Laws of Notion

This whole series started with a vote.    That vote not only revealed  the ongoing debate about  reintroducing the gray wolf to Colorado,  but also  who gets to make decisions and what the best way to do that is . In this interview with direct democracy expert  Dr. John Matsusaka,  we break down  how this system of government  functions more broadl y,  when it is most effective, and the philosophy...

David Mech has  been  research ing  wolves since  1958 and  has authored  hundreds of articles and 13 books on wolf behavior and ecology.  From his  decades of  studying  wolves  across the globe ,  including   Isle Royale ,  Minnesota, Canada, Italy, Alaska, Yellowstone, Ellesmere Island, and elsewhere ,  to modern wolf management  and conservation ,  David  has  witnessed  and helped shape decad...

In our final episode, we examine what the future might hold for wolves, ranchers, advocates, and the people working every day to move us beyond conflict and simplified narratives. From museum specimens that document our shared history to voices on the ground navigating life with the gray wolf, we explore whether Colorado can move beyond the mistrust and pendulum swings toward something sustainable...

There are many tools being tested and deployed to  help make coexistence with wolves a reality.  Range riders provide  a human presence  on  the landscape night after night to keep wolves at bay.   Ongoing conversations between wolf advocates and ranchers to build understanding. Raising money  across the state  to support non-letha l deterrents  for the people who need them most. Testing modern-da...

The reintroduction of wolves has created a new reality for many  ranchers. While many expected  challenges when reintroducing a large predator, the experience on the ground has proven to be both more complex and emotional  than  they  anticipated . The story of the Copper Creek  wolf pack brought this to the forefront and   has dominated Colorado news headlines. Not only  were  they some of the fi...

How does t he diversity of societ y's values and perspectives get incorporated into wildlife decisions? In this episode, we explore the gap between democratic ideals and messy reality, how a vote becomes policy and then becomes lived experience, and who gets heard along the way. We examine how the vote for wolf reintroduction became politicized along partisan lines and whether ballot initiatives u...

By a razor-thin margin in 2020 , Colorado voters decided to bring gray wolves back to the landscape . Now, paws are on the ground, and real work is just begin ning . For some, wolves returning to the landscape feels like tightening the vice on the already challenging profession of ranching . Yet for oth ers, wolves mean the restoration of an ecosystem that humans deliberately interfered with. What...

Colorado is the first state to intentionally bring back wolves by popular vote. But voting was just the beginning. From the ballot box to paws on the ground, join us for Gray Territory: The Return of Wolves to Colorado , a new limited series that take s a deeper look at wolf reintroduction and explore s the complicated reality of coexistence . Season five of the award-winning podcast Laws of Notio...

We are excited to share an  episode from our friends at Wyoming Public Media , who produce the The Modern West, a podcast documenting   the evolving identity of the American West .  Hop in a pickup as we head out into the National Elk Refuge outside Jackson, WY, to hear all about the debate over whether to wean elk off winter feeding before chronic wasting disease strikes. This  is a story about s...

The Compass Series: Navigating Our Complex State of Affairs is a short mini-series exploring the critical topics at the intersection of science, policy, and human behavior.    In Episode 5: Building Trust, we interview Dr. Cary Funk , Senior Advisor for Public Engagement with Science for the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program . Cary brings us deep insight to help us understand the current l...

The Compass Series: Navigating Our Complex State of Affairs is a short mini-series exploring the critical topics at the intersection of science, policy, and human behavior.    In Episode 4 : The Value of Scientific Research , we discuss critical role of federally funded research in Colorado with Dan Powers , Executive Director of CO-LA BS, a Colorado non-profit consortium of over 30 federally fund...

The Compass Series: Navigating Our Complex State of Affairs is a short mini-series exploring the critical topics at the intersection of science, policy, and human behavior.    In Episode 3: Tackling Misinformation, we discuss the critical role of fact-checking in our media ecosystem with Lori Robertson , Director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit FactCheck.org. In this interview with Lori , we talk ab...

The Compass Series: Navigating Our Complex State of Affairs is a short mini-series exploring the critical topics at the intersection of science, policy, and human behavior.    In Episode 2: Embracing Uncertainty, we discuss the critical role of uncertainty in science and our everyday lives with Christie Aschwanden, an award-winning author, journalist, and the host and producer of Uncertain, a podc...

The Compass Series: Navigating Our Complex State of Affairs is a short mini-series exploring the critical topics at the intersection of science, policy, and human behavior.      In Episode 1: Bridging Divides, we discuss political polarization and conflict with Stephen Hawkins, Global Director of Research for More in Common. In this interview with Stephen, we talk about the roots of political pola...

As our landscapes face unprecedented challenges, Indigenous practices offer crucial lessons about living with fire rather than fighting against it.  Yet a ny true co-stewardship approach requires agencies to share power they've historically held tightly and commit to the long process of reconciliation between Tribes and the US government .   What is the path forward to developing  frameworks and e...

In an era when megafires are becoming the norm rather than the exception, our communities need wildland firefighters now more than ever. However,  recruitment and retention is a serious and growing challenge in the wildland fire community. As firefighters cope with physical and mental health challenges ,  low pay and unprecedented pressure from longer fire seasons , we not only have to figure out...

How do we take our connection to the landscape and learn how to steward it in a time of change? Wildfire defines our era, but it doesn't have to shape our future. From examining our relationship to risk and responsibility to making difficult choices about what to protect, our closing episode explore s the choices we must make to support the forests of tomorrow . With individual action and collabor...

As wildfires transform Colorado's landscapes, this episode explores the loss of cherished ecosystems and the tough realities of forest recovery. Discover the strategies, science and choices shaping the forests of the future.   Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/united-by-fire and lawsofnotion.org .   Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list .   Follow us on Twi...

With wildfires intensifying, every dollar spent on mitigation and resilience matters more than ever. This episode explores the tough choices and bold solutions shaping Colorado's future: training a new generation of workers, leveraging new technology , and balancing suppression with prevention. With resources stretched thin, how do we decide what will make the most impact ?   Learn more about the...

Explore Colorado's changing relationship with wildfire as we follow the people working to manage its risks and tap into its ecological benefits. Through prescribed burns, forest thinning and community partnerships, land managers, scientists and residents are rethinking fire as a tool to keep both forests and communities strong.   Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/united-by-fire an...

This episode explores how the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires of 2020 created a far-reaching crisis in Colorado's watersheds, impacting both mountain communities and those downstream along the Front Range. Discover the intersection of fire, water, and policy - and the surprising ways wildfire continues to shape the state's landscapes long after the flames go out.    Learn more about the po...

Four years after the East Troublesome Fire, many Grand County residents are still grappling with the aftermath, from insurance disputes to the emotional toll of loss. We explore the long-term impact of the fire on individuals and the broader community as they strive to recover and rebuild.   Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/united-by-fire and lawsofnotion.org .   Sign-up for the...

In October 2020, the East Troublesome Fire exploded, forcing a mass evacuation of Estes Park as ash rained from the sky. In this episode, we explore how the town responded to the dual threats of a wildfire and a pandemic, and the hard choices they faced in order to protect their community.     Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/united-by-fire and lawsofnotion.org .   Sign-up for th...

The summer of 2020 was one of Colorado's hottest and driest on record , setting the stage for a devastating series of megafires. T he Cameron Peak Fire ignit ed in the Roosevelt National Forest and burned for nearly four months , consuming almost 209,000 acres.   In this episode, we 'll   hear from people who stared into the Cameron Peak fire and the difficult choices they faced. What should we tr...

Today's megafires raise questions about how we manage our forests and where we choose to live. In 2020, Colorado experienced the two largest wildfires in the state's history: Cameron Peak and East Troublesome. Together, these high-intensity blazes ripped through communities and challenged what we thought we knew about how wildfires behave.     Fire has devastating power, but it's also a necessary...