Conservation Connection

A sculpture four stories tall captivated audiences outside of the UN headquarters and changed the conversation around plastics. How else can art influence the public? Ben Von Wong is an issue driven artist who went from a career in hard rock mining to globally recognized artist-activist. In episode 135 he shares insights into the role of disruptive activism, how it took SEVERAL leaps of faith to achieve his dreams, and his work on climate change, plastic pollution, e-waste, and more! Thank you to the ⁠Sun Valley Forum⁠ for sponsoring this season of Conservation Connection! Each interview this season was recorded live during the forum in July of 2024! Check out Ben's website here! Check out the BioChar Phoenix here! Want to make your own plastic tap? Click here! Conservation Connection would not be possible without the incredible support we receive from our listeners. If you'd like to support our podcast, you can donate or check out our merch store on our website, ⁠⁠ConservationConnection.co

The best conservation plan in the world doesn’t matter if there's no money to make it happen, but The Nature Conservancy has a wild new program that can turn sovereign debt into long-term conservation funding! Melissa Garvey is the director of TNC's Nature Bonds Program, and in episode 134 she shares their strategy that is protecting huge chunks of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet! Listen in as we discuss how she translates finance and conservation issues for government leaders, how she stays connected to nature, and why her suitcase is always full of sand. Thank you to the Sun Valley Forum for sponsoring this season of Conservation Connection! Each interview this season was recorded live during the forum in July of 2024! If you'd like to learn more about the Nature Bonds Program, click here! Conservation Connection would not be possible without the incredible support we receive from our listeners. If you'd like to support our podcast, you can donate or check out our merch store on our website, ⁠ConservationConnection.co

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Conservation Connection content to bring you this special look into the background of your favorite podcast hosts! This summer we were interviewed by Mark Titus for his podcast, Save What You Love. We had an absolute blast telling the story of how our marriage, nonprofit, and podcast came to be! Conservation Connection would not be possible without the incredible support we receive from our listeners. If you'd like to support our podcast, you can donate or check out our merch store on our website, ConservationConnection.co

Heavy metal music seems to attract sharks, but do you know why? On the final episode of Season 10 we sit down with the world's only Heavy Metal Marine Biologist! Tom "The Blowfish" Hird tells us all about his his wild stories from the field, including how he performed heavy metal music at sea to get a closer look at the ocean's coolest predators! Enjoy this episode and stay tuned for Season 11 of Conservation Connection, coming October 1st 2024. This episode was recorded at EarthX2024 in Dallas Texas!

New tools allow us to collect more data than ever before, but is that always a good thing? When it comes time for policymakers to make decisions, a complex system of stakeholders, limited resources, and unclear goals can make it hard to figure out the best way forward. That's where decision scientists like Dr. Jennifer McGowan swoop in to save the day! ⁠Want to support the show by buying some swag? Check out our online store!⁠ This episode was recorded at EarthX2024 in Dallas Texas Rainforest sounds recorded by by AdrienPola, accessed on FreeSound dot org

More than 50% of the world's turtle and tortoise species are threatened with extinction, but Shannon DiRuzzo of Turtle Island is working to make sure that they all live to see tomorrow. Turtle Island's mission is simple: save turtles & tortoises from extinction through acute rescue, care, research, breeding, and rewilding. Want to buy stickers, shirts, cups, or cool conservation art to support the show? Check out our new online store! This episode was recorded at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas! Marsh sounds at the beginning of the episode were recorded by KevinSonger and were accessed on FreeSound dot org.

Support black footed ferret conservation by following this link! 50% of proceeds will be donated directly to the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation for ferret conservation projects! This week we get to learn from Dr. Julie Thorstenson at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas. Julie is a wildlife biologist, member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation, Lakota, and executive director of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society. Her work as executive director assists Native American and Alaska Native Tribes with the conservation, protection, and enhancement of their fish and wildlife resources. Nature sounds recorded by Microsoft Sam on FreeSound.org

Hunting as a conservation tool can be a divisive topic. How can the death of an animal increase the health of the herd? This week we sit down with Ivan Carter, a safari guide, conservationist, and TV host to answer these big questions. He encourages us to set our emotions aside and listen to the science when it comes to making conservation decisions! We're so grateful to have had the opportunity to record this episode with Ivan at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas!

Protecting the ocean can seem like a whale of a task! Luckily we have the solutions to turn the tides. We sat down with George Cummings at EarthX to learn about his work as an ocean ambassador. From the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to protecting island nations, and learning how we can help reduce carbon entering our atmosphere, we cover it all!

Wind turbines are an incredible source of renewable, carbon-neutral energy that can be deadly to bats. This week we talk to a scientist who's trying to fix that. We sit down at EarthX with Dr. Sarah Fritts, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at Texas State University, to learn how she's working to keep bats away from critical renewable energy infrastructure. Sound Credit: The bat sounds included at the beginning of the show were found on Montana State University's Acoustic Atlas, and are the copyright of Jeff Rice and Montana State University; Use of this audio file is allowed in accordance with the Creative Commons.

When you're standing in the Pitcairn islands, the closest another human gets is the astronauts on the International Space Station. You're also standing on the most plastic polluted beach in the world. This week we learn how Brett Howell, of Howell Conservation Fund, and his team removed ocean plastics from one of the most remote islands on the planet! This episode was recorded in collaboration with EarthX at the EarthX conference in Dallas, Texas.

From 250 pound sea turtles to half-pound terrapins, the staff of Jekyll Island Authority work all year long to protect their native wildlife! This week we chat with David Zailo and Will Hicks, staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, about the important work they're doing to protect some of North America's most incredible turtles!

When he learned that 95% of California's kelp forests had disappeared in the past 10 years, Adam Hussain devised a plan to put his underwater film skills to use saving the ecosystem that he loved! This week we sit down at EarthX with the director of the upcoming documentary Seaforestation to learn about the critical role that kelp forests play in the oceans and how researchers and citizens across the globe are solving the threats that kelp forests face! Check out the trailer to Seaforestation HERE

Although 85% of wild oyster reefs have disappeared over the past 120 years, Georgia's oyster populations are thriving! Listen in as we chat with Justin Manley, the hatchery manager at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Shellfish Research Laboratory on Skidaway Island! We get deep into the science of oyster aquaculture and learn all about the work being done to protect this critical ecosystem! Want to access resources about oyster farming? Check out the links below! UGA Marine Extension Oyster South East Coast Shellfish Growers Association

We interrupt your regularly scheduled episode of Conservation Connection to bring you this special crossover episode with Crystal DiMiceli of the Forces For Nature Podcast and The Healthy Seas Podcast! Listen in for a sneak peak of Season 10 and to discover another incredible podcast!