![A horse walking on grass with wildflowers and blue mountains in the distance.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/MP_Horse.jpg?crop=0%2C11%2C3648%2C3648&wid=2200&hei=2200&scl=1.6581818181818182)
Nature Podcasts for All
Tune in to Mountain & Prairie for exclusive conservation stories, updates, advice and more from TNC leaders and host Ed Roberson.
Add some nature to your queue!
On the fourth Tuesday of every month, the Mountain & Prairie podcast brings you 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.
Recognized by the Aspen Institute, Apple Podcasts, High Country News, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and more—and regularly ranked in the top ten of its category on the podcast charts—Mountain & Prairie features long-form conversations with innovators of the American West. Through informal yet substantive conversations, conservationist Ed Roberson introduces you to these fascinating characters, giving you a better understanding of their careers, influences and outlooks, as well as a deeper appreciation for life in the American West.
Latest Release
The West’s Renewable Energy Transition
What's going on in the world of renewable energy? TNC renewable energy and climate experts Peter Gower and Chris Menges join Ed to provide digestible updates on our transition from fossil fuels to renewables, as we work to find solutions that protect lands, wildlife and communities.
Listen here![A headshot of a man smiling at the camera in a button down shirt.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/p/e/Peter-Gower.jpeg)
![A headshot of a blonde man smiling at the camera with a button down shirt.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Chris_Menges.jpg)
![Wind turbines on rolling hills and blue skies.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_17153345.jpg)
![A headshot of a man smiling at the camera in a button down shirt.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/p/e/Peter-Gower.jpeg)
Peter Gower: Peter is TNC's Climate and Renewable Energy Program Director for the Western United States and Canada Divisions. © Courtesy Peter Gower
![A headshot of a blonde man smiling at the camera with a button down shirt.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Chris_Menges.jpg)
Chris Menges: Chris is the Director of Climate Action for TNC in Colorado. © TNC
Renewable Energy: Wind turbines above TNC's Hole In The Mountain Prairie near Lake Benton, Minnesota. © Richard Hamilton Smith
![Wind turbines on rolling hills and blue skies.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_17153345.jpg)
The transition: TNC is advancing transition from fossil fuels to renewables, working to find solutions that protect and benefit working lands, natural landscapes, wildlife, and communities. © Kent Mason
Agrivoltaics: TNC is using the learnings gleaned from Jack’s Solar Farm and planting vegetation with hopes to create a wildlife-friendly solar site. © Joanna Kulesza
Creating Opportunities in Uncertain Times
January 2023 | How did the pandemic impact and alter conservation? What are the different pathways to a career in conservation? In this episode, Ed Roberson and Carlos Fernandez, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, answer these questions and more to kick off the podcast partnership.
![A headshot of a man smiling at the camera with trees in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/tnccolorado_22733010_4000x2200.jpg)
![A headshot of a man smiling at the camera with trees in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/tnccolorado_22733010_4000x2200.jpg)
Carlos Fernandez: State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. © Lauryn Wachs/TNC
TNC Colorado Staff Retreat: In Fall of 2023, TNC Colorado staff gathered at TNC's Silver Mountain Ranch Preserve for annual staff retreat. © Alexa Garcia/TNC
Community Fly Fishing at Phantom Canyon: Community Fly Fishing (CFF) at TNC's Phantom Canyon Preserve. In 2023, TNC began hosting Austin Campbell and CFF at Phantom Canyon. CFF increases access to the outdoors by creating free fly fishing learning opportunities across Colorado for those who do not have experience. © Ivan Orsic
In the field: TNC staff work in a variety of environments, from an office desk to our most remote preserves. © Anna Sofia Vera/TNC
Effecting Change Through Authentic Conversation
February 2023 | Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is a world-renowned climate scientist, professor, and chief scientist for TNC. Ed and Katharine dive into a riveting conversation about climate opportunities and challenges facing the West and how to have challenging conversations with smart people who do not think that climate change is a threat.
![A photo of a woman kneeling outside in grass smiling with a barn in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/hayhoe_photo.jpg)
![An aerial image of a field covered in solar panels and a sunset.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/greenprint-resource-hub/photos/case_study_hero.jpg)
![A woman standing in a theater at a podium talking to a room full of people.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/k/a/Katharine-Hayhoe-Hope-in-Action-Noah-Waldron.jpg)
![A view from below of tall white aspen trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_31097443.jpg)
![A photo of a woman kneeling outside in grass smiling with a barn in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/hayhoe_photo.jpg)
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe: Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy. © Ashley Rodgers / Texas Tech University
![An aerial image of a field covered in solar panels and a sunset.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/greenprint-resource-hub/photos/case_study_hero.jpg)
Solar project: Aerial image of the Maricopa West solar project site in the San Joaquin Valley, near the town of Taft, California. © Stuart Palley
![A woman standing in a theater at a podium talking to a room full of people.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/k/a/Katharine-Hayhoe-Hope-in-Action-Noah-Waldron.jpg)
Hope in Action: Katharine Hayhoe speaking in Wyoming about how to talk about climate change by first finding common ground. © Noah Waldron
![A view from below of tall white aspen trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_31097443.jpg)
Aspen Popsicles: The aspen forest in Steamboat Springs, CO was frozen and stunning with a deep blue sky above on January 21, 2019. © Anita Merrigan/TNC Photo Contest 2019
Durable Conservation and Collective Action
December 2023 | Nature had a year of great conservation progress and innovation, and 2024 will be even greater. In this podcast episode, discover TNC's top priorities that we're working to accomplish in Colorado and beyond.
![A woman smiling at a camera for a professional headshot.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/p/a/Paige-Lewis-by-Lauryn-Wachs-TNC.jpg)
![Yellow flowers growing in grass with a cloudy blue sky.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Bohart_Ranch2_TeganMay.jpg)
![An up close shot of water flowing and reflecting the sun.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_68401505_4000x2200.jpg)
![A woman smiling at a camera for a professional headshot.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/p/a/Paige-Lewis-by-Lauryn-Wachs-TNC.jpg)
Paige Lewis: Deputy State Director and Director of Conservation Programs for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. © Lauryn Wachs/TNC
Conservation: TNC is working in every landscape of Colorado to protect the lands and waters on which all life depends. © Ethan Herrold/TNC Photo Contest 2019
![Yellow flowers growing in grass with a cloudy blue sky.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Bohart_Ranch2_TeganMay.jpg)
2023 Acquisitions: TNC CO completed the first phase of acquiring Bohart Ranch, 48,000 acres in southeast Colorado. © Tegan May/TNC
![An up close shot of water flowing and reflecting the sun.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_68401505_4000x2200.jpg)
Collaborative Water Projects: TNC is working with partners, communities, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders to ensure a sustainable future for the Colorado River. © Erika Nortemann/TNC
Conservation in the Cascades
Dr. Emily Howe is an aquatic ecologist with the Washington state chapter of TNC. Combining cutting-edge science with Indigenous knowledge, Emily and TNC are making great progress toward finding solutions that can help with everything from increasing the depth and duration of snowpack in the Cascades to restoring salmon habitat and much more.
![A blonde woman smiling at the camera with the ocean in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/WA_EmilyHowe_JPG.jpeg)
![A woman wearing winter clothes standing on snowy ground and looking into a valley with snow-covered pine trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/o/v/overlook.jpg)
![A woman looking at a camera attached to a tree in the snow.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tncwashington_89048828_Full.jpg.crdownload.jpg)
![A woman scientist measuring something on the ground in the snow.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tncwashington_61701856_Full.jpg)
![A blonde woman smiling at the camera with the ocean in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/WA_EmilyHowe_JPG.jpeg)
Dr. Emily Howe: Emily is an aquatic ecologist with the Washington chapter of TNC and holds a Ph.D. from the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington. © Kelly Compton
![A woman wearing winter clothes standing on snowy ground and looking into a valley with snow-covered pine trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/o/v/overlook.jpg)
Science-led: Emily’s projects stretch from the high peaks of the North Cascades all the way down to the estuary of Port Susan Bay. © Hannah Letinich
![A woman looking at a camera attached to a tree in the snow.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tncwashington_89048828_Full.jpg.crdownload.jpg)
Research: TNC staff visit a Snotel site, check time lapse camera status and measure snowpack. Emily Howe checks on an outdoor time-lapse camera. © Hannah Letinich
![A woman scientist measuring something on the ground in the snow.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tncwashington_61701856_Full.jpg)
Washington State: TNC staff visit a Snotel site, check time lapse camera status and measure snowpack. Emily Howe measures snow depth at the perimeter of the snotel site. © Hannah Letinich
Western Wildfires and Forest Health
June 2023 | What’s the outlook for wildfire season? How can beavers play a role in fire mitigation? Tune in as Rob Addington, TNC's director of forest and fire programs in Colorado, answers these questions and more, diving into our forest restoration and climate resilience work in Colorado.
Listen here![A headshot of Rob Addington, a white man with brown hair and a bear.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/r/o/Rob_Addington.jpg)
![A baby tree planted in the ground next to a log burned by wildfire, and a shovel to plant the tree.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnccolorado_prylinski_burnscar_1.png)
![An aerial view of a healthy, green forest full of pine trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/colorado-forest.jpg)
![Three volunteers with hard hats and vests walking through a forest burned by wildfire.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_MonumentGulch_2021_DoubleBurnScar_4.png)
Edge of Burn: Parkview Mountain, west of CO-125 in Grand County, CO. © Jason Houston
![A headshot of Rob Addington, a white man with brown hair and a bear.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/r/o/Rob_Addington.jpg)
Rob Addington: Rob is the Director of Forest and Fire Programs at The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. © Lauryn Wachs/TNC
![A baby tree planted in the ground next to a log burned by wildfire, and a shovel to plant the tree.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnccolorado_prylinski_burnscar_1.png)
Reforestation: Replanting a double-burn scar forest - first burned by the High Park fire in 2012 and again by the Cameron Peak fire in 2020. © PrylinskiProductions.
![An aerial view of a healthy, green forest full of pine trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/colorado-forest.jpg)
Lodgepole Pine: TNC and partners are working hard to find collaborative, creative, and effective solutions to the challenges facing our forests here in the West. © Mark Godfrey/TNC
![Three volunteers with hard hats and vests walking through a forest burned by wildfire.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_MonumentGulch_2021_DoubleBurnScar_4.png)
Collaboration: Alongside partners and volunteers, TNC has been leading and implementing some of the most innovative forest health work in the country. © PrylinskiProductions
Grassland Conservation on the Southern High Plains
April 2023 | Did you know grasslands are the least protected ecosystem in the world? Matt Moorhead and Galen Guerrero-Murphy join Ed Roberson to dive into TNC's collaborative and innovative conservation work in the Southern High Plains, 71 million acres across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Listen here![A lesser prairie chicken jumping into the air with its wings covering its face.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/TNC_PC2023_Birds3_9c38839dc29e5158edf0e12eb60abce9-original.jpg)
![Two people looking through binoculars into a canyon.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_123119_D-14.jpg)
![A group of pronghorn running off into grasslands.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Pronghorns.jpg)
![A horse walking on a ranch with snow capped mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/MAG21016x_210505_0159.jpg)
Bartlett Mesa: Acquisition of the Bartlett Mesa property in New Mexico builds on cross-border conservation and provides benefits for people and nature. © Brad Cory/TNC
![A lesser prairie chicken jumping into the air with its wings covering its face.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/TNC_PC2023_Birds3_9c38839dc29e5158edf0e12eb60abce9-original.jpg)
Biodiversity: The lesser prairie chicken is emblematic of grasslands. © Mike Krehbiel/TNC Photo Contest 2023
![Two people looking through binoculars into a canyon.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_123119_D-14.jpg)
Building Relationships: TNC and partners are building long-term partnerships with landowners and conservation partners to find win-win solutions that can be mutually beneficial for all parties. © Lauryn Wachs/TNC
![A group of pronghorn running off into grasslands.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Pronghorns.jpg)
Habitat Connectivity: Pronghorn have the longest land migration of mammals in the U.S. Conservation of the Southern High Plains is critical to their habitat connectivity. © Steven G. Mlodinow
![A horse walking on a ranch with snow capped mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/MAG21016x_210505_0159.jpg)
Silver Mountain Ranch Preserve: This 14,000-acre working cattle and bison ranch in Colorado has a broad range of habitats and wildlife, such as elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep and black bear. © Jason Houston
The Sagebrush Sea Is Vanishing
September 2023 | The Sagebrush Sea, one of the largest natural systems in North America, is shrinking at an alarming rate—1 million acres per year. Matt Cahill, TNC's Sagebrush Sea program director, joins Ed Roberson to dive into the groundbreaking innovation, collaboration and partnerships we are applying to save this diverse ecosystem.
Listen here![A selfie of a man smiling at the camera with a lake in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/m/a/MattCahill_MattCahill_1500x.jpg)
![A small grey rabbit stands tall on dirt in the dark.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/w/2/W21_F_PYGMY_1-WA.jpg)
![A greater sage grouse bird facing away from the camera in sagebrush.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/s/a/sage%20grouse%20tatiana%20gettelman.jpeg)
![A large ranch with colorful native wildflowers, grass, and sagebrush.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/n/a/NativeForbsSagebrush_ThomasLee.jpg)
![Sagebrush plant at golden hour during sunset.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Carlin_11-17_A_dng_DSC0158-1_4000x2200.jpg)
![A selfie of a man smiling at the camera with a lake in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/m/a/MattCahill_MattCahill_1500x.jpg)
Matt Cahill: The Nature Conservancy's Sagebrush Sea Program Director. © Matt Cahill
![A small grey rabbit stands tall on dirt in the dark.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/w/2/W21_F_PYGMY_1-WA.jpg)
The Endangered Pygmy Rabbit: Pygmy rabbits rely on a landscape of mature sagebrush that has been repeatedly damaged or fragmented by development and extreme wildfires. © Morgan Heim
![A greater sage grouse bird facing away from the camera in sagebrush.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/s/a/sage%20grouse%20tatiana%20gettelman.jpeg)
Greater sage-grouse: The sagebrush sea provides habitat for wildlife like the greater sage-grouse. © Tatiana Gettelman
![A large ranch with colorful native wildflowers, grass, and sagebrush.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/n/a/NativeForbsSagebrush_ThomasLee.jpg)
Native Forbs and Sagebrush: An abundance of grass, sagebrush, and native wildflowers at the McCoy Ranch in Montana. © Thomas Lee
![Sagebrush plant at golden hour during sunset.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Carlin_11-17_A_dng_DSC0158-1_4000x2200.jpg)
Rolling Grasslands and Plains: Sagebrush once stretched across almost 500,000 square miles from the Dakotas to California. © Chip Carroon
Keeping Jackson Hole Wild and Beautiful
Why do we practice prescribed fire? What did we learn from the historic 1988 fires in Yellowstone? Kevin Krasnow, fire ecologist and Conservation Director for the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, joins host Ed Roberson to discuss the important role of wildfire in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, lessons learned from the 1988 fires in Yellowstone, and TNC's work growing the prescribed fire workforce.
![A wide river flows through a forest with pine trees and hills at sunset.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_46035612.jpg)
![A herd of pronghorn running towards the camera with snow on the ground.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/p/r/PronghornGroup_MatthewScottTNCPhotoContest.jpg)
Winter in Yellowstone National: This fox spent a great deal of time trying to catch a mouse under the snow in a meadow. This time the mouse won and the fox went elsewhere. © Lin Teichman/TNC Photo Contest
![A wide river flows through a forest with pine trees and hills at sunset.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_46035612.jpg)
Yellowstone National Park: An overcast river's edge in Yellowstone National Park. © Dylan Rorabaugh
![A herd of pronghorn running towards the camera with snow on the ground.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/p/r/PronghornGroup_MatthewScottTNCPhotoContest.jpg)
Biodiversity: A herd of pronghorn migrate through Yellowstone National Park. © Matthew Scott / TNC Photo Contest
Riverside Geyser: Riverside Geyser // While photographing Riverside Geyser in Yellowstone National Park in the USA, I experimented with a slow shutter speed to put a little movement into this spectacularly located geyser. © Mark Johnson/TNC Photo Contest 2021
Solving Challenges with Ancient Tribal Wisdom
July 2023 | As vice chair of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, trustee for TNC Colorado and the first-ever Tribal member on the Colorado Water Conservation Board, discover how Lorelei Cloud is applying her expertise to complex challenges in the basin.
Listen here![A headshot of a Native American woman with glasses smiling at the camera being sworn into a government position.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Lorelei_Cloud_JWS.jpg)
![A reservoir with low water levels and dried up stream paths.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_UpperCORiver_JHOUSTON_20210520_01050.jpg)
![A group of buffalo walking on grass with sand dunes and mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/CO_CO060925_D049.jpg)
![A stream flowing through green agricultural landscape.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/2011_August_Landscap_JWS_1.jpg)
![A luscious green pine tree forest with snow-capped mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/SUIT_Mountain.jpg)
![A headshot of a Native American woman with glasses smiling at the camera being sworn into a government position.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Lorelei_Cloud_JWS.jpg)
Lorelei Cloud: Lorelei Cloud is the Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council, and a board member for the Colorado Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. © Jeremy Wade Shockley
![A reservoir with low water levels and dried up stream paths.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_UpperCORiver_JHOUSTON_20210520_01050.jpg)
Green Mountain Reservoir: Low water levels in Green Mountain Reservoir in Heeney north of Silverthorn, CO. May 20, 2021. Drone photograph. © Jason Houston
![A group of buffalo walking on grass with sand dunes and mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/CO_CO060925_D049.jpg)
Grazing Buffalo Herd: A buffalo herd grazes in grasslands at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains adjacent to the Great Sand Dunes National Park at Medano-Zapata Ranch in southern Colorado. © Dave Showalter
![A stream flowing through green agricultural landscape.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/2011_August_Landscap_JWS_1.jpg)
Streams: A stream flows through an agricultural landscape. © Jeremy Wade Shockley
![A luscious green pine tree forest with snow-capped mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/SUIT_Mountain.jpg)
SUIT Mountain: A beautiful landscape of snow-capped mountains and pine trees. © Trennie Collins
Innovation in the Colorado River Basin
March 2023 | Taylor Hawes, TNC's Colorado River program director, provides background on the river basin’s challenges and how TNC is working to solve these problems by building community support, working collaboratively with Tribal Nations and helping agricultural producers become more efficient.
Listen here![A woman standing in front of a river and trees, smiling for a headshot.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/a/Taylor-Hawes-headshot.jpg)
![A wide river flowing through the grand canyon's red rock mesa canyons.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CORiverTomTill.jpg)
![A person standing in a river fly fishing.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/colorado-blue-river-fly-fishing.jpg)
![A man walking through a flooded agricultural area next to a stream.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_UpperCORiver_JHOUSTON_20210519_00050.jpg)
![Sunset reflexing on a wide flowing river.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnccolorado_47089076_Large.jpg)
![A woman standing in front of a river and trees, smiling for a headshot.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/a/Taylor-Hawes-headshot.jpg)
Taylor Hawes: Director, Colorado River Program © Matthew Staver
![A wide river flowing through the grand canyon's red rock mesa canyons.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CORiverTomTill.jpg)
Colorado River: Snow is an important factor in determining the amount of water that flows into the Colorado River system each year. © Tom Till
![A person standing in a river fly fishing.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/colorado-blue-river-fly-fishing.jpg)
Fly Fishing: Fishing the Blue River in Summit County, Colorado. © Lauryn Wachs/TNC
![A man walking through a flooded agricultural area next to a stream.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_UpperCORiver_JHOUSTON_20210519_00050.jpg)
Collaboration: TNC and partners are collaborating with agricultural producers to help them become more efficient. © Jason Houston
![Sunset reflexing on a wide flowing river.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnccolorado_47089076_Large.jpg)
Yampa River: Sunset on the Yampa River at Carpenter Ranch in Northwest Colorado. © John Fielder
Resilient Rivers, Agriculture and Communities
November 2023 | Water experts Diana Lane and Aaron Derwingson join Ed Roberson to discuss some of Colorado's most urgent water-related challenges and opportunities and how TNC is working with a wide range of stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutions.
Listen here![A headshot of a woman wearing glasses with curly hair, smiling in front of trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/d/i/Diana_Lane.jpg)
![A man in a plaid shirt standing in front of dam full of water.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/a/d/AD_Rollerdam_1640x1230.jpg)
![An aerial image of agricultural fields and plots intersected by a river.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_48041178_4000x2200.jpg)
![A large agricultural field being irrigated.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_SanJuanWatershed_JHOUSTON_20210617_05066.jpg)
![A tractor driving on an agricultural field with mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/rcis/photos/photos-outside-of-ca/CO_agriculture.jpg)
![A headshot of a woman wearing glasses with curly hair, smiling in front of trees.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/d/i/Diana_Lane.jpg)
Diana Lane: Director of Sustainable Food and Water, Colorado. © Lauryn Wachs
![A man in a plaid shirt standing in front of dam full of water.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/a/d/AD_Rollerdam_1640x1230.jpg)
Aaron Derwingson: Aaron is The Nature Conservancy's Water Projects Director, Colorado River Program. © The Nature Conservancy
![An aerial image of agricultural fields and plots intersected by a river.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_48041178_4000x2200.jpg)
Colorado Fields: Agricultural fields near Grand Junction, CO. © The Nature Conservancy (Ken Geiger)
![A large agricultural field being irrigated.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/c/o/CO_SanJuanWatershed_JHOUSTON_20210617_05066.jpg)
Reducing Water Demands: Irrigation for fields on Florida Mesa south of Durango, CO is fed by the Florida River. June 17, 2021 © Jason Houston
![A tractor driving on an agricultural field with mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/rcis/photos/photos-outside-of-ca/CO_agriculture.jpg)
Colorado farming: (ALL INTERNAL RIGHTS, LIMITED EXTERNAL) 2013. Ute Farm and Ranch in Towaoc, Colorado. Photo credit: © Mark Skalny for The Nature Conservancy © Mark Skalny
Building Trust with Indigenous Communities
Celene Hawkins, Tribal Water Partnerships Program Director at The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program, and Izabella Ruffino, Tribal and Indigenous Engagement Program Manager at TNC in Colorado, join Ed to discuss building trust and solid relationships, recent collaborations with Tribal Nations and recommended resources for deeper learning.
![A woman smiling and looking to the side.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Celene_Hawkins.jpg)
![A wide blue river flowing through wetlands.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/v/i/view-down-to-san-juan-river-erika-nortemann.jpg)
![A woman smiling softly at the camera while sitting next to a flower bed.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Izabella_Ruffino.jpg)
![An aerial shot of a wide river flowing in many directions between green trees and mesas.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/DJI_0898.jpg)
![A woman smiling and looking to the side.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Celene_Hawkins.jpg)
Celene Hawkins: Celene is the Tribal Water Partnerships Program Director at The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program. © Celene Hawkins
![A wide blue river flowing through wetlands.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/v/i/view-down-to-san-juan-river-erika-nortemann.jpg)
San Juan River: The Conservancy joined state, federal and Native American partners in a comprehensive effort to restore the river, a major waterway of the Colorado River Basin. © Erika Nortemann/TNC
![A woman smiling softly at the camera while sitting next to a flower bed.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Izabella_Ruffino.jpg)
Izabella Ruffino: Tribal and Indigenous Engagement Program Manager at the Colorado Chapter for The Nature Conservancy. © Izabella Ruffino
![An aerial shot of a wide river flowing in many directions between green trees and mesas.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/DJI_0898.jpg)
San Juan River. Farmington, NM: July 2023. San Juan River, Farmington, New Mexico. © Roberto Rosales
Using Nature to Build Healthier Communities
May 2023 | What is urban conservation? How can cities help balance the needs of people & nature in a hotter and drier future? Chris Hawkins, Colorado Cities program director, joins Ed Roberson to discuss the important work that TNC & our partners are doing to improve urban tree canopy, climate resilience and more in the Denver Metro area.
![Four hands of different skin tones moving dirt around a tree planterbed.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/TNC_Denver_Tree_Canopy-8722.jpg)
![A group of people of different ages helping plant a tree in the ground.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/TNC_Denver_Tree_Canopy-8777.jpg)
![Four hands of different skin tones moving dirt around a tree planterbed.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/TNC_Denver_Tree_Canopy-8722.jpg)
GES Denver Tree Planting: A community-led tree planting celebration in Globeville, Elyria-Swansea in Denver in fall 2019. © Kevin Mohatt
![A group of people of different ages helping plant a tree in the ground.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/TNC_Denver_Tree_Canopy-8777.jpg)
GES Tree Planting 2019: A community-led tree planting celebration in Globeville, Elyria-Swansea, Denver in Fall 2019. © Kevin Mohatt
Parks, Rivers, Trails and Trees 2022: Citywide stewardship day in Denver, Colorado. © © Evan Semón Photography
GES Tree Planting 2018: Tree planting effort on October 13, 2018. More than 120 volunteers came together in the Denver neighborhoods of Globeville & Elyria-Swansea (GES) to plant >400 plants. © Christopher Hawkins/TNC
Catalyzing Innovation in Conservation
August 2023 | With our ambitious conservation goals, innovation is a necessity. This episode dives into TNC CO's Catalyst Fund, a cutting-edge conservation funding initiative that supports forward-looking projects that enable innovation and rapid learning to test new ideas and build greater capacity for innovation over the long term.
Carrie Segil: People and Culture Manager at The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. © TNC
Duncan Gilchrist and Agrivoltaics: Duncan Gilchrist, TNC CO Climate Policy Associate, at the site of an agrivoltaics project, the colocation of solar energy and food production, that TNC Colorado is working on alongside community partners near Boulder, Colorado. © Charlene Din/TNC
Agrivoltaics: A project funded by TNC CO's Catalyst Fund is an agrivoltaics site, which is when agriculture and solar panels are located in the same place. © Rhianna Truex (DAR)
Jack’s Solar Farm: TNC is using the learnings gleaned from Jack’s Solar Farm and planting vegetation with hopes to create a wildlife-friendly solar site. © Joanna Kulesza
Tribal-Led Buffalo Restoration
October 2023 | Restoration is more than about land—American buffalo are returning to Tribal lands. Hear from Corissa Busse, Buffalo Restoration Program director at The Nature Conservancy, and Ed on the history of buffalo in North America, TNC’s focus on Tribal-led buffalo restoration, recommended resources for deeper learning and much more.
![A woman with hiking gear smiling at a camera outdoors.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Corissa-Busse-headshot.jpg)
![A large bison grazing on grass with snow-capped mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/MAG21016x_210505_0435.jpg)
![A herd of bison on grasslands with sand dunes and mountains in the background, and a pink sunset in the sky.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_56551231.jpg)
![A woman with hiking gear smiling at a camera outdoors.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Corissa-Busse-headshot.jpg)
Corissa Busse: Corissa is the Buffalo Restoration Program Manager for The Nature Conservancy. © Corissa Busse
![A large bison grazing on grass with snow-capped mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/MAG21016x_210505_0435.jpg)
Silver Mountain Ranch Preserve: After Ted Turner, TNC is the largest owner of bison in the U.S. with herds on 12 preserves from Colorado to Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Iowa. © Jason Houston
![A herd of bison on grasslands with sand dunes and mountains in the background, and a pink sunset in the sky.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_56551231.jpg)
Buffalo Transfers: Buffalo from the herd at TNC's Medano-Zapata Ranch Preserve have been transferred onto Native lands. © Nick Hall
Baby buffalo: American buffalo roam and graze the spring grasses across the more than 40,000 acre Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. © Morgan Heim
Bolstering Biodiversity in Arizona and Beyond
Arizona is one of the largest and most biodiverse states in the U.S., which creates unique conservation challenges and opportunities—both in its arid, wide-open landscapes and densely populated urban centers. TNC AZ State Director Dan Stellar joins Ed to discuss forest heath, rivers, aquifers, outdoor recreation and resilient cities.
![A man in a button down shirt smiling at the camera.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/d/a/Dan_Stellar_crpd.jpg)
![A few flowering cacti in the desert.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/TNC_PC2022_7525efa27d72b77187aaa3a7b2df441d-original.jpg)
![A man in a button down shirt smiling at the camera.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/d/a/Dan_Stellar_crpd.jpg)
Daniel Stellar: Dan Stellar is state director for the Arizona Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). © 2022 Mark Skalny / Mark Skalny Photography
The Verde River: The Verde River, an important river in the Colorado River system, where TNC is working with local agriculture producers and communities to increase river flows. © Rick Triana Photography
![A few flowering cacti in the desert.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/TNC_PC2022_7525efa27d72b77187aaa3a7b2df441d-original.jpg)
The Mighty Saguaro: In pre-dawn light, a might saguaro cactus shows off some of her first flowers of the season. © Ian Adrian/TNC Photo Contest 2022
The Verde River: The Verde River, an important river in the Colorado River system. © Rick Triana
Working at the Speed of Trust in Alaska
Ivy Spohnholz is the Alaska State Director at The Nature Conservancy. In a conversation with Ed, she discusses her heart for public service and why working for meaningful change begins with building relationships, along with a background on what makes Alaska’s Bristol Bay so remarkable.
Listen here![Ivy Spohnholz smiles while standing in a room of an office building.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/1AB_1E0_6474765_1784654014_6.jpg)
![Aerial view of an ocean bay with rivers leading into a green forest with blue mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/b/r/Bristol-Bay-River-0181.jpg)
![Underwater view of a school of wild sockeye salmon, fish with a red body and green pointy snout, swimming in the ocean.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/s/a/Salmon-Under-Water-00272.jpg)
![Ivy Spohnholz stands with a rifle slung over her shoulder in a field of wetlands with mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Ivy_hunting_in_Tanglelakes_area_August_2015.jpg)
![A woman fisherman pulling salmon out of a large fishing net.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Community-Fishing-08837.jpg)
![Ivy Spohnholz smiles while standing in a room of an office building.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/1AB_1E0_6474765_1784654014_6.jpg)
Ivy Spohnholz: Ivy Spohnholz, TNC Alaska State Director. © Matthew Waliszek
![Aerial view of an ocean bay with rivers leading into a green forest with blue mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/b/r/Bristol-Bay-River-0181.jpg)
Clean Water: Bristol Bay’s many lakes and rivers are a global treasure. © Jason Ching
![Underwater view of a school of wild sockeye salmon, fish with a red body and green pointy snout, swimming in the ocean.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/s/a/Salmon-Under-Water-00272.jpg)
Wild Sockeye: Spawning sockeye salmon fill healthy streams every summer in the Bristol Bay headwaters. © Jason Satoshi Ching
![Ivy Spohnholz stands with a rifle slung over her shoulder in a field of wetlands with mountains in the background.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Ivy_hunting_in_Tanglelakes_area_August_2015.jpg)
Ivy Spohnholz: Ivy Spohnholz, TNC Alaska State Director, hunting in the Tanglelakes area. August 2015. © Troy Bowler
![A woman fisherman pulling salmon out of a large fishing net.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Community-Fishing-08837.jpg)
Healthy Catch: Bristol Bay is home to the planet’s largest run of wild salmon. © Jason Satoshi Ching
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