A close look at what protecting 219 miles of wild river actually requires. The Three Forks of the Flathead River in northwest Montana didn't just earn Wild and Scenic designation — they inspired the law that made it possible. In the 1950s, a proposed dam at Spruce...
The hollowing out of agencies is not something that can be reversed quickly. John Leshy is an Emeritus Professor at UC Law San Francisco, former Solicitor of the Interior Department under President Clinton, and the author of Our Common Ground: A History of America’s...
A wide-ranging conversation about one of the most contested and celebrated landscapes in the American West In this episode, Bill and Anders are joined by Autumn Gillard, coordinator for the Grand Staircase Intertribal Coalition, and Steve Bloch, legal director for the...
January is Roadless Month on The Wild Idea. Throughout the month, we’re exploring the landscapes, communities, and ideas shaped by America’s roadless public lands — and what’s at stake as these protections face renewed threats. Why? Because decisions being discussed...
What happens when we let nature lead? How do we decide when to help and when to stay out of the way? Award-winning author, environmental philosopher, and clean energy enthusiast Christopher Preston joins Bill and Anders to discuss his book Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife...
How community voices, cultural history, and conservation wins are shaping the future of the Okefenokee Swamp. This week, Bill and Anders head deep into the Okefenokee with guest Kim Bednarek, the executive director of the Okefenokee Swamp Park. Kim shares the...
How the outdoor industry, conservation groups, and public land policy work together to create the idea of “wilderness” Bill and Anders sit down with environmental justice scholar Joe Whitson to talk about how our stories about nature shape the land itself. Joe’s new...
Dr. Cristina Eisenberg, a forest ecologist with a PhD in Forestry and Wildlife and former Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence at Oregon State University's College of Forestry, argues that both extractive and strict preservationist approaches to forest management...
How photography tells the full story of a place, pushes for protection, and reminds us what’s at stake. In this episode, Bill and Anders host conservation photographer Tony Bynum for a wide-ranging conversation about photography, sovereignty, wild places, and what it...
Martin Nie, director of the Bolle Center for People and Forests at the University of Montana, and Monte Mills, director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington, examine what distinguishes genuine tribal co-management of public lands from...