Welcome to the very first edition of The Wild Line, a new weekly series from The Wild Idea podcast. This show is for all of you who’ve asked to stay informed about what’s happening with our public lands, from Washington, D.C. to your own backyard. Each Friday, we’ll bring you the big stories shaping the future of our wild places, with sharp commentary, context, and some fire. This week, we’re starting with some catch-up after a whirlwind month on the public lands front. We cover promising legisl...
May 16, 2025•16 min
In this episode of The Wild Idea , we speak 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. José shares his personal journey from rural Mexico to national conservation leadership, and why the question isn’t just how to get more people outside, but why it matters who gets to belong there. Learn more and connect with José by visiting our website, thewildidea.com...
May 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 9
Today we are in conversation with David Gessner, the bestselling author of multiple books including his most recent release, The Book of Flaco . We talk about his exploration of the American West both on the page and through his own travels, along with the lasting legacy of Theodore Roosevelt and the paradox of land management in the United States. Connect with David and learn more about this conversation at our website, thewildidea.com...
May 06, 2025•45 min•Ep. 8
Today we're so excited to welcome Grizzly Bear Management Specialist (retired) Tim Manley to The Wild Idea podcast! In our conversation today, we talk about Tim's pioneering work capturing Grizzly behavior in the wild, the evolution of the Grizzly - Human relationship and interactions, and how human behavior is impacting Grizzly habitat and vice versa. Learn more about Tim and find the links and resources mentioned in today's episode on our website ....
Apr 29, 2025•45 min•Ep. 7
Today we are excited to be in conversation with J. Drew Lanham, an ecologist, poet, and professor. We dive into questions of wilderness, who determines the authenticity of an outdoor experience, how Black and Brown people are showing up outside, what the evolving government actions could mean for our common access to wild spaces, and so much more. Connect with Drew and see the links and resources mentioned in today's episode on our website ....
Apr 22, 2025•50 min•Ep. 6
Today we're welcoming forest ecologist Greg Aplet as we dive into one of the most common points of interest when it comes to the wilderness today: forest fires and how they impact spaces both wild and human. We talk with Greg about legislation and governmental actions, the costs and benefits of allowing fires to burn, the after-effects of the Smoky the Bear campaign, and how we can further the conversation between everyone impacted by logging, forest fires, and the ecology of the wilderness. Con...
Apr 15, 2025•46 min•Ep. 5
In the midst of the current administration's efforts to target public lands for privatization, we invited Susan Jane Brown—who we'll call SJ throughout today's show—to talk about what's happening right now and what it means for all of us, in this bonus episode where we're diving deep into the current threats facing the U.S. Forest Service. After setting the stage with a framing of the government institutions that protect and caretake our public lands, we get into conversation with SJ about the e...
Apr 10, 2025•36 min
Today we’re joined by wildlife scientist Corina Newsome, as we explore the roots of her passion for birds before diving into how her career has brought her into spaces of seeking environmental justice and equity and helping climate-threatened species survive in a changing world. Connect with Corina and see the links and resources mentioned in today's episode on our website .
Apr 08, 2025•46 min•Ep. 4
We're excited to welcome journalist Nate Schweber to the show! Today our conversation delves into how journalism has told the story of our public lands across the years, and Nate shares more about his recent book This America of Ours and other crucial writings about our public spaces. Connect with Nate and see the links and resources mentioned in today's episode on our website .
Apr 01, 2025•50 min•Ep. 3
In today’s episode, we’re talking with the award-winner author, conservationist, and forester Hal Herring. You’l hear about how he balances his work as a planter, a sawyer, and writer; his journey and experiences from his youth in the American South to his career in the forests of the American West, his experiences with conservation and public lands across his career, and why he considers public lands to be the soul of the American Dream. Connect with Hal and see the links and resources mentione...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min•Ep. 2
Welcome to Episode One of The Wild Idea Podcast! As you'll hear in today's conversation with co-hosts Bill Hodge and Anders Reynolds, this podcast is a project years in a making. The idea for this show emerged during conversations on a prairie in Montana, and we are excited to finally be delivering a series of incredible, important, and hopefully interesting conversations to your listening ears. Today, Bill and Anders set the framework and talk about why we’re creating this podcast, answer some ...
Mar 18, 2025•41 min•Ep. 1
Mar 11, 2025•3 min
