Conservation Connection

What does it take to restore a species that’s central to culture, ecology, and economy? In episode 141, we sit down with Shannon Wheeler, Chairman of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, to explore their urgent efforts to restore salmon in the Columbia River Basin. From dam removal and stream restoration to public advocacy and tribal collaboration, Shannon sheds light on the complex challenge...

What if a natural disaster could transform the way we connect with the environment—and each other? In episode 140, we dive into Dr. Deborah Brosnan’s groundbreaking work with OceanShot, restoring coral reefs and estuaries, and how these ecosystems offer powerful lessons in cooperation and interdependence. Drawing from her experiences after the volcanic eruption on Montserrat, she shares how traged...

How do we bridge political divides to protect the places that matter most? In episode 139 Roberta Swann, Director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, shares her experience uniting diverse constituencies to safeguard Mobile Bay and Alabama's rich ecosystems—even in a traditionally conservative state.  In this episode, Roberta explains how a program originally created by Congress through the...

How do we make it so that a tree is worth MORE standing than it is cut down? This is the exact question that this week's guest is working to answer! Dr. Max Holmes is the President of Woodwell Climate Research Center, and he joined us in episode 138 to discuss their work on the most important things in the most important places. Our discussion covers the controversial topic of carbon credits, natu...

It will take more than a bandaid to fix our changing climate, but what does a 600 mile bike ride have to do with climate change? Jaquelyn Francis of the Global Warming Mitigation Project joins us on episode 137 to discuss what’s needed to move the needle on climate action. Listen in as we discuss the giant data base of solutions that already exist and how the Keeling Curve Prize is helping to ampl...

A lot of people have beef with beef, and ranching can be a divisive topic in the environmental space. Is regenerative agriculture a way to make everyone happy? Wendy Millet is the Director at TomKat Ranch , an operation that’s committed to rebuilding the land and educating their peers on best practices. An advocate for women in ranching, in episode 136 Wendy answers our questions about the evoluti...

A sculpture four stories tall captivated audiences outside of the UN headquarters and changed the conversation around plastics. How else can art influence the public? Ben Von Wong is an issue driven artist who went from a career in hard rock mining to globally recognized artist-activist. In episode 135 he shares insights into the role of disruptive activism, how it took SEVERAL leaps of faith to a...

The best conservation plan in the world doesn’t matter if there's no money to make it happen, but The Nature Conservancy has a wild new program that can turn sovereign debt into long-term conservation funding! Melissa Garvey is the director of TNC's Nature Bonds Program, and in episode 134 she shares their strategy that is protecting huge chunks of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet! Liste...

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Conservation Connection content to bring you this special look into the background of your favorite podcast hosts! This summer we were interviewed by Mark Titus for his podcast, Save What You Love . We had an absolute blast telling the story of how our marriage, nonprofit, and podcast came to be! Conservation Connection would not be possible without the incred...

Heavy metal music seems to attract sharks, but do you know why? On the final episode of Season 10 we sit down with the world's only Heavy Metal Marine Biologist! Tom "The Blowfish" Hird tells us all about his his wild stories from the field, including how he performed heavy metal music at sea to get a closer look at the ocean's coolest predators! Enjoy this episode and stay tuned...

New tools allow us to collect more data than ever before, but is that always a good thing? When it comes time for policymakers to make decisions, a complex system of stakeholders, limited resources, and unclear goals can make it hard to figure out the best way forward. That's where decision scientists like Dr. Jennifer McGowan swoop in to save the day! ⁠Want to support the show by buying some...

More than 50% of the world's turtle and tortoise species are threatened with extinction, but Shannon DiRuzzo of Turtle Island is working to make sure that they all live to see tomorrow. Turtle Island's mission is simple: save turtles & tortoises from extinction through acute rescue, care, research, breeding, and rewilding. Want to buy stickers, shirts, cups, or cool conservation art to...

Support black footed ferret conservation by following this link! 50% of proceeds will be donated directly to the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation for ferret conservation projects! This week we get to learn from Dr. Julie Thorstenson at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas. Julie is a wildlife biologist, member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation, Lakota, and executive director of the Native American Fish and Wil...

Hunting as a conservation tool can be a divisive topic. How can the death of an animal increase the health of the herd? This week we sit down with Ivan Carter, a safari guide, conservationist, and TV host to answer these big questions. He encourages us to set our emotions aside and listen to the science when it comes to making conservation decisions! We're so grateful to have had the opportuni...

Protecting the ocean can seem like a whale of a task! Luckily we have the solutions to turn the tides. We sat down with George Cummings at EarthX to learn about his work as an ocean ambassador. From the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to protecting island nations, and learning how we can help reduce carbon entering our atmosphere, we cover it all!

Wind turbines are an incredible source of renewable, carbon-neutral energy that can be deadly to bats. This week we talk to a scientist who's trying to fix that. We sit down at EarthX with Dr. Sarah Fritts, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at Texas State University, to learn how she's working to keep bats away from critical renewable energy infrastructure. Sound Credit: The bat s...

When you're standing in the Pitcairn islands, the closest another human gets is the astronauts on the International Space Station. You're also standing on the most plastic polluted beach in the world. This week we learn how Brett Howell, of Howell Conservation Fund, and his team removed ocean plastics from one of the most remote islands on the planet! This episode was recorded in collabora...

Having spent more than 7000 hours underwater, Dr. Sylvia Earle has some incredible stories to tell about life under the sea! In the final episode of season 9 we sit down at EarthX2024 with one of the biggest names in ocean conservation EVER, Dr. Sylvia Earle! Listen in to hear how she fell in love with the ocean, what it's like to follow the same eel everyday for weeks, and what you can do to...

From 250 pound sea turtles to half-pound terrapins, the staff of Jekyll Island Authority work all year long to protect their native wildlife! This week we chat with David Zailo and Will Hicks, staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, about the important work they're doing to protect some of North America's most incredible turtles!

When he learned that 95% of California's kelp forests had disappeared in the past 10 years, Adam Hussain devised a plan to put his underwater film skills to use saving the ecosystem that he loved! This week we sit down at EarthX with the director of the upcoming documentary Seaforestation to learn about the critical role that kelp forests play in the oceans and how researchers and citizens acr...

Although 85% of wild oyster reefs have disappeared over the past 120 years, Georgia's oyster populations are thriving! Listen in as we chat with Justin Manley, the hatchery manager at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Shellfish Research Laboratory on Skidaway Island! We get deep into the science of oyster aquaculture and learn all about the work being done to protect this critical e...

We interrupt your regularly scheduled episode of Conservation Connection to bring you this special crossover episode with Crystal DiMiceli of the Forces For Nature Podcast and The Healthy Seas Podcast! Listen in for a sneak peak of Season 10 and to discover another incredible podcast!

In a changing ocean, whales and their protectors must react fast to stay ahead of the curve! This week we sit down with Cathy Sakas, a life long adventurer, biologist, and ocean advocate. She found the first North Atlantic right whale calf in Georgia over forty years ago, and has spent her career working to ensure that they'll survive in the face of a changing ocean!

Over 300 species rely on the Gopher Tortoise - and its burrows - to survive! This week we chat with disturbance ecologist Barbara Blonder at Flagler College to learn about the struggles and survival tactics of coastal gopher tortoises! She uses her research and her position as City Commissioner to help St. Augustine make the best possible management decisions.

Happy rattlesnakes mean a happy island! This week we sit down with Joseph Colbert, a wildlife biologist with the Jekyll Island Authority. He studies eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, and uses this knowledge to inform management decisions which keep the entirety of Jekyll Island in harmony with nature!