Best Western Landowners Alliance Podcasts (2025)

1
Conservation Without Conflict with Leo Miranda 51:22

Play Pause

6d ago51:22

51:22

The Endangered Species Act has helped save iconic species from extinction - but it’s also created real tension for the private landowners who manage the majority of wildlife habitat in the U.S. In this episode, WLA CEO Lesli Allison sits down with Leo Miranda, executive director of Conservation Without Conflict and former Southeast Regional Directo…

1
What's next for the Farm Bill? 55:12

1M ago55:12

55:12

The Farm Bill. A piece of legislation that quietly shapes much of life in this country - especially for those of us in rural America. The Farm Bill influences everything from food access to conservation, crop insurance to rural infrastructure. And yet, for how far-reaching it is, most Americans know very little about what’s actually in it - or what…

1
Forged and foraged with Chef Joshua Drage 21:30

2M ago21:30

21:30

For Chef Joshua Drage, fire is more than a cooking method - it is a unifying ingredient in his culinary creations. Drage's passion lies in crafting dishes that pay homage to the American West; emphasizing the connection between fire and food. Drage collaborates with local producers to source the freshest ingredients skillfully blending bold flavors…

1
Little Creek Ranch and Feedstore with Caroline and Justin Nelson 59:07

3M ago59:07

59:07

Today we’re chatting with Caroline and Justin Nelson, the powerhouse ranching couple behind Little Creek Feed in Townsend, Montana, and the owners of Little Creek Lamb & Beef, a direct-to-consumer meat company that prioritizes care for the land, the animals, and the people sustained by both. We talk about what it was like to start a business while …

1
Forest stewardship in the age of megafires with Dave Tenny 50:46

3M ago50:46

50:46

The future of forests, and the communities and wildlife that depend on them, is at a crossroads. In this episode of On Land, Western Landowners Alliance CEO Lesli Allison sits down with Dave Tenny, founding president and CEO of the National Alliance of Forest Owners, for a timely, wide-ranging conversation. They dig into sweeping new federal direct…

1
This is Wildfire with Nick Mott 38:14

3M ago38:14

38:14

The American West is burning. We need to adapt. But what does it really mean to live with fire? Today’s guest has spent years trying to answer that question. Nick Mott is an award-winning journalist, podcast producer (Threshold, MTPR's The Wide Open, Fireline), and now author of the book This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and You…

1
Federal Cuts, Working Lands, and What’s Next with Lesli Allison 27:13

4M ago27:13

27:13

Today we’re bringing you a timely conversation with Lesli Allison, CEO of Western Landowners Alliance. With major shifts happening in federal policy—funding freezes, staffing cuts, and growing uncertainty—Lesli breaks down what these changes mean for working lands and the people who steward them. We’ll talk about the challenges landowners are facin…

1
Bonus | Grizzly Bears and the Endangered Species Act: What’s Changing? 28:40

5M ago28:40

28:40

UPDATE: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended the public comment period on proposed changes to the grizzly bear’s Endangered Species Act listing. The new deadline is May 16. Today we’re sharing an episode from Working Wild University, our award-winning documentary podcast about the people and wildlife of the American West. Western Landown…

1
Bonus | Grizzly Bears and the Endangered Species Act: What’s Changing? 28:07

5M ago28:07

28:07

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes to the grizzly bear’s listing under the Endangered Species Act, and a public comment period is open until March 17th. But what exactly would this new rule mean for grizzly bear management, landowners, and the future of the species? In this episode, Jared and Zach sit down with Shaleas Harrison…

1
Wolves in the West | Whose blood, sweat and tears are in your hamburger? 31:00

6M ago31:00

31:00

96% of wolves in the Northern Rockies live in the working wild: public and private lands where people and wildlife share the landscape. But who pays the cost of supporting biodiversity? In this episode from our first season on wolves in the West, we explore the economics of our food system and take a look at how one ranch family is getting creative…

1
Bonus | The wild pig invasion no one is talking about 20:34

7M ago20:34

20:34

Wild pigs. Feral swine. Wild hogs. Whatever you call them, invasive wild pigs are rapidly spreading across the US and Canada - destroying crops and spreading disease along the way. Experts are calling them one of the greatest threats to biodiversity in the country. What can we do about it? To find out, we're talking with the show's own Dr. Jared B…

1
Life after dead pool with Zak Podmore 1:03:46

8M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Today we dive into an illuminating conversation between Morgan Wagoner, Western Landowners Alliance's Western Water Program Director, and Zak Podmore, author of Life After Deadpool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River. Together, they explore topics like the Colorado River’s massive silt deposits, mud volcanoes and ever-res…

1
Funding agriculture businesses on a mission with Dan Miller of Steward 49:43

8M ago49:43

49:43

Today we sit down with Dan Miller, the founder and CEO of Steward, a regenerative agriculture finance firm. Dan founded Steward to combine his background in finance, real estate, and technology with his passion for agriculture, which stems from his maternal family who have been farming on the eastern shore of Maryland since the 1880s. Find the show…

1
Sheepish Solutions to Water Conservation with Linda Poole 48:58

10M ago48:58

48:58

Today we sit down with Linda Poole, a rancher and working lands director at Western Landowners Alliance. Linda and her border collies and livestock guardian dogs care for colored finewool sheep, laying hens and sometimes cattle on a prairie homestead south of Malta, Montana. In 2023 Linda was awarded a Field Work Project grant from the LOR Foundati…

1
Conserving Soundscapes with Sensory Ecologist Jesse Barber 38:04

11M ago38:04

38:04

How does human-related sound impact wildlife around us? From trails to roads to cities, this question propels Dr. Jesse Barber, a leader in the emerging field of sensory ecology. Jesse Barber is a professor of biological sciences at Boise State University. He was recently appointed as the chief conservation curator and chief conservation scientist …

1
Watershed-Scale Stewardship with Chrissy McFarren of Badger Creek Ranch 39:43

11M ago39:43

39:43

In this episode of the On Land Podcast, we sit down with Chrissy McFarren, the owner of Badger Creek Ranch in Cañon City, Colorado. Chrissy shares her journey from a first-generation rancher, originally from California, to becoming a dedicated land steward in the American West. We explore the challenges and triumphs of managing a 6,500-acre ranch, …

1
Western Landowners Policy Talk | #1 | Jason Fearneyhough and Lesli Allison 54:21

12M ago54:21

54:21

The first Western Landowners Policy Talk, a special monthly edition of the On Land Podcast, hosted by Louis Wertz of the Western Landowners Alliance, featured Jason Fearneyhough, chief policy officer with WLA, and WLA CEO Lesli Allison. Jason joined WLA as chief policy officer in February 2024, after stints as the deputy commissioner of agriculture…

1
Imperiled | 07 | What can pollinators teach us about the future of conservation? 38:30

1y ago38:30

38:30

Throughout this season, we’ve explored landowner- and community-led efforts to support imperiled species, from bears and birds to ferrets and fish. In the final episode of this season, we’re looking ahead to the future of imperiled pollinators on working lands. Across the country, there is a growing crisis when it comes to pollinators. What happens…

1
Imperiled | 06 | Can Pacific salmon and Idaho ranchers share the river? 32:02

1y ago32:02

32:02

How do we restore salmon spawning habitat in the Upper Salmon watershed without harming the ranching communities that rely on the river? The answer lies in locally-driven collaboration. In this episode, we explore the decades-long community effort to restore spawning grounds for Columbia Basin salmon by letting landowners take the lead. Back in the…

1
Imperiled | 05 | What do carbon and cows have to do with lesser prairie-chickens? 39:53

1y ago39:53

39:53

In the heart of America's grasslands, a battle for survival is unfolding. The lesser prairie-chicken, an iconic species of the Great Plains, is on the brink of extinction. But there's a growing network of producers and partners across the plains looking to change that. Today on the show, can ranchers and partners work together to save the lesser pr…

1
Imperiled | Bonus | Can these teens recover the razorback sucker? 18:14

1+ y ago18:14

18:14

When it comes to conservation, can a group of high school students really make a difference? Join Jared and Hallie as they dive into a story involving the Colorado River, an ancient endangered fish, and a group of high school students who are becoming the next generation of stewards. Complete show notes are available on our website.…

1
Imperiled | 04 | Chasing ghosts: Can a mysterious bird galvanize a rural renaissance? 32:41

1+ y ago32:41

32:41

Finding an imperiled species on his ranch scared the daylights out of Russell Davis. What he and his neighbors did next may have saved their town. Today on Working Wild U, join us as we return to the high plains of eastern Colorado to learn how a small ranching community transformed a migratory bird’s imperiled status from threat to opportunity. Co…

1
Imperiled | 03 | Can we bring black-footed ferrets back from the brink? 36:33

1+ y ago36:33

36:33

Today on Working Wild U, we're spotlighting, quite literally, one special species that calls the Great Plains home. A small predator that was thought to be extinct.... twice! Meet the black-footed ferret, the most endangered mammal in North America. Thanks to community-driven efforts spanning the Great Plains, from dedicated ranchers in eastern Col…

1
Imperiled | 02 | Where are the grizzlies headed? 49:36

1+ y ago49:36

49:36

Grizzly bears are expanding their range. But where are they headed? To find out, we get out on the land with ranchers Erik Kalsta and Jami Murdoch, who are working with partners to monitor wildlife – including grizzlies – on their operation in southwest Montana. Together with Erik, Jami and Blackfeet rancher Kristen Kipp, plus a band of other exper…

1
Imperiled | 01 | Can ranchers save arctic grayling? 36:20

1+ y ago36:20

36:20

When a section of the Big Hole River in southwest Montana ran dry in 1988, all eyes were on the future of one of the last remaining populations of arctic grayling in the lower 48. Out of the struggle, a collaboration emerged that change the future of the Big Hole - a future where human communities, wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on can thr…

1
Season 2 Trailer – Imperiled 3:23

1+ y ago3:23

3:23

We're excited to announce the second season of Working Wild U: Imperiled. This season we're exploring community and landowner-led wildlife conservation on working and tribal lands across the West. From grizzly bears to lesser-known species, join us as we discover the challenges and successes of how communities are working together for common-ground…

1
Sarah Wentzel-Fischer, Quivira Coalition director, on Regenerate 2023 36:49

1+ y ago36:49

36:49

Sarah Wentzel-Fischer is a farmer, a writer, a connector, an advocate. Officially, she wears several hats. She is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, an organization focused on building soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes. Sarah raises pigs and makes compost with her partner on Polk's Folly Farm in northern…

1
Martha Williams, USFWS director, reflects on the ESA at 50 21:21

2y ago21:21

21:21

Martha Williams is the director of the United State Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act (along with NOAA’s fisheries division). She grew up on a farm in Maryland and studied law at the University of Montana. From 1988 to 2011, she served as legal counsel for the Montana Department of Fish, W…

1
Bonus: The Modern West from Wyoming Public Media 28:18

2y ago28:18

28:18

In this bonus episode, we're sharing an episode from our friends at The Modern West from Wyoming Public Media. The Modern West, hosted by Melodie Edwards, is a podcast documenting the evolving identity of the American West. The Rolling Stone: The Great Individualist Part 1. The cowboy roaming horseback across the American West is nearly inextricabl…

1
Drought and resilience in the Sonoran Desert with Sarah King 31:04

2y ago31:04

31:04

Sarah King and her husband manage the King’s Anvil Ranch in the Altar Valley, near Tucson, Arizona. Sarah is also the executive director of the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance. AVCA is a watershed based collaborative conservation organization founded in 1995. They use a strongly collaborative, science-based, community driven approach to conserve…

1
The big deal on the Colorado River with reporter Luke Runyon 23:38

2y ago23:38

23:38

This week on the On Land Podcast I welcome veteran water reporter Luke Runyon. Luke covers the Colorado River Basin for public radio station KUNC. His podcast, Thirst Gap, digs into stories that show how water issues can both unite and divide communities throughout the Western U.S. Before covering water at KUNC, Luke covered the agriculture and foo…

1
Helping our water do more with Aaron Derwingson of the Nature Conservancy 31:11

2+ y ago31:11

31:11

Today on the show, Western Landowners Alliance's Programs Director Hallie Mahowald had the pleasure of talking to a good friend, Aaron Derwingson. Derwingson is the water projects director for the Nature Conservancy's Colorado River program. He and Hallie both live in Salida, Colorado. Derwingson has piloted water banking and other tools for flexib…

1
Building resilience to drought in the West with Dr. Caroline Nash 44:44

2+ y ago44:44

44:44

On today's episode, Western Landowners Alliance Programs Director Hallie Mahowald was joined by Dr. Caroline Nash, a hydrologist and geomorphologist with the consulting group CK Blueshift LLC. Dr. Nash got her PhD at Oregon State University and has done field work throughout the American West. She has extensive experience in rangeland conservation …

1
Wolves in the West | Bonus | Update on the Colorado Wolf Management Plan 12:26

2+ y ago12:26

12:26

In today’s bonus episode, we get an update on the Colorado wolf management plan from Hallie Mahowald with Western Landowners Alliance. Hallie was appointed as a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Group to ensure landowners and managers in Colorado were represented in providing input to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. As we explored in episode 13, Colo…

1
Wolves in the West | 13 | Colorado wolf reintroduction and the great divide 21:04

2+ y ago21:04

21:04

We’ve covered a lot this season: wolves, working lands, and some of the ideas and management practices that divide and unite the people of the American West. In our final episode of the season, Alex and Jared head to Colorado, where a ballot initiative, passed in 2020, requires Colorado Parks and Wildlife to reintroduce wolves to the western part o…

1
Guest Episode | Down to Earth | Jared Beaver on finding common ground 43:53

2+ y ago43:53

43:53

Today’s episode is a special guest in our podcast feed, from the Down to Earth: the Planet to Plate Podcast, presented by our friends at the Quivira Coalition and Radio Café. Working Wild U cohost Jared Beaver sat down with Down to Earth host Mary-Charlotte Domandi to discuss why we started Working Wild U, why we chose to wade into a season on wolv…

1
Wolves in the West | 12 | Co-producing technology to reduce conflict 25:07

2+ y ago25:07

25:07

Today, Alex and Jared explore how livestock producers and researchers are working together to adapt old world tools into new world technologies to help reduce conflicts. They’ll look at how innovative solutions can often be simple, and how new tools can help keep people, livestock, and wildlife safe. Find the show notes at workingwild.us…

1
Water in California with Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary of Natural Resources 26:29

2+ y ago26:29

26:29

Wade Crowfoot was appointed California Secretary for Natural Resources in 2019. As Secretary, Crowfoot oversees an agency of 19,000 employees charged with protecting and managing California’s diverse resources, including its fish and wildlife and rivers and waterways. Before becoming Secretary, Crowfoot served as CEO of the Water Foundation, a nonp…

1
Wolves in the West | 11 | Old World Tools to New World Technology 25:31

2+ y ago25:31

25:31

In this episode, Alex and Jared dive into techniques that can help ranchers reduce conflicts between wolves and livestock. They’ll explore how a new spin on an old tool increases the effectiveness of fencing, how putting riders back on the range can have a multitude of benefits, and how one valley in Montana is working together to compost carcasses…

1
Wolves in the West | Bonus | Wolf Management on the Colville Reservation 4:54

2+ y ago4:54

4:54

This is a special bonus episode of Working Wild U. In the northeast corner of Washington on the Colville Reservation, wildlife managers are working to ensure a balance across all wildlife species as wolves re-establish themselves. Today, Alex and Jared hear from Cody Desautel, the executive director and former natural resource director for the Conf…

1
Landowners’ Eye on the Capital with Zach Bodhane 26:36

2+ y ago26:36

26:36

Today we're bringing you a new feature of the On Land podcast: Landowners' Eye on the Capital. In these conversations, we'll be talking with Zach Bodhane, policy director at Western Landowners Alliance. From his vantage in Washington D.C., Zach will share the latest on the most important issues bills and regulations that WLA is working on for lando…

1
Wolves in the West | 10 | Wolf management in the Pacific Northwest 28:34

2+ y ago28:34

28:34

So far this season, we’ve been spending a lot of time in the Northern Rockies, in the states where grey wolves first returned to the West – by reintroduction or recolonization. But in 2008, dispersing wolves from Idaho denned in both eastern Oregon and Washington, where wolves hadn't been seen since the 1940s. In this episode, Alex and Jared explor…

1
Wolves in the West | 09 | Wolves dispersing in the modern West 24:15

2+ y ago24:15

24:15

When wolves disperse, they are increasingly moving through human-dominated landscapes where they often get into trouble. In today’s episode, Alex and Jared explore where wolves are, where different people think they should be, and the tricky business of managing and living with wolves in a changing world. Complete show notes are always available at…

1
Wolves in the West | 08 | The Yellowstone Wolf 28:12

2+ y ago28:12

28:12

Many people, when they think about wolves, think of Yellowstone National Park. And for good reason; it has some of the best wolf watching in the world. But tensions rose when changes to Montana’s wolf hunt along the Park border were made just before the 2021-22 hunting season. In this episode, Alex and Jared explore wolves in and around Yellowstone…

1
Wolves in the West | 07 | State Management in the Northern Rockies 22:56

2+ y ago22:56

22:56

In 2021, the Montana and Idaho legislatures each passed a suite of bills liberalizing wolf hunting. These changes ignited national debate around fair chase ethics, norms of state wildlife management decision-making, and potential relisting of wolves in the Northern Rockies under the Endangered Species Act. Honing in on Montana, hosts Alex and Jared…

1
Wolves in the West | 06 | Hunting and the North American model of wildlife conservation 27:51

2+ y ago27:51

27:51

It’s easy to see wolf management in two buckets: full protection under the Endangered Species Act or unregulated wolf hunting. But successful management of established wildlife populations is most often somewhere in the middle, with hunting used both as a tool and a conservation funding mechanism. Join Alex and Jared as they explore hunting as a ma…

1
Guest Episode | Reframing Rural | Farm Succession in Northeast Montana 53:53

2+ y ago53:53

53:53

Today we’re introducing you to one of our favorite podcasts, Reframing Rural, a show working to “reframe the narrative on rural America.” In this episode from their third season, “Groundwork,” Reframing Rural producer Megan Torgerson shares the intimate journey of her family’s farm succession, as well as others in her home community of Dagmar, Mont…

1
Wolves in the West | 05 | Wolves in town 29:26

2+ y ago29:26

29:26

Do wolves pose a threat to people? What is “normal” wolf behavior? What happens when wolves set up shop in your neighborhood? Join hosts Alex and Jared as they explore a collection of stories about wolves getting a little too close for comfort, and the difficult choices wildlife managers face when wolves come to town. Complete Show Notes at working…

1
Wolves in the West | 04 | Return of the wolf: A landscape of fear 29:26

2+ y ago29:26

29:26

In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park after decades of absence. It didn't take long for them to make their way to Julia Childs' ranch, located just north of the park. When wolves were reintroduced in the Northern Rockies, they were entering a complex social and political landscape that continues today. In this episode, Alex…

1
Wolves in the West | 03 | Whose blood, sweat and tears are in your hamburger? 30:45

2+ y ago30:45

30:45

96% of wolves in the Northern Rockies live in the working wild: public and private lands where people and wildlife share the landscape. But who pays the cost of supporting biodiversity on the landscape? To find out, we explore the economics of our food system and take a look at how one ranch family is getting creative in order to share the landscap…