From the Bronx to Mongolia: Urban Ecology & The Power of Conservation Education with Dave Johnston

Imagine standing in chest-deep water, pulling a seine net full of marine life, while the traffic of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway roars just behind you.

For Dave Johnston, nature isn't something you have to leave the city to find. As the Director of Professional Development for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) at the Bronx Zoo, Dave is rewriting the narrative on where conservation happens. Whether he is leading students through the gritty, biodiversity-rich wetlands of Jamaica Bay in New York City or driving across the vast Mongolian steppe with no GPS, Dave’s focus remains the same: people.

In this episode, we explore why "social science" is the missing link in saving species and why an educator might be the most powerful conservationist in the room.

Tune in to hear:

• The Urban Lab: Why New York City is actually a "city of islands" and a biodiversity hotspot.

• The Multiplier Effect: The math behind why Dave prioritizes training teachers over teaching children directly.

• Nomadic Hospitality: The cultural beauty of rolling up to a Mongolian ger (yurt) unannounced and being welcomed inside.