The Wild Idea

Latest Episodes:

Josh Jackson: The Forgotten Lands Project Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Josh Jackson didn’t set out to become a champion for the Bureau of Land Management. But after stumbling into BLM lands in the deserts of California, he found himself transformed, first by the landscape, and then by the history behind it.

In this episode, Josh joins Bill and Anders to talk about The Enduring Wild, his new book exploring California’s public lands, and the path that took him from “drive-by desert” skeptic to devoted pilgrim. why the desert strips us bare, how the King Range helped launch a conservation revolution inside the BLM, and the power of returning to overlooked landscapes again and again.

Learn more about Josh and the resources mentioned in today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.

Cristina Eisenberg: Humility as a Tool for Protection and Stewardship Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Cristina Eisenberg shares her perspective on the growing crisis facing our forests and why meeting this moment will take more than science alone. As the opening speaker for the Ninth American Forest Congress, Cristina reflects on how this historic gathering signals a shift in how we think about forest stewardship—and why that shift depends on blending Western science with Indigenous knowledge and local wisdom. Together with Bill and Anders, she unpacks why both extractive management and strict hands-off protection have fallen short, and how it’s time to rethink what “wilderness” really means.

Learn more, connect with Dr. Eisenberg, and find the links and resources mentioned in today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.

The Wild Line: Oil Train Rolls in Utah, Merkley Asks for Wildfire Funds, Trump Targets Park History Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Wild Line: We’re back with a full roundup of what’s happening across all three branches of government, plus a reminder that history is written not just in laws, but in landscapes. We dive into the latest BLM approvals, two new Trump-era executive orders, a small act you can take to help save our National Park signs, and a whole lot more.

Find the links and resources mentioned today on our website, thewildidea.com.

Tony Bynum: Conservation Through a Photographer's Lens Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

Conservation photographer Tony Bynum joins Bill and Anders for a wide-ranging conversation about photography, sovereignty, wild places, and what it means to tell the truth with an image. Tony's work isn’t just about capturing beauty; it’s about telling the full story of a place, pushing for protection, and reminding us what’s at stake.

Today's conversation explores what makes an image meaningful, why Tony walked away from shooting for certain publications, and how photography can either glorify or challenge our assumptions about land, nature, and use. Tony also shares insights from his time at the EPA, his work with tribal nations across the Columbia River Basin, and his deep belief that storytelling, when done honestly, can move people to care and act.

Learn more and connect with Tony by visiting our show notes page at thewildidea.com, where we've included links and resources from today's episode.

The Wild Line: Congress Wraps Up Reconciliation, Trump Eyes the Everglades, USDA Considers Nuking NEPA Jul 04, 2025

Show notes

Bill and Anders cover the end of the budget reconciliation process which saw the public land sell-off removed, but many more major setbacks for public lands survived. The Forest Service took steps to loosen rules around following the National Environmental Policy Act, and in Montana they ceded management of 200,000 acres to the state through a new Good Neighbor Authority agreement. We track a lawsuit around the lands being used for the so-called Alligator Alcatraz.

Learn more and find the resources from today's episode at our website, thewilddea.com.

Anne Robinson: 'Good News' from the Appalachian Trail Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

In this bonus of The Wild Idea, we’re literally taking you to the Appalachian Trail.

Anne Robinson joins us from Harpers Ferry, the symbolic halfway point of her 2,200-mile thru-hike, for a conversation about what happens when you step away from your desk and into the woods for months at a time. Anne recently left her job at Southern Environmental Law Center to take on the AT, and in this episode, she shares what she’s learning about land, history, community—and herself—along the way.

Learn more about Anne and find the links and resources from today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.

The Conservation Alliance: Outdoor Brands Make a Stand Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Wild Idea, we’re exploring the growing power of outdoor brands to influence public land policy. What happens when the companies that outfit our adventures decide to stand up for the places that make those adventures possible?

We’re joined by Paul Hendricks, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance, and Vince Mazzuca, Director of Marketing at Osprey, to talk about the role of the business community in conservation. Together, they offer a powerful look at how brands are using their voice and their dollars to push back on efforts to privatize or exploit public lands and waters.

Learn more and find the links and resources mentioned today at our website, thewildidea.com.

The Wild Line: Okefenokee Swamp Saved, Trump Targets the Roadless Rule, Lee's Land Sale Hits a Snag Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

Bill and Anders break down a big week for public lands. The Okefenokee Swamp is safe from mining, Arkansas banned large hog farms in the Buffalo River Watershed, and Senator Mike Lee’s latest land sell-off push has hit a snag. Major threats remain; the Trump administration moves to repeal the Roadless Rule, putting 58 million acres at risk. Plus, Senate updates, Forest Service rulemaking, and a tribute to Montana wilderness champion Pat Williams.

Learn more and find the resources from today's episode at our website, thewilddea.com.

Chris Wood: Roadless Rule Rescinded Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

Chris Wood - the godfather of the Roadless Rule and President and CEO of Trout Unlimited - joins the show to talk about how the Roadless Rule came to be, what it actually does, and why the Trump Administration’s move to undo it threatens some of the most ecologically and recreationally important backcountry we have. From fire mitigation myths to the politics of rulemaking, Wood offers a clear-eyed and hopeful reminder of what’s worth protecting, and how.

Learn more and find the resources mentioned in today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.

Martin Nie and Monte Mills: Not Just a Box to Check - Tribal Sovereignty and Co-Management Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

What does it really mean to share stewardship of public lands with tribal nations?

In this episode, legal scholar Monte Mills, a leading expert on Federal Indian Law, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous cultural protection, and public lands policy expert Martin Nie, whose work focuses on the governance of federal lands and collaborative management across tribal, state, and federal lines, unpack the complex, often misunderstood world of tribal co-management.

This episode challenges assumptions, connects legal nuance with lived experience, and makes the case that co-management isn’t a buzzword—it’s a necessary shift toward justice, sustainability, and honoring deep, place-based relationships that predate the United States itself.

Learn more about our guests, find the links and resources mentioned in today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.