Exploring what it really takes to care for wildlife over time.

Martha Williams, former Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, joins us for a grounded conversation about what it really takes to care for wildlife over time. Drawing on decades of experience at both the state and federal level, Martha talks about stewardship, coexistence, and the responsibility that comes with living alongside wild species.

We dig into how the Endangered Species Act fits into that bigger picture, and why so much energy gets pulled into debates over listing and delisting instead of focusing on recovery. Martha shares why habitat, science, and long-term thinking matter more than short-term wins, and how political swings can complicate the real work happening on the ground.

Today’s highlights:

• What species recovery looks like beyond the short term
• How the Endangered Species Act shapes recovery, and where it falls short
• Why coexistence is central to conservation
• What responsibility we share for wildlife and wild places

Links & Resources:

Connect with Martha

• Instagram

Organizations & Agencies

• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
• National Wildlife Refuge System
• Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance

Legislation & Policy References

• Endangered Species Act
  A foundational US conservation law aimed at preventing extinction and supporting species recovery.
• Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
  Proposed legislation that would provide funding for proactive wildlife conservation before species decline.
• Pittman-Robertson Act
  A federal law that funds wildlife conservation through excise taxes on hunting equipment, referenced in the discussion about state funding.
• Dingell-Johnson Act
  A companion law that supports fisheries and aquatic conservation through taxes on fishing equipment.
  

Martha Williams is a conservation leader and attorney who most recently served as Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In that role, she oversaw the agency responsible for national wildlife refuges, implementation of key wildlife laws including the Endangered Species Act, and conservation programs across the country. She previously led Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, where she worked on complex wildlife and habitat issues including grizzly bear and bison management, and held senior roles at the Department of the Interior focused on public lands and natural resources policy. She has also taught natural resources law at the University of Montana, helping train future conservation leaders.

Martha grew up on a farm in Maryland, which shaped her early love for open lands, waters, and wildlife. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor from the University of Montana School of Law.

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