Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Ed Roberson
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Mountain & Prairie with 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. George Hodgin Returns – Risk-Taking, Leadership, and the Future of Cannabis

    HACE 2 DÍAS

    George Hodgin Returns – Risk-Taking, Leadership, and the Future of Cannabis

    George Hodgin is a former Navy SEAL turned entrepreneur who is revolutionizing the world of medical cannabis research. George is the founder and CEO of BRC - Biopharmaceutical Research Company, one of the only federally legal cannabis research organizations in the United States. His company is leading the charge in developing safe, regulated, and scientifically-backed cannabis-based therapeutics—offering alternatives to opioids and other pharmaceutical treatments. This is George’s second time on the podcast—our first conversation was almost exactly five years ago, back when his company was in its early stages, the pandemic was just beginning, and he was navigating the uncharted waters of federal cannabis regulations. Since we last spoke, BRC has made huge strides—partnering with leading medical institutions, earning FDA orphan drug designation, and paving the way for legal, cannabis-based medications. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend going back and listening to that first episode, where George shares the full story of his fascinating career trajectory—his time as a Navy SEAL, his MBA at Stanford, and his undergraduate experience as a Morehead-Cain Scholar at the University of North Carolina. That conversation is a great companion to this one and provides even more insight into his unique journey. In this episode, George and I dive into the evolution of BRC, the shifting cultural and political landscape around cannabis, and what it’s like balancing an entrepreneurial mindset with the slow, methodical world of federal drug approval. We also talk leadership, risk assessment in business and combat, humility vs arrogance, and what it's been like to watch his wife, bestselling author and culinary powerhouse Caroline Chambers, build an incredible career of her own. Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we discussed, plus links to resources, books, and more. George is one of the most insightful, driven, and humble people I know, and I always learn a ton from our conversations. Whether you're interested in business, science, leadership, or just a great story of perseverance and innovation, this episode has something for you. Hope you enjoy! --- George Hodgin Biopharmaceutical Research Company George’s first M&P episode Caroline Chambers Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/george-hodgin-2/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:36 – Reconnecting with George 3:51 – George’s BRC elevator pitch 6:51 – City of Hope collaboration 10:36 – Choosing partnerships and plans 13:36 – What makes a successful idea 16:06 – Company mechanics 18:21 – Energy balance 22:06 – Cannabis in the name 23:51 – Cannabis sentiments culturally shifting 26:36 – But not legally 28:06 – Regulations and competition 32:21 – Different schedules of drugs 36:36 – Betting on the idea versus the team 41:21 – Risk framework 46:51 – When do you stop planning? 51:06 – Favorite failure 55:36 – Not seeing the forest for the trees 59:06 – Does cockiness play a role? 1:02:06 – George’s wife’s cooking journey 1:07:06 – General Mattis’ influence 1:08:51 – Book recs 1:11:06 – Parting words, asking Ed a question --- 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

    1 h y 17 min
  2. Ivan McClellan Returns - From Behind the Lens to Center of the Arena

    13 FEB

    Ivan McClellan Returns - From Behind the Lens to Center of the Arena

    Ivan McClellan is a photographer, writer, and storyteller who’s shining a light on Black cowboy culture in a way that’s never been done before. When we first talked back in 2020, Ivan was in the early stages of immersing himself in this world—capturing rodeos, meeting cowboys, and telling stories that had largely been overlooked. Now, nearly five years later, he’s once again forging his own path by creating Eight Seconds Rodeo, an electrifying, high-stakes event that’s bringing some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the country together to compete for serious prize money, all while celebrating a rich and important legacy. In this episode, Ivan shares the inspiring story of how Eight Seconds Rodeo came to life—from a passion project sparked by tragedy to a must-see event that’s redefining the rodeo world. We dig into the challenges of launching something this big from scratch, the power of storytelling to shift culture, and what it means to build something bigger than yourself. Ivan also talks about his new photography book, his creative process, and how he stays grounded while juggling everything he’s got going on. If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to go back to our first podcast conversation, where we discuss Ivan’s early life and upbringing, as well as his journey into professional photography and the world of Black rodeo. It’s super inspiring to see how his career has grown and evolved over the last few years– and also to see how he’s continued to be such a humble, hard-working family man.  Whether you’re a longtime rodeo fan or just love hearing stories about people chasing big, meaningful dreams, this conversation is for you. As always, you can find links to Ivan’s work, Eight Seconds Rodeo, his book, and our first conversation in the episode notes. And if you’re near Portland or Philadelphia in 2025, do yourself a favor and check out one of his rodeos. You won’t regret it. Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with Ivan McClellan! --- Eight Seconds Eight Seconds Rodeo Ivan on Instagram Ivan’s first appearance on M&P A long list of excellent press on Ivan and Eight Seconds Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/ivan-mcclellan-2/ Support M&P on Patreon --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:20 - Checking in with Ivan 7:05 - Eight Seconds Rodeo beginnings 9:35 - Knowing Ouncie 14:35 - The first step and conquering doubt 16:05 - Choosing Portland 18:35 - Someone to run the rodeo 22:50 - Stories of the first rodeo 26:50 - Year two 29:05 - What’s in store for 2025 32:35 - Balancing helping others and being the face 38:05 - The driving force 39:20 - The story of Ivan’s photography book 46:35 - Is a written book in store? 48:20 - Wearing a cowboy hat 52:35 - For more info on Ivan --- 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

    55 min
  3. Betsy Gaines Quammen Returns - Myths, Curiosity, and Human Connection (Live at the Old Salt Festival)

    7 FEB

    Betsy Gaines Quammen Returns - Myths, Curiosity, and Human Connection (Live at the Old Salt Festival)

    Betsy Gaines Quammen is a Montana-based historian and writer whose work explores the history and myths of the American West and how those stories have endured and shaped life in the region today. Betsy joined me on the podcast several years ago to discuss her amazing book, American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West, and since then, she’s published another must-read: True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America. In True West, Betsy meets face-to-face with a wide range of folks here in the West– from militia members to hardcore environmentalists– and seeks to understand why they believe what they do. Combining these conversations with her deep understanding of history, Betsy is able to demonstrate the fascinating complexity and contradictions that define many of the people and issues in today’s West. We recorded this conversation on stage at the 2024 Old Salt Festival, where Betsy was nice enough to join us for the three-day festival of music, food, and conversation. As you’ll hear me say in the episode, Betsy and her work have played a huge role in my never-ending quest to try and understand this region, and I consider her to be a great friend and mentor. But even if you don’t have any interest in the West’s history or modern-day conflicts, there are big lessons to be learned from Betsy’s approach to her work. She is committed to finding the humanity in everyone– even people she completely disagrees with. Rather than attack them and their ideas, she approaches them with genuine curiosity, really trying to understand what they believe and why. And even when no common ideological ground can be found, there is still mutual respect. And I think most people will agree that we need more of these types of respectful interactions these days. In this conversation, we talk a bit about Betsy’s background and why she is so fascinated with understanding myths and the West. We talk about her commitment to having deep conversations with people across political and socio-economic spectrums, and she describes one of the unlikely friendships she built with a man whose views on politics, public lands, and the environment could not be further from her own. We discuss the importance of getting off the internet and having face-to-face conversations, how real estate development is changing the ecology and economics of the West, her thoughts on the future, and more. We also took questions from the audience, which was a lot of fun. Again, I can’t thank Betsy enough for joining me onstage for this conversation, but more importantly, for the wisdom she has shared with me over the years. If you haven’t read True West, I encourage you to pick up a copy as soon as you can, and I’d also encourage you to listen to our first conversation, where Betsy talks a lot about her life and career journey. And tickets for the 2025 Old Salt Festival are on sale now, so if you’d like to experience conversations like this in person– plus music, food, Western makers, and more– follow the link in the episode notes to grab your tickets. --- Betsy Gaines Quammen True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West Old Salt Festival Betsy's first M&P appearance Sign up for Ed’s Good News from the American West Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/betsy-gaines-quammen-2/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:15 - Introducing Betsy at Old Salt 7:45 - Why the West? 10:15 - Discussing myths 14:15 - Betsy talks across the aisle 17:30 - Betsy’s relationship with Lance 19:45 - Lance’s email 23:15 - Creating conversations outside the internet 26:00 - Real estate development in the West 30:00 - Covid as a catalyst 34:30 - Predicting the future 35:45 - Q&A 39:15 - Should we trust the government? 41:30 - Lance’s takeaways 43:30 - A ‘real’ Montanan 49:45 - Our energy future 53:00 - Parting 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

    56 min
  4. Chris Pague - Stories, Science, and the Southern High Plains

    30 ENE

    Chris Pague - Stories, Science, and the Southern High Plains

    Chris Pague is the Senior Conservation Ecologist at The Nature Conservancy, and he is deeply involved in so many of the topics we discuss here on the podcast– grasslands, bison, endangered species, landscape-scale conservation, and more. For many decades now, Chris has been working on the frontlines of TNC’s science-based conservation efforts, and during his tenure, he’s accumulated a mind-blowing amount of knowledge about everything from the tiniest prairie plants to the plains’ largest mammals. But what makes Chris so special is his ability to translate complex ecology into inspiring, impactful stories– stories that resonate with everyone from the most committed conservationists to people who are just beginning to learn about the West’s wild places. Chris grew up in Virginia, and for as long as he can remember, he’s been obsessed with the outdoors, wild creatures, and all varieties of plants. He eventually moved West to take a job in Colorado with the Nature Conservancy, where he’s been an invaluable member of the team ever since. I personally credit Chris for helping me in my own journey to understand the importance of grasslands and connected landscapes across the Southern High Plains, thanks to a presentation Chris gave at an event I was attending over a decade ago. I know there are countless other folks just like me who credit Chris with helping them to better understand and appreciate pressing conservation issues— and more importantly, to take action. Between his on-the-ground ecology work and his gift of storytelling, it’s difficult to fully wrap my head around the scale of the positive impact Chris has had over his career. So, I was long overdue in having Chris join me for a podcast conversation. We could’ve talked for many hours, but in this chat, we still managed to cover a lot, including: Chris’s upbringing in Virginia and some of our shared favorite Virginia landscapes; his decision to move to Colorado; the decades-long shift in thinking around grasslands conservation; the importance of storytelling to communicate critical science, TNC’s Southern High Plains initiative; optimism and the wisdom of Ted Lasso; partnerships and relationships; favorite books, and much more. Be sure to visit the episode webpage for a full list of topics discussed, links to everything, and a new short film that features Chris and some of the landscapes he works to protect. A huge thanks to Chris for this wonderful conversation, but more importantly, thanks to Chris for his many decades of inspiring work. Enjoy. --- Chris Pague TNC’s Southern High Plains Initiative Short Film: Connecting the Big Wide Open Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/chris-pague/ --- 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: 3:45 - Introducing Chris 8:30 - Chris’s favorite Virginia spots 9:45 - Making the decision to work for TNC 12:45 - Grassland evolution 17:30 - Why are grasslands important? 21:15 - Science and storytelling 24:15 - 50 years of land conservation history 28:00 - TNC’s Southern High Plains Initiative 35:15 - Protecting land 42:30 - Keep or sell? 47:45 - Building relationships 52:45 - Ted Lasso and optimism 56:45 - Increase in partnerships 58:45 - What Chris is excited about 1:03:45 - Book recs 1:06:45 - 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

    1 h y 11 min
  5. Nicole Qualtieri - Charting a New Course in the Changing Landscape of Outdoor Media

    24 ENE

    Nicole Qualtieri - Charting a New Course in the Changing Landscape of Outdoor Media

    Nicole Qualtieri is an outdoor writer and editor, a conservationist, and a committed outdoorswoman. Over the past decade, she’s worked with some of the most notable brands in the outdoor industry, including MeatEater, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and GearJunkie, and she has bylines with many well-known outdoor publications, such as Outside, Modern Huntsman, and Backcountry Journal. But despite being plugged in with many of the best names in the outdoor business, she and a few creative friends decided to go out on a limb and start their own outdoor publication– one that focuses on substance over clickbait, depth and vulnerability over the silly quest for virality and search engine optimization. The name of the project is The Westrn, and it combines the best parts of online writing and journalism with a printed, hold-it-in-your-hands newspaper that ships to subscribers four times per year. As you’ll hear Nicole describe, the topics covered by The Westrn’s include hunting, conservation, and a wide range of outdoor adventure. But the deeper point of it all is to build a tight-knit community of engaged outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes, who appreciate the value of nuanced writing, thinking, and publishing. As many legacy outdoor media brands have become controlled by private equity and now focus on scalability over creativity and quality, the role of people like Nicole and her partners at the Westrn are all the more important— they are taking a real risk to make the Westrn a reality, and I greatly admire their vision and commitment to action. Nicole and I connected online– she was at her home in Anaconda, Montana and I was here in Colorado Springs– and we had an enlightening conversation filled with lots of laughs about her fascinating life, career, and the creation of The Westrn. We discussed her upbringing in what she describes as a high-control religious cult and how hunting and the outdoors were her way of working through some of that childhood trauma. We discussed her non-traditional career path, which included a stint as a stand-up comic, and how she worked her way into the outdoor industry. We discuss the importance of hard work, preparation, and grinding, and how self-confidence is generated from those activities. We discuss the current state of the outdoor media industry, the financial challenges of making it as a freelancer, her writing process, contentment vs happiness, favorite books, and of course, her goals for The Westrn. Nicole was also kind enough to offer some discount codes for M&P listeners, so follow the appropriate links in the episode notes or on the website to get 20% off annual memberships to The Westrn and/or 20% off single issues of the print newspaper. A huge thanks to Nicole for the conversation and thank you for listening. Enjoy! --- Nicole Qualtieri The Westrn 20% Discount off the Annual Subscription Link for M+P Listeners will auto-populate discount:  https://www.thewestrn.com/mtnprairie 20% Off Pre-Order Single Issues:  Use link to use code: https://thewestrnstore.com/discount/MTNPRAIRIE?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fthe-westrn-individual-issue Or use code MTNPRAIRIE Ed’s Book Recommendations Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/nicole-qualtieri/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:30 - Nicole and Ed’s first convo (shared Roadhouse appreciation) 6:15 - Nicole’s background 8:15 - How writing’s been a part of Nicole’s life 13:15 - Getting out West 16:30 - College degrees 19:15 - On writing On Killing Animals 21:00 - The grind and the craft 28:00 - Taking the pain 30:15 - Outside’s rejection of On Killing Animals 34:45 - The corporatization of outdoor media 44:30 - The Westrn 54:30 - Taking a good idea and running with it 59:45 - Etymology of happy 1:02:30 - Nicole’s book recs 1:07:00 - 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

    1 h y 13 min
  6. Hal Herring Returns - Live at the Old Salt Festival

    17 ENE

    Hal Herring Returns - Live at the Old Salt Festival

    Hal Herring is an award-winning outdoor journalist, fierce public lands advocate, and thoughtful, action-oriented conservationist. He’s also an accomplished podcaster and host of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers’ Podcast & Blast with Hal Herring. If you’re a longtime listener of Mountain & Prairie, you may remember my first episode with Hal back in December of 2019– pre-pandemic, when the world was a much different place. Like me, Hal was born and raised in the south, and also like me, his Southern accent has not faded. But he’s made Montana his home for many decades now and has established himself as one of the most respected voices in conservation here in the American West. This episode was recorded live and on stage at the 2024 Old Salt Festival on the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, Montana. If you’re not familiar with Old Salt, it’s a three-day gathering in Montana’s Blackfoot Valley that combines live Americana music with artists like Sterling Drake and Summer Dean, wood-fired cooking with chefs including Eduardo Garcia, and a General Store featuring western makers such as Cate Havstad, Jillian Lukiwski, Christy Sing, and many more. The festival also includes a ton of on-stage conversations about land stewardship, conservation, history, literature, and more– and this is one of those conversations. Most of you are probably already familiar with Hal, but if you’re not, you are in for a treat. Hal brings such energy, humor, and knowledge to everything he does, and he has helped me in my own personal journey to better understand this complex region known as the American West. In this conversation, we covered a lot, including: Hal’s journey from Alabama to Montana, his thoughts on the current state of family ranching and public lands, optimism vs pessimism, and who he admires in the conservation space. We also discuss his forthcoming book on public lands, an idea he is working on for a new podcast, and we take a number of questions from the audience. I know you’ll learn a lot from this episode– I consider Hal a great teacher and leader, and it’s always an honor to spend time with him. Tickets for the 2025 Old Salt Festival are on sale now, so follow this link to learn more and secure your spot at what will surely be another amazing weekend with amazing people. Thanks to Hal for the conversation, to the Mannix Family for opening up their ranch for this festival, and to you for listening! --- Hal Herring Backcountry Hunters and Anglers’ Podcast & Blast with Hal Herring Old Salt Festival Hal’s first M&P episode Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/hal-herring-2/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Ed introducing Hal at Old Salt Festival 4:45 - How Hal ended up in Montana 7:15 - Hal’s thoughts on the consolidation, absorption of family ranches 9:30 - Threat to public lands  11:15 - Hal’s “ah ha” moments as he’s researching his new book 12:45 - Hal’s book recs 15:00 - Finding common ground 18:15 - Keeping the energy going  19:15 - Hal’s new podcast project  23:45 - What Hal views as current threats to public lands (1872 mining law) 26:00 - Optimist or pessimist? 29:15 - Who’s taking action? 31:45 - Start of Q&A, Hal expanding on new podcast 34:00 - Broadening the audience 36:00 - What’s Hal doing beyond podcasting to trigger improvement? 37:15 - Ideas into action 39:00 - Project 2025 42:15 - Getting people’s attention without scaring them 44:00 - Future of journalism 46:00 - Montana Senate race --- 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

    50 min
  7. Scott Hulet: Reading + Writing + Surfing + Fishing + Traveling

    10 ENE

    Scott Hulet: Reading + Writing + Surfing + Fishing + Traveling

    Scott Hulet is a legendary writer, editor, and current Creative Director at The Surfer’s Journal. He also has a new book titled Flow Violento: A Scott Hulet Omnibus, which is a compilation of more than thirty years of his writing about surfing, fishing, travel, food, music, and more. If you subscribe to my book recommendations email, then you’ll already know how much I loved the book– Scott brings to life the cultures, waves, and landscapes of Latin America using his unique blend of insights, humor, and perfectly crafted prose. If you’re a fan of travelogues, adventure tales, and cultural immersion, I know you’ll enjoy “Flow Violento.” Scott was born and raised in southern California, and he’s been writing for longer than he can even remember. Skating and surfing entered his life very early, as did travel to Mexico for surf trips. Through a deep commitment to the craft of writing and surfing, he’s been able to build a successful career that combines both. But for all his success, there have also been some speedbumps along the way, including a string of health scares during his fifties that culminated with a very serious stroke. But after a ton of hard work and help from some inspiring medical professionals, Scott was able to make a full recovery– and refocus his efforts on writing, traveling, and surfing. I’ve been a huge fan of The Surfer’s Journal and Scott for many, many years, so I was honored that he took the time to chat with me about his life, work, and the new book. I caught him just a few days before he took off to the Colombian Amazon for a fishing and research trip, and we had a fun chat about reading, writing, surfing, traveling, and more. Some of the topics include: his “hunting and gathering” approach to reading: some of his favorite childhood books; his first foundational surfing and traveling experiences; moving to Hawaii after high school; becoming a professional writer; the importance of approaching new cultures with respect; his health scares and lessons learned; his surprising thoughts on social media; rules for travel; and much more. A big thanks to Scott for the conversation and his decades of important work.  And another big thanks to you for listening.  Enjoy! --- Flow Violento: A Scott Hulet Omnibus The Surfer’s Journal Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Ed's book recs Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/scott-hulet/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Scott’s “hunting and gathering” approach to reading 5:30 - Scott’s father’s influence on his reading 7:00 - Favorite childhood books 8:15 - A brief family history 9:35 - Childhood activities in San Diego 11:45 - First three foundational surfing experiences 16:00 - First adventure in Mexico 20:30 - Approaching new cultures and locations with respect… or else 24:00 - Heading to university 25:45 - Writing: from avocation to vocation 28:00 - Mentors 34:30 - How TSJ has maintained such a loyal following in the changing world of print media 36:45 - A surprisingly positive take on Twitter/X 39:45 - The importance of knowing a wide range of people with wide ranges of ideas 44:45 - The art of editing 47:15 - Courting the Muse 49:30 - Lessons learned from several super-intense health trials 53:30 - Pre-stroke Scott vs post-stroke Scott 55:45 - How to stand out from the crowd as a creative 57:15 - There are still unknown, off-the-map places to discover 59:00 - Rules for thinking traveler 1:01:00 - Important books 1:05:00 - Parting words of wisdom --- 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

    1 h y 9 min
  8. Rusty Bell & Justin Loyka - Economics, Energy, and Community Pride

    31/12/2024

    Rusty Bell & Justin Loyka - Economics, Energy, and Community Pride

    Rusty Bell is the Director of Gillette College’s Office of Economic Transformation, and Justin Loyka is the Wyoming Energy Program Director at the Nature Conservancy. Rusty and Justin are working together to find sustainable, economically viable solutions to the energy transition that is currently taking place in and around Gillette, Wyoming. Gillette and Campbell County, Wyoming have long been leaders in the United States’  coal production business and have been a foundation of West’s economy for decades. But over the past 15 years or so, coal production has decreased by approximately half, which will have far-reaching consequences for Gillette, the state of Wyoming, and the West. But as coal mining scales back, Gillette is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the rise of renewable energy and the many positive economic and environmental ripple effects that it creates. Campbell County’s landscape, workforce, infrastructure, transmission capabilities, and wildlife migration patterns offer huge opportunities to be a future hotbed of renewable energy. By transitioning reclaimed coal mines into renewable energy sites, Campbell County will not only be able to fill in the economic gap created by the contraction of the coal business, but will be able to allow Gillette to continue its culture of innovation, hard work, and community pride for decades to come. Rusty was born and raised in Gillette, and Justin’s been living and working in Wyoming for almost 15 years. As you’ll hear, they’ve formed a partnership based on optimism, creativity, respect, and pragmatism, and they are making great strides to bolster the economic and environmental future of northeastern Wyoming. We talked about a lot in this conversation, including: A history of Wyoming’s coal mining business; the culture and community pride of Gillette; why Gillette is a perfect place for renewables; cultural and political views on renewables; wildlife considerations; details around coal mine reclamation; ways to build trust and lasting relationships; and more. Justin and Rusty also share ideas about why they work so well together, and they both offer some great book recommendations and wise parting words. I loved this conversation and learned so much about not just energy production, but also community pride, pragmatism, problem-solving, and respectful, productive relationships. A huge thanks to Rusty and Justin for joining me, and thank you for listening.  --- Rusty Bell Justin Loyka Wyoming’s Energy Transition Plan Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/rusty-justin/ --- 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. On the last Tuesday of every month throughout 2024, 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: 3:30 - A brief history of the coal business in Wyoming 10:00 - The unique culture and economy of Gillette, Wyoming 16:30 - Some background on coal mine reclamation 22:30 - Why Gillette is such a prime location for renewable energy 26:00 - Wildlife considerations 29:45 - Transmission capacity considerations 31:30 - What is a megawatt? 34:00 - The cultural and political acceptance of renewables 38:30 - Justin’s approach to building trust in Wyoming communities 43:30 - The positive ripple effects of a renewable economy 48:30 - What Justin admires about Rusty 51:30 - What Rusty admires about Justin 53:45 - TNC’s role in this energy and economic transition 57:30 - How the new Presidential administration will affect this work 1:03:30 - Favorite books 1:07:15 - 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

    1 h y 12 min
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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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