The National Wildlife Federation has worked with hunters and anglers since 1936 to tackle the biggest natural resource challenges. The NWF Outdoors Podcast explores the most important conservation issues and the people who do the hard work to safeguard our fish, wildlife, lands, and waters. Hosted by Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy at NWF.
Episodes
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
A Little Help from our Friends
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
NWF Outdoors sends you off into 2023 with some help from our friends, listeners, and colleagues. They share their favorite outdoor memories from 2022 and some even share their favorite NWF Outdoors podcast episode. Enjoy these fun short stories from around the country and we’ll see you in 2023!
Show notes:
Show Notes:
1:30 - Leanne Chadwick shares her favorite turkey hunting experience of 2022.
3:35 – Jesse Deubel of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.
4:15 – Jodee Dixon, Artemis ambassador based in Southeast Alaska.
7:12 – Andrew Black, NWF’s public lands field director.
8:56 – Morgan Harrell, Artemis ambassador based in South Carolina.
9:44 – Jason Baldes, NWF’s tribal buffalo program manager.
11:24 – Ashlee Smith, sportswomen based in Mississippi.
12:45 - Lew Carpenter, NWF director of conservation partnerships in the intermountain west.
16:19 – Alyssa Bowen, Artemis ambassador based in Oklahoma.
17:10 – Todd Waldron of the Rough Grouse Society and the American Woodcock Society.
20:21 – David Willms, NWF’s senior director of western wildlife.
21:10 – Mike McTee of MPG Ranch based in Missoula, Montana.
23:00 – Matthew Waguespack, Sportsmen Outreach Coordinator for Vanishing Paradise.
25:18 – Alec Underwood, senior policy and development director for the Montana Wildlife Federation.
25:25 - Gary Marz, lifelong angler, BHA board member and podcast listener based in Long Island New York.
28:42 - Dan Ritz of the Idaho Wildlife Federation.
29:33 – Jason Dinsmore, Director of Conservation Partnerships for NWF’s Great Lakes Region.
32:33 – Mary Lynn of Light Em Up Kennels based in Eastern Tennessee.
33:19 – Closing statements.
Thanks for listening in 2022! We look forward to seeing you in 2023!!
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Thursday Oct 20, 2022
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
Aaron and Bill sit down with Mitch and Jarred, two experts from the great Northwest, to discuss transboundary mining issues. Numerous mines, and one in particular, in British Columbia threaten people, watersheds, and wildlife in Northwest states, including years of salmon recovery and restoration. We discuss the Copper Mountain mine, the potential for a catastrophic disaster that would devastate downstream communities, wildlife, and fisheries. We also discuss the landscape, the history, and the complications of advocating for responsible development across an international boundary.
Links:
Reports: https://www.cct-enr.com/copper-mt-mine-bcc
Breach animated simulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgwAsdFLHmo
Recording of presentation of simulation study: https://youtu.be/B9jRMCHZwTg
More resources: https://conservationnw.org/our-work/wildlands/healthy-watersheds-campaign/
Conservation Northwest homepage: https://conservationnw.org/
Colville Tribe homepage: https://www.colvilletribes.com/
Colville Tribe Salmon Reintroduction work: https://www.colvilletribes.com/fish-wildlife
Colville Tribe Environmental Trust Copper Mountain Mine BCC : https://www.colvilletribes.com/environmental-trust
Show notes:
3:34 – Aaron introduces the guests.
7:24 – Jared shares what he has been doing outside recently.
9:32 – Mitch shares what he has been doing outdoors of late.
13:03 – Jared describes the landscape we are focusing on during this episode.
16:50 – Mitch adds that we are talking about the need and the right for clear, clean, cool, productive rivers that flow across the border.
18:42 – Aaron asks for the description of the fish and wildlife who live on these transboundary rivers.
26:04 – Bill asks for some background on the mines themselves and what makes them such a problem… particularly the Copper Mountain Mine upstream of Princeton, B.C.
30:53 – What are the risks? What are we worried about? What’s going to come out of these places if the dams fail.
41:12 – Should we expect these dams to eventually fail?
43:49 – Jared shares the tribal perspective on transboundary mines.
46:35 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen! Also, be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter!
47:29 -- What do we want right now to safeguard the wildlife and communities downstream?
52:23 -- What can someone listening to this do to help?
58:18 -- What has the B.C. government said as a response? Are they listening? Is anything happening?
1:01:48 – Mitch shares his closing statements.
1:03:47 – Jared shares his closing statements.
1:06:05 – Bill shares his thoughts.
1:06:44 – Aaron closes the show with some wisdom and thank you’s.
Friday May 13, 2022
Friday May 13, 2022
Aaron and Bill revisit salmon conservation in the northwest in advance of nationwide day of action asking for immediate action and the removal of the four Snake River dams. We sit down with Brian Brooks, the executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation, Aaron Lieberman, the executive director of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association. We talk salmon conservation broadly, the history of salmon issues in the Northwest and how we got to this point, the recent processes to address the issues surrounding dam removal and salmon recovery, how the Snake River system dams are different from dams in places like Tennessee, and how the sporting community can engage to save this iconic species from extinction.
Links:
- General Links
- Congressman Simpson’s leading page on the CBI: https://simpson.house.gov/salmon/
- Inslee Murray Study site (including comment links): https://www.lsrdoptions.org
- White House Press release (3/18/22) re: Dams/Fish/Tribes: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/news-updates/2022/03/28/columbia-river-basin-fisheries-working-together-to-develop-a-path-forward/
- Idaho Wildlife Federation links:
- https://idahowildlife.org/
- https://idahowildlife.org/news/salmonsteelhead-campaign-enters-new-stage-of-momentum
- https://idahowildlife.org/news/nw-energy-coalition-lower-snake-river-dams-can-be-removed
- https://idahowildlife.org/news/bpa-funded-study-states-salmonsteelhead-recovery-only-likely-if-dams-breached
- Donate to IWF: https://secure.everyaction.com/7bVn-yO2r0SFdf7WGFzk6A2
- IOGA Links:
- IOGA’s Action Page: https://ioga.org/the-columbia-basin-initiative/
- Alternatively, here’s a link directly to the Out of Idaho action form: https://actnow.io/EdVJdCS
- Link to Donate in Support of IOGA’s advocacy for Idaho Salmon & Steelhead: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=SY9ZJ352VZMYE
- Link to sign up for IOGA’s newsletter to stay in the loop on the work: Subscribe
- IOGA’s Action Page: https://ioga.org/the-columbia-basin-initiative/
Show notes:
3:55 – A little background on both guests.
5:14 – What have these gentlemen been doing outdoors recently? Gobble gobble…
10:54 – Jumping into why we are here – SALMON!!
11:33 – Brian Brooks shares a salmon adventure story.
14:03 – Aaron shares a salmon story that he enjoys sharing with his clients on the river.
15:46 – After a long intro, we get down to the big questions:
WHY ARE WE HERE? HOW BAD IS IT? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?
19:28 - What these dams do. Where they are at. How they constrict fish movements. An overview of the multiple factors which are affecting these fish runs.
25:35 - The journey back to Idaho… salmon become tanks!
27:27 – Well, why the Snake River dams?
30:15 – Aaron shares how the low salmon returns affect his lifestyle as a fly fishing and rafting guide.
36:01 – Brian highlights the importance of the Chinook Salmon season for the small town of Riggins, Idaho.
37:51 – Aaron H. brings up somethings to consider regarding outdoor recreation and the connection between the economy in Idaho and the U.S.
41:25 - Picking apart what removing the dams would entail.
42:47 – What is the difference between removing dams in places like Tennessee versus removing the four lower Snake River dams?
47:34 – “This should be a no brainer…”
49:30 – “Both the heartening thing and also the deeply frustrating thing about this particular issue is we can do at least the primary thing we need to do in order to restore salmon and steelhead; and we can do so without negatively impacting the people who are most dependent on the current system.”
51:12 – Short break for a message from our partner podcast, Artemis Sportswomen. Please be sure to follow NWF Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more great content!
53:07 – Unpacking the details regarding the Simpson plan, the solution and five things the sporting community and others can do to work together and get this done.
56:22 – The three realities in Simpson’s plan.
57:47 - The investments and assurances that are necessary in order to seed all three components of the plan.
1:01:37 – Top level components that still need to be addressed.
1:03:15 – How would they remove the dams? $1.5 billion to breach all four dams.
1:04:45 - What can people do to help? If you’re in the northwest, REACH OUT TO YOUR SENATORS.
“At the end of the day, it’s a taxpayer issue…”
This process
1:09:46 - Figuring out how to replace the benefits of the dams.
1:12:24 - At the end of the day we are going to have to deal with this issue as a nation. It will have to be an act of Congress. We are at the first few steps of leaving part A in this plan.
1:17:45 - We want legislation, right?
1:19:19 - We should dream big. “This could be the biggest restoration project in human history, we can forestall the extinction of a key stone species.”
1:21:23 - Getting these dams down is just the start, we will still have more work to do. This is an ongoing project.
1:23:10 - Closing statements.
“This could be the biggest restoration project in human history, we can forestall the extinction of a key stone species.”
Friday Dec 24, 2021
Covering the Outdoors with Lisa Ballard
Friday Dec 24, 2021
Friday Dec 24, 2021
Aaron and Bill sit down with renowned outdoor media personality, Lisa Ballard. Lisa is a professional skier, hunter, angler, outdoor writer, Emmy-winning TV producer, and two-time Ruger North American sporting clays champion who has traveled the world skiing, hunting, fishing, and covering the outdoors. We cover her career, the unique opportunities and challenges she has faced as a woman, how her media work led her to conservation, RAWA, and climate issue she’s experienced at home and while traveling.
https://www.lisaballardoutdoors.com/densmoredesigns.html
http://nwf.org/Outdoors/Blog/06-30-2021-Recovering-Americas-Wildlife
https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Wildlife-Conservation/Policy/Recovering-Americas-Wildlife-Act
Show notes:
1:00 – Aaron and Bill discuss their recent journey together in Tennessee through the area where the tornado recently destroyed large areas of the state.
3:10 – Intro and background on Lisa Ballard.
4:25 – What Lisa has been doing outside recently.
8:10 -- How Lisa got into the outdoor media world! From professionally skiing to PBS!
10:00 -- Story about making a film about teaching a bird dog how to hunt.
14:30 -- That first moment Lisa knew she was going to be paid to work outside… the real reward is bringing the outdoors to other people.
19:18 -- How does one become a Lisa Ballard in these days? How does one become an outdoor media professional in 2021? Speak well. Record well. Write well. Know your outdoor skills!
12:41 -- The path to competitive shooting.
25:03 – Mentorship.
26:09 -- Advice for men listening who are planning on taking a woman out hunting (for the first time). Make sure it’s warm and dry… bring snacks… be mindful of time. This advice goes for both men and women!
28:57 -- Rifle and shotgun advice for women.
31:20 -- Artemis Sportswomen shout out & short message for their podcast.
33:06 -- Lisa’s evolution in the outdoor world as a woman. How have things changed?
“When you are hunting, you really are part of your natural surroundings and women really connect to that emotionally”
37:26 -- The journey to conservation and Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.
41:16 – Climate Change and Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.
44:31 -- In Montana, where Lisa is from, what would Recovering America’s Wildlife Act look like. Extreme drought, extreme wildlife, extreme fishing restrictions…
47:54 -- State agencies have limited resources; getting them some additional help through Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will be huge. Good for the bird, good for the herd!
50:36 -- Lisa reflects on climate change from the perspective of a hunter, angler, skier and overall professional outdoors woman. For starters, what she has noticed by documenting glacier recession around the world.
55:50 – A skier’s perspective on climate change and a reflection on how WEIRD the climate trends have been.
1:00:00 – Parting comment from Lisa Ballard: GET OUTDOORS!
Friday Jun 25, 2021
Dust Off Your Dreams with Mandela Van Eeden
Friday Jun 25, 2021
Friday Jun 25, 2021
This week we are excited to feature a podcast from our partner, Artemis, and will head afield this week to talk with NWF Outdoor's newest member, storyteller and adventurer Mandela van Eeden. This episode was recorded on the edge of the forest near a meadow in Montana. Mandela's upbringing was split between South Africa, where her family harvested from the sea, and Montana - where they gratefully accepted the river's bounty. Mandela talks to us about connecting to place, pursuing your dreams, and how we can care for what sustains us. Plus, a black bear walks in on Marcia and Mandela mid-way through the episode. (No jokes, folks!)
4:00 All the 'boks' in Africa, which is Afrikaans for 'deer' (springbok, bontebok, gemsbok)
5:00 A childhood split between the African bush and Montana, leaving your heart in both
11:00 Three Gorges Dam & the Yangtze River
12:00 Storytelling with sound and music AND raft guiding both hemispheres
16:00 What's the core value that makes us do what we do?
18:00 The Oily River Rendezvous and seeing an oil spill from the river's view
19:00 "If you think you're too little to make a difference, you've obviously not spent the night with a mosquito."
22:00 "Grand Canyon pink" - a rattlesnake endemic to that space
24:00 Getting Primitive program gets kids into bushcrafting
27:00 Fish in one hand, shark in the other
30:00 Fly-fishing as a family affair
32:00 Podcast interrupted by a black bear... yep, bonafide bear strolling through!
37:00 The myriad of ways in which people gather from the sea
38:00 NWF Outdoors podcast, Vanishing Seasons
41:00 If you want to connect with a place... BE there. Fully present. Cease the wandering mind.
42:00 Yoga sutras written by Pantanjali
49:00 Connection to the outdoors through harvest + patience and mindfulness
50:00 The value of a mentor
54:00 Riverboarding the Grand Canyon for 15 days... the dream started with a flip.
56:00 Thalweg: the fastest current in the river
59:00 "Go into your dream closet and dust off some of those ones you've filed away."
1:03 Introducing family to game - antelope and bear... and recruiting a nephew into the ranks
1:06 Listen to what your body tells you to eat (plus, spearfishing)