Podcasts about United States Forest Service

Charles and Heather Maude are fifth-generation ranchers in South Dakota who farm home raised beef and pork direct-to-consumer. In this episode they describe their family history on the land, their early lives in agriculture, and the events that led to a criminal indictment by the United States Forest Service over a disputed boundary fence. The episode documents their personal background, the mechanics of Western land use, and a detailed account of how a civil land issue escalated into a federal criminal case.Key TopicsFederal criminal indictment over a land disputeHow the case escalated from civil to criminalLegal strategy and case dismissalImpact on family, finances, and rightsPrecedent for ranchers and landownersWhat You'll LearnHow a ranching family faced and beat a federal criminal indictmentHow a routine land boundary issue escalated into criminal chargesHow federal land enforcement works in practice for ranchersThe personal, financial, and legal costs of a criminal caseWhy this case matters for landowners and producersConnect with Charles & HeatherWebsiteInstagramFacebookTimestamps00:00:00 Why this story matters 00:03:00 Heather's ranch upbringing 00:09:00 Charles's family land history 00:15:00 Growing up ranching 00:24:00 Marriage and the Atlas Blizzard 00:33:00 Ranch community and shared labor 00:35:00 Forest Service fence dispute begins 00:41:00 Meetings with federal officials 00:52:00 Civil dispute turns criminal 01:05:00 Impact of the indictment 01:22:00 Washington D.C. and case dismissal 01:27:00 Media and political pressure 01:34:00 Precedent for landowners 01:50:00 Land stewardship and politics 02:08:00 Final reflections

In this newscast: An Alaska foster youth advocacy organization is suing the state Office of Children's Services for allegedly failing to provide food and necessities for older youth in their care; Governor Mike Dunleavy says he'll soon propose a statewide sales tax as part of his larger plan to stabilize the state's finances; KTOO's Alix Soliman speaks with Alaska's acting regional forester Jerry Ingersoll about changes the United States Forest Service staff in Alaska are going through; Alaska is launching pilot programs in Anchorage and Juneau to offer addiction treatment in mobile care units.

On this episode Celia Alario talks with Mike Popejoy, the Land Conservation Director of Grand Canyon Trust about a new agreement signed in January 2026 between the Utah Governor and the United States Forest Service, which gives the state more control over the management and oversight of USFS lands in Utah. Then This Week in Moab Host Christy Williams shares insights from her trip to Mexico, and we hear clips from the late Martin Luther King Jr. on this celebration day of his life.

Arizona Mining Reform Coalition v. United States Forest Service

Silvicultural methodology for longleaf pine is sometimes misunderstood by landowners and land managers. Join the Timber University team as they discuss longleaf systems and their management using current techniques with today's guest, Dr. John Willis, a research forester with the United States Forest Service. For questions or comments, email us at timberuniversity@gmail.com.  

​​Silvicultural methodology for longleaf pine is sometimes misunderstood by landowners and land managers. Join the Timber University team as they discuss longleaf systems and their management using current techniques with today's guest, Dr. John Willis, a research forester with the United States Forest Service.  For questions or comments, email us at timberuniversity@gmail.com.  

Today on the News Reel, we speak with Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about a protest that took place at Arches National Park recently. We also discuss upcoming federal office space closures in Moab for the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Geological Survey. Plus, we give updates about the Moab Area Transit schedule and a save-the-date for a volunteer day to clean up some local trails.

North Cascades Conservation Council v. United States Forest Service

Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Forest Service

Forests are the lungs of our planet. Not only do they absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen, they also regulate temperature, absorb rainwater to help prevent flooding, and provide critical habitat for the majority of the world's land-based plant and animal species.But due to land conversion for agriculture and road construction, timber harvesting, and increasing wildfires, the trees that make up our forests are increasingly endangered. That's why we need reforestation: replanting new forests to replace the old ones.For the past century, the United States Forest Service has helped to replant new forests and manage existing ones. But as scientists face the ongoing threat of climate change, they're developing new strategies... including one that tries to literally predict the future.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Vivian Hjort is interviewed by Jonas Anderson and talks about her last 25 years living in Petersburg, Alaska. Her time working with a helicopter company before moving to a position with the United States Forest Service as a dispatcher. This interview was recorded on May 8th, 2024 as part of a project for Mr. Shumway's Senior Alaska History class.

URGENT: The very existence of public lands in the United States of America is under the greatest threat conceivable. What would the loss of public lands mean for you, your family and the activities you enjoy? What if the road leading to your favorite trailhead or camping spot was gated and locked? What if you were blocked from your favorite hiking or fishing spot by "PRIVATE-NO TRESPASSING" signs. Whether you enjoy visiting National Parks, wildlife refuges, lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management or the United States Forest Service, all of these places are currently at risk of becoming private property. The elimination of federally managed public lands in the United States would have drastic and far-reaching consequences for the quality of life for all Americans. If you hunt and fish on public land you should be hyper aware of the current efforts spawned by the state of Utah. If you make a living grazing cattle on public lands the ramifications of Utah succeeding in this heist will severely impact your livelihood. In this very important conversation, Aaron Kindle, Director of Sporting Advocacy for the National Wildlife Federation sits down with Jesse Deubel to discuss the latest updates in the case, how we got here and what you can do to get involved. If you love public lands and all the opportunities they provide this is not an episode you will necessarily enjoy listening to. This one isn't for entertainment. Please listen to this emergency 45 minute episode to become informed so you can join the fight. In this episode Aaron Kindle refers to this issue as "the fight of our life." HELP NOW! HALT THE HEIST! CLICK HERE!

Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project v. United States Forest Service

C'est l'événement culturel majeur de la rentrée : le musée du Quai Branly accueille les « morts-vivants ». L'exposition « Zombis. La mort n'est pas une fin ? » plonge les visiteurs aux origines du mythe du zombi et montre comment cette figure centrale du vaudou a été transformée en Occident. Loin des stéréotypes de morts-vivants contagieux popularisés par le cinéma et la pop culture, cette exposition propose d'explorer un mythe authentique. En Haïti, le zombi se développe en marge du vaudou, notamment à travers les pratiques de sociétés secrètes, telles que la société bizango. À la frontière entre réalité et fiction, l'exposition révèle les vérités cachées derrière la peur que suscite cette figure emblématique du « non-mort ». Reportage de José Marinho. Les dégâts à long terme provoqués par l'ouragan HélèneTrois semaines après le passage de l'ouragan Hélène, le plus meurtrier à frapper les États-Unis en plus d'un demi-siècle (237 morts), l'État de Caroline du Nord, dans l'est du pays, s'efforce de réparer les dégâts. De nombreuses maisons et routes ont été dévastées. Après l'urgence humanitaire, les écologistes constatent également les dégâts sur la biodiversité de cette zone montagneuse, riche en espèces. Lucile Gimberg, notre envoyée spéciale, a rencontré Lisa Jennings, garde forestière au United States Forest Service dans la forêt nationale de Pisgah, près d'Asheville. C'est la région la plus touchée par l'ouragan Hélène. Jennings explique que l'ouragan a gravement perturbé les écosystèmes, tuant des poissons et polluant les eaux avec des produits chimiques.Donald Trump et Kamala Harris font aujourd'hui campagne dans le Michigan, un État industriel très disputéSelon Politico, la vice-présidente démocrate va « intensifier ses attaques contre les projets économiques du candidat républicain ». Kamala Harris doit rencontrer des responsables syndicaux dans une usine de General Motors, qui devrait recevoir une subvention de 500 millions de dollars dans le cadre de l'Inflation Reduction Act, le vaste programme de relance économique mis en place par Joe Biden. Le message de Harris aux ouvriers est clair, selon Politico : si Donald Trump est élu, les 650 emplois de l'usine pourraient être menacés, car l'ancien président a promis d'annuler les fonds non dépensés de cette loi.Par ailleurs, le New York Times rapporte l'inquiétude croissante au sein du camp républicain à propos des discours erratiques de Donald Trump. Un conseiller estime qu'il est dangereux pour lui de s'éloigner de ses textes et de détourner son discours, car cela serait « contre-productif ». De plus, des études internes menées par l'équipe de Kamala Harris révèlent que « l'un des moyens les plus efficaces de convaincre les électeurs de soutenir la vice-présidente est de présenter Trump comme instable et Harris comme une dirigeante stable, capable de renforcer la sécurité de l'Amérique ». Au Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro pousse l'opposante Maria Corina Machado à l'exilSelon le journal colombien El Tiempo, le régime chaviste mène une véritable campagne de communication pour faire pression sur Maria Corina Machado, qui revendique la victoire de son alliance lors de l'élection présidentielle de juin 2024. Nicolas Maduro affirme que Machado a déjà quitté le pays pour l'Espagne, ce qu'elle dément. « Ils veulent savoir où je suis, mais je ne leur donnerai pas ce plaisir », a-t-elle déclaré à El Tiempo. Contrairement à Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, ancien candidat de l'opposition exilé en Espagne, Maria Corina Machado a choisi de rester clandestine au Venezuela.La campagne américaine en musiqueJulien Coquelle-Roehm reçoit Julien Grossot, co-auteur d'une encyclopédie sur la musique américaine, Rock'n Road Trip. Aujourd'hui, il s'agit des voitures et de leur place centrale dans la vie des Américains.Journal de la 1ère : déclin démographique en MartiniqueCela se confirme : année après année, la population de la Martinique diminue.

Climate concerns are top of mind, especially with young adults. AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service and volunteering, administers a program for adults ages 18 to 26 to help them take action. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a team-based national service program that engages young adults in 10 to 11-month hands-on service experiences to develop leadership skills and strengthen communities. Forest Corps is a partnership between AmeriCorps NCCC and the United States Forest Service. The program is for young adults passionate about combating the climate crisis and protecting public lands. The first cohort of NCCC Forest Corps members will be sworn in to begin their service in mid-July.  The Forest Corps program is the first major interagency partnership under President Biden's American Climate Corps (ACC), a new initiative to train young people in high-demand skills for jobs in the clean energy economy. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Climate concerns are top of mind, especially with young adults. AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service and volunteering, administers a program for adults ages 18 to 26 to help them take action. AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a team-based national service program that engages young adults in 10 to 11-month hands-on service experiences to develop leadership skills and strengthen communities. Forest Corps is a partnership between AmeriCorps NCCC and the United States Forest Service. The program is for young adults passionate about combating the climate crisis and protecting public lands. The first cohort of NCCC Forest Corps members will be sworn in to begin their service in mid-July.  The Forest Corps program is the first major interagency partnership under President Biden's American Climate Corps (ACC), a new initiative to train young people in high-demand skills for jobs in the clean energy economy. On Tuesday, July 23, Ken Goodson, Director of AmeriCorps NCCC, is available to discuss the Forest Corps program and why young adult volunteers are so important.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

Mel is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation in Washington State. His entire career has been in the forests of The Pacific Northwest, with the United States Forest Service and the Yakama Nation.He started to listen to stories of the Forest People as a young child from his great grandfather. He would listen to locals and other enrolled members of their encounters. During is career he has had numerous encounters with Sasquatch, ranging from putrid smells to sighting one.That is when it peaked his interest and wanted to learn more than just the stories. He became a member of the BFRO and investigating encounters across Washington and Oregon. During his Forestry career was the main investigator for all the encounters of Bigfoot.He has done many interviews with all media including Coast to Coast AM, The Robb Report, ESPN and The Yakima Herald Republic.Mel has appeared on television programs; Red Earth Uncovered, Finding Bigfoot, Expedition Bigfoot, Yeti Massacre. ALSO has appeared in bigfoot documentaries; Bigfoot's Reflection, A Flash of Beauty: Bigfoot Revealed and its sequel Paranormal Bigfoot.Click that play button, and let's unravel the mysteries of the UNTOLD! Remember to like, share, and subscribe to our channel to stay updated on all the latest discoveries and adventures. See you there!Join Barnaby Jones each Monday on the Untold Radio Network Live at 12pm Central – 10am Pacific and 1pm Eastern. Come and Join the live discussion next week. Please subscribe.We have ten different Professional Podcasts on all the things you like. New favorite shows drop each day only on the UNTOLD RADIO NETWORKTo find out more about Barnaby Jones and his team, (Cryptids, Anomalies, and the Paranormal Society) visit their website www.WisconsinCAPS.comMake sure you share and Subscribe to the CAPS YouTube Channel as wellhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs7ifB9Ur7x2C3VqTzVmjNQ

I've noticed that the terms "conservation" and "preservation" are often used interchangeably, however, these concepts represent two distinct philosophies and approaches to managing natural resources and protecting the environment. Understanding the difference between conservation and preservation is essential for developing effective strategies for environmental stewardship. Definition and Philosophy Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources. The primary goal of conservation is to ensure that natural resources are used in a way that is both sustainable and beneficial for current and future generations. This approach recognizes that humans depend on natural resources for their survival and well-being and aims to balance the needs of people with the need to maintain healthy ecosystems. Conservation strategies often include regulated use of resources, restoration of degraded ecosystems, and protection of species through active management and hunting. Preservation, on the other hand, focuses on protecting natural environments from human interference. The primary goal of preservation is to maintain areas of the Earth in their natural, untouched state. This approach is based on the belief that nature has intrinsic value and should be protected for its own sake, regardless of any direct benefits to humans. Preservation efforts often involve creating protected areas such as national parks and wildlife reserves where human activities are strictly limited or prohibited. Historical Context The roots of both conservation and preservation can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the rise of the environmental movement in the United States. Two prominent figures in this movement, Gifford Pinchot and John Muir, embodied the principles of conservation and preservation, respectively. Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the United States Forest Service, was a strong advocate for conservation. He believed that natural resources should be managed scientifically to provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people over the longest time. Pinchot's approach emphasized the sustainable use of resources to ensure their availability for future generations. John Muir, a naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club, was a leading proponent of preservation. He argued that natural landscapes should be protected from human exploitation and development. Muir's advocacy led to the establishment of several national parks, including Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, where human activities were restricted to preserve the natural beauty and integrity of these areas. Practical Applications In practice, conservation and preservation strategies often overlap and complement each other. For example, a conservation plan for a forest might include sustainable logging practices, reforestation efforts, and the protection of critical habitats for endangered species. At the same time, certain areas within the forest might be designated as preservation zones where no logging or other human activities are allowed. Conservation is commonly applied in areas where human use of natural resources is necessary but needs to be managed carefully to avoid depletion or degradation. Examples include sustainable agriculture, fisheries management, hunting, forestry and water conservation. Conservationists work to develop practices that allow for the continued use (Use being the key word) of resources while minimizing environmental impact. Preservation is typically applied in areas that have significant ecological, cultural, or aesthetic value. National parks, wilderness areas, and nature reserves are examples of preservation efforts aimed at protecting pristine environments from human disturbance. Preservationists often advocate for the creation of protected areas to safeguard biodiversity and maintain ecosystems in their natural state. Challenges and Criticisms Both conservation and preservation face challenges and criticisms. Conservation efforts can be criticized for allowing continued exploitation of natural resources, which may lead to environmental degradation if not properly managed. Critics argue that conservation sometimes prioritizes human needs over ecological health, leading to conflicts between resource use and environmental protection. Preservation, on the other hand, can be criticized for being too restrictive and excluding human activities that might be compatible with environmental protection. Some argue that preservation efforts can lead to the displacement of indigenous peoples and local communities who have traditionally relied on the land for their livelihoods. Additionally, preservation can be seen as impractical in a world where human influence is pervasive and few truly untouched landscapes remain. Conclusion Conservation and preservation represent two different but complementary approaches to environmental protection. Conservation emphasizes the sustainable use and management of natural resources to benefit both people and the environment. Preservation focuses on protecting natural areas from human interference to maintain their intrinsic value. Both approaches are essential for achieving a balance between human needs and the health of our planet's ecosystems. Understanding the differences between conservation and preservation helps us to develop more nuanced and effective strategies for environmental stewardship in a rapidly changing world.

On June 3rd, 1924 the Gila Wilderness became the world's first ever administratively designated wilderness. Forty years later when the Wilderness Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson the National Wilderness Preservation System was established and the Gila became a congressionally designated wilderness. Remarkably, even four decades before the United States Congress had the ability to designate wilderness, a U.S. Forest Service employee by the name of Aldo Leopold had a vision for the idea of wilderness protection. Leopold's unwavering commitment to protecting the Gila in its natural state led to the original designation. That initial, administrative designation began what would later become one of the most celebrated forms of permanent land protection in the United States. There are still some people who oppose the idea of designated wilderness areas, or other land protections. That was also the case when Leopold dreamed up his idea of wilderness and when the Wilderness Act was eventually passed. According to the historian James Trefethen, author of An American Crusade for Wildlife, consistent opposition was found in the House by the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. “The wilderness proposal was bitterly opposed by a coalition of western commercial interests, including the mining companies, timber corporations, and livestock associations.” These same industry groups continue to oppose ongoing land protection campaigns today. With history as our teacher though, we can clearly see that permanently protecting wild places for future generations pays off and in the long run these victories are overwhelmingly appreciated. Listen in as Dr. Karl Malcolm from the United States Forest Service moderates a panel consisting of Jeremy Romero of the National Wildlife Federation, Tisha Broska of NM WIld and Jesse Deubel of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. This group of modern-day conservationists share personal stories as they reflect on the world's first ever designated wilderness. Happy 100th birthday to the Gila Wilderness. Enjoy the listen!   For more info:National Wildlife FederationUnited States Forest ServiceNM WildNew Mexico Wildlife Federation

rWotD Episode 2595: Arrowhead Lodge Welcome to random Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of a random Wikipedia page every day.The random article for Tuesday, 11 June 2024 is Arrowhead Lodge.The Arrowhead Lodge, at 34500 Poudre Canyon Hwy., Roosevelt National Forest, in Larimer County, Colorado, served by the post office in unincorporated Bellvue, Colorado, was a resort camp which was built in 1931. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.The listed area includes 27 buildings, 22 of them being contributing buildings, a contributing object (a sign), and various noncontributing structures and objects, on 3 acres (1.2 ha).Its main lodge is currently a United States Forest Service visitor's center. Other buildings include 13 historic, Rustic-style cabins.It is at elevation 7,410 feet (2,260 m), about 32 miles (51 km) up Cache la Poudre Canyon. It is reached by Colorado State Highway 14, which runs west off U. S. Highway 287, about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado.It is located in Roosevelt National Forest "in the rugged lower montane climax region typical of Colorado's Rocky Mountain eastern slope," on the north bank of the Cache la Poudre River.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:27 UTC on Tuesday, 11 June 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Arrowhead Lodge on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm Ayanda Neural.

This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on April 18. It dropped for free subscribers on April 25. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe to the free tier below:WhoPete Korfiatis, General Manager of Bluewood, WashingtonRecorded onApril 4, 2024About BluewoodClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Local investorsLocated in: Dayton, WashingtonYear founded: 1980Pass affiliations:* Indy Pass and Indy+ Pass: 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Cottonwood Butte, Idaho, 3 hours eastBase elevation: 4,545 feetSummit elevation: 5,670 feetVertical drop: 1,125 feetSkiable Acres: 355Average annual snowfall: 300 inchesTrail count: 24 (30% difficult, 45% intermediate, 25% easy)Lift count: 4 (2 triples, 2 carpets – view Lift Blog's inventory of Bluewood's lift fleet)Why I interviewed himSomeday, if it's not too late, I'm going to track down the old-timers who snowshoed into the wilderness and figured this all out. The American West is filled with crazy little snow pockets, lesser-known mountain ranges spiraling off the vast plateaus. Much of this land falls under the purview of the United States Forest Service. In the decades immediately before and after World War II, the agency established most of our large western ski areas within its 193 million-acre kingdom. That's a lot of land – approximately the size of Texas – and it's not all snowy. Where there is snow, there's not always roads, nor even the realistic possibility of plowing one through. Where there are roads, there aren't always good exposures or fall lines for skiing.So our ski areas ended up where they are because, mostly, those are the best places nature gave us for skiing. Obviously it snows like hell in the Wasatch and the Tetons and the Sierra Nevadas. Anyone with a covered wagon could have told you that. But the Forest Service's map of its leased ski areas is dotted with strange little outposts popping out of what most of us assume to be The Flats:What to make of Brian Head, floating alone in southern Utah? Or Mt. Lemmon, rising over Tucson? Or Ski Apache and Cloudcroft, sunk near the bottom of New Mexico? Or the ski areas bunched and floating over Los Angeles? Or Antelope Butte, hanging out in the Wyoming Bighorns?Somewhere, in some government filing cabinet 34 floors deep in a Washington, D.C. bunker, are hand-annotated topo maps and notebooks left behind by the bureaucrat-explorers who determined that these map dots were the very best for snowsportskiing. And somewhere, buried where I'll probably never find it, is the story of Bluewood.It's one of our more improbable ski centers. Not because it shouldn't be there, but because most of us can't imagine how it could be. Most Washington and Oregon ski areas line up along the Cascades, stacked south to north along the states' western thirds. The snow smashes into these peaks and then stops. Anyone who's driven east over the passes has encountered the Big Brown Endless on the other side. It's surreal, how fast the high alpine falls away.But as Interstate 90 arcs northeast through this rolling country and toward Spokane, it routes most travelers away from the fecund Umatilla National Forest, one of those unexpected islands of peaks and green floating above our American deserts. Here, in this wilderness just to the west of Walla Walla but far from just about everything else, 300 inches of snow stack up in an average winter. And this is where you will find Bluewood.The Umatilla sprawls over two states and 1.4 million acres, and is home to three ski areas (Anthony Lakes and inactive Spouts Springs, both in Oregon, are the other two). Three map dots in the wilderness, random-looking from above, all the final product of years in the field, of hardy folks pushing ever-deeper into the woods to find The Spot. This is the story of one of them.What we talked aboutGrowing up Wenatchee; “the mountains are an addiction”; THE MACHINE at Mammoth; Back-In-The-Day Syndrome; Mammoth's outsized influence on Alterra Mountain Company; how the Ikon Pass strangely benefited Mammoth; the accidental GM; off the grid; Bluewood and southeast Washington's unique little weather pattern; “everybody that knows Bluewood comes for the trees”; why the Forest Service is selling a bunch of Bluewood's trees; massive expansion potential; when your snowline is 50 feet above your base area and you have no snowmaking; the winter with no snow; Skyline Basin and dreams that never happened; ambitious lift-upgrade plans; summer and “trying to eliminate the six-month revenue drought”; “if you take the North American lifts right now, they're only coming out because they're pieces of crap”; potential future chairlifts; Bluewood's owners and their long-term vision; mountaintop lodging potential; whether night skiing could ever happen; power by biomass; the Indy Pass; Southeast Washington ski culture; free buddy tickets with your season pass; Bluewood's season pass reciprocal program; why Bluewood's lift ticket prices are so low; and the absolute killer expense for small ski areas.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewOne of the more useful habits I've developed is attending offseason media events and consumer ski shows, where ski area managers and marketers tend to congregate. The regional gatherings, where mountain booths are stacked side by side like boxes in a cereal aisle, are particularly useful, allowing me to connect with reps from a dozen or more resorts in an hour. Such was the setup at the Snowvana “stoke event” in Portland, Oregon last November, which I attended both to host a panel of ski area general managers and to lay deeper roots in the rabid Pacific Northwest.Two podcasts emerged directly from connections I made that day: my February conversation with Red Mountain CEO Howard Katkov, and this one, with Korfiatis.So that's the easy answer: a lot of these podcasts happen simply because I was finally able to connect with whomever runs the mountain. But there's a certain amount of serendipity at work as well: Bluewood, right now, is on the move.This is a ski area that is slowly emerging from the obscurity I caged it into above. It has big-picture owners, an energetic general manager, a growing nearby population, and megapass membership. True, it also has no snowmaking and outdated, slow chairlifts. But the big, established ski centers to its west are overwhelmed, exhausted, and, with a few exceptions, probably un-expandable. Bluewood could be a big-deal alternative to this mess if they can do what Korfiatis says they want to do.There are a lot of millions standing between vision and reality here. But sometimes crazy s**t happens. And if it goes down at Bluewood, I want to make sure we're sitting right there watching it happen.What I got wrongI said that Mammoth was an independent mountain when Korfiatis arrived there in 2000. This is incorrect. Intrawest owned a majority stake in Mammoth from 1997 to 2006.Why you should ski BluewoodUsually, when casual skiers ask me where they ought to vacation, their wishlist includes someplace that's relatively easy to get to, where they can stay slopeside, where the snow will probably be good [whenever their kids' spring break is], and that is a member of [whatever version of the Epic or Ikon pass they purchased]. I give them a list of places that would not be a surprising list of places to anyone reading this newsletter, always with this qualifier: expect company.I like big destination ski areas. Obviously. I can navigate or navigate around the crowds. And I understand that 24-chairlifts-and-a-sushi-bar is exactly what your contemporary megapass patron is seeking. But if someone were to flip the question around and ask me which ski area characteristics were likely to give them the best ski experience, I'd have a very different answer for them.I'd tell them to seek out a place that's hard to get to, where you find a motel 40 miles away and drive up in the morning. Make it a weekday morning, as far from school breaks as possible. And the further you get from Epkon branding, the farther you'll be from anything resembling a liftline. That's the idea with Bluewood.“Yeah but it's only 1,100 vertical feet.”Yeah but trust me that's plenty when most of your runs are off-piste and you can ski all day without stopping except to ride the lift.“But no one's ever heard of it and they won't be impressed with my Instastory.”You'll live.“But it's not on my Ultimo-Plus Pass.”Lift tickets are like $50. Or $66 on weekends. And it's on the Indy Pass.“But it's such a long drive.”No it isn't. It's just a little bit farther than the busier places that you usually go to. But it's not exactly in Kazakhstan.“Now you're just making things up.”Often, but not that.Podcast NotesOn Bluewood's masterplanHere's the basic map:And the lift inventory wishlist:On Mission Ridge and WenatcheeKorfiatis grew up in Wenatchee, which sits below Mission Ridge. That mountain, coincidentally, is the subject of an already-recorded and soon-to-be-released podcast, but here's the trailmap for this surprisingly large mountain in case you're not familiar with it:On Mission Ridge's expansionAgain, I go deep on this with Mission CEO Josh Jorgensen on our upcoming pod, but here's a look at the ski area's big proposed expansion, which Korfiatis and I discuss a bit on the show:And here's an overhead view:On “The Legend of Dave McCoy”The Dave McCoy that Korfiatis refers to in the pod is the founder of Mammoth Mountain, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 104. Here's a primer/tribute video:Rusty Gregory, who ran Mammoth for decades, talked us through McCoy's legacy in a 2021 Storm Skiing Podcast appearance (18:08):On Kim Clark, Bluewood's last GMIn September 2021, Bluewood GM Kim Clark died suddenly on the mountain of a heart attack. From SAM:Longtime industry leader and Bluewood, Wash., general manager Kim Clark died of an apparent heart attack while working on the mountain Tuesday. He was 65. Clark had been the Bluewood GM since 2014.In a statement sharing the news of Clark's death, Bluewood said, “significant rescue efforts were unsuccessful. Kim passed away doing what he loved, with people he loved, on the mountain he loved.”Clark was an influential leader during his career in the mountain resort industry, much of which was spent at resorts in the Pacific Northwest. He is remembered by his peers as a mentor, a teacher, and a leader with a passion for the industry who cared deeply for the teams he led and the resorts he helped to improve.Prior to becoming GM at Bluewood, Clark led Mt. Ashland, Ore., as its general manager from 2005 to 2014.On the Tri-Cities of WashingtonImagine this: I'm 18 years old and some dude on the lift at Copper Mountain asks me where I'm from. I say “Michigan” and he says “where” and I say, “the Tri-Cities area” and he says “what on earth is that?” And I say “Oh you've never heard of the Tri-Cities?” as though he'd just told me he'd never heard of Paris. And he's like “no, have you ever heard of the Quad Cities?” Which apparently are four cities bunched along the Iowa-Illinois border around Interstate 80 and the Mississippi River.It was my first real-time lesson in hyper-regionalism and how oft-repeated information becomes so ingrained that we assume everyone must share it, like the moon or the wind. The Tri-Cities of Michigan are Bay City, Saginaw, and Midland. But no one who doesn't live there knows this or cares, and so after that chairlift conversation, I started saying that I was from “two hours north of Detroit,” which pretty much every American understands.Anyway imagine my surprise to learn that America had room for a second Tri-Cities, this one in Washington. I asked the robots to tell me about it and this is what they said:The Tri-Cities are three closely linked cities (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland)[2][3] at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia Rivers in the Columbia Basin of Eastern Washington. The cities border one another, making the Tri-Cities seem like one uninterrupted mid-sized city. The three cities function as the center of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, which consists of Benton and Franklin counties.[4] The Tri-Cities urban area consists of the city of West Richland, the census-designated places (CDP) of West Pasco, Washington and Finley, as well as the CDP of Burbank, despite the latter being located in Walla Walla County.The official 2016 estimate of the Tri-Cities MSA population is 283,869, a more than 12% increase from 2010. 2016 U.S. MSA estimates show the Tri-Cities population as over 300,000. The combined population of the three principal cities themselves was 220,959 at the 2020 census. As of April 1, 2021, the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Forecasting Division estimates the cities as having a combined population of 224,640.[5]And actually, it turns out that there are tri-cities all over the country. So what the hell do I know? When I moved east to New York in 2002, it took me about five years to figure out what the “Tri-State Area” was. For a long time I thought it must be New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. But it is New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, from which many people commute into NYC daily to work.On Scot Schmidt For those of you who don't know who “that guy” Scot Schmidt is:On the Greyhawk lift at Sun ValleyKorfiatis refers to the “Greyhawk lift” at Sun Valley as an example of a retiring high-speed quad that is unlikely to have a useful second life. He was referring to this lift, which from 1988 until last year ran parallel to the monster Challenger lift:Last summer, Sun Valley replaced both lifts with one Challenger six-pack with a mid-station, and built a new high-speed quad called Flying Squirrel (which replaced a shorter double chair of the same name that met death-by-fire in 2014):On the number of Washington ski areasWashington, while home to several legendary ski areas, does not have nearly as many as its growing, active population needs. Of the state's 17 active ski areas, five operate only surface lifts, and I'm not even certain whether one of them – Badger Mountain – operated this past ski season. Sitzmark also failed to spin its lift. There are really only nine volume-capable ski areas in the state: 49 Degrees North, Crystal, Mission Ridge, Baker, Mt. Spokane, Stevens Pass, Summit, Alpental, and White Pass. Here's an inventory:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing all year long. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 32/100 in 2024, and number 532 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Brian. FogartyOriginally from New Philadelphia, PA. Brian enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1992 and served 26 years, retiring in 2018 at the rank of Sergeant Major. During his service, Brian participated in multiple humanitarian and combat operations including Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.After retiring, Brian worked for several non profit organizations that assisted Veterans dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to Include The PTSD Foundation of America. Brian joined the United States Forest Service in 2021 as a Back Country Ranger with the Palomar Ranger District on the Cleveland National Forest.Brian enjoys all outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, backpacking, triathlons, skiing, surfing daily, working out and traveling. Brian's life motto is “Do it right or do it again!”LINKS:https://nonprofitarchitect.org/combat-vet-vision/https://www.facebook.com/iconutilityservices/photos/pcb.3282304212030773/3282304082030786/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqvd5sUEtC9xkm7ejGNK5Zw/featuredhttps://www.facebook.com/aqseiberthttps://www.facebook.com/CombatVetVisionEmail: Aqseibert@yahoo.comThe Warrior Built Foundation - https://warriorbuilt.org/The PTSD Foundation of America - https://ptsdusa.org/Virtual Office(Come see me) Virbella.comSponsorsSitch Radio - https://sitchradio.com/If you would like to become a sponsor or advertiser Call Sitch Radio (714) 643-2500 X 1Be part of the solution or the problem.PTSD FOA Warrior Group Chaptershttps://ptsdusa.org/about-us/chapters/

Dive into the heart of conservation on "The Caring Economy" with our latest episode featuring Jeff Vail, a visionary leader in land, minerals, and geology management for the United States Forest Service. With a career dedicated to nurturing and preserving the nation's vast landscapes, Jeff embodies the spirit of environmental stewardship. Join us as Jeff shares his inspiring journey from the roots of conservation in the Bronx to overseeing the safeguarding of America's national forests and grasslands. Learn about the transformative power of public-private partnerships, the ambitious goals of the President's 30x30 Initiative, and the enduring impact of the iconic Smokey Bear campaign. This episode is not just a conversation; it's a call to action for everyone passionate about the future of our planet. Jeff's insights into balancing the demands of land conservation with the joys of personal connection to nature will inspire you to explore how you can contribute to a sustainable future. Tune in to "Guardians of Green: Jeff Vail's Crusade for Conservation" and be part of a movement towards a greener, more sustainable world. Let's embrace the lessons of conservation leadership and discover how corporate social responsibility and community engagement can create lasting impacts on our environment. Don't forget to check out my book that inspired this whole series!

In this episode, the spotlight is on California's urgent restoration efforts post devastating wildfires. The Reforestation Pipeline Partnership, a coalition involving CAL FIRE, American Forests, and the United States Forest Service, addresses challenges in post-wildfire reforestation on public and private lands. Shelley Villalobos, the Manager of the California Reforestation Pipeline Cooperative, joins the conversation, sharing insights into the partnership's role in restoring California's landscapes. Tune in as Shelley and Jesus discuss the partnership's origins, challenges, collaborative efforts, and strategies for achieving the ambitious goal of reforesting 1.5 million acres by 2040. Find educational resources and additional deep dive content for this episode on our website at conezonepod.wordpress.com.  References: American Forests. (2021). Ramping up Reforestation in the United States: A Guild for Policy Makers. https://www.americanforests.org. American Forests & United States Forest Service. (2022). Challenges to the Reforestation Pipeline. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1041655.pdf. Smith, H., & Wigglesworth, A. (2023, November 12). Experts reflect on the Camp fire in Paradise five years later - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-11-08/its-been-5-years-since-californias-deadliest-wildfire-can-we-stop-it-from-happening-again Reforestation Pipeline Partnership - American Forests. (2023, November 7). American Forests. https://www.americanforests.org/coalition/reforestation-pipeline-partnership/ Fargione, J et alt. (2021). Challenges to the reforestation pipeline in the United States. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.629198

We talk with Cousins Tom and Dan about their time in the USFS in Idaho in the 1980's.

Today's guest is the energetic and enthusiastic Jason Herbert. Jason is a Tribal Liaison with the United States Forest Service in Colorado. He is also the creator and host of Historians at the Movies, a podcast that features historians talking about movies ranging from Pretty Woman to Con Air. Jason is an experienced high-school teacher, having taught US History, World History, and economics at the Pine School and the Highlands Career Institute in Florida. He also served as an ethnographer for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Jason received his PhD in History from the University of Minnesota, where he completed a dissertation titled "Beast of Many Names: Cattle, Conflict, and the Transformation of Indigenous Florida, 1519- 1858." He took his MA and BA in History from Wichita State University and an AA in General Studies from Tallahassee Community College. Jason has published articles in the Florida Historical Quarterly, Ohio Valley History, and Chronicles of Oklahoma. He has also published in the American Historian and Smithsonian magazine. His scholarship has been supported by Florida Atlantic University and the Huntington Library, the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, the American Historical Association, the Agricultural History Society, and the Newberry Renaissance Consortium. Jason excels in front of a classroom - he's won teaching awards at the University of Minnesota, Wichita State University, and the Highlands Career Institute. Additionally, he was nominated for the Gilder Lehrman National History Teacher of the Year Award. Join us for a fast and furious chat with Jason Herbert. We'll talk undergraduate woes, Kentucky and Indiana, Lyle Lovett, Black Sails, Whataburger, and a little Hemingway. Shoutout to Front Range BBQ in Colorado Springs! Rec.: 10/11/2023

Who doesn't love a lush, perfectly manicured grass lawn? It turns out, a lot of people are actively trying to get rid of their lawns, ripping out grass in favor of native plants, vegetables, and flowers to attract pollinators. As the realities of climate change become starker, more and more people are looking for ways to create environmentally friendly spaces. NPR's Scott Detrow talks with research ecologist Susannah Lerman with the United States Forest Service about the impact of grass lawns on the environment and sustainable alternatives.

Today's podcast is about the disappearance of Constantinos “Danny” Filippidis, an experienced skier, and a veteran firefighter from Toronto. On February 12, 2018, Danny Filippidis went missing while skiing with friends at Whiteface Mountain, New York, in the Adirondacks. what happened to Danny Filippidis? Section 1: Host: Danny Filippidis was an experienced skier in his mid-forties and was known to love skiing. On February 9, 2018, he and a group of six other firefighters from Toronto arrived in Whiteface Mountain Resort. Three days later, Danny went missing while skiing, and a massive search and rescue operation was launched. According to various reports, Danny Filippidis was last seen skiing on Whiteface Mountain in the afternoon of February 7. Upon realizing he was missing, his friends and family immediately reached out to the authorities. Section 2: Search and Rescue Host: It was one of the largest and challenging search and rescue operations in the Adirondacks, with hundreds of volunteers and members of the New York State Police, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the United States Forest Service joining the search. The search lasted for six days, with helicopters, snowmobiles, and K9 units searching the mountain. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/creative-habits/message

For anyone traveling into the backcountry whatever the means of transport, taking precautions to prevent wildfire starts and knowing what to do to stay safe if a wildfire ignites near your location are essential outdoor skills.That's why we're grateful to have experienced wildlands firefighter, Jessica Braun, share her extensive knowledge and insight to help us learn what we can do to both prevent wildfires and stay safe when adventuring into the backcountry during fire season.Jess explains current theory and practice being implemented by the U.S.F.S. (United States Forest Service) to mitigate wildfire danger and what to know about how different types of forest management may affect wildfire severity in an area where you may be recreating.Jess, Jimmy, and co-host, Leah, deep-dive into the many different ways one can accidentally ignite a wildfire when camping and enjoying a variety of forms of vehicle-based recreation in the backcountry during fire season. Whether driving your vehicle, building a campfire, or enjoying some camp cooking, Jess explains best practices for preventing those wildfire starts from happening in the first place.And if you find yourself far into the backcountry when a wildfire erupts, what do you do next? How do you report the wildfire start? How do you escape being caught in a wildfire and what is the best way to stay safe if you are caught within one? Jess shares her approach to pre-scouting recommended before adventuring into fire-prone areas, how to be prepared for an emergency evacuation in the event of a wildfire, and best practices for surviving if you find yourself trapped by the flames.There are few places in the world where wildfire is not an issue for those heading into the backcountry. Enjoy becoming more wildfire aware and learn the basics of preventing wildfires and staying safe during fire season by joining our conversation with Jessica Braun.Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

A Morning News Update That Takes Into Account The News Stories You Deem 'Highly Conversational' Today's Sponsor: Resume Solutionhttps://thisistheconversationproject.com/resumesolution Today's Rundown:4 warrants issued after brawl breaks out at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabamahttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/08/07/montgomery-riverfront-brawl-alabama/70541261007/ Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallionhttps://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/tory-lanez-megan-thee-stallion-shooting-trial-prison-b2389006.html Dave Portnoy Buys Barstool Sports Back for Next to Nothinghttps://www.businessinsider.com/dave-portnoy-buys-barstool-sports-back-penn-national-2023-8 Biden will announce a historic Grand Canyon monument designation during his Arizona visithttps://apnews.com/article/grand-canyon-national-monument-biden-9382960f18408dce7aec52f103404e11 Burger King Is Bringing Out New Line of Chicken Wrapshttps://www.insider.com/burger-king-releases-new-chicken-wraps-mcdonalds-fans-2023-8 WeWork Has 'Substantial Doubt' About Continuing to Operatehttps://www.businessinsider.com/wework-has-substantial-doubt-about-continue-to-operate-going-concern-2023-8Wayne Brady Comes Out as Pansexual: 'I'm Doing This for Me'https://people.com/wayne-brady-comes-out-as-pansexual-exclusive-7569897 Zoom wants its remote work company to come back to the officehttps://www.theverge.com/2023/8/7/23823464/zoom-remote-work-return-to-office-hybrid Website: http://thisistheconversationproject.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/thisistheconversationproject Twitter: http://twitter.com/th_conversation TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@theconversationproject YouTube: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/youtube Podcast: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/podcasts #yournewssidepiece #coffeechat #morningnews ONE DAY OLDER ON AUGUST 9Deion Sanders (56)Gillian Anderson (55)Chris Cuomo (53) WHAT HAPPENED TODAY1936: At the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal, becoming the first American to win four medals in one Olympic Games.1944: The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council released posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.2012: Usain Bolt became the first person to win the 100 meter and 200 meter sprint in back to back Olympics. PLUS, TODAY WE CELEBRATE: Book Lovers Day https://www.google.com/search?q=Book+Lovers+Day&oq=Book+Lovers+Day&aqs=chrome..69i57.370341j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Andrew Wilkins works on the land stewardship team at the National Wildlife Federation. During this episode of AFIELD, he sits down with Rob Catalanotto and Chris Wood of Trout Unlimited and Friends of Fletcher's Cove. Friends of Fletcher's Cove is committed to maintaining, improving, and sustaining Fletcher's Cove as a premier urban gateway to the outdoors within Washington, D.C. Through grassroots advocacy and stakeholder collaboration, they ensure Fletcher's Cove is preserved and protected to benefit anglers, paddlers, wildlife enthusiasts, and outdoorspeople of all backgrounds.   Fletcher's Cove is a revered and historic outdoor resource along the Potomac River, located just below the fall line in the Potomac Gorge–roughly 2.5 miles upstream of Georgetown. The site is managed by the National Park Service within the boundaries of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, which receives millions of visitors each year. Fletcher's Cove is one of the few public access points where for over one hundred years, visitors have enjoyed safe and reliable access to the Potomac river for fishing, boating, wildlife watching, and many other forms of outdoor recreation. Chris has worked for Trout Unlimited for 20 years, and previously worked for the United States Forest Service. He is an average but exceptionally earnest angler. Rob is a D.C. native who learned to love the outdoors and environmental conservation at Fletcher's Cove. Rob is also a Government Affairs representative for Trout Unlimited, working to advance coldwater conservation issues on Capitol Hill. Learn more here: https://savethecove.org/theissue/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barksdale Resources CEO, Rick Trotman, provides a corporate update on the company's ongoing permitting process for the Sunnyside project in Arizona. The United States Forest Service has continued to move through the final permitting steps. On March 13, 2023, the 45-day Objection Period concluded. Permit is days to weeks away.

This week Clint and Dawson sit down with Bill Hodge. Bill became the Montana State Director for The Wilderness Society in January of 2023 after serving four years as the Executive Director of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation. This role withThe Wilderness Society is his second tour with the organization. During Bill's first term he started the ground-breaking organization Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (AKA -SAWS). Bill has spent the last 15 years fighting for the preservation and stewardship of some of America's wildest public lands. From deep in the backcountry to the halls of Congress, Bill has been a champion of the National Wilderness Preservation System. He was the recipient of the Bob Marshall Award for Wilderness Stewardship from the United States Forest Service in 2013 and was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change for building the next generation of conservation leaders in 2014. Prior to his work in conservation Bill was the Chief Marketing Officer of Action Sports Media and had spent 20 years in broadcasting and college athletics. Bill currently serves on the Board of the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance. Bill and his wife, Laura, call the Flathead Valley of northwest Montana home. Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

The Lolo National Forest in Montana is recommending more wilderness designations in their upcoming forest plan. We talk about why you should oppose this.  The Bureau of Land Management recently proposed a new rule to prioritize conservation on BLM lands. The United States Forest Service released a companion rule that raises questions about what exactly the forest should be prioritizing as the forests they manage are increasingly burning up in catastrophic wildfires. ----more---- You can comment on the Proposed Conservation Rule here:  https://www.sharetrails.org/forest-service-proposed-rule-to-prioritize-conservation-instead-of-management/ ----more---- You can oppose new wilderness in the Lolo National Forest here:  https://www.sharetrails.org/lolo-forest-wilderness-designations/#/116/

On this episode of the Bear Grease Render, Clay Newcomb gathers special crew of turkey chasers and storytellers. Clay is joined by Gary “Believer” Newcomb, veteran Bear Greaser Andy Brown, Cauy House and his grandfather from his turkey story, Steve Phillips, as well as retired United States Forest Service agent and former Arkansas Game and Fish agent Joe Liles. Tune in for stories of first hunts, any swarms, and chasing poachers. Stay tuned for Gary describing his custom modified turkey gun. We really doubt you're gonna wanna miss this one…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of our Crime Fighter Series, we talk with United States Forest Service Captain and Arson Investigator Russel Tuttle. Tuttle is a 16-year veteran of the United States Forest Service, who has received numerous awards for his work and outstanding performance. Captain Tuttle walks us through the 2014 “Colby Fire” that burned 2,000+ acres in the Angeles National Forest. Tuttle talks about how they were able to determine the cause and origin of the fire, and eventually how they found the people responsible for igniting it. Tuttle also made it possible for Steve to attend the annual Wildfire Arson Investigation School at an undisclosed location in Riverside County – a first for a journalist. The federal program teaches forensic techniques to the next generation of arson investigators. Keep an eye out for that future episode.

In this episode, we meet up with a backcountry trail crew on the Inyo National Forest. California Conservation Corps members and the United States Forest Service staff tell us what it takes to live and work on the trail. As we shall soon learn, the combination of partnership, funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, the true grit brings transformation for the trail and the crew.

Jim has a Master's degree in ecology from San Francisco State University where he was appointed the Director of its Sierra Nevada Field Campus. He served in that capacity for 25 years, building its environmental education program and researching the effects of regional climate change on bird populations as part of the Sierra Nevada Neotropical Migratory Bird Riparian Habitat Monitoring project for the United States Forest Service. Jim's research culminated in the successful restoration of the Carman Creek watershed and its wildlife. In addition to lecturing at the university, he also taught science at inner-city schools. https://twitter.com/JimSteeleSkepti https://perhapsallnatural.blogspot.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7XNHEz2QCJ_Phf2mvDFk0Q “Landscapes & Cycles: An Environmentalist's Journey to Climate Skepticism” https://a.co/d/00aWWOr —— Tom Nelson's Twitter: https://twitter.com/tan123 Substack: https://tomn.substack.com/ About Tom: https://tomnelson.blogspot.com/2022/03/about-me-tom-nelson.html Notes for climate skeptics: https://tomnelson.blogspot.com/2019/06/useful-notes-for-climate-skeptics.html ClimateGate emails: https://tomnelson.blogspot.com/p/climategate_05.html

Climate change is accelerating as human-made greenhouse gasses continue to warm our atmosphere. Megafires certainly evoke climate change doomsday feelings, but are these types of fires new to the PNW or were similar instances occurring prior to 2020? To answer these questions we talked to Matthew Reilly, a United States Forest Service scientist, about the causes of these megafires and what we can expect in the upcoming decades.This episode was produced by Jessica Buser-Young and mixed by Collin Warren. Illustration by Jace Steiner.

In this episode of the Farmland Energy Legal Podcast, Research Assistant Deke Dieken joins staff attorney Jackie Schweichler to discuss pipeline easements and the case, United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association. In this case, the Supreme Court takes a close look at the Appalacian Trail and whether the U.S. Forest Service has the authority to grant a pipeline easement under this land.  Guest: Deke Dieken, Research Assistant Host:  Jackie Schweichler, Staff Attorney Follow us on Twitter @AgShaleLaw  Like us on Facebook Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law   Music is “Caazapá (Aire Popular Paraguayo)” by Edson Lopes and is licensed under CC BY 3.0. 

Texas+Water Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Todd Votteler, talks with John Muhlfeld, Principal Hydrologist for the River Design Group and Mayor of Whitefish, Montana. John Muhlfeld was raised along the Connecticut coast, just a few short miles from Long Island Sound and a mere 40-minute train ride to New York City. His family spent the summer months in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York sailing, fishing, snorkeling, and diving for crawdads. Over the course of 15 years, the once pristine Caroga Lake where Muhlfeld spent his summers deteriorated due to the introduction of aquatic invasive species, acid rain, and septic leachate. Observing his childhood lake change dramatically motivated him to pursue a career in water resources. In his 22 years of professional experience, Muhlfeld has worked for the United States Forest Service and as a Forest Hydrologist with the State of Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. With River Design Group, he has been the Project Manager and lead Restoration Hydrologist for numerous large-scale restoration projects in Montana, including the O'Dell Spring Creek wetland restoration project and the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex involving the headwaters of the infamous Blackfoot River. In addition to his work at the River Design Group, Muhlfeld volunteers his time as Mayor of Whitefish, Montana, a popular vacation destination in Northwest Montana that is experiencing dramatic growth.

This episode of Big Blend Radio's 3rd Tuesday "Go to Natchitoches" Show focuses on Briarwood Nature Preserve, a National Historic Place in Saline, Louisiana, which is just north of Natchitoches. Featured guests include Arlene Gould - Director of Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Bayli Quick - Curator at Briarwood Nature Preserve. Briarwood is the birthplace and home of Caroline Dormon, a world renowned naturalist, author, artist, and the first woman to be hired in the United States Forest Service. The Briarwood Nature Preserve carries on the work started by Miss Dormon by preserving wildflowers native to the south and educating the public. More: https://briarwoodnp.org/ Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-a-tish) is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase Territory and is part of the Cane River National Heritage Area. More: https://natchitoches.com/

In this episode we will look into some fun Satanic Hoaxes. We still live in the shadow of the satanic panic of the 1980s and under the spectre of Qanon today but those hoaxes have cost people their lives and that's not fun. I thought in this episode we would look at some of the less famous stories where the devil is to blame.We will investigate the fake Satanic ritual sites discovered on the Scandinavian island of Anholt and their connection to Devil coins turning up all over Europe including Bath Abbey in the U.K.We examine how Danish newspaper Politiken, uncovered the three men behind the mystery, Knud Langkow, Jørgen Sømod and Bent Jensen.We deep dive into, ‘The Well to Hell' story that had Trinity Broadcasting Network fooled TWICE! And see how an annoyed Norwegian school teacher, Åge Rendalen performed what we would call these days, a ‘White Hat Hoax' on the network.We find even Justin Bieber has been a victim of one of these Satanic hoaxes with his innocent little minor hit from a few tears back, ‘Baby' being accused of being back masked by brain bending bangers beatifying Beelzebub.We look at how a simple photoshop joke by comic book creator Cody Frederickson went viral.And we'll find out if it's now safe to return to the San Bernardino Mountains after campers were warned of Satanic activity in the area.Also mentioned in this episode, Kola Superdeep Borehole, Lotte Geevan, Art Bell, Coast to Coast and The United States Forest Service. 

Brandon Dunham is a former wildland firefighter, fly fisherman, outdoorsman, podcaster, entrepreneur, aloha shirt aficionado, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters non-profit advocacy group cofounder, and wildland firefighter advocate who has served as a steward to protect public lands for eleven years. During his wildland firefighting career, he has had the opportunity to serve on Interagency Hotshot Crews, Helitack modules, Engine companies, and as a Type 4 Incident Commander across the United States for both the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service. After his 11-year fire career, he decided to create and formalize his podcast, The Anchor Point Podcast – a long-form, unscripted, and wildland firefighter culture podcast that highlights every aspect of what wildland firefighters experience – the good, bad, indifferent, and ugly. Tune in as Brandon joins Bobby Marshall virtually and discuss wildland fires, wildland firefighting, hot shots, smoke jumpers, Helitack modules, fire mitigation, hunting, mountain life, and so much more. Please subscribe or like us on social media platforms for updates on shows, events, and episode drops.www.themountainsidepodcast.comwww.anchorpointpodcast.comwww.grassrootswildlandfirefighters.com Sponsor Linkswww.UnCanna.comMountain Side listeners use Discount code TMS to receive 10% off all Uncanna products! www.ONNIT.comMountain Side listeners use Discount code TMS to receive 10% off ONNIT products! www.OriginMaine.comMountain Side listeners receive 10% off Origin & Jocko Fuelproducts! Use Code TMS10 to save. Other Affiliates Links

Welcome to June 14th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate inspirational bears and distinctly American tastes. In 1950, a large and destructive wildfire tore through the mountains of south-central New Mexico. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, they found a tiny bear cub hanging on to the top of a charred tree. Rangers took him in and nursed him back to health and gave him a name—Smokey Bear. This little guy became a mascot for the United States Forest Service as well as the face of fire prevention and forest conservation. When he passed away in 1976, his remains were returned to the mountains where he'd been rescued so many years before. There's even Smokey Bear Historical Park built in his honor. On National New Mexico Day, we celebrate the Land of Enchantment and all its citizens, even the four-legged ones. Countries around the world have their own distinct take on alcohol. Russia has vodka. Japan has sake. And here in the United States, we have bourbon. It's widely believed that whiskey can only be considered bourbon if it comes from Kentucky. That's not true, but there are some specific legal requirements for every alcohol that wants to be labeled bourbon. First, the grains used to produce it must be at least 51% corn. And it must also be aged in charred oak barrels. The aging process is what gives bourbon its distinctive taste. If you're an aficionado, you already know this makes all the difference in the world. On National Bourbon Day, enjoy a glass of this distinctly American drink.   I'm Anna Devere and I'm Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is devoted to Smokey Bear, the beloved spokesanimal of the United States Forest Service, who spreads awareness about how to prevent accidental, human-caused wildfires. We discuss how and why the Smokey advertising campaign started more than 70 years ago, how Smokey went from an animated bear to a living, breathing animal, and where to visit the Smokey Museum and Historical Park, plus the largest Smokey statue in the country. All this and more!   Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you've enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.   Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.   To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 16th, 2014, a wildfire broke out in the San Gabriel Mountains and quickly spread through the Angeles National Forest. The 2,000-acre wildfire destroyed six homes and damaged many others. One of the most challenging crimes to investigate is arson, especially wildfire arson. We speak with Captain Russel Tuttle with the United States Forest Service. Tuttle breaks down the methods of federal arson investigators and their meticulous approach to determining not only the origin and cause of a fire, but also who started it. We get a behind the scenes look at the entire Colby Fire investigation. This is part of our ongoing ‘Crime Fighter Series' which highlights the people, agencies, and technology responsible for solving crime.

In this episode we discuss imposter syndrome and making a mental health plan for fire season with Dani Shedden of Close the Gap Wellness.Dani Shedden is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Counselor. Her education includes a Masters of Science in Clinical Counseling from Northwest Nazarene University and a Masters Certificate in Fire Ecology, Management, and Technology from University of Idaho.  Her background not only includes working in the mental health field, but as a wildland firefighter for the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service.  She has served as a Peer Supporter, Peer Lead, and Coordinator for the Critical Incident Stress Management interagency programs.  One of Dani's core values is taking care of people, she continues to do this work outside the land agencies as a CISM clinician, Mental Health Educator, and as a Human Factors Facilitator for Fireline Leadership courses.Follow DaniInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/closethegapwellness/Dani's Reading ListHow To Do The Work by Dr. Nicole LePera: https://amzn.to/3ISMFDbThe High Five Habit by Mel Robbins: https://amzn.to/36SscBrFollow Dear ChiefsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearchiefspodcast/Website: https://www.dearchiefs.comJoin our facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dearchiefspodcastBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Mark Largent:Welcome. My name is Mark Largent. I'm the associate provost and dean for undergraduate education at Michigan State University. And it is my pleasure to be your host today. I want to start by thanking the Spartan Jazz Quintet for their talent and their time and their contribution to this really wonderful ceremony today. I am so happy to be here. I have to be honest with you. This is a very joyful time as we restart a school year. I am one of those people who started school when I was six and I've never stopped starting school every fall. And to have fallen out of that rhythm last year and the loss of that pattern I had really depended on and the people who I was close to was tremendously difficult. And I know that so many of you here are that way as well. And so many of you are so energized by this building and these people and our students. And so I'm just joyful to be here. So thank you for joining me for this. I think the joy we have in being here emphasizes for us the sense of place and what importance place holds for us, together, here, now, celebrating this new place. As a historian, I cannot help but see architecture as emblematic of a very particular time and place in which a building was created. Those buildings create spaces that reflect the intentions of the time in which they were built. Those spaces, then, in the years and years that follow, both empower and constrain what happens in those spaces. We call this architectural determinism and what it means is spaces allow for certain things, but not all things. Fifty some years ago, we built the last one of these kinds of buildings, that new classroom building, right on the other side of this, Wells Hall. And much has changed in 50 years. Who we teach, how we teach, what we teach, and who teaches even has changed in that last half century. And so a building that we build now must reflect who we are now and who we want to be next, both, and this building most certainly does that. Our dedicated world-class faculty have been formulating and reformulating answers the questions of what we should teach and how we should teach it. And this building opens the doors to an unimaginably wide landscape of opportunity to pursue those answers, but also for opportunity for our students themselves. And ultimately, that's why we're here, is for our students and their opportunity. This building is designed for both today and tomorrow's science education needs. It is incredibly flexible. Architectural determinism in this space has been constrained to limits we've never seen before in a classroom building on this campus, perhaps anywhere, because this is probably the best science education building on the planet. It is flexible. It is welcoming. It is open. And if you have not been inside of it yet, I'm excited for you to go in because you will leave with a sense of empowerment and excitement that our students have told us they feel when they walk in those doors.So, it is my pleasure now to introduce someone who has pursued answers to some of medicine's most urgent problems throughout his entire professional life, an infectious disease expert, a researcher, patent holder, former technology transfer executive. Our first speaker is a leader who knows the value of collaborative research and multi-disciplinary pedagogy firsthand. It's also a person who has done wonders over the last year and a half helping lead us through a time none of us could have imagined. So I want to thank and introduce MSU president Samuel L Stanley.Samuel L Stanley:Well, thank you, associate provost Largent, or I should say, thank you, Mark, for that extraordinarily kind introduction. And I almost am ready to throw away my comments because I think Mark summarized everything I'm going to say in one sentence, which is, the best science education building in the world at Michigan State University. Is there really anything else to add to that statement? I'm not sure there is, but you know what I'm going to anyway. So we'll just move ahead. So I wanted to begin by acknowledging the state of Michigan and particularly the legislature for its partnership in helping to fund this facility. It was the first time in nearly 50 years. I'm going to say this again, it's the first time in nearly 50 years that MSU added exclusive classroom space with state funding. So thank you for the vision of those who helped make this possible. Thank you. This is an important day for Michigan State University and all of our students. This impressive facility represents the commitment of MSU and the state of Michigan to prepare our students to thrive in a dynamic and complex world. Understanding scientific principles, mathematical concepts, physical and biological processes is increasingly important for many reasons. We know that jobs requiring STEM knowledge are the fastest growing in the country. And among the most secure. STEM occupations will grow by more than twice the rate of non-STEM jobs in this decade. And STEM occupations, on average, pay about twice as much. We also know that on the whole, STEM occupations do not, and the person who are among them, represent the diversity of our society. Since data indicate that women make up nearly half of the workforce, but a little more than a quarter of STEM workers today. Black and Hispanic participation in STEM occupations also trails their representation in the workforce. Because of its importance, supporting diversity in STEM is a priority for the nation, as well as Michigan State University. More broadly, STEM skills and qualifications are valuable for everyone. An NSF, National Science Foundation, report concluded last year that whether or not they become scientists or engineers, all Americans should have access, opportunity, encouragement, and tools to participate in the innovation economy and to succeed amid technological progress and change. Understanding STEM principles is increasingly necessary to assess information, weigh choices, and even manage your health. And it's important for also being a contributing member of society. Science-based issues confront the world today with some of its greatest challenges, medical, environmental, and technological. Society needs citizens who are able to understand those issues, make informed choices and lead our communities. This new facility is a 21st century response, the newest evolution of MSU's land grant commitment to connect people with such vital knowledge. It represents our innovative spirit and transformative mission. We see these qualities in the facility's creative design and repurposing of the power plant. And we see these qualities inside where learning spaces will accommodate some 7,000 students every week. Among other programs, this facility will host introductory STEM courses, including in biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and physics. We work with faculty members and others to consider how our curriculum is delivered and how spaces are used, to design a building based on learning and the student experience. There are about 1,200 seats and common areas and gathering spaces to facilitate collaboration. We know those kinds of productive collisions are absolutely central to learning. And this building helps make them possible. The arts features will also connect the STEM disciplines to imagination and creativity, critical forces as we go forward. The innovation represented by this building extended to its construction as well. Parts of the new wings were constructed with sustainable cross-laminated timber for example. It's the first time this mass timber has been used for a laboratory and academic building in this country. Features such as that help integrate this facility into MSU sustainability goals. So in sum, the teaching and learning facility, our STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, connects key MSU values to how we support excellence and student success. It links the university's past to its future while prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. I'm very pleased that all of you can join us today for this ribbon cutting as we celebrate the opening of our STEM building, and there'll be an opportunity to tour the building when this program begins. Thank you again so much for coming and thank you for all of you who helped make this day possible. Thank you.Mark Largent:Thank you, President Stanley. During the years that this building has been in development, the MSU Board of Trustees has been an integral part of supporting the process, guiding it, and providing both material and political support that we need to carry out this work. So it's now my honor to introduce a Lansing area luminary, who has spent a lifetime in public service, board of trustees chair, Dianne Byrum.Dianne Byrum:Thank you, Mark. What a great day for a ribbon cutting. It's wonderful to be able to represent the Board of Trustees at the grand opening of the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility. As President Stanley mentioned, the state of Michigan has been a valued partner in this project. The allocation of nearly $30 million in capital outlay funding was instrumental in the construction of this innovative teaching and learning space. When you invest in higher education, you are contributing to student success and investing in our future. I applaud the Michigan legislature for recognizing the value of the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility and what it will mean to MSU and our state. This project provided us a unique opportunity to work with the DNR. One of the experiences of the building's design is the use of cross laminated timber also known as mass timber. It was used for the load bearing structure, framing, floors, and ceiling. Among other benefits, this mass timber promotes forest health and a reduction in carbon emissions. I had the privilege of being here in August, 2018 for the groundbreaking. So it's an honor to stand here today, three years later, reflecting on the magnitude of changes and advancements of the project on campus. And more importantly, the thousands of students who will benefit from the experience that this building will support. The adaptive and innovative spaces will help our faculty provide even more exceptional and personalized learning that will help prepare our students to succeed and lead. I cannot wait to see how it will be used, but even more, I can't wait to see how it will empower our students to be world changers. Thank you.Mark Largent:Thank you, Chair Byrum.Our next speaker knows a few things about opening doors for millions of people for so many years now. She knows about building coalitions and getting things done. She knows that Michigan's future relies on our ability to build and to innovate. It is now my pleasure to introduce the honorable Debbie Stabenow, US Senator from Michigan.Debbie Stabenow:Okay. First, Go Green!Crowd:Go White!Debbie Stabenow:Okay. Now I know where I am. So it is really exciting for me to be here. I have to say. First of all, we all know Michigan State's the premier land grant university in the country. One of the world's top research institutions, right Mr. President? There's no question about that. And now home to this impressive new building that's going to create opportunities, first and foremost, for thousands of students. I've just met a few of them here today and told them we're expecting great things. And then also opportunities that go beyond that, I think, in terms of where we need to go in the world. This is the first mass timber building in our state. It's the first mass timber building, therefore it's the tallest mass building. At some point, there will be one taller, but I keep telling everyone, we have the tallest building in the state, which we do, and it is about cross laminated timber, which is about the economy. It's about jobs. It's about addressing the climate crisis. And I have to tell you personally, for me, this has really been an area of focus for me as chair of the Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Back in 2014, we put into the five-year farm bill timber innovation act research. We're going to do research on cross-laminated timber in a more aggressive way, how we could use timber in building buildings and other opportunities. And then in the 2018 bill, we expanded it with full funding. And when I look at the opportunities that we have to address the climate crisis, which is right in front of our face, the wildfires, the droughts, the floods, everything that is happening for us, how we use wood and how we manage forests in a sustainable way is very much a part of how we move forward. And it's an intimate part of what I'm working on right now in the Senate, frankly. And what I'm also excited about is this as an economic opportunity for us in Michigan. We have a lot of paper mills around Michigan, and we all know we're not using paper much anymore. But we are moving towards cross laminated timber as a building material and many of our folks in areas that desperately need jobs, as we retool, are part of that future, to be able to get there. Now, I was up at Michigan Tech bragging with them about Michigan State. I'm not sure that's good politics, but anyway, they are, I know, partnering with you and they're doing a ton of research as well and are very excited from the Upper Peninsula standpoint of what this means. So I see this as something that fundamentally is about students and it's about opportunity and innovation. It is also about how we move forward in a future that is more sustainable. And that Michigan State really is at the forefront of this and helping us to solve a whole range of problems we need to solve. Let me finally say I've had the opportunity twice now to be in the building, if you have not, it is so cool. I look forward to going back. When we talk about flexibility, the workstations literally move around the room. And so I've never seen so much flexibility on what can be done. And I was very proud to be able to brag about this and bring in the United States Secretary of Agriculture about a month ago, to be able to see the building and meet with many of our farm leaders, again, to talk about our role in agriculture and forestry being part of the solution as it relates to the climate crisis. So let me close with a quote from Gifford Pinchot, the very first Chief of the United States Forest Service. Once he said, "The vast possibilities of our great future will become realities, only if we make ourselves responsible for that future." As usual, Michigan state is in the front of the line being responsible for our future. And I'm so excited to see what comes next. Congratulations.Mark Largent:Thank you very much, Senator Stabenow for your words and your work and your support of our work. Such a mammoth undertaking could not be possible without the support of people who believe in the future of STEM in Michigan at every level. It's now my pleasure to introduce another of those supporters, Senator Curtis Hertel, an MSU alum. The senator is the perfect representative for East Lansing and MSU. His wide ranging experience includes serving as the minority vice chair on the appropriations committee, a member of the appropriation subcommittee on universities and community colleges, and he serves on the capital outlay committee. Welcome Senator Hertel. Thank you for joining us.Curtis Hertel:It's a pleasure to be here with Senator Stabenow. It's always nice to be after Senator Stabenow. That's always a difficult spot to be in. She is a real Senator. I'm a minor league Senator. President Stanley, Chairman Byrum, and the Board of Trustees, honored guests, the Spartan community. It's nice to be part of this momentous occasion. I also want to take a moment to recognize my former colleague in Darwin Booher. When you watch the cable news, oftentimes you see just the worst parts of politics. You see the anger, you see the name calling, but in reality, that's not all that's there. Darwin served on the opposite side of the aisle with me. He was always a consummate public servant. And you know, I was a freshman legislator when we got the funding for this project and I was a little loud sometimes. And Darwin didn't have to listen to me in his office over and over again, talking about this project. And he didn't have to make sure that this was part of the final deal. And I appreciate your willingness to work across the aisle and to get this done for the people in Michigan. Thank you, Darwin. As a proud Spartan myself, it's always good to be back on campus, but I'm especially happy to share in the special occasion for MSU and its students that have been in the making for several years. I am very pleased to be part of this project and part of the funding structure. As a member of the joint capital outlay committee, and now as the minority vice chair for the Senate appropriations committee, we don't always get to see the fruits of our labor. Oftentimes we vote on something that's a very large number and we know it exists, but we don't actually get to see what it's actually doing in our community. And so to be here, to be part of this building and to see it as part of our campus means a lot to me. It's always also inspiring to see the ingenuity of MSU's use of the space of this beautiful campus. So when you take a historic building that was formerly the power plant that powered this campus, and now it'll be a 40,000 square foot STEM building that will power, not only this campus, but our future and our nation's future. It is truly an honor to be part of it. Spartans will lead our state's workforce in science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science. Thank you again for letting us be part of this process and Go Green!Crowd:Go White!Mark Largent:Thank you, Senator Hertel. At the core of this exciting new venture is what we will do in the building. Educate. This exciting new venture is a commitment to our educators to help our students learn and thrive in the sciences and beyond. To help represent that and talk about some of it, I would like to introduce my colleague, Dr. Andrea Bierema. She is from the Center for Integrative Studies in general science and the Department of Integrative Biology. And she embodies the commitment that we have to undergraduate STEM education. Her award winning work at MSU includes teaching at the Kellogg Biological Station researching and putting into practice undergraduate biology education, and avian communication. Dr. Bierema.Andrea Bierema:Well, hi, everyone. I'd really like to say just how excited I am that we have this building and not just because of the beautiful building with a great theme, but because of how the rooms are actually created and what they can do. And so, as we've heard the beginning of the ceremony, we've learned a lot about teaching over these last 50 years. And with that then, part of that is thinking about how students can work in teams and how that can help with their learning and actually engage with material. So with my classes, this is what students do, they work in teams, but we're usually having to overcome the barriers of the classrooms we're in because they are made for students to simply sit there and watch me go on and on for an hour. And yeah, just hopefully they catch some of what I'm saying, but when they actually work together, it's so much better. And when we were in those lecture style rooms, they would have to be like maybe in a long line. And you just have to recognize that the person on this side is not going to have any idea what the person on this side is actually saying, but hey, let's hope this works. Or if they're actually sitting behind and in front of each other and just trying to make it work, overcome the barriers of the classroom. But now we have this building where room after room after room is actually designed for this kind of learning. And also on top of that. So it's just kind of, this might seem kind of simple, but having not only these tables with movable chairs, but actually having outlets at every one of them. I know that seems simple, but that's one of the things, that I just can't depend on students coming in with a charged laptop, whether their laptop doesn't hold a charge or it's dead by the time they come to my afternoon class, It used to be that those students would have to sit on the floor by a wall at an outlet, but no more with this building, which is totally awesome. Another thing too, in some of these rooms, with the tables, they actually have monitors that come up from the tables with just a simple push of a button. Totally amazing. What's nice about this is with team learning, it's really helpful if you can actually have different people, have different roles, including someone to actually be the recorder. And now we can do this where they can plug in their laptop. Everyone in the team can actually see what's going on in real time. And rather than just trying to crowd around somebody's little, tiny laptop. So totally amazing. I'm totally excited. And thank you.Mark Largent:The bad news is every single seat in her classes is full, so none of you are getting in this semester. Registration is still open for spring. Thank you, Dr. Bierema. It is easy to see how the work of educators like you engage our students in really amazing ways. It's also easy to see it when we talked to the students themselves. Students. Students are the reason that we're here. This is our purpose. Everything else is intended to support that, one way or another. The reason for this magnificent new structure, the reason that I'm here, the reason that we carry on the work that we do is because of the investments that we make in the people who come here in order to develop their purposes and their passions. They are our portals into the future. When I'm in need of a dose of hope, all have to do is walk outside and find it. Wandering this campus every day, I often stop to talk to the students who have decided to put their faith in us to give them that access to the future. And it reminds me that uncommon is not just part of our slogan. It really is who fills this campus, an uncommon energy, an uncommon optimism, and a really uncommon potential. You can feel it on this campus every day. So I want to thank the students who I've had the pleasure to be around for all of these years. One such student is Alyssa Fritz. She's a senior from Reese, Michigan. She's pursuing a bachelor of arts and communications with a concentration in communication science, analytics, and research methods, and a minor in communicative sciences and disorders. She's an active member of the campus community, where she works as a resident assistant and as a student office assistant in communication science, and disorders. She volunteers with the prevention, outreach, and engagement, and she serves as an undergraduate research ambassador. She is busy, but she's joining us today. Thank you, Alyssa.Alyssa Fritz:Interdisciplinary. Describing the relationship between multiple branches of knowledge. A word we have heard multiple times in reference to a goal we should have in our own educations. And an adjective that this university holds close to her heart. Some of you may be asking yourself why a communication major is giving this address. Don't worry. I asked myself the exact same question when I was asked to come up here to say a few words, but that's because for the past three years at MSU, I've danced this fine line of trying to find my own academic identity. I knew what I wanted to do. I just didn't find identity in the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, but also didn't find identity in the social sciences or the arts and humanities. I just was what I was, a communication major who loves data analytics and research methods. But I, like many of the students here, am someone who wants to make the world a better place, a more accessible place for all. In my case, I'll do it through helping the world to find a voice in topics of speech language pathology. But some of you may go on to study foodborne illnesses and work to implement policy to protect the everyday consumer. Others may go on to study personalized genetic medicine practices to help better target cancer in the body. These are all topics that people who visit this facility daily may study and may one day centralize their whole career around. I'm just one Spartan story of interdisciplinary identities, but there are thousands of us. Of course, the STEM acronym is, in itself, an integration of multiple disciplines. This building and everything it stands for culminates to the foundations of what it truly means to be interdisciplinary. And as a senior who's walked by in this construction site for the past three years, I'm excited to see what other Spartan stories begin here today. Thank you.Mark Largent:Thank you, Alyssa. Well, now I'd like to introduce our last presenter, last speaker. Certainly not least, she's my boss. I would like to introduce someone for whom excellence in STEM has been a lifelong pursuit, MSU's provost and vice president for academic affairs. Teresa K Woodruff stands at the nexus of excellence in research and education. Her many distinctions include receiving the presidential award for excellence in science mentoring under President Obama and earning the Endocrine Society's Laureate award in 2021, a top honor that recognizes the highest achievements in the field of endocrinology. Provost Woodruff's accomplishments in the sciences are matched by her passion for education. It's what makes getting to work for her truly a joy. It's my pleasure now to introduce provost Teresa K Woodruff.Teresa K Woodruff:Well, good afternoon, everyone. And thank you so very much, Mark. For all of the reasons noted before me, this new facility truly represents institutional investment being made in STEM here at MSU, in Michigan, and beyond. I want to add my thanks to President Stanley for his leadership, Trustee Byrum and our Board of Trustees, those who are here and those who are not, as well as to our great leadership, both in the state and at the federal level who represent us so well every day. And also to Glenn Granger and his team with whom I've spent many, multiple quality hours touring the building with multiple awestruck faculty and students. Thank you for our partnership. Infrastructure requires bricks and mortar entries. It requires intellectual planning and people. And bridging all of these requirements, our Nestor Deocampo who is here somewhere. Nestor? I hear some woots. He's way in the back. He's standing, but way in the back. And Barb Kranz who is here in the front. Both of whom are excellent partners to all of us in the provost office and Dan Bollman in Infrastructure Planning and Facilities. Dan, thank you to all of your members of that team. The architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said form follows function. That has been misunderstood. Form and function should be joined in a spiritual union. From its mass timber framing to the easy snap lab benches to the flipped inverse and other newly invented teaching modalities, form and function are truly unified in this MSU STEM Teaching and Learning Facility. Some of you have heard me talk about the ways in which I see MSU rising. In particular, through spirals of excellence that are beacons to the world, drawing in the best educators and teachers and lighting the pathway to a new generation of student learners. These instructional models create a union with the building itself and will move students from what I call horizontal learning, that which we already know, to vertical learning, that which we have yet to discover. Some of you have also heard me talk about the imprint that we wish to have every MSU student have. Areas of entrepreneurship and innovation, ethics and honor, quantitative and creative skills. This building is emblematic of each of these traits. This new building will be a place and space that fosters discovery and innovation, a site of opportunity and exponential intellectual expansion. There's also a place in a space that bridges the arts and the sciences with its fourth floor student project space that will feature cross-disciplinary projects along with a common area for performances and the display of public art. Here, both the creative and the quantitative will be nurtured and explored. Boundaries will be pushed, stretched, and even shattered. This is truly a facility that speaks to and encourages the whole student with opportunities to learn, and to know, and to discover, and to create. A building in which form and function are inherently one. An academic spiritual union right here at Michigan State University. We welcome all of the intellectual and creative energy and excitement it will bring to our community of scholars and we are grateful to every individual who played a role in getting us to this auspicious day. Thank you. And welcome.Mark Largent:Having the building is wonderful. It's nice and it's empowering, but it is not in and of itself sufficient. It needs to be filled with the right things. So having the best science education building and offering the world's best science education, are not necessarily guaranteed. That's why we're going to guarantee it. The first thing that we did is we hired two really talented colleagues and we brought them into the provost office as the assistant dean and associate dean for STEM education. I want to welcome and thank two of my colleagues, Stephen Thomas, and Julie Libarkin for filling those roles. They're right here. And I want you to buttonhole them and engage with them afterwards because you will find out immediately what a wealth of knowledge and experience and energy that they have. They are deeply collaborative colleagues, and I'm really excited that they're joining this effort to make this the world's best scientific education institution. They will do it based on disciplinary education research, based on scholarship of teaching and learning, and they will do it so that every one of our students is supported to develop their purposes and their passions. And so that every student we admit learns thrives and graduates. That that is our goal. So thank you for what all of you have done and for what all of you are going to do in this building. This is a really wonderful day. Thank you for joining us for it.MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on 105.1 FM and AM 870 and streams at WKAR.org. Find "MSU Today with Russ White" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Ass'n | 02/24/20 | Docket #: 18-1584