Shared Stewardship for Recreation

In the final episode of season 3, Kristin Dahl from Crosscurrent Collective draws on her experience as a guide, facilitator and collaborative process expert to discuss what it takes to create lasting impact with shared stewardship efforts. She reiterates many themes we heard throughout season 3: shared vision, relationships, trust-building, and celebrating success. Kristin and Rachel also talk about the importance of having a third-party facilitator, how to fund shared stewardship, and the role of process in sustaining momentum.  Kristen Dahl discusses the importance of shared stewardship in land and recreation management, emphasizing collaborative leadership, funding strategies, and long-term investment for sustainable community and environmental health. Resources: Crosscurrent Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Network Columbia Gorge Stewardship Alliance  About Kristin Kristin Dahl is the founder and CEO of Crosscurrent Collective, a destination planning firm based in Hood River, Oregon. She and her team help outdoor recreation communities across the West design strategies, engage residents, and bring big, messy visions of the future to life. Kristin also teaches with George Washington University's International Institute of Tourism Studies, sharing her expertise in sustainable destination management with practitioners around the world. When she's not working, Kristin can usually be found rafting whitewater, tele skiing, or mountain biking with her family. She holds a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University.

In this episode, Jeff Parker from Northwest Youth Corps discusses the evolution of conservation work, the role of youth programs in land management, and the future of shared stewardship amidst wildfire challenges. Jeff and Rachel talk about the importance of fostering youth conservation corps and how participants shape public lands stewardship whether they go into recreation and conservation careers or not.   Resources Northwest Youth Corps About Jeff Jeff Parker is the President and CEO of Northwest Youth Corps, based in Eugene, Oregon.  Jeff holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington and a Master of Environmental Science from the Evergreen State College.  He is a Co-Chair of the Public Lands Service Coalition, Chair of the Hood Willamette Resource Advisory Committee, and serves on the Oregon Youth Development Commission.  He began his career in conservation service work in 1994. Started in 1984, NYC works throughout a 4 state area, serving over 1,000 diverse youth and young adults each year in paid conservation service programs that combine education, community, leadership, empowerment, and challenge.   NYC operates residential backcountry crews, community based corps programs, para professional internships, and a fully accredited charter high school.  Each year, NYC crews and interns complete over 190,000 hours of conservation projects for public land management agencies, including trail construction and maintenance, invasive plant eradication, fuels reduction, wildfire protection, and stream restoration, while delivering 70,000 hours of education.

In this episode, Eddie Espinosa and Mic McLane from Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance discuss the evolution of their organization from advocacy to shared stewardship, emphasizing collaboration with land managers, community engagement, and adaptive management in outdoor recreation. They also discuss how their love for trails and helping people enjoy the outdoors has shaped EMBA's approach to partnerships for the greater good.  Resources Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance   About Eddie Growing up in Puyallup, and graduating from Pacific Lutheran University, Eddie has spent many years exploring the trails and mountains of the Pacific Northwest and logged over 30 years of non-profit leadership experience. Through his work at the YMCA and the American Alpine Club, Eddie has a strong background in policy and advocacy, risk management, working with volunteers, program design, and education. You have an equal chance of finding him on long, solo, backcountry rides as well as lift served parks with his riding partners.   About Mic Michael "Mic" McLane is an Eastern Washington native with more than twenty years of trail advocacy and stewardship experience across the Pacific Northwest. He joined Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance in 2012 as a volunteer, later becoming a Skills Coach and eventually moving into trail design, construction, and project management.  

In this episode, Sama Winder from the University of Washington's Outdoor Recreation and Data Lab discusses innovative methods for estimating visitor use, the importance of collaborative data collection, and how land managers can effectively use data to inform recreation planning and management. Sama and Rachel also discuss how data is not perfect and using data to have conversations about recreation management decisions.  Resources Outdoor Recreation & Data Lab   About SamaSama is a Senior Research Scientist with experience and expertise in using quantitative methods to address a wide range of questions about people in nature. Her interests include understanding the ways that management actions and climate change impact recreation opportunities and experiences, with a particular interest in the effects of wildfire and smoke. Her work includes developing and evaluating novel methods that leverage mobility data and other large geospatial datasets for understanding visitor use. Sama enjoys co-developing projects with practitioners and thinking about how science and better data can improve decision making. She has worked on local, national, and international projects with partners from academia, NGOs, and government agencies. She has experience in recreation, visitor use, ecology, and statistics.

In this episode, Zach and Molly share their extensive experience in public lands management, focusing on shared stewardship, recreation planning, and collaboration across agencies to protect and enhance public lands for future generations. They provide real-world examples of recreation shared stewardship in action and talk to Rachel about the shifts they've seen in how the Forest Service approaches recreation planning and management.  Resources: SE Group   About Zach"How can we leave our public lands—and the places we love to recreate—a little better than we found them?" This question has guided Zach Poff's 20+ year career in public lands management, including 22 years with the U.S. Forest Service and leadership roles in recreation, trails, forestry, and land management. Now with SE Group, Zach brings expertise in program strategy, partnerships, planning, and innovative approaches to recreation and public lands stewardship.  About Molly Molly Ryan works at SE Group where she helps public land managers and communities think about everything from trails, campgrounds, and visitor experiences to long-range planning, stewardship, and implementation. Prior to SE Group, Molly worked as a recreation planner with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service. She loves work that helps strengthen the connection between people, communities, and their public lands. She loves spending time reading, knitting, and playing on mountains, in canyons, and down rivers.   

In this episode, Cailin O'Brien-Feeney shares insights from her two decades of experience in outdoor recreation, policy, and funding. Rachel and Cailin explore how the outdoor industry has evolved, the role of collective impact, and innovative financing solutions for public lands and recreation projects. Cailin defines what conservation finance is for recreation and how it supports shared stewardship goals. He also shares tangible examples of conservation finance in action.  Resources Quantified Ventures   About Cailin Cailin brings two decades of experience working either in or for the outdoors to Quantified Ventures. He joined Quantified Ventures in 2023 because he believes in the power of time outside to strengthen local communities and economies, as well as help people lead healthier, happier lives. Cailin most recently served as the first Director of Oregon's Office of Outdoor Recreation. In this role he advanced initiatives to grow the state's outdoor recreation economy and increase access to nature for traditionally underrepresented communities. He was also involved in providing technical assistance to communities impacted by wildfire, deploying responsible recreation messaging campaigns, and advising several funding and workforce development boards. Prior to his time in public service, Cailin led state and local policy initiatives for the Outdoor Industry Association. Earlier in his career he focused on environmental education and guiding. Cailin also serves as President of Alzar School, a semester school that utilizes the outdoors and cultural exchange as a classroom to develop leadership skills. He and his partner reside in Bend, Oregon.

In this episode, Jaime Loucky from Washington Trails Association discusses shared stewardship, wildfire recovery, and the evolving role of nonprofits in outdoor recreation and land management. Rachel and Jaime talk about how collaboration, trust, and adaptability are shaping the future of public lands stewardship. They also explore the importance of having a shared vision and goals that agencies, partners, and communities work together on.  Resources Washington Trails Association   About Jaime Growing up in Bellingham, with the North Cascades practically in his backyard, Jaime developed a lifelong passion for hiking, backpacking and spending time in the beautiful outdoors. Jaime arrived at WTA in early 2020 and served as WTA's first Chief Impact Officer, overseeing strategic planning and program operations. He was selected by the board to be the CEO in 2022 and remains committed to helping advance WTA's vision of Trails for Everyone, Forever and connecting hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors with opportunities to get outside and give back to trails. In his free time Jaime enjoys gardening, getting out on trail work parties a few times a year, the occasional multi-day backpacking trip, and of course taking his daughters Sasha and Avy out on trail any chance he gets.  

In this episode of Planning the Wild, Rachel Franchina and Leander Lacy discuss the critical role of trust and relationships in recreation planning and conservation. They explore the importance of inclusivity in conservation efforts, the need for equitable access to outdoor spaces, and the significance of building trust with communities. Leander shares his unique journey into conservation, emphasizing the human dimensions of natural resources and the necessity of engaging diverse voices in the planning process. The conversation highlights practical examples of trust-building in action and the hopeful outlook for the future of conservation efforts. Resources https://lacyconsultingservices.com/ Building and Sustaining Trust Workshop - May 11, 2026 in Duluth, MN About Leander Leander Lacy is a world-renowned conservationist, public speaker, The Green Mind Podcast host, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Scientist, Wildlife Biologist, Conservation Coach, and has been in the conservation field for over 18 years. As an independent contractor he has worked with organizations and agencies around the world to ensure conservation efforts are sustainable and that the benefits are realized equitably to all communities with a specialist emphasis on communities historically excluded from conservation planning and implementation. His work includes impact assessments, community assessments, equity research, capacity building for community engagement, facilitation, and keynote speaker.  

In this episode of Planning the Wild, Rachel is joined by Maureen Finnerty, chair of the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council. Maureen shares about the origins of the Visitor Use Management (VUM) framework, a tool built from lessons learned across federal agencies like the NPS, Forest Service, BLM, and others. The conversation covers how the flexible framework is helping to make planning more proactive, adaptable, and ultimately more resilient in the face of growing visitation and natural challenges. Resources: IVUMC Training Resources SORP VUM Resources   About Maureen Maureen Finnerty is a recreation and visitor experience planner for the National Park Service. She has worked for the National park service for over 20 years in a variety of capacities, but always focused on visitors and the visitor experience in some way. She currently serves as the chair of the interagency visitor use management council. She is based in Colorado and spends all of her free time skiing, running, and fishing on public lands with her family and two dogs.  

In this episode of Planning the Wild, host Rachel Franchina welcomes Mary Ellen, a seasoned recreation planner with extensive experience in land management. They discuss Mary Ellen's journey into recreation planning, the importance of collaboration, and the critical elements of effective recreation planning. The conversation delves into mid-level recreation planning, its distinction from NEPA, and the significance of engaging diverse perspectives in planning processes. Mary Ellen shares her insights on the evolving landscape of public land management and expresses hope for the future as more people become involved in protecting and enjoying public lands. Resources Find Mary Ellen's books here   About Mary Ellen Mary Ellen spent 35 years in remote and wild places, working for all four land management agencies. As a recreation planner, she led teams in developing vision and solutions for places as varied as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, trail systems, and highly visited frontcountry. She worked in all levels of land management, from her start as a seasonal worker to details in the Washington Office. She retired from full-time work in 2024 to write novels and spend more time in the woods.