Feral Forest Fairy: Fire, Rivers & Falling in Love with Sofie Maciel

Episode 30 | Go Wildly Podcast

About This Episode

She grew up feral in the forest — and never really stopped.

In this episode of Go Wildly, we sit down with Sofie Maciel — wildfire educator, whitewater guide, prescribed burn practitioner, trail alliance board member, and self-described forest fairy — for a joyful, wide-ranging conversation about fire, rivers, biodiversity, and what it means to fall completely in love with a landscape.

Sofie grew up in Truckee, California, skiing, hiking, and living mostly outside. After studying at CSU Monterey Bay and completing her graduate degree at Southern Oregon University — where she dove deep into the biodiversity of the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains — she landed in Grants Pass and never left. Today she channels that love into education, stewardship, and getting people outside through hands-on, adventure-based experiences.This episode has it all: glitter and whimsy, flash floods and river flips, animal sightings, a love story, and a genuinely moving conversation about fire's role in a healthy landscape — and how we can be better partners to the land we live on.

In This Episode

- Growing up as a feral forest fairy in Truckee- The importance of fire on the landscape and reciprocity with the land- How to get involved in prescribed burning- Kids learning through osmosis — teaching fire management and outdoor opportunity- How Sofie became a river guide- Her favorite Southern Oregon rivers for recreation- Flash floods, river flips, and adventuring despite fear- "Nature is metal"- Choosing Southern Oregon — how and why- Learning by teaching — outside- Her love story- A lot of animal sightings💰 Go Wildly Listener Offer — ROW AdventuresUse code GOWILDLY for $100 off any multi-day river trip in 2026 or 2027.New reservations only. Not combinable with other offers. Subject to availability. No cash value.www.rowadventures.com/multi-day-rafting-tripsFollow Go WildlyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gowildlypodcastSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/spotifygowildlypodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gowildlypodcastWebsite: https://www.gowildlypodcast.comAbout Sofie MacielSofie Maciel is the Wildfire Education Coordinator for the Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative, a whitewater guide with ROW Adventures, Board Secretary for the Southern Oregon Trail Alliance, and a volunteer prescribed burn practitioner with the Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association. Her passion is sharing nature with others through hands-on, adventure-based experiences that get people outside and connected to the land and community around them.Instagram: @sofmaceOrganizations & LinksSouthern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative: https://www.sofrc.orgROW Adventures: https://www.rowadventures.comSouthern Oregon Trail Alliance: https://www.sotrailalliance.orgRogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association: https://www.rvpba.orgProduction CreditsHosted, Edited & Produced by Go Wildly PodcastTheme Music: "Rainmaker" by Jared Masters — used with permissionSupport the ShowIf this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs it. You can also:- Subscribe on YouTube- Follow on Spotify- Leave a review wherever you listenYour support helps us keep bringing more outdoor stories to the mic. Thank you.KeywordsGo Wildly Podcast, Southern Oregon podcast, outdoor podcast, Sofie Maciel, wildfire education, prescribed burning Oregon, Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative, Klamath-Siskiyou mountains, whitewater guide, ROW Adventures, Southern Oregon Trail Alliance, Rogue Valley, Grants Pass Oregon, Truckee California, biodiversity, fire ecology, river guiding Oregon, flash flood, outdoor education, feral kids outdoors, nature is metal, adventure despite fear, place-based podcast, community outdoors, forest stewardship, Emily Berlant, Heather White