Finding an imperiled species on his ranch scared the daylights out of Russell Davis. What he and his neighbors did next may have saved their town.   Today on Working Wild U, join us as we return to the high plains of eastern Colorado to learn how a small ranching community transformed a migratory bird’s imperiled status from threat to opportunity.  Complete show notes are at workingwild.us ..read more

  Today on Working Wild U, we're spotlighting, quite literally, one special species that calls the Great Plains home. A small predator that was thought to be extinct.... twice! Meet the black-footed ferret, the most endangered mammal in North America.   Thanks to community-driven efforts spanning the Great Plains, from dedicated ranchers in eastern Colorado to the Fort Belknap Indian Community in northern Montana, this elusive predator is staging a remarkable comeback.  As always, find our complete show notes, including links, videos and other references from the episode at work ..read more

Grizzly bears are expanding their range. But where are they headed? To find out, we get out on the land with ranchers Erik Kalsta and Jami Murdoch, who are working with partners to monitor wildlife – including grizzlies – on their operation in southwest Montana.  Together with Erik, Jami and Blackfeet rancher Kristen Kipp, plus a band of other experts, we explore what it really means for grizzly bears to recover under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, and the real challenges bears, and people, face as they do. Read the complete show notes, as always, at workingwild.us ..read more

When a section of the Big Hole River in southwest Montana ran dry in 1988, all eyes were on the future of one of the last remaining populations of arctic grayling in the lower 48.   Out of the struggle, a collaboration emerged that change the future of the Big Hole - a future where human communities, wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on can thrive. And it might even serve as a model for how we can conserve species that are headed for the brink. Complete show notes are available at workingwild.us.  ..read more

We're excited to announce the second season of Working Wild U: Imperiled.  This season we're exploring community and landowner-led wildlife conservation on working and tribal lands across the West. From grizzly bears to lesser-known species, join us as we discover the challenges and successes of how communities are working together for common-ground solutions.  We'll dive into the action, meeting individuals on the ground stewarding habitats and supporting thriving rural communities. As the Endangered Species Act turns 50, we reflect on the past and ponder the next 50 years of conser ..read more

In the western United States, wolves represent many things to many people. To some, wolves are a symbol of wildness. To others, wolves represent a very real threat to their livelihoods and well-being. Join us as we explore how people’s values impact how they think about wolves. When it comes to wolves, can we find a shared vision for the future? Complete show notes: workingwild.us ..read more

So far this season, we’ve been spending a lot of time in the Northern Rockies, in the states where grey wolves first returned to the West – by reintroduction or recolonization. But in 2008, dispersing wolves from Idaho denned in both eastern Oregon and Washington, where wolves hadn't been seen since the 1940s.  In this episode, Alex and Jared explore how different geography, politics and management goals put wolves into the center of a tough new push-pull dynamic in the Pacific Northwest. Full show notes can be found at workingwild.us   ..read more

In 2021, the Montana and Idaho legislatures each passed a suite of bills liberalizing wolf hunting. These changes ignited national debate around fair chase ethics, norms of state wildlife management decision-making, and potential relisting of wolves in the Northern Rockies under the Endangered Species Act. Honing in on Montana, hosts Alex and Jared explore what these recent changes to wolf hunt regulations could mean for wolf populations in the state and for people who share the landscape with wolves. Plus, they seek to understand if a collaborative, ground-up, scientifically and publicly-info ..read more

It’s easy to see wolf management in two buckets: full protection under the Endangered Species Act or unregulated wolf hunting. But successful management of established wildlife populations is most often somewhere in the middle, with hunting used both as a tool and a conservation funding mechanism. Join Alex and Jared as they explore hunting as a management tool and take a look at how the North American model of wildlife conservation allows species to fund their own conservation and management. Plus, they’ll take a look at how Wyoming’s unique approach to managing wolves has helped increase acc ..read more

Today we’re introducing you to one of our favorite podcasts, Reframing Rural, a show working to “reframe the narrative on rural America.” In this episode from their third season, “Groundwork,” Reframing Rural producer Megan Torgerson shares the intimate journey of her family’s farm succession, as well as others in her home community of Dagmar, Montana, giving listeners an inside look into the emotional, legal and financial factors at play with succession planning. The topic of farm and ranch succession is at the top of mind for many folks in rural America today. Around 40% of farmland in the U ..read more