エピソード

  • Chris Keyes – From Outside to RE:PUBLIC

    Chris Keyes – From Outside to RE:PUBLIC
    2025/10/06

    Chris Keyes is the Executive Director of RE:PUBLIC and the former longtime Editor in Chief of Outside magazine. During his decades-long career in journalism, Chris helped guide Outside through some of its most iconic years—publishing award-winning stories, mentoring top writers, and keeping the magazine’s adventurous spirit alive in an era of massive change across the media landscape. Earlier this year, after leaving Outside, he launched RE:PUBLIC, a new nonprofit newsroom dedicated to one of his lifelong passions: America’s public lands.

    RE:PUBLIC was created to fill a growing gap in environmental journalism. At a time when newsroom budgets are shrinking and coverage of conservation and land management issues has nearly disappeared, Chris saw an opportunity to build a publication focused entirely on public lands—how they’re managed, who uses them, and why they matter. Structured as a nonprofit, RE:PUBLIC will publish deeply reported, narrative-driven stories that reach across political lines and help readers better understand the forces shaping the landscapes we all share.

    In this episode, we talk about what inspired Chris to start RE:PUBLIC, why public lands deserve more consistent and credible coverage, and how he’s building a business model that protects editorial independence. We also discuss his years at Outside, the changing nature of journalism, the challenges of freelance writing, and why great storytelling still has the power to cut through the noise and connect people to big ideas.

    Be sure to sign up for RE:PUBLIC’s free newsletter by following the link in the episode notes. Big thanks to Chris for the fun conversation, and thank you for listening.

    ---

    • Chris Keyes
    • RE:PUBLIC
    • Sign up for the free RE:PUBLIC newsletter

    ---

    TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    • 2:00 - Intro, two comments and a question
    • 6:08 - From Outside to RE:PUBLIC
    • 10:57 - Public lands in the mainstream
    • 13:12 - Nonprofit model
    • 18:41 - Preaching to the choir
    • 24:11 - Managing conflict as a people pleaser
    • 29:17 - Journalism institutions and its role today
    • 33:20 - Where it’s all going
    • 39:41 - The editing hierarchy
    • 44:27 - How Chris discovered Outside
    • 49:46 - Adding in some personal connection
    • 51:52 - The plan at Duke
    • 57:09 - Book recs
    • 1:00:20 - Wrapping up

    ---

    ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

    • Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes
    • Mountain & Prairie Shop
    • Mountain & Prairie on Instagram
    • Upcoming Events
    • About Ed Roberson
    • Support Mountain & Prairie
    • Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 5 分
  • Brad Johnson – Building Trust and Soil Health

    Brad Johnson – Building Trust and Soil Health
    2025/09/30
    Brad Johnson is the Senior Regenerative Agriculture Advisor for The Nature Conservancy, where he helps farmers across Idaho and beyond explore new ways of working the land that build healthier soils, stronger operations, and more resilient communities. Brad’s path into this work is deeply personal—he grew up on a multi-generational farm in northern Idaho, where as a teenager he saw firsthand how no-till practices could dramatically reduce erosion on the steep, fertile hills of his family’s farm. That early “aha moment” set him on a winding path through farming, ranching, research, and even a stint in agricultural sales, before eventually joining TNC in 2019. In this conversation, Brad and I dig into the practical realities of regenerative agriculture—what it looks like on the ground, why it’s both promising and challenging to scale, and how trust and relationships are every bit as important as science and technology. He shares stories from TNC’s demonstration farms, where producers are experimenting with new biological practices that reduce reliance on fungicides and pesticides, and from high school programs where the next generation of Idaho farmers are already putting regenerative methods into practice. Brad’s perspective is grounded in lived experience and a genuine respect for the farmers he works with. Whether you’re deep in the ag world or simply curious about how food systems can adapt to a changing climate, this episode offers a clear, hopeful look at what’s possible when conservation and agriculture work hand in hand. --- Brad Johnson Regenerative Farming at TNCFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/brad-johnson/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. During the last week of every month throughout 2025, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:47 - Intro, 100 years in Idaho4:52 - Bluegrass sod and Idaho’s land6:53 - No-till drill9:43 - Buying into no-till10:54 - From no-till to regenerative11:40 - Brad’s farmer life pre-TNC14:45 - The TNC introduction18:46 - Roadblocks to switching to regenerative20:52 - Examples of regenerative farms22:54 - Spray to no-spray28:05 - Another regeneration demonstration farm31:04 - Success stories33:27 - Working with a high school36:34 - Scalability39:32 - Building trust41:09 - Looking forward and first steps43:57 - Podcast recs45:43 - Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed RobersonSupport Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    49 分
  • Paul Hendricks – The Conservation Alliance and the Future of Public Lands

    Paul Hendricks – The Conservation Alliance and the Future of Public Lands
    2025/09/23
    Paul Hendricks is the Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance, a coalition of more than 270 businesses working together to protect wild places across North America. Founded nearly four decades ago by Patagonia, REI, The North Face, and Kelty, The Conservation Alliance has grown into one of the most important forces in conservation—pooling dollars, influence, and a collective business voice to support grassroots campaigns that keep public lands and waters healthy for generations to come. At a time when those places are under constant pressure, The Conservation Alliance is showing that businesses don’t have to sit on the sidelines—they can be a powerful part of the solution. Paul’s own path to this role winds through some of the most interesting corners of the conservation and environmental worlds. After earning a few advanced degrees, he started at Global Greengrants Fund, working with grassroots activists around the globe. He then joined Patagonia’s legendary environmental team, where he learned firsthand how a company can weave values into every decision. From there he helped build sustainability programs at Rivian, tackling the climate footprint of a car company from the inside. And woven through all of that is a through-line of humility, service, and adventure. In this conversation, Paul and I talk about the roots of his love for the outdoors, the mentors and lessons that shaped his career, and what it’s like to step into the hot seat as a first-time executive director. We dig into The Conservation Alliance’s mission and why business advocacy matters, the current threats facing public lands, and how Paul stays grounded in turbulent times. We also talk about family, leadership, failure, and why hope is not just possible but necessary. It’s a candid, thoughtful conversation with someone who’s not only shaping the future of conservation, but doing it with humility, persistence, and just enough humor to keep it human. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Paul for almost 15 years–we met when he first moved to Colorado, became running and climbing partners, and have logged more hours together in the mountains and had more meaningful conversations than I can count. Watching him grow into this role has been inspiring, both for the positions he’s held and for the way he’s carried himself along the way. --- Paul HendricksThe Conservation AllianceFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/paul-hendricks/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:37 – Intro, Ed’s one running partner4:03 – How the outdoors has shaped Paul’s career6:48 – Plan post-college12:41 – Sunk-cost fallacy14:22 – Global Greengrants Fund17:05 – Learning from Rick Ridgeway20:23 – Lessons from Patagonia24:25 – Ready for a new challenge30:00 – Laid off at Rivian36:02 – Being in charge38:01 – The Conservation Alliance history43:07 – TCA within public lands threats48:58 – What’s missing from the public lands story?51:49 – Paul’s role as a leader56:14 – Role models59:04 – Getting outdoors now1:01:10 – Book recs1:03:09 – 1% for the Planet collab1:05:14 – Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed RobersonSupport Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 9 分
  • Kate Williams – Leadership Lessons from the CEO of 1% for the Planet

    Kate Williams – Leadership Lessons from the CEO of 1% for the Planet
    2025/09/16

    Kate Williams is the CEO of 1% for the Planet, the global nonprofit that has turned a simple idea into a worldwide force for good: businesses committing 1% of their annual revenue to environmental causes. If you’ve ever spotted that little 1% for the Planet logo on a favorite brand, you’ve seen Kate’s work in action– under her leadership, the organization has grown to more than 4,400 members across more than 110 countries, certifying nearly a billion dollars in giving to date.

    Kate’s path to this work is anything but conventional, though looking back, it all makes perfect sense. A NOLS course at age 18 opened up new horizons for Kate and gave her a crash course in leadership, responsibility, and the joy of working hard alongside passionate people with a shared purpose. That experience led her into experiential education, then to leading the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and eventually to 1% for the Planet. Along the way, she’s stayed grounded in service and humility, and she has a knack for seeing challenges as opportunities to grow.

    In this conversation, Kate and I dig into her personal journey and the philosophy that drives her leadership. We talk about the growth of 1% for the Planet, the credibility it brings to a crowded sustainability space, and why she believes real leadership is built in “small, consistent, humble moments.” We also get into her outdoor roots, her parents’ influence, the importance of curiosity, and her belief that no matter where you are in life, “the journey continues.” It’s a wide-ranging, generous conversation with someone who’s helping to reshape how businesses and individuals show up for the planet. Enjoy!

    ---

    • Kate Williams
    • 1% for the Planet
    • Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/kate-williams/

    ---

    TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    • 2:00 - Intro, sharing NOLS love
    • 5:11 - How NOLS shaped Kate as a leader
    • 9:49 - Rescue in the wilderness
    • 14:28 - Back to real life
    • 19:01 - Post-college plan
    • 21:06 - The black abyss
    • 23:03 - Why business school?
    • 27:04 - Northern Forest Canoe Trail
    • 32:39 - Path to 1% for the Planet
    • 37:21 - Person of action
    • 39:47 - 1%’s impact
    • 42:19 - Acceleration
    • 45:46 - Marketing impacts
    • 48:17 - Nonprofits and businesses
    • 51:22 - 1% + The Conservation Alliance
    • 54:21 - Leaders Kate admires
    • 59:01 - Book recs
    • 1:03:24 - Parting words

    ---

    ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

    • Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes
    • Mountain & Prairie Shop
    • Mountain & Prairie on Instagram
    • Upcoming Events
    • About Ed Roberson
    • Support Mountain & Prairie
    • Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 7 分
  • Nicholas Triolo – What the Circuitous Path Reveals

    Nicholas Triolo – What the Circuitous Path Reveals
    2025/09/05

    Nicholas Triolo is a writer, endurance athlete, and educator whose life and work sit at the crossroads of ecology, activism, and storytelling. For years, he’s been exploring what happens when we stop charging toward the summit and start paying attention to the circuitous paths that wind around it. His new book, "The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere," is the culmination of that exploration — a lyrical, wide-ranging meditation on movement, place, and the art of staying present.

    In the book, Nick traces a series of pilgrimages: circling a sacred mountain in Tibet, exploring a culturally significant northern California hiking tradition, and walking the rim of one of Montana’s most infamous superfund sites. Each journey reveals something deeper — about endurance and restraint, about intimacy with landscapes and with ourselves, and about the courage to face environmental and cultural shadows without turning away. The book weaves together memoir, travel writing, and ecological inquiry, and in doing so, it asks us to reconsider how we measure meaning: not by miles logged or summits bagged, but by the depth of our attention and the generosity of our presence.

    In this conversation, Nick and I dig into the ideas behind the book — the practice of circumambulation, the pitfalls of “summit fever,” and the possibility of finding beauty even in places scarred by extraction. We also talk about the creative process: how to find your authentic voice in a world full of (good and bad) influences, how to write with both intimacy and respect, and how stories can become tools for resilience and re-enchantment.

    If you’ve ever sensed that the most interesting part of a long run, a wilderness trip, or a creative endeavor is what happens beneath the surface, this is a conversation for you. Nick has a gift for showing us how going “nowhere” can sometimes bring us closer to where we most need to be.

    Check out the episode notes for links to everything. Hope you enjoy!

    ---

    • Nicholas Triolo
    • The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere

    ---

    TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    • 2:22 - Intro, when does curiosity become a book?
    • 10:14 - Summits versus processes
    • 12:31 - Western States
    • 18:34 - Structure of Nick’s book
    • 24:55 - In each round
    • 28:32 - Butte, America
    • 32:47 - Instruction manual for thinking clearly
    • 35:09 - Nick reads from Widening Circles
    • 38:01 - Putting so much personal out there
    • 45:26 - Finding Nick’s voice (and Ed’s)
    • 48:59 - Trusting curiosity
    • 53:44 - Catering to the audience
    • 56:04 - Finding the niche that needs you
    • 59:44 - The Jasmine Dialogues
    • 1:05:06 - Meeting your heroes
    • 1:11:46 - Just do you
    • 1:14:19 - Book recs
    • 1:19:47 - Last thoughts

    ---

    ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

    • Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes
    • Mountain & Prairie Shop
    • Mountain & Prairie on Instagram
    • Upcoming Events
    • About Ed Roberson
    • Support Mountain & Prairie
    • Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 24 分
  • Kelly Beevers – Connection, Collaboration, Conservation

    Kelly Beevers – Connection, Collaboration, Conservation
    2025/08/27
    Kelly Beevers is the Grazing Lands Partner Strategy Lead with The Nature Conservancy, where she helps guide collaborative efforts to support ranchers, strengthen communities, and conserve some of the most threatened ecosystems in North America. Based in Montana, Kelly has built her career at the intersection of real estate, land stewardship, and community-driven conservation—first working in commercial real estate, then private equity and consulting, before finding her home at TNC. Today, she leads TNC’s work that champions rancher-led, peer-to-peer learning and innovation by strengthening, connecting, and activating all varieties of rancher networks. In this conversation, Kelly and I talk about her unlikely journey from Texas A&M finance classrooms to Montana ranch kitchen tables, and how those experiences shaped her approach to building authentic partnerships. We dig into the power of peer-to-peer rancher networks, why local knowledge and community leadership are essential for durable conservation, and how initiatives like Women in Ranching are reshaping the future of stewardship. Along the way, Kelly shares lessons from her career pivots, stories of on-the-ground innovation, and the hope she draws from the people she works with every day. She also offers a ton of excellent book recommendations, so be sure the check out the episode notes for links to everything. Kelly brings a rare mix of technical expertise, strategic vision, and deep human connection to her work, and I’ve had the privilege of calling her a friend for many years. It’s been a joy to watch her career evolve, and I know listeners will take away both inspiration and practical insight from this conversation. Enjoy! --- Kelly Beevers Regenerative Grazing Lands at TNCFull episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/kelly-beevers/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. During the last week of every month throughout 2025, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:50 - Intro, Kelly’s early real estate history6:39 - Next steps after real estate9:23 - What drew Kelly to the West14:30 - Specializing in listening19:49 - From a company of one to a national nonprofit24:41 - Kelly’s role at TNC28:33 - Figuring out focus36:23 - “All it took”44:11 - How Kelly’s work fits into the broader TNC picture54:35 - Women in Ranching1:00:11 - Earning hope1:05:58 - Book recs1:10:42 - Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All EpisodesMountain & Prairie ShopMountain & Prairie on InstagramUpcoming EventsAbout Ed RobersonSupport Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 16 分
  • Cole Mannix & Andrew Anderson – The Hard Work of Building a Better Food System

    Cole Mannix & Andrew Anderson – The Hard Work of Building a Better Food System
    2025/08/20

    This episode was recorded live on stage at the 2025 Old Salt Festival in Helmville, Montana, where I had the honor of sitting down with two of the people at the center of this ambitious experiment in food, land, and community: Cole Mannix who is the President and co-founder of the Old Salt Co-op and Andrew Anderson who is the manager of the J Bar L Ranch.

    If you’ve been following Old Salt, you know it’s much more than a beef company. It’s a bold attempt to rethink how ranching families, local communities, restaurants, and consumers can work together to create a food system that’s resilient, regenerative, and deeply rooted in place. What strikes me most about Cole, Andrew, and the Old Salt team is just how hard they are working to make this vision a reality. They’re juggling ranching, processing, restaurants, and festivals—businesses that are notoriously difficult on their own—and somehow doing it all with an open spirit of generosity, collaboration, and humility.

    In this conversation, we dig into the early days of Old Salt, the failures and lessons that shaped it, and the risks of scaling up in an industry designed to squeeze out small producers. We talk about why they chose to take the harder road of building restaurants and hosting a one-of-a-kind festival, how they measure success beyond the spreadsheet, and why they believe community is as important a product as the beef itself.

    Even if you don’t work in food or ranching, the lessons here resonate for anyone trying to build a purpose-driven business. We cover everything from balancing mission and margins, to leading with vulnerability, to learning how to grow without losing sight of your values.

    Cole and Andrew are quick to admit they don’t have it all figured out, but their candor, persistence, and vision make this a conversation I know you’ll find as inspiring as I did. Enjoy!

    ---

    • Old Salt Co-op
    • Old Salt Festival
    • Old Salt team
    • Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/cole-andrew/

    ---

    TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    • 0:00 - Intro, spirit of generosity
    • 3:38 - Starting at the beginning of Old Salt with Cole
    • 6:51 - Getting to know Andrew with J Bar L
    • 10:18 - Ranching families coming together
    • 14:51 - Lessons learned
    • 19:29 - Getting to the festival, controversies
    • 24:37 - Measuring success
    • 29:20 - Realities of meat processing
    • 34:47 - Restaurant business
    • 38:49 - What we need to know (empower producers!)
    • 42:11 - Start of audience Q&A, snack sticks
    • 44:14 - Q: How did you forge this path?
    • 47:26 - Q: If not the festival, what would the community touch points be?
    • 49:42 - Q: Succession planning
    • 54:41 - Wrapping up and thank yous

    ---

    ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

    • Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes
    • Mountain & Prairie Shop
    • Mountain & Prairie on Instagram
    • Upcoming Events
    • About Ed Roberson
    • Support Mountain & Prairie
    • Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    57 分
  • Brady Robinson Returns – Grassroots Conservation on a Global Scale

    Brady Robinson Returns – Grassroots Conservation on a Global Scale
    2025/08/06

    Brady Robinson is a lifelong climber, conservationist, and educator who currently serves as Director of Philanthropy for the Freyja Foundation. His career has spanned outdoor education, nonprofit leadership, and global conservation philanthropy, with past roles including Executive Director of both the Access Fund and the Conservation Alliance. These days, his work focuses on supporting high-impact land and water conservation efforts across South America, with a particular emphasis on Chilean Patagonia.

    Brady and I go way back—he was my NOLS instructor in the fall of 1999, on a course that involved big mountains, a few navigational hiccups, and some life-long leadership lessons. That semester planted the seeds for much of what I’ve done professionally and personally—including starting this podcast—and Brady’s been a friend and mentor for going on 26 years. He was also one of the very first guests on this podcast in 2016, back when I had only one microphone and really didn’t know how to work it.

    When Brady and I last spoke on the podcast, he was leading the Access Fund, and a lot has happened since then. In this conversation, we catch up on his career and dig into everything he’s working on now. We start out discussing our NOLS experience, Brady’s leadership in forming the Outdoor Alliance (alongside recent podcast guest Adam Cramer), his work on passing major climbing legislation, and the lessons he’s learned about collaboration, trust, and long-game thinking. We spend the second half of the conversation digging into his current work in Patagonia’s Cochamó Valley—a spectacular and at-risk landscape in southern Chile that Brady and his colleagues are working to protect through an ambitious multi-partner campaign. It’s a story of nimble, grassroots conservation work, smart philanthropy, and what’s possible when people align around a shared purpose.

    If you’ve enjoyed my conversations with Kris Tompkins or Adam Cramer, then I know you’ll enjoy this one as well. Big thanks to Brady for his decades of support and mentorship—and another big thanks to you for listening. Enjoy!

    ---

    • Brady Robinson
    • Freyja Foundation
    • Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/brady-robinson-2/

    ---

    TOPICS DISCUSSED:

    • 2:27 - Intro and how Ed and Brady met in 1999
    • 9:06 - Access Fund
    • 14:59 - Building a top-notch board
    • 18:12 - Alignment
    • 23:42 - Leaders Brady admires
    • 30:07 - Getting to Patagonia
    • 35:33 - Working with Kris Tompkins
    • 40:57 - Main Freyja Foundation goals
    • 43:48 - The Cochamó Valley
    • 49:55 - Real estate rough
    • 56:52 - The cool kids’ table
    • 1:00:41 - All about the one-on-one
    • 1:02:52 - Book recs

    ---

    ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

    • Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes
    • Mountain & Prairie Shop
    • Mountain & Prairie on Instagram
    • Upcoming Events
    • About Ed Roberson
    • Support Mountain & Prairie
    • Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 6 分