Vistas & Voices

Brendon Samuels: Powering Grassroots Movements Through Creativity and Empathy

In today’s conversation, I sit down on campus with Brendon Samuels, a passionate grassroots conservationist, PhD student, and empathetic thinker. Brendon has been making grassroots changes in the city of London, Ontario by garnering support from a variety of groups, transcending boundaries through an empathetic and creative approach.
 
Our conversation covers how his backyard project has expanded to a global scale, how to approach people and spark change, how change is made not only through grassroots approaches, but from a top-down approach and the overall importance of positive community engagement and small-scale actions in driving larger environmental conservation efforts.
 
Brendon’s approach to promoting change in the local community is a refreshing perspective in today’s media climate. His ability to promote cooperation through critically thinking and empathizing among groups holding different perspectives is tactful and genuine.
 
I was very happy to sit down with Brendan and discuss all that he had to say.  I'm still thinking about it. I hope that you are able to take something away from this conversation as well. I think there's a lot of meaning within it. 
 
Thanks for tuning into today's episode, and as always, enjoy the conversation.
 
01:23 The Backyard Project: A Global Conservation Initiative
03:28 Innovative Solutions for Local Wildlife Conservation
08:43 Expanding the Impact: From Personal Project to Global Movement
10:41 Navigating the Complexities of Environmental Conservation
17:40 Empathy and Engagement: Keys to Effective Conservation
22:40 Challenging Tribalism and Promoting Unity in Conservation Efforts
27:59 Rethinking Our Relationship with Nature
28:21 Exploring Alternative Terms for 'Natural Resources'
28:40 The Economic Implications of Natural Wealth
29:37 Political and Social Dimensions of Biodiversity
31:26 Urban Biodiversity: Challenges and Strategies
36:02 The Importance of Green Spaces in Urban Areas
39:21 Engaging Communities in Environmental Conservation
45:34 Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations
51:03 Concluding Thoughts and Resources

A Conversation on Indigenous Sciences and Environmental Conservation with Andie Albert

In today’s interview, Andie Albert and I sit down in person for a great conversation. Andie an Indigenous scientist with a passion for environmental science and species at risk conservation, she shares her journey from being the first in her family to pursue post-secondary education to embarking on a PhD. She discusses the importance of incorporating Indigenous knowledge and languages into academic research and conservation practices, aiming to decolonize academia and promote a holistic, two-eyed seeing approach.
Andie also discusses her work with endangered species such as the spiny softshell turtle, emphasizing the importance of increasing awareness and understanding of Indigenous perspectives and practices in conservation and environmental sciences. 
My conversation with Andie was very uplifting and navigated challenging topics which I knew little about before our conversation. I genuinely enjoyed our conversation as Andie is a peer and fellow MES program graduate. Her success in academia and indigenous advocacy is inspiring, especially since she is so young. I am looking forward to seeing what other wonderful things Andie will do in the future. 
 
Show notes
 01:40 The Importance of Simplicity in Communication
02:53 Andy's Personal and Educational Journey
03:20 The Balance of Traditional and Scientific Knowledge
05:06 The Intersection of Faith and Indigenous Culture
05:06 Andy's PhD Journey and Research Focus
06:33 The Concept of Two-Eyed Seeing
09:33 The Challenges and Opportunities in Indigenous Conservation
13:28 Andy's Future Research Plans
29:05 Learning About Different Species
29:53 Indigenous-led Conservation Initiatives
30:13 Discovering Environmental Science Careers
31:30 The Indigenous Guardians Program
33:38 The Role of Indigenous Guardians in Education
39:23 The Impact of Indigenous Perspectives in Science
40:00 Celilo Falls
48:30 The Journey to a PhD
51:27 The Hope for Increasing Species Populations
52:35 Prothonotary Warbler
53:03 The Future of Indigenous Education

At the Confluence of Marine Conservation and Art With Rosie Poirier

Today’s podcast interview features Rosie Poirier, an ocean conservationist, artist, and facilitator of positivity. We discuss Rosie's journey from Ontario to studying marine biology and her unique interdisciplinary approach combining science and arts. Rosie passionately talks about her belief in humans' potential to impact the environment positively and emphasizes the importance of recognizing ourselves as part of the ecosystem. We also dive into the importance of collaboration, creativity, and storytelling in fostering sustainable practices. Finally, the upcoming expedition to Antarctica where she has been invited as the official expedition artist! 
My conversation with Rosie was a refreshing dose of optimism and doing good in the world. I look forward to learning what tasks Rosie will tackle in the future of marine conservation.
Thanks for taking the time to listen to today’s episode, enjoy the conversation..
 
01:42 Discussing the Impact Sustainable Tourism Summit
04:27 Exploring Ocean Conservation Projects
07:46 Understanding the Challenges of Ocean Conservation
13:37 The Importance of Collaboration in Conservation
17:42 Rosie's Journey to Becoming an Ocean Conservationist
25:53 The Role of Art in Environmental Appreciation
26:12 The Connection Between Art and Ocean Conservation
28:38 The Artistic Process and Creative Space
30:29 The Journey to Antarctica and the Role of Art
33:32 The Impact of Historical Expeditions and Modern Discoveries
42:59 The Power of Storytelling and Positive Environmental Impact
46:30 The Vision of a Successful Future and the Role of Communities
50:49 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Regenerative Ranching With Ross MacDonald

In this episode, Ross shares his experiences in regenerative agriculture, focusing specifically on cattle, discussing topics including conservation easements and how his work is changing public perception of raising cattle. He touches on the humble balance between his personal life and professional career. He discusses his journey, from starting his ranch 23 years ago to getting involved in multiple projects from working with A&W to his partnership with Ducks Unlimited. Ross also discusses the importance of a systems-thinking approach and the intricacies behind regenerative agriculture, his relationships within the conservation community, the influence of his parents in strategic thinking, and the significance of naivety and pushing ahead. This episode also explores Ross's optimism for the future of regenerative agriculture, driven by increasing recognition and interest from large food production companies, indigenous perspectives, and more.
 
Ross is a deep thinker and has a broad perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. I wanted to cover many more topics but we ran out of time, so I’ll have to get him back on the show in the future. I appreciate you listening to Vistas and Voices and, as always, enjoy the conversation...
 
 
02:39 Balancing Competing Practices in Ranching
07:19 The Role of Conservation Easements in Ranching
08:25 The Benefits of Conservation Easements
15:20 Impacts of Relationships and Community in Ranching
24:44 Influences of Large Food Producers on Regenerative Agriculture
32:30 The Importance of Systems Thinking in Decision Making
40:24 Reflections on Success and Hope for the Future
49:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Road to Local Food Systems With Richie Bloomfield

In the first episode ever of Vistas & Voices, I sit down with Richie Bloomfield, an assistant professor and PhD student focusing on agro-food systems and farm policy. We engage in a profound discussion about the complexities of small-scale farming, agricultural policies, urban farming, and the importance of developing local food systems. Richie shares his work with Urban Roots and discusses his journey in agriculture, as well as the challenges of navigating the complexities of soil contamination and land usage policies. This episode explores how Urban Roots makes fresh produce more accessible to all and improves the quality of life for local communities. Richie also delves into the importance of exploring farm policy and promoting change within the agricultural industry, touching on topics including corporate dominance, the scarcity of young farmers, and the potential for urban farming to encourage greater diversity in farming. 
 
I am so excited to be releasing my first podcast episode and I hope that you enjoy listening to it as much as I did making it. I appreciate you listening, enjoy the conversation...
 
01:30 The Journey into Agriculture
04:27 The Birth of Urban Roots
07:22 Challenges and Successes of Urban Farming
10:08 Expanding Urban Agriculture
15:44 Future of Urban Farming
27:32 Predominant Trend in Agriculture
28:00 Struggles of Modern Farmers
28:34 Resilience of Small Scale Farms
29:30 Role of Technology in Agriculture
30:20 Impact of Industrial Farming
32:28 Future of Hydroponic Growing
33:13 Challenges of Scaling in Agriculture
33:33 Future of Urban Farming
34:01 Focus of PhD Research in Agriculture
34:40 Importance of Land Use Policies
35:00 Future of Young Farmers
39:56 Impact of Globalization on Agriculture
46:47 Challenges of Defining Regenerative Practices
57:13 Importance of Local Governance in Agriculture
01:01:17 The Hope for a More Resilient Agriculture Industry
01:06:20 Conclusion: The Future of Agriculture