Episodi

  • Five Foundational Conservation Books That Shaped How I See the West

    Five Foundational Conservation Books That Shaped How I See the West
    Jun 17 2026

    In this solo episode, I share five books that fundamentally shaped my understanding of conservation, public lands, water, ranching, and the American West. These are the books that helped transform me from a ranch broker with a growing curiosity about conservation into someone who eventually devoted much of his career – and this podcast – to exploring the people and ideas shaping the landscapes of the West.

    Along the way, I discuss Theodore Roosevelt, wildfire policy, regenerative grazing, Western water, and the history of conservation, while highlighting conversations from the Mountain & Prairie archive that connect to each book. Whether you're new to these topics or looking to deepen your understanding on anything from water to ranching to history, these books provide an excellent foundation. Enjoy!!

    THE BOOKS:

    • Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West by Sarah Dant
    • The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America by Timothy Egan
    • For the Love of Land: Global Case Studies of Grazing in Nature's Image by Jim Howell
    • Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West by Heather Hansman
    • The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley

    THE RELATED EPISODES:

    • Sara Dant - First and Second
    • Rob Addington
    • Good Fire, Bad Fire
    • Jim Howell - First and Second
    • Heather Hansman - First and Second
    • Douglas Brinkley

    ---

    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

    Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship.

    ---

    TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    • 00:00 – Introduction & why these books matter
    • 03:05 – Losing Eden by Sarah Dant
    • 09:25 – The Big Burn by Timothy Egan
    • 16:05 – For the Love of Land by Jim Howell
    • 23:35 – Downriver by Heather Hansman
    • 29:05 – The Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkley
    • 35:25 – Final thoughts & closing remarks

    ---

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    38 min
  • Dillon Osleger - Trails, Maps, and the Hidden Stories of Our Public Lands

    Dillon Osleger - Trails, Maps, and the Hidden Stories of Our Public Lands
    Jun 8 2026
    Dillon Osleger wears a lot of hats: geologist, professional mountain biker for Specialized, trail builder, public lands policy analyst and advocate, and now first-time author. His debut book, "Trail Work: Restoring the Paths and Stories of America's Public Lands," blends science, history, and personal reflection into a look at our relationship with the places we love. It's already earned praise from the likes of Bill McKibben, Robert Moor, and former M&P guest Rick Ridgeway. And for whatever it's worth, I loved it as well. I've read a ton of books on public lands, and this one filled in many of the gaps in my knowledge on this super-important and timely issue. Raised by two geologists who moved the family from Riverside to Austin to Northern California, Dillon grew up idolizing mountain legends like Rick Ridgeway and Jeremy Jones, and he wanted nothing more than to spend his life outside. He was, by his own account, a poor student—right up until a NOLS course at fifteen showed him he could learn through the things he was passionate about. That realization helped transform him from a 2.9-GPA high school student all the way to a scientist who holds a master's in Earth Science, with a lot of biking, skiing, surfing, and fishing along the way. We recorded this at Mountainfilm in Telluride, the morning after Dillon shared a stage with literary heroes like Kevin Fedarko. We cover his mountain upbringing, how mountain biking became his way of finding clarity, why he thinks the traditional classroom can be challenging for many curious and energetic kids, and the deep connections between public lands and the rural communities around them. We also get into the writers who shaped him—John McPhee, Wendell Berry, James Rebanks—and his belief that the world is far more purple than the red-and-blue map suggests. We also talk a lot about the process of writing his book and some of the biggest lessons learned from tackling such an ambitious project. More than anything, this is a conversation about loving a place enough to do the work for it. I loved this one. Enjoy! --- Dillon OslegerTrail Work: Restoring the Paths and Stories of America's Public LandsFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/dillon-osleger --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing Dillon Osleger and highlighting TNC Colorado6:12 - A nervous morning8:39 - How Dillon got people interested in his book11:12 - Growing up moving around14:34 - Path to college16:28 - Finding the right academia 19:16 - Mountain biking23:30 - The question Dillon was trying to answer28:12 - An overview of maps34:04 - The Thomas Fire37:12 - Public lands threats42:30 - Real names47:39 - Finding your why51:13 - Bringing in jujitsu 53:16 - How writing the book changed Dillon56:38 - The response to the book1:02:29 - Book recs1:09:13 - A purple world --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
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    1 ora e 11 min
  • Distance Champions – TNC's "On the Move" Podcast (M&P Special Episode)

    Distance Champions – TNC's "On the Move" Podcast (M&P Special Episode)
    May 29 2026

    My longtime partners and collaborators at The Nature Conservancy recently launched a great podcast series called "On the Move," hosted by TNC storyteller Leah Palmer. It's all about wild animals, their migrations, and the people working to keep those journeys wild and free. If you're a longtime Mountain & Prairie listener, then many of these people, places, and conservation issues will be familiar to you. In fact, a few of the experts you'll hear over the course of the full series are past M&P guests, including Sammy Matsaw Jr., Kelsey Molloy, and Nancy Fishbein.

    So I'm excited to share one of my favorite episodes today: Episode 4, "Distance Champions." This episode is about creatures of the sky—sandhill cranes, Greater Sage-Grouse, Wilson's phalaropes—and it digs into why these birds migrate, how new tracking tech reveals where they actually go, and what stands in their way. You'll also hear from Ted Floyd of the American Birding Association, a good friend of TNC here in Colorado.

    Big thanks to The Nature Conservancy for creating such an interesting and engaging podcast series. If you enjoy it, go subscribe to "On the Move" and listen to the whole series.

    And as always, thanks to everyone who supports the Mountain & Prairie via Patreon, and the additional podcast support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation.

    Here's Leah Palmer and "Distance Champions." Enjoy!!

    ---

    • ON THE MOVE podcast
    • Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
    • Subscribe on Spotify

    ---

    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

    Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship.

    ---

    ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

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    1 ora e 18 min
  • Holly Bamford & Marshall Johnson - A 30-Year Vision for North America's Grasslands

    Holly Bamford & Marshall Johnson - A 30-Year Vision for North America's Grasslands
    May 12 2026
    This is a live episode recorded at the 2026 Great Plains Stakeholder Workshop, hosted by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The workshop brought together many of the country's leading grasslands conservationists, scientists, funders, and policy experts to tackle a huge question: what would it look like to create a bold, practical, long-term plan for conserving North America's grasslands over the next 30 years? My guests are two people helping to lead that effort: Dr. Holly Bamford, Chief Conservation Officer at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (known as NFWF for short), and Marshall Johnson, Chief Conservation Officer for the National Audubon Society. Both have spent years working at the intersection of science, conservation, agriculture, and partnership-building, and both bring a realistic but hopeful perspective to the future of the Great Plains. In this conversation, we dig into the current state of the Great Plains and grasslands conservation more broadly– from grassland loss and declining bird populations to the creative partnerships helping ranchers, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies work together toward solutions. We discuss the importance of voluntary conservation, the complicated economics facing ranching communities, the role of programs like the Farm Bill, and why grass-based agriculture and healthy wildlife habitat are far more interconnected than many people realize. Holly and Marshall also share stories from their own lives that explain how they each became so deeply connected to these landscapes– from prairie chicken blinds in Minnesota to the wide-open grasslands of the American West. More than anything, this conversation is about long-term thinking. What does it look like to create a 30-year vision for one of the most ecologically important and underappreciated landscapes in North America? What gives these conservation leaders hope? And what keeps them up at night? There's a lot of realism in this discussion, but there's also a surprising amount of optimism, practicality, and momentum. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I think you will too. Be sure to check out the episode notes for links to the organizations, initiatives, and resources we discuss throughout the episode. Thank you again to the amazing team at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for inviting me to moderate this discussion. --- National Fish and Wildlife FoundationNational Audubon SocietyDr. Holly BamfordMarshall JohnsonFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/great-plains --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing a live convo3:25 - Looking behind instead of ahead5:40 - Why grasslands6:57 - The state of grasslands today10:22 - The meadowlark12:47 - Rancher relationships22:41 - Money is the key25:20 - Farm Bill feelings29:15 - Prairie potholes36:20 - Voluntary conservation easements39:24 - Accounting for change43:41 - Data collection48:40 - The next 30 years --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
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    54 min
  • Hillary Rosner - Why Wildlife Needs Room to Roam

    Hillary Rosner - Why Wildlife Needs Room to Roam
    May 1 2026
    Hillary Rosner is an award-winning journalist and author whose work combines science, storytelling, and the natural world. She's been writing about environmental issues for decades, with bylines in publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. Her new book, "Roam: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World," explores one of the most urgent—and often overlooked—challenges in conservation: the loss of connectivity across the landscape, and what that means for the movement and survival of wildlife. Like so many fascinating people, Hillary's path into this work wasn't a straight line. She grew up in New York City, far from the wide-open spaces she now writes about, but spent formative summers in the Adirondacks and Berkshires that quietly shaped her connection to nature. After getting her start in fast-paced daily journalism at places like the New York Post and The Village Voice, she realized she wanted something deeper—slower, more immersive storytelling. That shift eventually led her west to Boulder, where she pursued environmental studies and built a career focused on long-form environmental journalism. In this conversation, Hillary and I dig into the big ideas behind "Roam," including why movement is so essential to life on Earth and how human infrastructure—from highways to fences—has fractured the natural world. We talk about surprising barriers to wildlife, like roads that even birds won't cross, and explore solutions ranging from wildlife corridors to collaborative conservation efforts with local communities. We also get into the realities of modern journalism, the importance of "bearing witness" in difficult times, and why curiosity, empathy, and action are still the most powerful tools we have for building a more connected and hopeful future. I loved the book, and I loved this conversation. Hope you enjoy both as much as I did! --- Hillary RosnerRoam: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured WorldFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/hillary-rosner --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing Hillary Rosner and highlighting TNC Colorado6:09 - Book congrats and growing up in NYC9:03 - The heading West bug11:20 - More long-form journalism13:36 - Making money in journalism16:41 - Ted Scripps fellowship19:01 - Patagonia publishing21:20 - Roads are only good for people28:20 - Why this should matter to you35:23- SLOSS38:39 - Doing everything you can40:52 - Fence removal project43:50 - Virtual fencing44:57 - Author's note49:47 - Poignant53:16 - Out of the box thinkers58:15 - Book recs1:00:36 - Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
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    1 ora e 3 min
  • Miriam Horn - George Schaller and the Transformation of Wildlife Biology

    Miriam Horn - George Schaller and the Transformation of Wildlife Biology
    Apr 21 2026
    Miriam Horn is an award-winning journalist and author whose work lives at the intersection of conservation, food production, and the people working—often quietly and pragmatically—to hold those worlds together. Many listeners will recognize her from her excellent book "Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman," a title that's come up repeatedly on this podcast for its nuanced look at how working lands and conservation can coexist. But her new book, "Homesick for a World Unknown: The Life of George B. Schaller," zooms out to tell the story of a man whose influence touches nearly every corner of modern wildlife biology. If you're like I was before reading this book, you may not fully appreciate the importance of George Schaller and his work—but it's hard to overstate his impact. If you're working in wildlife science today—whether studying elk in Wyoming or snow leopards in Central Asia—you're building on a foundation he helped create. He helped shift wildlife biology away from specimen collection and distant population management toward long-term, immersive observation rooted in patience and deep respect for animals in their natural environments. And beyond his own research, his legacy lives on through the countless scientists he mentored around the world, many of whom went on to lead conservation efforts in their home countries. In this conversation, Miriam and I explore Schaller's remarkable life and the long arc of his influence—from his early days in Alaska to his groundbreaking work with gorillas, big cats, and high-altitude species across the globe. We talk about the tension between conservation and human needs, the role of humility and local knowledge in effective wildlife protection, and what Miriam learned after nearly a decade spent researching and writing this biography. It's a wide-ranging conversation about one man's life, but also about the bigger question of how humans can live responsibly within the natural world. "Homesick for a World Unknown" is available at your favorite bookseller now. I hope you enjoy this conversation and the book! --- Miriam HornHomesick for a World Unknown: The Life of George B. SchallerFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/miriam-horn --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing Miriam Horn and highlighting the Well Done Foundation6:17 - Feedback from George10:00 - Beginning a decade of work15:52 - Getting George to open up19:52 - A bit of George's biography24:39 - Becoming a charismatic megafauna26:53 - Putting the gun down31:03 - Humility and hard-headedness33:29 - Seeking the full picture36:57 - Husband and wife team41:00 - Not protective parents47:30 - George and Kay to the modern-day52:39 - How George changed Miriam59:11 - The writers Miriam admires1:04:54 - Words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
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    1 ora e 9 min
  • Meriwether Hardie - What You Learn Riding Across the West

    Meriwether Hardie - What You Learn Riding Across the West
    Apr 9 2026
    Meriwether Hardie has built a life around long, ambitious horseback journeys through remote landscapes, and she uses those adventures as a way to better understand land, food, and the people who depend on both. In her early twenties, she rode for a year through South America, and this past summer, she spent five months traveling solo across the American West with two horses and a dog. Along the way, she's not just covering ground, she's asking questions, listening closely, and connecting with agricultural producers and rural communities. That combination of adventure, inquiry, and agriculture is also at the core of her professional work, which has spanned everything from small-scale producers to global supply chains, including time with Rainforest Alliance, all focused on building more resilient, equitable food systems. She grew up in Vermont, splitting time between her parents' farms—one centered around horses, the other around commercial beekeeping—which gave her both independence and a deep love of working landscapes. As a teenager, she attended a NOLS course in the Wind River Range, which cemented her love for wild places and outdoor education. That foundation eventually led her west to Colorado College, where she studied environmental science and journalism. After college, she received a competitive environmental journalism fellowship that funded her first major horseback expedition through Argentina—an experience that helped define her path and solidified her belief that storytelling can be a powerful tool for understanding complex issues. In this conversation, we talk about all of that, with a special focus on her most recent ride across the West—what it actually takes to pull off a trip like that, the risks and realities of traveling solo on horseback, and the incredible generosity she encountered along the way. We also talk about what she learned from the farmers and ranchers she met, from the challenges they face to the unexpected pockets of hope she discovered. This is a conversation about big, wild adventures, but it's also about the act of showing up, moving slowly through landscape, asking good questions, and listening to people who don't usually get heard. Enjoy! --- Meriwether HardieFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/meriwether-hardie --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing Meriwether Hardie and highlighting the Freeflow Institute5:36 - Growing up between two Vermont farms8:15 - Bee stings9:42 - An old, free pony13:25 - Being a different kind of kid15:23 - Colorado College18:12 - NOLS in the family 21:58 - The badge of honor that is being a NOLS instructor25:36 - First horse trip30:04 - Asking for help32:34 - Post-Bill McKibben grant34:34 - Meriwether's journey across South America40:24 - How the journey changed her43:22 - Her current adventure47:40 - Burnout49:08 - Injury and change53:55 - Navigating vast landscapes 1:00:29 - The best of humanity1:07:04 - Celebrating generational knowledge1:08:38 - The book process1:17:26 - Expectations vs. reality1:22:05 - Book recs1:28:00 - Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
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    1 ora e 31 min
  • Jazmine Ulloa – The Untold History of El Paso

    Jazmine Ulloa – The Untold History of El Paso
    Apr 2 2026
    Jazmine Ulloa is a national reporter who covers immigration for The New York Times and is the author of the new book "El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory." It's a sweeping, deeply researched look at one of the most overlooked regions in the American West. Born and raised in El Paso, Jazmine brings both a journalist's discipline and a personal connection to the story, weaving together archival research, oral histories, and her own family background to explore how this border community has shaped the broader story of the United States. What makes Jazmine's work especially compelling is the path she took to get here. She started reporting as a teenager, crossing the border with her grandmother to interview families affected by violence… real, high-stakes journalism while she was still in high school. From there, she worked her way up through local papers across Texas, covering crime, courts, and immigration, eventually moving into national political reporting and earning her role at The New York Times. It's a career built the old-fashioned way: curiosity, extreme hard work, and a clear sense of purpose. In this conversation, Jazmine and I focus on the long, layered history of El Paso and the surrounding borderlands—how people, cultures, and economies have moved through this region for generations, shaping the Southwest in ways that often go unrecognized. More than anything, this is a conversation about people and place. By following the lives of five families across generations, Jazmine brings a human lens to a complicated history, one that is rich with resilience, identity, and connection, and that adds real depth to our understanding of the American West. This is a thoughtful conversation with a very smart, purpose-driven author that adds some much needed historical context to this current moment in American culture. I think you'll enjoy it and learn a lot. --- Jazmine UlloaEl Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and MemoryFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/jazmine-ulloa --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Central Grasslands Roadmap, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, North Bridger Bison, and the Old Salt Co-op for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing Jazmine Ulloa and highlighting Good News and book recs5:47 - How Jazmine ended up in El Paso12:34 - Pursuing journalism as a career18:19 - Going to the border for the story23:02 - Getting to the New York Times27:09 - Jazmine's speciality30:27 - Dealing with trauma32:38 - Getting into Jazmine's book36:01 - Fear of the unknown36:55 - 2019 El Paso shooting41:29 - Seeing history reflected in the present46:56 - Leaning into the complexity49:33 - Focusing on family54:20 - Knowing her hometown better?57:44 - Time management at its best1:00:24 - Book recs1:02:34 - Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
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    1 ora e 5 min