Ned Weidner talks with Mark Hall of Wild Origins Canada about how hunting, trapping, and forestry connect to conservation, ecology, and public storytelling. Mark shares how his lifelong relationship with the land shaped his work as a forester, writer, podcaster, and advocate for hunters and rural communities.We discuss why hunting can deepen environmental awareness, how public narratives distort hunters’ motivations, and why Project Grizzly Balance aims to bring marginalized rural voices back into the conservation conversation. Follow Wild Origins Canada: https://www.instagram.com/wildorigins_canada/ Want to get in touch with nature: https://www.instagram.com/nedweidner/ Key topics Mark shares his background as a third generation hunting and trapping family member from British Columbia, and how his relationship with nature shaped his identity from childhood. We discuss the idea that hunting is not about indifference to animals, but about a deeper form of participation, attention, and responsibility on the landscape. Mark explains how being a hunter changes what he notices in the field, using snowshoe hare tracking as an example of how hunting creates a more intimate read of habitat and animal behavior. He reflects on how forestry became part of his path after a wildlife biologist told him that habitat decisions can have a larger impact on wildlife than individual animal management. We discuss the shift from working within resource industries to becoming a public voice for hunters, trappers, anglers, and conservation-minded rural communities. Mark describes the core problem as a misunderstanding of hunters’ motivations, with critics often assuming hunting is about ego, killing, or domination. He explains why storytelling is the main tool he uses to reach the moderate middle, reframe assumptions, and present the true heart of hunters in a way that lands with broader audiences. We discuss the limits of social media, the way algorithms reward outrage, and why Mark wants more face to face conversations and public speaking in the future. Mark outlines how removing hunting or trapping can have unintended conservation consequences, including reduced research, less accountability, and weaker data collection. We discuss Project Grizzly Balance, which aims to restore balance between grizzly bears and rural people in Western Canada by elevating ranchers, trappers, outfitters, and local residents whose experiences are often ignored. Mark argues that conservation is not about iconic species alone, but about relationships within entire ecosystems, from soil mycorrhizae and dominant plant communities to predators and prey. He closes by inviting listeners to connect with Wild Origins Canada and the broader Origins Foundation to continue the conversation. Timestamps 00:00 - Recording setup and warm welcome 00:29 - Introducing Mark Hall and the Wild Origins Canada connection 02:13 - Mark’s third generation hunting and trapping upbringing 04:28 - Hunting as responsibility, not indifference 05:27 - How carrying a gun changes how Mark sees the land 06:57 - Snowshoe hare as a lesson in active ecological awareness 08:50 - Why hunters and non hunters often misunderstand each other 10:42 - Reading habitat, predators, and fire history through pursuit 14:21 - No hierarchy between outdoor users, only different relationships 15:20 - Humanizing hunters, trappers, and anglers for conservation 17:21 - Childhood signs of care and the path toward wildlife work 18:18 - Why forestry became the better route for influencing habitat 20:42 - The grizzly bear debate in British Columbia and the need for advocacy 22:10 - Why silencing hunters harms conservation itself 24:14 - The real false narrative about hunters’ motivations 27:56 - Story as the most powerful tool for changing minds 29:49 - Using podcasts, film, and public speaking to reframe debates 33:07 - Adapting language for different audiences 34:29 - Knowing every campfire is listening, even hostile ones 35:57 - Conversations with skeptics and anti hunting advocates 36:55 - Why Mark is shifting toward more in person outreach 38:06 - How algorithms reward outrage over nuance 40:29 - The conservation cost of not telling these stories well 41:27 - What happened to grizzly bears after hunting was banned in BC 42:54 - Why research and accountability decline when hunting disappears 44:17 - Why removing hunting can be detrimental to healthy systems 46:46 - California cougars and the transition into Project Grizzly 47:17 - The premise of Project Grizzly Balance 48:46 - Ranchers, grizzlies, and lived experience on the land 50:07 - Giving marginalized rural voices a place in public conservation debate 53:30 - Why the project is fundamentally storytelling 54:12 - Charismatic megafauna, sacred species, and the hunting debate 55:49 - Digging into animal sign and the intimate knowledge hunting creates 56:44 - Sustainable relationship versus sustainable use 58:39 - Accepting death as part of life and wildlife relationships 60:21 - How social media weaponizes fear, outrage, and emotion 63:11 - Ecology as relationships, not isolated individual species 65:05 - Why ecosystems are not just a sum of parts 66:02 - The role of dominant species and the bigger ecosystem picture 67:00 - Soil mycorrhizae as the true keystone engine of terrestrial life 68:17 - Seeing grizzlies through habitat, plant community, and soil relationships 69:16 - The spider web of ecosystem interactions 70:16 - A paradigm shift toward interconnected thinking 72:49 - Where to find Wild Origins Canada and continue the conversation
