The Wild Idea Podcast
Explore All Our Episodes
Chris Wood: Roadless Rule Rescinded
Chris Wood – the godfather of the Roadless Rule and President and CEO of Trout Unlimited – joins the show to talk about how the Roadless Rule came to be, what it actually does, and why the Trump Administration’s move to undo it threatens some of the most ecologically and recreationally important backcountry we have. From fire mitigation myths to the politics of rulemaking, Wood offers a clear-eyed and hopeful reminder of what’s worth protecting, and how.
Martin Nie and Monte Mills: Not Just a Box to Check: Tribal Sovereignty and Co-Management
Legal scholar Monte Mills, a leading expert on Federal Indian Law, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous cultural protection, and public lands policy expert Martin Nie, whose work focuses on the governance of federal lands and collaborative management across tribal, state, and federal lines, unpack the complex, often misunderstood world of tribal co-management.
Tracy Stone-Manning: Promises Worth Defending
Tracy Stone-Manning, the president of The Wilderness Society, joins Bill and Anders for a wide-ranging conversation about what’s really happening inside our land management agencies, what the public lands rule was meant to protect, and why the stakes feel higher than ever.
Randy Newberg: The Host of Fresh Tracks Offers Fresh Ideas on Advocacy and Access
Randy Newberg joins Bill and Anders for a wide-ranging, funny, and deeply personal conversation that moves from his childhood hunting on public lands in northern Minnesota to testifying before Congress and building a media platform to fight for the places that fed and shaped him.
Andis Arietta: The Uncertainty Inherent in Wilderness
Evolutionary ecologist Dr. Andis Arietta joins us to explore the deep connections between ecology, evolution, climate change, and how (and whether) we manage wild places.
Jon Jarvis: Are Our National Parks Being Set Up To Fail?
Jon Jarvis, the 18th Director of the National Park Service, joins us in this Bonus Episode for a wide-ranging and urgent conversation about the future of America’s public lands.
Ingrid Lyons: Save the Boundary Waters, Join the National Wilderness Coalition
Executive Director of Save the Boundary Waters, Ingrid Lyons, joins us to talk about defending Minnesota’s beloved Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Senator Tim Kaine: Walk, Ride, Paddle, Protect!
Senator Tim Kaine reflects on his journey across Virginia—on foot, by bike, and by kayak—and how that experience shapes his approach to conservation, policy, and legacy, in today’s Bonus Episode.
Kaitie Schneider: Wolverines Reissued
Kaitie Schneider of Defenders of Wildlife joins us to talk about the long-awaited reintroduction of Gulo gulo, the wolverine, to Colorado.
Jose Gonzalez: Show Up and Be Curious
A conversation with José González, founder of Latino Outdoors and co-founder of The Outdoorist Oath, about identity, community, and redefining what it means to belong in wild spaces.
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What is The Wild Idea?
Humans have been part of Earth’s natural cycle for 300,000 years, with brains much the same as ours for the past 100,000 or so. What’s evolved isn’t our biology but how we understand our place in the natural world. As small populations grew into communities and then into societies, we created cultural, religious, and legal frameworks to help explain and define our connection to the rest of life on Earth.
