Parks and Restoration

Back in November, we invited the Parks and Restoration Next Level Leader Community to an exclusive meetup with Jessica DeAngelo, author of the new book The Wild Advantage: Why Your Brain on Nature is Your Boldest Business Move. With help from the community, the book hit bestseller status in multiple categories on Amazon. Jessica doesn't have a parks or conservation background. She comes from the corporate world. Yet she discovered the undeniable value of time unplugged in nature and now has built an entire business around connecting business leaders with the very places that parks and conservation people like us strive to provide and protect everyday. This meetup was both insightful and entertaining and we can't wait to see what's next for Jessica and her company, Hike to Become. If you would like invites to future meetups with the community, simply sign up at www.ParksandRestoration.com.Thanks for all you do and we'll chat again in 2026!

Are you trying to sell a plan… when what people really need is a vision?In this episode, Chris and Jeremy dig into why vision—not strategy documents, timelines, or step-by-step plans—is what actually gets people to care, to say yes, and to get involved. Using examples from JFK’s moonshot and Teddy Roosevelt’s conservation legacy, they connect big, historic visions to very real, very local parks and conservation projects.They share stories from Big Hollow and Hitchcock Nature Center to show how long-term visions survive leadership changes, funding gaps, and skeptics—and how those visions eventually attract donors, partners, and community champions who help turn ideas into reality.Along the way, they unpack what makes a vision compelling in the first place. A strong vision pushes the edge of what feels possible, connects to who we want to be as a community, and is tangible enough that people can picture themselves in it. It doesn’t have to be perfectly planned, time-bound, or even fully realistic at the start—but it does have to be communicated relentlessly.They also talk about the role of the leader as the storyteller, not the hero. “It’s not yours—it’s just your turn.” The real heroes are the landowners, donors, neighbors, and supporters who believe in the vision and help carry it forward. Celebrating small wins, resisting naysayers, and knowing when to launch the next vision are all part of keeping momentum alive.If you’re leading a park, a conservation program, or any community-focused organization—and you’ve ever wondered why some projects seem to effortlessly attract support while others stall—this episode will change how you think about vision.About Parks and Restoration:Parks and Restoration is a podcast for park, conservation, and outdoor recreation professionals who want to build stronger teams, healthier landscapes, and communities that care. Hosted by Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost, each episode shares real-world stories and practical leadership insights to help you become the next-level leader your organization, your community, and future generations need. Learn more at parksandrestoration.com.

Why do we cut cedars out of prairies? Why do we thin trees in forests and oak savannas? Why do we burn?For many of us, the answers to those questions are fairly straightforward. But some people think about land management on a deeper level. They see thinning operations as managing the flow of energy in a system. Or they seek to understand the microclimate impacts from prescribed fire. Some people focus on the "why" before the "what" and the "how" when it comes to working in conservation. My guest for this episode, Chad Graeve, is definitely one of those people. Note: This episode was recorded and originally posted back in 2023 and has been downloaded more than any other episode to date. Chad has spent three decades honing his "why" and in this conversation, we dive deep into the evolution of his philosophies regarding land stewardship, hiring practices, team building, balancing outdoor recreation with natural area management, and much more. I left this conversation with a new way of looking at the lands I manage and it's reignited my passion for understanding the "why" behind our decisions as an organization, a theme you hear often in our newer episodes. We'll be back with a brand new episode on December 16.

Change isn’t just hard—it’s biologically, psychologically, and culturally designed to be hard. In this episode, Chris and Jeremy break down why teams resist change, especially in legacy organizations like parks, conservation agencies, and natural resource departments. Whether you’re rolling out digital campground registration or shifting from a mow-everything mentality to a pollinator-friendly rewilding approach, resistance is guaranteed. But it’s also manageable—if you know what’s driving it.Drawing from behavioral science, real-world field examples, organizational leadership concepts, and another elephant analogy, this episode gives you a practical framework anyone can use to guide their team through change without burnout, frustration, or unnecessary conflict.This isn’t about forcing people to change. It’s about guiding them through it—using clarity, psychology, and purpose.In this episode, you’ll learn:The three types of resistance you’ll encounter in organizational changeWhy “loss aversion” makes change feel threateningHow to spot emotional, cognitive, and cultural pushback in your teamWhat rewilding and campground QR codes can teach us about real-world changeWhy change fails without clear purpose and storytellingHow to reduce friction so the new behavior becomes the easy behaviorWhy celebrating early wins creates cultural momentumTen practical tools you can use to lead teams through changeWhy identity—not logic—is often the real barrierDownload the free Change Leader’s Field GuideA PDF summary with the three types of resistance and ten concrete strategies to lead your team through change.Key Takeaways:People don’t resist change—they resist lossConfusion is one of the biggest sources of resistanceCulture shifts when identity shiftsPilots and small wins build psychological safetyLeaders guide change by reducing fear, increasing clarity, and reinforcing identityChange sticks when the conditions for growth are rightAbout Parks and RestorationParks and Restoration is a story-driven podcast for aspiring leaders who care about the outdoors and the organizations that protect it. From leadership lessons and workplace culture to ecology, fieldcraft, and community impact, each episode helps parks and natural resource professionals thrive in the work they love.

Are you still leading with the habits that got you promoted—or the ones that will actually move your team forward?This week Chris and Jeremy unpack “What got you here won’t get you there” through an ecological lens. Just like trees drop their leaves to grow stronger roots, next-level leaders let go of mindsets that once worked but now hold their teams back. They share 10 practical mindset shifts to help you move from output to impact, from control to clarity, and from extraction to regeneration. They cover a lot, so grab the free PDF summary here.Key takeawaysHustle → Balance: Model boundaries and build sustainable energy, don’t extract it.Me → Team: Your success scales when theirs does.Competition → Cooperation: Mature systems (and great orgs) run on partnership and win-win.Work → Culture: When the culture is healthy, results follow without you being the bottleneck.Tradition → Flexibility: Policies guide; leaders adapt (like shifting burn seasons for better outcomes).Control → Clarity & Trust: State leader’s intent—what “done” looks like—then empower execution.Correcting → Coaching: Develop people with questions, reps, and feedback, not just directives.Answers → Better Questions: Context matters; ask “Why do you ask?” before solving.Perfection → Progress: Ecosystems—and organizations—are never “done.” Ship, learn, iterate.Habit → Intentionality: Step back, scan for drift, and prune what no longer serves.If you’re moving from individual contributor to leader (or leveling up as a leader), these shifts are the difference between a tired team and a thriving one. Listen in to trade short-term output for long-term impact—and walk away with tools you can use immediately.About Parks & RestorationParks & Restoration is the show for parks and natural resource professionals who want to be better leaders for their organizations, communities, and the lands and waters they steward. Every other Tuesday, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost share practical strategies—grounded in ecology and culture-building—to help you become the leader your team needs. Join the Next Level Leadership community at parksandrestoration.com for bi-weekly insights, free tools like the Team Energy Audit, and invites to exclusive meetups. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube by searching “Parks and Restoration Podcast.”

In this episode, Chris and Jeremy take a lesson from nature — and from beavers, specifically — to explore what happens when we try to do work we weren’t built for. Using Patrick Lencioni’s Six Types of Working Genius framework, they show how leaders and teams can align their work with their natural sources of energy to avoid burnout, boost motivation, and build more resilient teams.Chris shares how this understanding reshaped how he leads his team at Des Moines County Conservation, while Jeremy offers examples from his fieldwork in western Iowa that show how simple awareness of “what fills your cup” can transform the way we approach our work.Along the way, they reveal why:Beavers can’t not build dams — and what that means for youSometimes we feel like squirrels doing beavers’ jobs (and vice versa) “Energy mapping” your team can help you assign work that fuels rather than drainsLanguage frameworks like Working Genius help identify what gives energy vs. what depletes itLeaders should encourage their people to find and follow their “thing,” even when that means letting them goIf you’ve ever wondered why some parts of your job feel effortless while others leave you exhausted, this episode will give you the tools and language to start changing that — for yourself and your team.Want to figure out where your energy is going — and where it’s getting blocked?Go to www.ParksandRestoration.com to download our free Workplace Energy Audit to help you and your team identify what gives and drains energy at work.---About Parks and RestorationBetter leaders. Better parks.Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.Join the movement (and get the free Energy Audit download) at ⁠⁠www.ParksandRestoration.com⁠⁠

Sometimes, productivity doesn’t come from adding more—it comes from taking things away. In this episode, Chris and Jeremy explore the law of subtraction through lessons from oak trees, prairies, and leadership. A fascinating Tennessee study showed that fertilizing oak trees had no effect on acorn production, but thinning the stand by 50% boosted production by 65%. The takeaway? Productivity often increases when we remove competition and clutter.From managing cedars in prairies to reducing meetings and programs in the workplace, the guys connect ecological energy management to the way we lead our teams. They share practical ways to apply subtraction—cutting busywork, saying no to non-mission-critical projects, and empowering others to do the same—so you and your team can focus on what truly matters.Do less to accomplish more.A 50% reduction in oak density produced a 65% increase in acorns. The same principle applies to our work and leadership.Manage energy by what you remove.Just as ecologists remove cedars to let sunlight reach native prairie plants, leaders can remove bureaucracy, busywork, and distractions to free up their people’s energy.Clarity through subtraction.Jim Collins’s Stop Doing List and Greg McKeown’s Essentialism both remind us that great organizations get clear on what not to do, freeing focus for the work that truly drives their mission.Nature and leadership run on the same rules.Whether thinning forests or cutting unproductive projects, subtraction creates the conditions for new growth and stronger ecosystems—natural or organizational.“We always think productivity comes from adding more initiatives, more committees, more goals. But often, the real productivity gains come when we thin the stand.” — Chris Lee“In the prairie, the plants you want are already there. You just have to remove what’s stifling them. The same goes for people.” — Jeremy Yost“When leaders focus on subtraction, they free people up to do the work they were hired and inspired to do.” — Chris LeeHow you can apply these lessons:Get clear on the "WHY" Work with your team to determine what's truly important.Do a “timber cruise” of your priorities.Identify projects, meetings, and reports that drain energy without creating value or contribute to mission.Create a Stop-Doing List.For every new “to-do,” remove something that doesn’t advance your mission.Audit meetings and processes.Eliminate or consolidate recurring meetings with no clear outcomes.Empower people to say no.Build a culture where questioning nonessential work is encouraged and rewarded, not punished.Experiment.Try subtracting something for a quarter. You can always add it back—but you’ll likely discover you don’t need to.Resources:Brooke et al. (2019): Effects of fertilization and thinning on acorn production in upland oak stands.Leidy Klotz – Subtract: The Untapped Science of LessJim Collins – Good to GreatGreg McKeown – Essentialism---About Parks and RestorationBetter leaders. Better parks.Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.Join the movement (and the email list) at ⁠www.ParksandRestoration.com⁠

What’s stronger than strategy? Culture.In this episode of the Parks and Restoration Podcast, Chris and Jeremy dig into why culture has to be every leader’s top priority—and why even the best plans fall apart without it. Through stories ranging from a construction crew with 20-year employee tenures to lessons from Glacier National Park, they unpack how culture shapes retention, performance, and resilience in the parks and natural resources field while weaving in a little wild turkey science.You’ll learn:Why culture is the ecosystem that drives everything else in your organizationThe differences between good and bad cultures (and how to spot the warning signs early)The surprising ROI of strong workplace culture, backed by Gallup and Great Place to Work researchThree simple things you can do this week to start building a culture people want to be part ofWhether you’re leading a small crew, a large department, or you’re just starting to step into leadership, this conversation will show you why culture isn’t an “extra”—it’s the foundation.Referenced episodesA philosopher's guide to land stewardship with Chad Graeve, Natural Resource Specialist in Pottawattamie County (episode 26)SPF2: A Non-Greasy Formula for Effective Recognition (episode 72)About Parks and RestorationBetter leaders. Better parks.Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.Join the movement (and the email list) at www.ParksandRestoration.com

What happens when the people protecting our natural resources are running on empty?In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost tackle an uncomfortable truth: the very passion that drives us to protect parks and natural resources might be slowly destroying us. They introduce the CARE Framework—a practical approach to wellbeing that every conservation professional needs to hear.Through research-backed insights and personal stories (including Jeremy's two-month journey off energy drinks and Chris's sleep transformation), they explore how:Connection combats the isolation that might be your biggest occupational hazardActivity differs from "work movement" and sustains long-term healthRest functions as performance time, not just recoveryEating well becomes the fuel that makes or breaks your leadership effectivenessIf you've ever worked through lunch to finish a trail project, skipped vacation during burn season, or stayed late writing grants while telling yourself it's dedication, this conversation will show you why taking care of yourself is actually strategic leadership.Be part of the conversation!How do you prioritize wellbeing in this demanding field? What strategies work (or don't work) for you? Send us your insights and experiences at www.ParksandRestoration.com.Chapters00:00 The Hidden Crisis in Conservation04:16 The CARE Framework Introduction05:03 Connection: Why Isolation is Dangerous16:18 Activity: Moving Beyond Work Movement25:23 Rest: Sleep as Performance Time36:23 Eat: Fueling Your Leadership48:06 Wellbeing as Strategic Leadership57:21 Putting CARE Into PracticeAbout Parks and RestorationBetter leaders. Better parks.Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.Join the movement at www.ParksandRestoration.com

How do you eat an elephant?Most people say, “one bite at a time.” But what if you invited 45 of your friends and turned it into a barbecue?That’s exactly what happened in Iowa’s Loess Hills when multiple agencies came together for a cooperative cedar-cutting workday—and it’s the perfect picture of how partnerships expand capacity and tackle projects no one organization could handle alone.In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost dive into the power of multi-organizational partnerships. From cooperative burn weeks to large-scale habitat projects, they explore how collaboration helps parks and conservation professionals:Multiply their impact with limited staff and resourcesBuild a culture where cooperation is the norm, not the exceptionManage logistics, permissions, and risk across multiple agenciesTell a better story to the public and media about conservation workIf you’ve ever felt like the challenges in your park system are too big for your team to handle, this conversation will show you how to invite others to the table—and barbecue the elephant together.Be part of the conversation! We want to hear your stories (successful or not!) of cooperation/collaboration with other agencies and organizations. Send us a message or leave us a voice memo at www.ParksandRestoration.com. Chapters00:00 Building a Culture of Cooperation05:26 The Power of Community Engagement10:52 Creating Effective Partnerships16:41 Logistics of Collaboration22:20 Expanding Influence Beyond Boundaries27:12 Building Relationships for Effective Disaster Response30:11 Decentralized Command: A Key to Effective Leadership35:10 Logistics and Clarity in Large-Scale Events39:27 Fueling the Team: Logistics of Food and Recognition44:36 Transforming Challenges into Collaborative OpportunitiesAbout Parks and RestorationBetter leaders. Better parks.Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team. Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.Join the movement at www.ParksandRestoration.com

What if the way you recognize your team could make or break their motivation to stay? Or screen them from burnout?In this episode, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost share the SPF² Framework—Specific, Personalized, Fast, and Frequent recognition—and show how it can protect your team from burnout while building a culture people can’t wait to be part of.---This is the Parks and Restoration Podcast, the show for parks and natural resource professionals that want to be the leaders that their agencies, their communities, and future generations need them to be.Better leaders. Better parks.

What can parks and natural resource leaders learn from military operations, professional athletes, top performers, and Pixar? How to build effective feedback systems. In this episode, Chris and Jeremy dig into the power of After-Action Reviews and exit interviews—two tools that can help you capture honest feedback, build trust, and make your organization better season after season. Whether you're managing a summer trail crew, hosting college interns, or just wrapped a big event, this conversation will help you create space for reflection and growth (without turning it into a bureaucratic mess).Along the way, they share favorite questions to ask, mistakes to avoid, and real stories from the field.---Parks and Restoration is the podcast for parks, conservation, and natural resource professionals who want to lead with purpose, build stronger teams, and create healthier landscapes. Tune in for practical insights, real-world stories, and leadership strategies that help you thrive in the field (or at the office).Better leaders. Better parks. Join the conversation at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Struggling to get qualified interns to apply for your conservation or parks program—let alone relocate from across the country?Recruiting great interns in parks and natural resources is harder than ever, especially when you're working in a rural or lesser-known area. In this episode, Chris and Jeremy break down how one Iowa county attracted interns from places like Alaska and New Jersey—not with big paychecks, but with bold storytelling and smart strategy. If you’ve ever posted a job and heard nothing but crickets, this one's for you.Learn how to write an internship posting that actually grabs attention (and applications).Discover how authenticity and visual storytelling can sell your program better than a generic job description ever could.Get insight into what up-and-coming park and natural resource professionals are really looking for in conservation internships.*Also, listen to the end for the question of the week (about alligators!) and submit your answers at www.ParksandRestoration.com.Hit play now and walk away with recruitment strategies that’ll make your next internship post stand out—even if you’re miles from the nearest city.

What keeps you showing up to work when the politics are messy, the budget is tight, and the trail never really ends?In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris and Jeremy explore the power of purpose—your WHY—and why it’s a powerful force for staying motivated, engaged, and resilient in parks, natural resources, and outdoor recreation work.Drawing inspiration from Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why,” they share personal stories, leadership insights, and practical ways to reconnect with your purpose when the mission feels buried under bureaucracy or invasive species.If you're feeling stuck, stretched, or just need a reminder of what pulled you into this work in the first place, this one’s for you.Show notes, transcript, and contact at parksandrestoration.comLike what you hear? Tap follow and leave a rating—it helps other park pros find the show.Got a story or episode idea? Drop us a message at parksandrestoration.com/contact

In this episode, I explore how onboarding isn’t just about filling out forms and handing over keys—it’s about shaping culture, boosting retention, and setting your team up for long-term success. Whether you're bringing on seasonal staff or full-time hires, this episode breaks down the three essential functions of onboarding—belonging, purpose, and clarity—and offers practical, field-tested strategies to help new team members thrive from day one.

Back around the first of the year, I was a (co)guest on the Outliers Edge Podcast hosted by Niiamah Ashong. We discussed some of my "leadership through the lens of ecology" ideas, how it's not good to go it alone, and much more. Outliers Edge is "a podcast for high-performing unconventional leaders and entrepreneurs (aka Outliers) who use what makes them different to make a difference."I got permission from Niiamah to share this episode here so I thought I'd break from the norm and share an episode where I'm the one being interviewed. Enjoy!

There's an effort in the Iowa Senate to repeal what would be the most impactful funding mechanism for parks and conservation that has ever existed in the state of Iowa. Iowa's Water and Land Legacy fund, also known as IWiLL is technically the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. It was established by a 63% majority vote by Iowans in 2010, writing the fund into the state's constitution. But the fund sits empty because no legislature since has passed the necessary 3/8-cent sales tax increase to fund it. This episode goes over how this fund came to be, beginning with a legislatively appointed Sustainable Funding Committee back in 2006, up to today's efforts to just scratch it from the constitution altogether. If you are involved in parks or conservation in any capacity - from soil health to trails - this fund will have a profound impact on what you do once it's funded. As leaders in this industry, we need to be educated on what this fund is, how it came to be, and impacts it would have. That's why I wanted to publish this episode. To learn more about the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, go to www.IowasWaterandLandLegacy.org, or read the various posts I've made about it over the years on my blog at www.OutdoorExecutiveDad.com. Thanks for what you do!

In this episode, I chat with John Fullbright who has one of the craziest life stories of anyone I know. A lifelong adventure guide currently residing in New Mexico, he recently led a nighttime whitewater rescue the likes of which belongs on one of those crazy "I shouldn't have survived" TV shows. But that's not a fraction of what makes him so interesting. Among other things, he is now venturing into beekeeping as he is one of the most outspoken champions for the use of bee venom for intractable diseases such as Lyme disease. This is definitely an episode you want to check out.

Some of us are lucky enough to have great mentors in our professional lives. This is the story of one of mine. When I first became Director, I saw one of my board members, Jim Garnjobst, as difficult. Argumentative. Contrarian. "This guy's gonna be the death of me..." I remember lamenting to my wife back then. Fast forward a dozen or so years and I saw Jim as one of the most important people in my professional life. A mentor. A friend. Jim passed away recently and the hole he leaves on my board on on my heart is palpable. I wanted to honor him by talking about how important mentors are to high-achieving folks like us and how cultivating space for debate and contrarian approaches makes our boards and organizations stronger.

I'm joined by sustainability consultant Kenny Oleson for an insightful discussion on clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability. This episode covers, among other things, the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa program, practical energy-saving measures for homes and businesses, and the benefits of long-term planning in construction. We also explore the vulnerabilities of power grids, the potential of renewable energy, and Earthships, whatever the heck those are... Many of us in parks and conservation are building or planning future facilities. Many of us probably also maintain old, inefficient buildings. This is a good listen on both fronts. Enjoy!