“When you truly love a place, you do whatever it takes to protect it, even if it takes a decade.” I recently returned from Chile, where I witnessed one of the most inspiring conservation stories I’ve ever encountered. Rodrigo Condeza and Jose Claro are two remarkable individuals who have spent over a decade fighting to […]
Conservation
Stories Connect People to Conservation
“The only way you’re going to save the world is with a damn good story.” What if the future of conservation hinged less on policy and more on storytelling? That’s one of my favorite takeaways from my conversation with Jeff Parrish, Global Managing Director for Protect Oceans, Lands, and Water at The Nature Conservancy. Jeff […]
The Politics of Public Lands
After a recent expedition to Chile with The Nature Conservancy, I returned home reflecting on a global truth: public lands are political. Whether it’s South America or South Carolina, land conservation stirs up a lot of passion. For many people it’s complexity can also lead to quite a bit of debate. For years, I’ve avoided […]
Talking About the Glacier Park Conservancy
“By bringing varied backgrounds into conservation careers, we are ensuring our parks represent all of America.” In Glacier National Park, the journey to reintroduce bison is a great example of the power of perseverance and learning from failure. The collaborative effort between the US Federal Government, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Glacier Park leaders, and […]
Managing Protected Areas
“Part of the narrative that we find ourselves in is talking about creating areas that are protected for people, not from people.” Ryan Finchum is the co-director of the Center For Protected Area Management at Colorado State University and a seasoned expert working with the US Forest Service international programs. He joins for a conversation […]
The Impact of Local Conservation
“those little tidbits of information really help park and conservation leaders be better in their jobs, be better stewards of the resources, and just be better community leaders.” – Chris Lee Local conservation efforts have a lasting impact on communities and individuals. Chris Lee, the executive director of Des Moines County Conservation, joins for […]
Who is Gifford Pinchot?
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, guest co-host, Phil Gaines, returns to discuss the life and legacy of Gifford Pinchot. As a top 10 influencer on Phil’s park and conservation list, Pinchot, often heralded as the Father of American conservation, left an impressionable legacy on national parks. Not only did he professionalize forest […]
Ten People Who Influenced Conservation
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, guest co-host, Phil Gaines, returns to discuss ten people that influenced conservation. From Theodore Roosevelt, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Steven Mather, and John Muir to Gifford Pinchot, Henry David Thoreau, Horace Albright, George Hartzog, Bob Stanton, and Fran Mainella. the list of American park heroes is lengthier […]