Working Wild U

Western Landowners Alliance and Montana State University Extension
  • 4.9 (95)
  • NATURAL SCIENCES
  • MONTHLY SERIES
Working Wild U

Working Wild U is a podcast that takes you out into the field, forest and range with the people and wildlife of the American West to tell you the big stories at the heart of the struggle to sustain resilient and connected landscapes and communities. We bring you immersive stories at the crossroads of culture and science focused on the challenges and successes of sharing and managing farms and ranches with wildlife. If you are passionate about open spaces, wild places and healthy communities that sustain people and wildlife, listen in.

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  1. Imperiled | 01 | Can ranchers save arctic grayling?

    EPISODE 1

    Imperiled | 01 | Can ranchers save arctic grayling?

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

    36 min
  2. Imperiled | 02 | Where are the grizzlies headed?

    EPISODE 2

    Imperiled | 02 | Where are the grizzlies headed?

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

    50 min
  3. Imperiled | 03 | Can we bring black-footed ferrets back from the brink?

    EPISODE 3

    Imperiled | 03 | Can we bring black-footed ferrets back from the brink?

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

    37 min
  4. Imperiled | 04 | Chasing ghosts: Can a mysterious bird galvanize a rural renaissance?

    EPISODE 4

    Imperiled | 04 | Chasing ghosts: Can a mysterious bird galvanize a rural renaissance?

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

    33 min
  5. Imperiled | 05 | What do carbon and cows have to do with lesser prairie-chickens?

    EPISODE 5

    Imperiled | 05 | What do carbon and cows have to do with lesser prairie-chickens?

    In the heart of America's grasslands, a battle for survival is unfolding. The lesser prairie-chicken, an iconic species of the Great Plains, is on the brink of extinction. But there's a growing network of producers and partners across the plains looking to change that. Today on the show, can ranchers and partners work together to save the lesser prairie-chicken while supporting their livelihoods and communities? We’re headed to eastern New Mexico to find out.  Complete show notes can be found at workingwild.us.

    40 min
  6. Imperiled | 06 | Can Pacific salmon and Idaho ranchers share the river?

    EPISODE 6

    Imperiled | 06 | Can Pacific salmon and Idaho ranchers share the river?

    How do we restore salmon spawning habitat in the Upper Salmon watershed without harming the ranching communities that rely on the river? The answer lies in locally-driven collaboration. In this episode, we explore the decades-long community effort to restore spawning grounds for Columbia Basin salmon by letting landowners take the lead. Back in the 1990s the hurdles seemed so insurmountable, rancher Merrill Beyeler likened the task to making pigs fly. Hundreds of miles upstream of where the Columbia pours into the Pacific Ocean, along the Lemhi River in Idaho, Beyeler and a huge group of partners have figured out how.  Complete show notes, as always, can be found at workingwild.us.

    32 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Imperiled | 07 | What can pollinators teach us about the future of conservation?

    Throughout this season, we’ve explored landowner- and community-led efforts to support imperiled species, from bears and birds to ferrets and fish. In the final episode of this season, we’re looking ahead to the future of imperiled pollinators on working lands.   Across the country, there is a growing crisis when it comes to pollinators. What happens when wide-ranging species that reside across vast expanses of public, private and Tribal lands, like the western bumblebee and monarch butterfly, are listed under the Endangered Species Act, as appears likely in the coming years? And what role will land stewards and working lands play in this next chapter of conservation?  Complete show notes are available at workingwild.us

    39 min
  8. Bonus | The wild pig invasion no one is talking about

    EPISODE 8 BONUS

    Bonus | The wild pig invasion no one is talking about

    Wild pigs. Feral swine. Wild hogs. Whatever you call them, invasive wild pigs are rapidly spreading across the US and Canada - destroying crops and spreading disease along the way.  Experts are calling them one of the greatest threats to biodiversity in the country. What can we do about it?  To find out, we're talking with the show's own Dr. Jared Beaver to find out the dirty details (and solutions!) regarding wild pigs.  Find the show notes here.

    21 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    Wolves in the West | Whose blood, sweat and tears are in your hamburger?

    96% of wolves in the Northern Rockies live in the working wild: public and private lands where people and wildlife share the landscape. But who pays the cost of supporting biodiversity? In this episode from our first season on wolves in the West, we explore the economics of our food system and take a look at how one ranch family is getting creative in order to share the landscape with wolves and maintain open space. Show notes New York Times The Daily podcast episode on prices in the beef market: “Who do you want controlling your food?” John and Weston Helle’s wool apparel company, Duckworth The Ruby Valley Strategic Alliance Cole Mannix’s enterprise: Old Salt Co-op The Blackfoot Challenge Lesli Allison’s Director’s Letter in On Land: “Working lands are the future of conservation” Find more info here

    31 min
  10. Bonus | Grizzly Bears and the Endangered Species Act: What’s Changing?

    EPISODE 10

    Bonus | Grizzly Bears and the Endangered Species Act: What’s Changing?

    UPDATE: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended the public comment period on proposed changes to the grizzly bear’s Endangered Species Act listing. The new deadline is May 16. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes to the grizzly bear’s listing under the Endangered Species Act, and a public comment period is open until March 17th. But what exactly would this new rule mean for grizzly bear management, landowners, and the future of the species?  In this episode, Jared and Zach sit down with Shaleas Harrison, Wyoming Resources Coordinator with Western Landowners Alliance, to break down the proposed rule, the long history of grizzly bear listing and delisting efforts, and what the proposed changes could mean for people living and working in grizzly country.  Learn more about the proposed rule and submit a public comment. Full show notes here.

    28 min

  11. SEASON 2 TRAILER

    Season 2 Trailer – Imperiled

    We're excited to announce the second season of Working Wild U: Imperiled.  This season we're exploring community and landowner-led wildlife conservation on working and tribal lands across the West. From grizzly bears to lesser-known species, join us as we discover the challenges and successes of how communities are working together for common-ground solutions.  We'll dive into the action, meeting individuals on the ground stewarding habitats and supporting thriving rural communities. As the Endangered Species Act turns 50, we reflect on the past and ponder the next 50 years of conservation in the US. Stay tuned for episodes dropping soon – it's a season of surprising stories and crucial questions about the future of working lands in the West.  Stay tuned for episodes dropping soon!  Working Wild University is a production of Western Landowners Alliance and Dr. Jared Beaver at Montana State University Extension and a proud part of Natural Resources Univers

    3 min
  12. Imperiled | Bonus | Can these teens recover the razorback sucker?

    BONUS

    Imperiled | Bonus | Can these teens recover the razorback sucker?

    When it comes to conservation, can a group of high school students really make a difference? Join Jared and Hallie as they dive into a story involving the Colorado River, an ancient endangered fish, and a group of high school students who are becoming the next generation of stewards.  Complete show notes are available on our website.

    18 min
See All Season 2 (12)

Trailers

4.9
out of 5
95 Ratings

About

Working Wild U is a podcast that takes you out into the field, forest and range with the people and wildlife of the American West to tell you the big stories at the heart of the struggle to sustain resilient and connected landscapes and communities. We bring you immersive stories at the crossroads of culture and science focused on the challenges and successes of sharing and managing farms and ranches with wildlife. If you are passionate about open spaces, wild places and healthy communities that sustain people and wildlife, listen in.

Information

  • Creator
    Western Landowners Alliance and Montana State University Extension
  • Episodes
    30
  • Seasons
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Working Wild U

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