What happens when the people protecting our natural resources are running on empty?

In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost tackle an uncomfortable truth: the very passion that drives us to protect parks and natural resources might be slowly destroying us. They introduce the CARE Framework—a practical approach to wellbeing that every conservation professional needs to hear.

Through research-backed insights and personal stories (including Jeremy's two-month journey off energy drinks and Chris's sleep transformation), they explore how:

• Connection combats the isolation that might be your biggest occupational hazard
• Activity differs from "work movement" and sustains long-term health
• Rest functions as performance time, not just recovery
• Eating well becomes the fuel that makes or breaks your leadership effectiveness

If you've ever worked through lunch to finish a trail project, skipped vacation during burn season, or stayed late writing grants while telling yourself it's dedication, this conversation will show you why taking care of yourself is actually strategic leadership.

Be part of the conversation!

How do you prioritize wellbeing in this demanding field? What strategies work (or don't work) for you? Send us your insights and experiences at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Chapters00:00 The Hidden Crisis in Conservation04:16 The CARE Framework Introduction05:03 Connection: Why Isolation is Dangerous16:18 Activity: Moving Beyond Work Movement25:23 Rest: Sleep as Performance Time36:23 Eat: Fueling Your Leadership48:06 Wellbeing as Strategic Leadership57:21 Putting CARE Into Practice

About Parks and Restoration

Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement at www.ParksandRestoration.com

How do you eat an elephant?
Most people say, “one bite at a time.” But what if you invited 45 of your friends and turned it into a barbecue?

That’s exactly what happened in Iowa’s Loess Hills when multiple agencies came together for a cooperative cedar-cutting workday—and it’s the perfect picture of how partnerships expand capacity and tackle projects no one organization could handle alone.

In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost dive into the power of multi-organizational partnerships. From cooperative burn weeks to large-scale habitat projects, they explore how collaboration helps parks and conservation professionals:

• Multiply their impact with limited staff and resources

• Build a culture where cooperation is the norm, not the exception

• Manage logistics, permissions, and risk across multiple agencies

• Tell a better story to the public and media about conservation work

If you’ve ever felt like the challenges in your park system are too big for your team to handle, this conversation will show you how to invite others to the table—and barbecue the elephant together.

Be part of the conversation!

We want to hear your stories (successful or not!) of cooperation/collaboration with other agencies and organizations. Send us a message or leave us a voice memo at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Chapters

00:00 Building a Culture of Cooperation

05:26 The Power of Community Engagement

10:52 Creating Effective Partnerships

16:41 Logistics of Collaboration

22:20 Expanding Influence Beyond Boundaries

27:12 Building Relationships for Effective Disaster Response

30:11 Decentralized Command: A Key to Effective Leadership

35:10 Logistics and Clarity in Large-Scale Events

39:27 Fueling the Team: Logistics of Food and Recognition

44:36 Transforming Challenges into Collaborative Opportunities

About Parks and Restoration

Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement at www.ParksandRestoration.com

What if the way you recognize your team could make or break their motivation to stay? Or screen them from burnout?

In this episode, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost share the SPF² Framework—Specific, Personalized, Fast, and Frequent recognition—and show how it can protect your team from burnout while building a culture people can’t wait to be part of.

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This is the Parks and Restoration Podcast, the show for parks and natural resource professionals that want to be the leaders that their agencies, their communities, and future generations need them to be.

Better leaders. Better parks.