YourForest

In this episode of YourForest Podcast, host Matthew Kristoff is joined by Kelly Cooper, founder of the Free to Grow in Forestry initiative, and Greg Herringer, chair of the Canadian Institute of Forestry’s DEI leadership team.  Through honest and eye-opening conversation, they unpack why change is so difficult, highlighting deep-rooted resistance, fear of change, and power dynamics that hold progress back. Kelly shares her personal experience of being excluded from the very DEI work she was leading, while Greg reflects on how bias shows up in both personal and professional spaces.  🌟 Key Points 🌟 👉 DEI in Forestry Faces Systemic Resistance 👉 Kelly Cooper’s Experience Reflects the Broader Challenge 👉 Invisible Privilege Shapes Workplace Dynamics 👉 Allyship Requires Action, Not Just Agreement 👉 Cultural Change Requires Structural Support 👉 Emotional Intelligence Is a Key Leadership Skill 💬 Quotes 💬 [00:11:06] Greg Herringer: “Our culture isn't as far as long as we would like to believe.” [00:27:52] Kelly Cooper: “I wrote a book called Lead the Change The Competitive Advantage of Gender Diversity and Inclusion. And the reason I wrote that is because I could see quite clearly there was a gap in the leadership levels of understanding this and common-sense way.” [00:13:35] Matthew Kristoff: “It's easy for me to have rose colored glasses. I think I'm optimistic. Like, things are good, life is good. We're going well. But then you talk to Kelly and you're like, oh, well, shit.” ⌛ Takeaways with Complete Timestamps ⌛ [00:00:00] - Introduction & Theme Setup. [00:06:52] - Kelly Cooper’s Background & Motivation [00:09:46] - Greg Herringer’s Story & Racial Awareness2a [00:17:32] - Launch and Growth of Free to Grow in Forestry [00:26:17] - Breakdown of the Initiative and Industry Pushback [00:35:03] - Institutional and Psychological Resistance [00:42:50] - The Impact of Exclusion and Bystander Culture [00:54:00] - Leadership Bias and Power Dynamics [01:08:00] - Redefining Allyship: From Support to Accompliceship [01:13:10] - Tools for Change and Empathy in Practice [01:18:38] - Emotional Impact and Reputational Harm [01:27:12] - Rebuilding DEI Momentum & Leadership Accountability [01:49:55] - Conclusion: Staying the Course and Hope for the Future 🔗 Important Links: 👉 Canadian Institute of Forestry: https://www.cif-ifc.org/ [https://www.cif-ifc.org/] 👉 Free to Grow in Forestry: https://www.cif-ifc.org/what-we-do/free-to-grow/ [https://www.cif-ifc.org/what-we-do/free-to-grow/] 👉 Lead the Change: The Competitive Advantage of Gender Diversity and Inclusion: https://a.co/d/5yAbpUp [https://a.co/d/5yAbpUp] 👉 Greenlink Forestry Ltd: https://www.greenlinkforestry.co.uk/ [https://www.greenlinkforestry.co.uk/] 👉 Registered Professional Foresters: https://www.fpbc.ca/become-a-forest-professional/registered-professional-foresters/ [https://www.fpbc.ca/become-a-forest-professional/registered-professional-foresters/] 👉 On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century: https://a.co/d/fWV2HlF [https://a.co/d/fWV2HlF] Follow the Guests on: 👉 Kelly Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-cooper-6b742966/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-cooper-6b742966/]  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-herringer-48882a109/] 👉 Greg Herringer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-herringer-48882a109/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-herringer-48882a109/] Sponsors 👉 West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/ [https://www.westfraser.com/] 👉 GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/https://greenlinkforestry.com/ [https://greenlinkforestry.com/] Follow YourForest Podcast on: 👉 Website: https://yourforestpodcast.com/ [https://yourforestpodcast.com/] 👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324 [https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324] 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast [https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast] 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/?hl=en] 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 Twitter: https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/ [https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/] 👉 Email: yourforestpodcast@gmail.com [yourforestpodcast@gmail.com] If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it on your favourite platform! 🌟

This YourForest Podcast episode, featuring experts Marissa Christansen and Chris Anthony, argues for a fundamental shift in how we handle wildfires. They advocate for "intentional fire" – using practices like prescribed burns and Indigenous cultural burning. This approach helps keep landscapes healthy, reduces the risk of massive wildfires, and even revitalizes cultural practices. The conversation highlights the need to empower local communities in fire management, evolve the role of firefighters beyond just suppression, and overcome public fear and outdated regulations that hinder the adoption of these beneficial fire practices. 🌟 Key Points 🌟 👉 Intentional Fire is Essential 👉 Decentralized Decision-Making Builds Resilience 👉 Firefighting Culture Must Evolve 👉 Policy Change is Crucial but Slow 👉 Public Perception is a Major Barrier 👉 Insurance and Incentive Structures Must Adapt 💬 Quotes 💬 💬 [00:00:05] Chris Anthony: "The scale of change is occurring faster than our ability to adapt to it, but also to mitigate it. And I think that's where the complexity comes in. So if we continue to use the same tools, the same mindsets, the historical approach or the cultural approach that we've had, that's not going to change what the future is going to look like." 💬 [00:36:47] Marissa Christansen: "It's a good kind of catchall phrase for a bunch of different helpful, beneficial fire types that can be a part of our toolbox. One of those practices is cultural burning by our indigenous tribes, both here in the United States and in Canada. A lot of these tribes have practices that they've been doing for thousands of years, long before we got here, as a way of both demonstrating their cultural norms as well as managing the landscape that they have been stewards of for all this time." 💬 [01:42:08] Matthew Kristoff: “If we can start to understand and realize a cultural reciprocity with fire, all of a sudden, this is just something we talk about and think about and converse about. If everyone's doing it, you're going to see solutions so much faster, that's just that cultural shift is going to be so powerful.” ⌛ Takeaways with Complete Timestamps ⌛ [00:00:00] – Introduction to the Episode & Guests  [00:03:15] – Defining Intentional Fire [00:11:23] – The Role of the Climate and Wildfire Institute (CWI) [00:17:58] – Why Traditional Firefighting Approaches Fall Short [00:26:27] – Rethinking the Firefighting Workforce[00:36:41] – What is Intentional Fire? Why It Matters [00:43:12] – Public Perception & Cultural Change [00:59:14] – Indigenous Fire Stewardship & Policy Progress [01:03:42] – Regulatory & Institutional Barriers [01:17:05] – CWI Convenings & Cross-Sector Dialogues [01:23:02] – Insurance Reform & Risk-Based Mitigation [01:30:59] – Rebuilding After Fire: Missed Opportunities [01:35:50] – Unlocking Local Response Capacity [01:42:44] – Vision for the Future  🔗 Important Links: 👉 Intentional Fire Website: https://intentionalfire.org/ [https://intentionalfire.org/] 👉 The Stewardship Project: https://climateandwildfire.org/cwi-projects/the-stewardship-project/ [https://climateandwildfire.org/cwi-projects/the-stewardship-project/] 👉 CWI Signature Convenings: https://climateandwildfire.org/our-work/cwi-events/ [https://climateandwildfire.org/our-work/cwi-events/] 👉 CWI Blog: https://climateandwildfire.org/blog/ [https://climateandwildfire.org/blog/] Follow the Guests on: 👉 Marissa Christansen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-christiansen-4784566/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-christiansen-4784566/] 👉 Chris Anthony’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjanthony/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjanthony/] Sponsors 👉 West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/ [https://www.westfraser.com/] 👉 GreenLink Forestry Inc.: https://greenlinkforestry.com/ [https://greenlinkforestry.com/] Follow YourForest Podcast on: 👉 Website: https://yourforestpodcast.com/ [https://yourforestpodcast.com/] 👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324 [https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324] 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast [https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast] 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 Twitter: https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/ [https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/] 👉 Email: yourforestpodcast@gmail.com [yourforestpodcast@gmail.com] If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it on your favorite platform! 🌟

This YourForest Podcast episode, featuring experts Marissa Christansen and Chris Anthony, argues for a fundamental shift in how we handle wildfires. They advocate for "intentional fire" – using practices like prescribed burns and Indigenous cultural burning. This approach helps keep landscapes healthy, reduces the risk of massive wildfires, and even revitalizes cultural practices. The conversation highlights the need to empower local communities in fire management, evolve the role of firefighters beyond just suppression, and overcome public fear and outdated regulations that hinder the adoption of these beneficial fire practices. 🌟 Key Points 🌟 👉 Intentional Fire is Essential 👉 Decentralized Decision-Making Builds Resilience 👉 Firefighting Culture Must Evolve 👉 Policy Change is Crucial but Slow 👉 Public Perception is a Major Barrier 👉 Insurance and Incentive Structures Must Adapt 💬 Quotes 💬 💬 [00:00:05] Chris Anthony: "The scale of change is occurring faster than our ability to adapt to it, but also to mitigate it. And I think that's where the complexity comes in. So if we continue to use the same tools, the same mindsets, the historical approach or the cultural approach that we've had, that's not going to change what the future is going to look like." 💬 [00:36:47] Marissa Christansen: "It's a good kind of catchall phrase for a bunch of different helpful, beneficial fire types that can be a part of our toolbox. One of those practices is cultural burning by our indigenous tribes, both here in the United States and in Canada. A lot of these tribes have practices that they've been doing for thousands of years, long before we got here, as a way of both demonstrating their cultural norms as well as managing the landscape that they have been stewards of for all this time." 💬 [01:42:08] Matthew Kristoff: “If we can start to understand and realize a cultural reciprocity with fire, all of a sudden, this is just something we talk about and think about and converse about. If everyone's doing it, you're going to see solutions so much faster, that's just that cultural shift is going to be so powerful.” ⌛ Takeaways with Complete Timestamps ⌛ [00:00:00] – Introduction to the Episode & Guests  [00:03:15] – Defining Intentional Fire [00:11:23] – The Role of the Climate and Wildfire Institute (CWI) [00:17:58] – Why Traditional Firefighting Approaches Fall Short [00:26:27] – Rethinking the Firefighting Workforce[00:36:41] – What is Intentional Fire? Why It Matters [00:43:12] – Public Perception & Cultural Change [00:59:14] – Indigenous Fire Stewardship & Policy Progress [01:03:42] – Regulatory & Institutional Barriers [01:17:05] – CWI Convenings & Cross-Sector Dialogues [01:23:02] – Insurance Reform & Risk-Based Mitigation [01:30:59] – Rebuilding After Fire: Missed Opportunities [01:35:50] – Unlocking Local Response Capacity [01:42:44] – Vision for the Future  🔗 Important Links: 👉 Intentional Fire Website: https://intentionalfire.org/ [https://intentionalfire.org/] 👉 The Stewardship Project: https://climateandwildfire.org/cwi-projects/the-stewardship-project/ [https://climateandwildfire.org/cwi-projects/the-stewardship-project/] 👉 CWI Signature Convenings: https://climateandwildfire.org/our-work/cwi-events/ [https://climateandwildfire.org/our-work/cwi-events/] 👉 CWI Blog: https://climateandwildfire.org/blog/ [https://climateandwildfire.org/blog/] Follow the Guests on: 👉 Marissa Christansen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-christiansen-4784566/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-christiansen-4784566/] 👉 Chris Anthony’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjanthony/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjanthony/] Sponsors 👉 West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/ [https://www.westfraser.com/] 👉 GreenLink Forestry Inc.: https://greenlinkforestry.com/ [https://greenlinkforestry.com/] Follow YourForest Podcast on: 👉 Website: https://yourforestpodcast.com/ [https://yourforestpodcast.com/] 👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324 [https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324] 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast [https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast] 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 Twitter: https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/ [https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/] 👉 Email: yourforestpodcast@gmail.com [yourforestpodcast@gmail.com] If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it on your favorite platform! 🌟

In this episode of the YourForest Podcast, Matthew Kristof explores the essential role of dialogue in effective landscape and wildfire management. Joined by Robin Freeman, Project Manager for the Wildfire Networks at the SFU Centre for Dialogue, and James Whitehead, Special Projects Manager for the Mitigating Wildfires Project, they dive into how open, empathetic communication can help diverse stakeholders collaborate toward better environmental management solutions. The discussion covers the intricacies of dialogue as a tool for conflict resolution, the challenges of managing wildfire risks, and the importance of understanding differing perspectives in environmental decision-making. The conversation highlights the need for vulnerability and honesty, both from facilitators and participants, in creating an environment where meaningful dialogue and change can happen. 🌟 Key Points 🌟 👉 Dialogue Goes Beyond Conversation - Dialogue is more than just talking—it’s a structured process that requires active listening, empathy, and a willingness to engage with different perspectives. By fostering this, stakeholders can move toward sustainable solutions in landscape management. 👉 Conflict is Not to be Avoided - It’s an Opportunity - James and Robin highlight that conflict, when handled respectfully, is an opportunity for innovation. By embracing disagreement and seeing it as a chance to understand differing perspectives, stakeholders can arrive at better solutions. 👉 The Role of Facilitators in Navigating Complex Conversations - Facilitators are crucial in managing conversations, especially when disagreements arise. Their job is not to lead the conversation but to create a safe, respectful space where all participants can share their views and build mutual understanding. 👉 Empathy is Key to Understanding and Collaboration - Empathy is the cornerstone of effective dialogue. Understanding the personal and emotional context behind others’ views helps participants move from a place of disagreement to one of cooperation. 👉 Create Structured Opportunities for Participation - Robin and James emphasize the importance of using techniques that allow everyone to have a voice, especially in large group settings. By creating structured opportunities for sharing and collaborating, facilitators can ensure that even the quietest participants are heard. 💬 Quotes 💬 💬 [00:00:05 - 00:00:24]Robin Freeman: "The system as a whole will be healthier if we hear from more parts of the system. It's this idea that nobody has a monopoly on the truth, and so we actually need as many people as possible sharing their point of view so that we can make good decisions, because otherwise we don't see the whole picture, and no one will ever see the whole picture.” 💬 [00:59:21 - 01:00:29] James Whitehead: "The role of a facilitator is really to hold space for a conversation and to hold space for the conversation that needs to happen... The goal of the effective facilitator is to really be the one to enable that conflict to happen in a productive and respectful and safe way. 💬 [00:36:12-00:36:39] Matthew Kristof: “Conflict is just two, or more, very passionate people are arguing passionately about something they care about. And you're like, Why is conflict bad? Why do we see conflict as a bad thing? As long as we can be mature about it, then all of a sudden, conflict becomes an opportunity.” ⌛ Takeaways with Complete Timestamps ⌛ [00:00:00] - Introduction to Dialogue and Its Role [00:06:39] - Understanding the Role of Conflict in Dialogue [00:17:11] - The Importance of dialogues [00:22:12] - Disagreeing Collaboratively [00:38:36] - Building Safe Spaces for Difficult Conversations [00:47:30] - Case Study: Wildfire Management and Dialogue [00:52:04] - Overcoming the Fear of Conflict [01:05:42] - Creating Impactful Conversations in Landscape Management. [01:08:50] - Understanding Shared Values in Landscape Management [01:15:27] - Final Thoughts on Facilitating Change through Dialogue Important Links: 👉 I and Thou: Martin Buber's Philosophy of Dialogue - https://youtu.be/AT6wEZfotVI?feature=shared [https://youtu.be/AT6wEZfotVI?feature=shared] 👉 TED talk from Myrna Lewis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsFz1H447kk&t=49s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsFz1H447kk&t=49s] 👉 Links for Conflict is Opportunity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT6wEZfotVI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT6wEZfotVI] 👉 Complex Systems Frameworks Collection - https://www.sfu.ca/complex-systems-frameworks/frameworks/complex-vs-complicated/cynefin.html [https://www.sfu.ca/complex-systems-frameworks/frameworks/complex-vs-complicated/cynefin.html] 👉 Polarity Management - A Summery Introduction - https://rise-leaders.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Polarity-Management-Summary-Introduction.pdf [https://rise-leaders.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Polarity-Management-Summary-Introduction.pdf] 👉 Practical Lessons From A Mediator’s Notebook - https://www.theconflictjourney.com/2017/09/29/adam-kahane-collaborate-with-enemy/ [https://www.theconflictjourney.com/2017/09/29/adam-kahane-collaborate-with-enemy/] Follow the Guests on: 👉 James Whitehead LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmwhitehead/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmwhitehead/] 👉 Robin Freeman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-freeman-ed-d-73b4a8212/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-freeman-ed-d-73b4a8212/] Sponsors 👉 West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com [https://www.westfraser.com/] 👉 GreenLink Forestry Inc.: https://greenlinkforestry.com/ [https://greenlinkforestry.com/] Follow YourForest Podcast on: 👉 Website: https://yourforestpodcast.com [https://yourforestpodcast.com/] 👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324 [https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324] 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast [https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast] 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 Twitter: https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/ [https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/] 👉 Email: yourforestpodcast@gmail.com If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it on your favorite platform! 🌟

Welcome to YourForest Podcast, where Matthew Kristoff and James Whitehead navigate the crucial role of dialogue in managing environmental challenges, particularly wildfire mitigation. This episode not only highlights the importance of understanding and engaging in effective dialogue but also emphasizes the need for diverse stakeholders to come together and tackle environmental issues collaboratively. Explore how structured conversations can lead to actionable insights and stronger, more inclusive solutions for landscape management. Don’t miss the insights shared by James on how dialogue can transform the approach to environmental management and foster a culture of collaboration and mutual understanding. 🌟 Key Takeaways 🌟 - The Essence of Dialogue in Environmental Management: James Whitehead emphasizes the importance of dialogue not just as conversation but as a structured, inclusive process that engages diverse opinions to foster understanding and collaboration among stakeholders in environmental sectors, particularly in wildfire management. - Barriers to Effective Dialogue: The episode delves into both psychological and logistical challenges that hinder effective dialogue, highlighting how biases and institutional structures can obstruct collaborative problem-solving in environmental contexts. - Collaborative Disagreement: A significant focus is on the concept of "disagreeing collaboratively," where stakeholders learn to engage with conflicting viewpoints constructively, allowing for the development of innovative and comprehensive solutions to complex environmental challenges. - Impact of Wildfire Management Discussions: Discussion around wildfire management in BC illustrates the complex interplay of various stakeholder goals and the realities of implementing practical wildfire mitigation strategies on the ground. 💬 Quotes 💬 - [00:23:34-00:23:47]  James Whitehead: “There's something incredibly powerful when you see that switch flick in a room and all of a sudden people get excited, and that I think when you see people get excited and engaged, I think it means that something switched with them.” - [01:00:13-01:00:29] Matthew Kristoff: “ Step out of their own shoes, step into somebody else's, and really consider what it would be like to be in their situation and how important that would be and how that would affect their life. And then, step back into your own shoes and go. Think how I can become more comprehensive. How can I become more empathetic?” ⌛ Takeaways with Complete Timestamps ⌛ [00:01:18] - Introduction to Dialogue and its Role [00:06:26] - James Whitehead’s Background [00:17:05] - Understanding Dialogue [00:21:54] - Challenges of Effective Dialogue [00:38:52] - Case Studies and Examples [00:46:43] - Disagreeing Collaboratively [01:11:21] - Closing Thoughts and Future Directions Follow the Guests on:LinkedIn: 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmwhitehead/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmwhitehead/] Sponsors 👉 West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.co [https://www.westfraser.com/] 👉 GreenLink Forestry Inc.:https://greenlinkforestry.com/ [https://greenlinkforestry.com/] Follow YourForest Podcast on: 👉 Website: https://yourforestpodcast.com/ [https://yourforestpodcast.com/] 👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324 [https://www.youtube.com/@yourforestpodcast7324] 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast [https://www.facebook.com/yourforestpodcast] 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourforestpodcast/] 👉 Twitter: https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/ [https://x.com/yourforestpdcst/] 👉 Email: yourforestpodcast@gmail.com If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it on your favorite platform! 🌟