worth it for anyone from new hunters trying to understand the system to experienced sportsmen looking for some new opportunities or places to hunt. One aspect of this podcast is that it gives me an avenue to connect with people that I admire and can learn something from. I found Jaden’s early hunting stories to be very relatable to my own experiences so far, and he’s been able to advance as an outdoorsman to the point where he’s having consistent success and some amazing adventures, so it was nice to pick his brain a bit, and I hope you enjoy the conversation. Even if you aren’t into hunting, this is about growth and love for the outdoors. You can learn more at Huntwest.net, follow Jaden on Instagram at @HuntsWest, and see what the awesome team at Wyoming Wildlife Federation is doing by visiting Wyomingwildlife.org.

Dr. Mark Elbroch is a scientist, tracker, writer, and storyteller. His is the lead scientist for the Puma Program at Panthera, a global nonprofit focused on wild cat conservation. Mark’s research on mountain lions is changing what we thought we knew about the species, especially with regards to their social lives and their keystone roles in ecosystems. His work was the central storyline of the BBC film, Big Cats in High Places, and National Geographic’s Wild’s Cougars Undercover. Mark earned a Senior Tracker Certificate in 2005 in Kruger National Park, South Africa, after successfully following African lions across the terrain without being detected. He was the 17th person to receive one and the first non-African. He has also authored 10 books on natural history, including field guides to animal tracking, animal skulls, survival skills, and his latest, The Cougar Conundrum, which we talk about in this interview. We cover Mark’s scientific and academic background, his tracking experience, and then spend most of the conversation talking all about mountain lions and how we manage and coexist with them. You can learn more about his work with wild cat conservation at www.panthera.org, and you can peruse his books and scientific publications at www.markelbroch.com.

Stephanie Williams (her friends call her Steph) is a mountain guide, field biologist, and co-founder of the Cascades Wolverine Project. She has over a decade of experience in field science, and two decades in the outdoor industry. She first worked as a guide in 2003 on the glaciers of Alaska’s Wrangell Mountains. Since then, she has skied and guided in alpine wildlands of India, Iceland, Switzerland, New Zealand, China, Chile, and across western North America. I contacted Steph after seeing her appearance in a short film called Finding Gulo - Gulo gulo being the scientific name for wolverines. Finding Gulo is about the Cascades Wolverine Project’s efforts to monitor and share images of the elusive creatures as they attempt to recover in parts of their historic range. The film shows the immense effort that goes into finding wolverines, and the people who are passionately trying to support them through field monitoring, storytelling, and backcountry community science. We talked about what drew Steph toward living and working in the mountains, and the formative experiences that led to her backcountry skiing career. We covered wolverine behavior and characteristics and, finally, the recent film. You can watch Finding Gulo online at CascadesWolverineProject.org. It’s really concise and beautiful, and you’ll get to see Steph in her element trying to track down these critters. If you’re new to the podcast, welcome and thanks for listening. All I ask is that you please take a moment to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you listen. It takes less than a minute, and it really means a lot to me.

Kenyon Fields is a conservationist and rancher from western Colorado. His background is in conservation biology and landscape scale conservation planning. He worked for many years in Alaska for the U.S. Forest Service and as executive director of Sitka Conservation Society, before serving as western strategic director of Wildlands Network. Kenyon was one of the founding members of Western Landowners Alliance, along with Mary Conover. Now husband and wife, Kenyon and Mary own and operate Mountain Island Ranch, a generational 32,000-acre cattle ranch along the Utah-Colorado border entirely under conservation easement, with another 100,000 acres of grazing allotments on public land. We talked about Kenyon’s own “Green Fire” moment, a reference to Aldo Leopold and the experience that led him toward the ideas we now celebrate. Kenyon’s was a transformative summer spent working in forestry in Southeast Alaska. We also delved into Mountain Island’ Ranch's current operations, their restoration projects, and their approach to public grazing allotments. I’d encourage you to visit KenyonFieldsPhoto.com for some context of the landscape we're discussing. He does a great job capturing the drastic seasonal change, the diverse wildlife, and the everyday ranching scenes out there, along with stunning landscapes across the world. And, of course, you’ve heard about Western Landowners Alliance by now in some of the recent episodes. I hope you’ll go to their website and peruse some of their content as well.

Helena Norberg-Hodge is a Linguist, author and film maker. She is the founder and director of the international non-profit organization, Local Futures, a pioneer of the new economy movement, and the convener of World Localization Day. She is the author of several books, including Ancient Futures, which you’ll hear about in this conversation. Together with a film of the same title, Ancient Futures has been translated into more than 40 languages and sold half a million copies world-wide. Her work, spanning almost half a century, has received the support of a wide range of international figures, including the likes of Jane Goodall and the Dalai Lama. Starting in 1975, Helena worked in the Himalayan region with the people of Ladakh to find ways of enabling their culture to meet the modern world without sacrificing social and ecological values. She was the first Westerner in modern times to become fluent in the language. She has helped to initiate localization movements on every continent, and co-founded both the International Forum on Globalization and the Global Ecovillage Network. I was very honored to speak with Helena after reading her first book recently. She advocates for localized alternatives to the global economy, particularly involving the creation of robust local food systems and democratic structures that can effectively resist authoritarianism. We talked all about her work in Ladakh and the effects of global economic pressures on that place, as well as her other writings, films, and the work she does with Local Futures. You can find all that content at LocalFutures.org.

Jeff Laszlo is a fourth-generation owner of the Granger Ranches, a 13,000-acre cattle ranch in Montana’s Madison Valley. Over the past 20 years or so, he and a team of public agencies and professionals have been restoring a large wetland on the property, which was drained generations ago for grazing use. What has become known as the O’Dell Creek restoration project has restored some 15 miles of spring-fed streams and 1,000 acres of wetlands. The results include a 900 percent increase in waterfowl numbers, a 600 percent increase in waterfowl species diversity, an improved fishery with reduced water temperatures, the return of rare native vegetation, the reintroduction of imperiled species such as Trumpeter Swans and Arctic grayling, and a vast increase in use for migrating sandhill cranes. With the rising water table, the bottomland became more productive and better able to support the ranch’s cow-calf operation and hay production. The Granger Ranches has actually grown its livestock operations, demonstrating that ecological balance, sustainable ranching, and economic viability can coexist. This work has garnered numerous awards, including the 2010 National Wetlands Award for Private Land Stewardship, and has been the subject of films and numerous articles. Jeff and I talked about the history of the family ranch, draining of the valley floor, and all about the restoration project, from impetus through implementation. Jeff articulated the complexity of such an endeavor, and how this sort of local effort has far reaching positive benefits. Links: Western Landowners Alliance - Stewardship with Vision Ep. 1 Trout Unlimited - A Public Lands Story Montana Audubon - O'Dell Creek Restoration

Jeff Laszlo is a fourth-generation owner of the Granger Ranches, a 13,000-acre cattle ranch in Montana’s Madison Valley. Over the past 20 years or so, he and a team of public agencies and professionals have been restoring a large wetland on the property, which was drained generations ago for grazing use. What has become known as the O’Dell Creek restoration project has restored some 15 miles of spring-fed streams and 1,000 acres of wetlands. The results include a 900 percent increase in...

Hallie Mahowald is the programs director for Western Landowners Alliance, a landowner-led group that advances policies and practices that sustain working lands, connected landscapes, and native species. At WLA, Hallie manages people and strategy to support private stewardship across the West. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Denver and a M.A. in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. In conjunction with her academic studies and early career in the non-profit sector, she worked on many natural resources management and sustainable development projects in the American West and Central and South America. Hallie currently serves on the advisory board of Colorado State University's Center for Collaborative Conservation and as vice president on the board of directors for the Central Colorado Conservancy. We talked all about the reintroduction of Grey Wolves to Colorado, from the original ballot initiative that set it in motion, to the various arguments, to the management implications. It’s a complex issue that will require a whole lot of cooperation and experimentation. Lucky for us, Hallie is on the stakeholder advisory group that is helping to navigate all this. We also touched on public land cattle grazing, something I want to understand better and maybe cover on the podcast more fully in the future. Finally, we discussed a few of WLA’s various programs, which include their Habitat Lease Partnership program, the Working Wild Challenge, and Women in Ranching. You can learn about all these things and more at westernlandowners.org.

Travis Custer is the executive director of the Montezuma Land Conservancy, a Southwest Colorado land trust established in 1998 in the town of Cortez. They are working to explore unique solutions to conservation through an emphasis on a community-informed process, and believe that conservation is not just setting aside important lands, but also working to educate the community, address social issues, and connect people to the land that sustains them. As for Travis, he has spent most of his life in Colorado, and nature has always been an important part of his life. He was formerly a board member of the Mancos Conservation District and spent time working for the Natural Resource Conservation Service and High Desert Conservation District where he worked closely with farmers and ranchers, as well as local and state agencies and land conservation organizations. In 2016, Travis was the recipient of the John Stencel Leadership Award from the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union for dedication and leadership in agriculture. He also serves on the Keep It Colorado board where he hopes to help drive forward the innovation of the statewide land protection community. We talked about the amazing landscape of the Four Corners region that Travis and his team work to conserve. We covered MLC’s efforts to go beyond transactional land conservation and to build a community around love of land, including fostering connections with Tribal Nations and facilitating youth programs. Finally, we discussed creating a land ethic at home and raising kids to love and care for Mother Nature. Check out Montezuma Land Conservancy at this link and Keep it Colorado here.

Nelson Mathews is the Vice President of Western Rivers Conservancy, a group whose slogan is “Sometimes, in order to save a river, you have to buy it.” WRC buys land along the West’s finest rivers and streams to conserve habitat, protect key sources of cold water and provide public access. They buy strategic properties that allow for the greatest conservation impact, and then transfer those lands into the hands of permanent conservation stewards. They partner with long-term stewards like the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state parks, Tribal Nations and universities to ensure their conservation efforts are permanent. As for Nelson, he developed a passion for all things rivers when he took a summer job in the 80’s as a whitewater rafting guide in the Sierra Foothills. After a stint practicing law in California, Nelson followed his passion and went to work managing The Trust for Public Land’s river conservation efforts in the West. During his 27-year tenure with the organization, he worked to conserve more than 100,000 acres of land with recreational, historic and environmental significance. Nelson grew up in the foothill town of Placerville, California, and now resides with his family in Bend, Oregon. He continues to lead trips as a whitewater guide and serves as the chairman of the board of directors for the American River Touring Association (ARTA). Thanks to Nelson for the conversation, thanks Western Rivers Conservancy for their important work, which you can see at https://www.westernrivers.org/

Juan Carlos Bravo is the Conservation Director of Wildlands Network. Until recently, he led their efforts in Mexico and the borderlands region, where he advocated for improved conservation in the Sky Islands and the northern Sierra Madre Occidental regions, which we’ll talk about. He worked with landowners to advance the practice of private lands stewardship; collaborated with transportation authorities to develop wildlife crossings; and provided partners, media, and key decision-makers with information related to habitat connectivity and keystone species protection in both Mexico and the U.S. He advocates for wildlife and connectivity in regional planning, interprets conservation issues and approaches for U.S. audiences. We talked about Wildlands Network, their organizational history and areas of interest, and their focus on landscape connectivity. We discussed the impacts of the US Mexico border wall, both ecologically and socially, at length. We also covered the Sky Islands region, an incredible hub of biodiversity that spans the Southwestern US and Northwestern Mexico, and a few other things like the power of maps and the reintroduction of Mexican Gray Wolves. I’m really glad to be able to meet folks like Juan Carlos from different backgrounds and life experiences, and looking forward to continuing to expand the subject matter covered on the podcast. ** New merch is up on the website! For the remainder of May, you can get 20% on extra soft tri-blend shirts and enamel coffee mugs by using code LEOPOLD20 at check out. The bugling Elk lustration is by wildlife artist Ty Hallock. Have a look!

Vanessa Caldarelli is the president of EcoEra, a conservation group protecting 7,500 acres of rainforest in one of the most biodiverse regions of Costa Rica. Their mission is to protect the rainforest's ecosystems by preventing poaching and deforestation, and to re-connect people to nature, which they are also doing through their sister project Posada Natura, a wellness retreat devoted to holistic healing located at the base of their conservation lands. We talked about how Vanessa’s family got involved with this land, the ecological function of the rainforest, the species they are trying to protect from poaching, the factors that contribute to tropical deforestation, and we covered some tangents like globalism and Zen Buddhism. It was a really nice chat, and I want to thank Vanessa and Eco Era for reaching out to spread the word about their efforts down in Costa Rica. To learn more, you can go to EcoEra.org!

Whit Fosburgh is the president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, an organization dedicated to advancing America’s legacy of conservation, habitat, and access to public lands. Prior to joining TRCP in 2010, Whit spent 15 years at Trout Unlimited. Additionally, he served as fisheries’ director for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and was a wildlife specialist for the National Audubon Society. Whit grew up hunting and fishing in upstate New York and was a member of Team USA in the 1997 World Fly Fishing Championships. He has a BA in Government from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree from the Yale University School of Forestry. We talked all about TRCP and their various areas of focus, from the Farm Bill, to the Colorado River, to Chronic Wasting Disease in deer species. Whit and the TRCP are keeping the spirit and vision of Theodore Roosevelt and the early American conservation movement alive by leveraging the voice of outdoor enthusiasts to influence policy. You can visit their website for more, sign up for their newsletter to stay informed on these issues, and consider a donation to help the cause.

Kristy Bly works for World Wildlife Fund's Northern Great Plains Program as their Black-footed Ferret Restoration Manager. She’s involved in conserving and restoring populations and habitat for ferrets, black-tailed prairie dogs and swift foxes across the Great Plains. We talked all about the conservation story of the Black-footed Ferret, the only ferret native to North America, once thought to be extinct. This story includes clones, drones, plague, peanut butter, and a dog named Shep. I really enjoyed picking Kristy's brain and learning all about these enigmatic animals! To learn more or to offer your support, visit worldwildlife.org

Jason Lauritsen is the Chief Conservation Officer for the Florida Wildlife Corridor, where he and his colleagues are helping to connect, protect and restore essential conservation habitat throughout the state of Florida. We discussed the vision for the Florida Wildlife Corridor, the various stakeholders, the biggest threats facing habitat connectivity in the state, Jason’s experience working at the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp, and some general thoughts relating to the Land Ethic. Head to Florida Wildlife Corridor to see some of their expedition films, and to explore maps of the corridor!

Gabe Brown is one of the pioneers of the current soil health movement, and a proponent of regenerative agriculture. He’s the author of Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture, co-founder of the Soil Health Academy, and co-owner of Understanding Ag, an agricultural consulting agency. Gabe’s property, called Brown’s Ranch, is a diversified, no till 5,000-acre farm and ranch near Bismarck, North Dakota. We discussed Gabe’s transition away from conventional agriculture and some of the lessons he learned, including his 6 principles of soil health. We also talked about some of the economic policies surrounding agriculture, and the hurdles farmers and ranchers face. Gabe’s entire message is about farming in nature’s image by understanding the biological processes taking place beneath our feet, rather than fighting them. You can find his book wherever they are sold, and you can see him in the documentary Kiss the Ground on Netflix.