Lead with Nature

This episode of the Lead with Nature Podcast is unique. Long-time colleagues in the field of wildlife tracking and conservation, Dan and Dr. Elbroch cover a range of topics relevant to Mark's newest book: The Cougar Conundrum: Sharing the World with A Successful Predator. They dive deep into the rich history of wildlife conservation and management in the United States - beginning with Teddy Roosevelt - and discuss the disproportionate influence that a small percentage of Americans have on the fate of wildlife today. Central to this dialogue is the role of hunting and hunters (as well as the co-opting of hunting culture by special interest groups). Mark and Dan share personal experiences in research, politics, hunting and the complexity of managing landscapes and species. SHOW NOTES Dr Elbroch's Bio Mark Elbroch serves as the Director for Panthera's Puma Program, for which he designs conservation research for mountain lions in North and South America. In 2005, Mark was awarded a Senior Tracker Certificate by CyberTracker Conservation in Kruger National Park, South Africa, after successfully following lions across varied terrain. He was the 17th person to receive one and the first non-African. He is the Initial Evaluator for CyberTracker Tracker Evaluations in North America (http://trackercertification.com/), where they have been used to test observer reliability in wildlife research and as an educational tool by nonprofit organizations. Mark received an honorary Master Tracker Certificate in 2015 for significant contributions to the conservation of tracking knowledge and the trackers themselves. He has authored/coauthored 10 books on natural history, including two award-winning books on wildlife tracking, Animal Skulls: A Guide to North American Species, and the Peterson Reference Guide to the Behavior of North American Mammals. The second edition of Mammal Tracks and Sign, which he promises will be a much better resource than its predecessor, will be published in July of this year. More can be found at https://markelbroch.com/. Mark earned his doctoral degree at the University of California - Davis, where his dissertation research focused on mountain lion ecology in Chilean Patagonia. He has contributed to mountain lion research and conservation in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, California, Mexico, Chile, and now in Washington. His research is contributing radical changes to what we thought we knew about mountain lions, especially with regards to their social lives and their keystone roles in ecosystems. His work has been covered by the BBC, NatGeo Wild, New York Times, National Public Radio, the Washington Post, among others. He received a 2011 Robert and Patricia Switzer Fellowship for his past and potential environmental leadership, and was the recipient of the prestigious Craighead Conservation Award in 2017, an award honoring individuals whose work has achieved "lasting conservation outcomes.   How To Follow or to Learn More About Dr. Mark Elbroch Mark is Lead Scientist for the Puma Program at Panthera: www.panthera.org/initiative/puma-program You can learn all about him on his website: www.MarkElbroch.com  To learn more about the book: https://islandpress.org/books/cougar-conundrum Read his writings for National Geographic here: https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/tag/mark-elbroch/

Mentor. Storyteller. Natural Learning Specialist. Fly-Fishing Junkie. Student of Native Traditions & the Hero's Journey. Proud Dyslexic. Rites-of-Passage Facilitator. Artist. Community-Builder. Coffee Lover. Michael Trotta founded Sagefire Institute in 2005, where he teaches people to build culture that puts individuals into relationship with their genius or "Original Medicine." In 2018, he founded Sagefire Mentoring, where he walks people through a nature-oriented framework in order to help them build businesses that feel authentic and achievable. From Michael: "Tired of feeling alone while growing your business? Sign up to receive weekly video tips to help grow your business.  Find support, encouragement, and community. Connect with other creative and service-minded entrepreneurs while learning new ways to share your gifts with the world." Opt in to Michael's work here: http://eepurl.com/gQb3Ar ----------- Episode Mentions/References: SagefireMentoring - Michael's website. Bardolands - Michael's Artistic Endeavors  

Human. Forager. Hunter. Homesteader. Herbalist. Teacher. Student of Nature. BIO: From a young age, Jenna Rozelle was taught that "Plants are medicine. Plants are food. They're everywhere and available." Jenna leads a life deeply in love with the natural world...with all the feelings.... Her annual calendar is that of roots, shoots, pickling, preserving, sighting in and check-station conversations.  She waded slowly into hunting and fishing in her twenties, after foraging had become integral for her .Jenna is motivated by food and the desire to take direct responsibility for feeding herself in a way that is mutually beneficial with her landscape. Hunting and fishing go hand in hand with foraging and land stewardship for her. It's a lifestyle she's deeply satisfied by, and eager to share and promote for those who are interested.  Jenna offers education for people who want to learn how to safely, ethically, and practically incorporate wild foods into their lives. Beyond food, she's interested in fostering relationships between people and their local landscapes - aiming to erase that imaginary line between human and environment. Jenna is a Board Member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Jenna is a Hunt to Eat Ambassador ----------- Episode Mentions/References: A Beginner's Guide to Foraging Spring Greens - by Jenna Foraging Books by Sam Thayer Instagram: @jennarozelle www.jennarozelle.com   

Show Notes: Episode #3 What a pleasure to spend an hour with Casey McFarland. I think you'll find this episode very engaging and fascinating.   Casey's Bio: Casey McFarland trains biologists, research teams, eco-tourism guides, and the general public to read and interpret tracks and signs of wildlife. A Senior Tracker & Senior International Evaluator for Cybertracker Conservation he works around the globe to develop and support wildlife tracking skill and ecological knowledge. He currently serves as President of Cybertracker North America and was integral to the establishment of Cybertracker Europe. Casey is a co-author of the soon-to-be-published Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests (Houghton Mifflin, release summer 2021), a co-author of the 2nd edition of Dr. Mark Elbroch's Mammal Tracks and Sign: A Guide to North American Species (Stackpole 2019), and co-author of Bird Feathers: A Guide to North American Species (Stackpole 2010).   LINKS: Casey McFarland's website: https://www.caseymcfarland.net/ Cybertracker North America: http://trackercertification.com/ Cybertracker Europe (Facebook Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1772139582804147/ Casey's Publications: https://www.caseymcfarland.net/publications Coyote and Badger video Pathways for Wildlife (website)

Hey folks...Dan Here. Episode #2 is all me. I acknowledge the current Covid-19 pandemic we're enduring. I tell a longish story called "Refuge in a Thunderstorm." It's full of lessons and insights into the leading a nature-connected life. I hope you find it helpful.

Here we go! Episode #1 of the Lead with Nature Podcast begins with two guys named Dan who both are crazy about learning about life from birds. They're not just "bird geeks" or "bird whisperers," but instead, they allow birds to help inform their lives each and every day.  Curious about what that means?  Give it a listen... Today's Guest is Dan Fontaine, Executive Director of the Wilderness Youth Project in Santa Barbara, California. Topics/Random Lines from Ep #1 Include: The 10% Guarantee How Birds Ground us During Unstable Times Enduring, Reliable Seasonal Rhythms in Nature Tips for Bringing Birds & Mindfulness into Your Life How to Find Cool Predators by Listening to Birds Produced by Dan Gardoqui / Music by Jay Gardoqui Copyright, March 2020 - Dan Gardoqui / Lead with Nature, LLC.