Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Ed Roberson

A podcast about the people shaping the future of the American West—its land, communities, and culture. • Hosted by conservationist Ed Roberson, Mountain & Prairie features in-depth conversations with leaders, innovators, and changemakers—conservationists tackling environmental challenges, authors and historians preserving the West's stories, artists capturing the region's spirit, entrepreneurs building place-based businesses, outdoor athletes pushing human limits, and more. Through engaging, down-to-earth discussions, Ed explores their journeys, hard-earned wisdom, and lessons learned. • Each episode offers inspiration and insight—whether a story of resilience, a fresh take on conservation, or practical lessons in leadership, creativity, and problem-solving. It's a space for meaningful conversations about the land, the people, and the ideas shaping the modern West.

  1. Carli Kierstead – Wyoming Forests and the Work of Keeping Water Flowing

    قبل ٤ أيام

    Carli Kierstead – Wyoming Forests and the Work of Keeping Water Flowing

    Carli Kierstead is the Forest Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming, where she leads efforts to understand and restore some of the West's most critical—and often overlooked—ecosystems. From beetle kill and wildfire to drought, Wyoming's forests face a range of challenges that ripple far beyond the state's borders. These high-country forests are the headwaters of several major river basins, providing water to millions of people across the American West. In this conversation, Carli and I dig into the past, present, and future of Western forests—how management philosophies have evolved over the decades, what's threatening their health today, and what can be done to make them more resilient in a changing climate. We talk about her team's groundbreaking work using snowtography—a deceptively simple but powerful way to study how forest structure affects snowpack and water supply—and how those findings could help guide future restoration across the Colorado River Basin. Carli also shares her personal journey from growing up in San Diego to finding her calling in Wyoming's wide-open landscapes, her insights on collaboration and trust-building in conservation, and a few book recommendations that shaped her path. It's a hopeful, science-grounded conversation about water, forests, and how collaboration can shape a more resilient future for the West. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy! --- Carli Kierstead Wyoming forests + TNC Snowtography short film Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/carli-kierstead/ --- 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: 2:34 – Intro and Wyoming forest health 7:16 – Beetle issues 8:30 – Why forest health? 12:35 – Economic benefit of forests 16:28 – Wyoming's claim to water 17:10 – Snowtography 23:18 – Lessons from the snow 27:33 – On the ground impact 33:53 – How it scales 40:42 – Relationship building 46:08 – The tendrils of the Colorado River Basin 46:46 – Carli's environment obsession 52:01 – How to build a relationship 55:10 – Book recs 58:38 – 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

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  2. Bex Frucht — Story Wrangler! Vibe Steward! One of a Kind!

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    Bex Frucht — Story Wrangler! Vibe Steward! One of a Kind!

    Bex Frucht is a force of nature—a storyteller and community builder whose work blends performance, land, and small-town life in the American West. Based in Livingston, Montana, she's the founder of TMI Live, a storytelling series that celebrates vulnerability, humor, and human connection, and for the past three years, she's been the "vibe steward" of the Old Salt Festival, where her talent for bringing people together has become legendary. Whether she's hosting a show, coaching storytellers, or emceeing a fundraiser, Bex radiates generosity, intelligence, and positivity in a way that elevates every room she's in. Like so many of my favorite people, her career path is as winding as it is fascinating: a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill, she spent her early years in media and entertainment in New York and Los Angeles, then pivoted to environmental work before landing on a ranch in Colorado to learn about land stewardship from the ground up. Those years on the prairie, combined with her creative life in cities and her Southern roots, helped hone her rare ability to connect seemingly opposite worlds—artists and ranchers, movie stars and cowboys, locals and newcomers—through the shared power of story. In this conversation recorded at her home in Livingston, we trace her inspiring journey and talk about the lessons she's learned along the way: what it means to find your authentic voice, how storytelling can build bridges across divides, and why embracing your weirdness can be the key to a meaningful life. It's a funny, authentic conversation that's as instructive as it is entertaining. For anyone who's ever wondered how to forge their own path, live creatively, and stay grounded in community, this episode is for you.   Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of all the topics we discussed and links to everything. And give Bex a follow on Instagram to stay in the loop about her upcoming storytelling shows and appearances in Montana and beyond. A big thanks to Bex for her friendship, encouragement, inspiration, and this conversation. And thank you for listening. --- Bex on Instagram Bex on LinkedIn Bex's Seven Talk Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/bex-frucht/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:29 - Intro, where Bex grew up and how she got West 10:40 - Grade stress 14:21 - Being yourself so others can be themselves 16:11 - How Bex changed after college 24:11 - Lawyer land ethic to MTV 27:27 - NYC love 28:32 - LA freelancing and leaving MTV 32:49 - Live storytelling 37:24 - Oversharing is caring 42:54 - Starting with the person and Bex's views on food systems 47:31 - It's all messy 54:19 - Lessons from the ranch 1:00:44 - Vibe steward 1:03:52 - Bex's job in Livingston 1:10:11 - Creatives and cowboys 1:19:30 - Relationship currency 1:24:39 - Valuing creatives 1:27:57 - 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

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  3. Yvon Chouinard – The Perpetual Pursuit of Simplicity

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    Yvon Chouinard – The Perpetual Pursuit of Simplicity

    Yvon Chouinard needs no introduction. The founder of Patagonia, pioneer of clean climbing, co-founder of 1% for the Planet, and lifelong advocate for simplicity and wildness, he's one of the world's most influential environmental leaders. Now in his mid-80s, Yvon continues to live, work, and fish by the same principles that have guided him since his dirtbag climbing days: live simply, take responsibility for your impact, and keep finding meaning through deep, direct engagement with nature. His newest book, "Pheasant Tail Simplicity: Recipes and Techniques for Successful Fly Fishing," distills those philosophies into one of his lifelong passions—fly fishing. Co-authored with his longtime fishing buddies Craig Mathews and Mauro Mazzo, Pheasant Tail Simplicity begins as a guide to tying and fishing with only pheasant-tail flies, and becomes a case study in creativity, restraint, and how simplifying our pursuits can reconnect us to what really matters. You don't have to be a hardcore angler to glean important lessons from the book—its insights can be applied to almost any part of life. In this conversation, Yvon and I start out talking about fly fishing, of course—but we quickly veer into broader terrain: how constraints can become a path to freedom, how business can be a demonstration of ethics, and how pessimism can serve as a productive form of realism. He shares a ton of amazing stories—learning to fish with a tenkara master in Italy, teaching Crow Reservation children to fly fish, founding 1% for the Planet, why rebellious personalities make the best entrepreneurs, his love of regenerative agriculture, and why he still believes that action—no matter how small—is the cure for depression. It's a wide-ranging, funny, and wise discussion with someone who's spent a lifetime proving that the process is far more important than the outcome. During our conversation, you'll hear us reference several of Patagonia's pioneers—Kris Tompkins, Rick Ridgeway, and Vincent Stanley—all of whom I've interviewed here on Mountain & Prairie. If you'd like to listen to those episodes or check out their books, there are links in the episode notes. A huge thank-you to Patagonia, Patagonia Books, Patagonia Fly Fishing, and of course Yvon for the opportunity to have this conversation. Like many of you listeners, I've been deeply influenced by Yvon's work and worldview, so it was a dream come true to sit down with him for a long, relaxed conversation. Be sure to check out "Pheasant Tail Simplicity" and the many other excellent titles from Patagonia Books. Thanks so much for listening—I hope you enjoy. --- "Pheasant Tail Simplicity" "Simple Fly Fishing" Patagonia Books Patagonia Fly Fishing M&P Interview with Kris Tompkins M&P Interview with Rick Ridgeway M&P interview with Vincent Stanley Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/yvon-chouinard/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:50 - Intro, the blind fisherman in Labrador 5:37 - Why another book about flyfishing? 8:26 - The story of a Japanese tenkara rod 13:00 - It's the action that counts 16:03 - Democratic fly fishing 17:37 - Fishing emergers 19:45 - No shortcuts 25:12 - Simplifying sports 26:30 - Seeking constraints 29:06 - Juvenile delinquent energy 31:46 - A bug's life 36:05 - Origins of 1% for the Planet 40:16 - Yvon's regenerative ag interest 44:15 - Fighting climate change with market forces 46:36 - A happy pessimist 48:34 - Fly fishing forever 53:47 - Action as the anecdote to depression --- 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

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  4. Chris Keyes – From Outside to RE:PUBLIC

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    Chris Keyes – From Outside to RE:PUBLIC

    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 Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/chris-keyes/ --- 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

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  5. Brad Johnson – Building Trust and Soil Health

    ٣٠ سبتمبر

    Brad Johnson – Building Trust and Soil Health

    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 TNC Full 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 Idaho 4:52 - Bluegrass sod and Idaho's land 6:53 - No-till drill 9:43 - Buying into no-till 10:54 - From no-till to regenerative 11:40 - Brad's farmer life pre-TNC 14:45 - The TNC introduction 18:46 - Roadblocks to switching to regenerative 20:52 - Examples of regenerative farms 22:54 - Spray to no-spray 28:05 - Another regeneration demonstration farm 31:04 - Success stories 33:27 - Working with a high school 36:34 - Scalability 39:32 - Building trust 41:09 - Looking forward and first steps 43:57 - Podcast recs 45:43 - 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

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  6. Paul Hendricks – The Conservation Alliance and the Future of Public Lands

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    Paul Hendricks – The Conservation Alliance and the Future of Public Lands

    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 Hendricks The Conservation Alliance Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/paul-hendricks/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:37 – Intro, Ed's one running partner 4:03 – How the outdoors has shaped Paul's career 6:48 – Plan post-college 12:41 – Sunk-cost fallacy 14:22 – Global Greengrants Fund 17:05 – Learning from Rick Ridgeway 20:23 – Lessons from Patagonia 24:25 – Ready for a new challenge 30:00 – Laid off at Rivian 36:02 – Being in charge 38:01 – The Conservation Alliance history 43:07 – TCA within public lands threats 48:58 – What's missing from the public lands story? 51:49 – Paul's role as a leader 56:14 – Role models 59:04 – Getting outdoors now 1:01:10 – Book recs 1:03:09 – 1% for the Planet collab 1:05:14 – 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

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  7. Kate Williams – Leadership Lessons from the CEO of 1% for the Planet

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    Kate Williams – Leadership Lessons from the CEO of 1% for the Planet

    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

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  8. Nicholas Triolo – What the Circuitous Path Reveals

    ٥ سبتمبر

    Nicholas Triolo – What the Circuitous Path Reveals

    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 Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/nicholas-triolo/ --- 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

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A podcast about the people shaping the future of the American West—its land, communities, and culture. • Hosted by conservationist Ed Roberson, Mountain & Prairie features in-depth conversations with leaders, innovators, and changemakers—conservationists tackling environmental challenges, authors and historians preserving the West's stories, artists capturing the region's spirit, entrepreneurs building place-based businesses, outdoor athletes pushing human limits, and more. Through engaging, down-to-earth discussions, Ed explores their journeys, hard-earned wisdom, and lessons learned. • Each episode offers inspiration and insight—whether a story of resilience, a fresh take on conservation, or practical lessons in leadership, creativity, and problem-solving. It's a space for meaningful conversations about the land, the people, and the ideas shaping the modern West.

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