Vistas & Voices

Getting my Hands Dirty with Cam Ogilvie

Today, I sat down with Cam Ogilvie, who I've been fortunate enough to spend the day at work with, in the field, and learned from him and what he does. Now, I get to sit down and discuss it with him in my living room. And so we had a great conversation about soil health and what that means to us as a society.   We got to talk about so many interesting things and did it all in a new timeframe of 30 minutes. I hope the 30 minutes is a great time for you. It's a nice little time for me, it makes editing a lot shorter. We got a lot in there in 30 minutes. I think you'll enjoy it.   Some of the topics we covered are: Soil health monitoring, What is soil health?, How do you teach about soil health?  Not letting perfect be the enemy of good, What's soil health going to look like in the not-so-distant future, and of course the definition of dirt versus soil.  What does it mean?   Thank you so much for tuning in and I'll let you jump into the episode!   00:25 - What is Soil Health Monitoring?  2:47 - How do you get people to care about soil? 5:04 - How did Cam get interested in Soil work? 8:40 - Is our relationship with soil based on reciprocity? 11:35 - Teaching to rejuvenate the soil 13:12 - Grower’s moment of discovery 17:25 - Favorite part of the job 19:11 - Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good 21:24 - Soil Health in the Not-so-distant future 25:50 - Soil Efficiency 28:30 - Definition of Dirt vs Soil 29:35 - Take Away   Mentioned Resources 5:44 - Cry, The Beloved Country - Allan Paton [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/f1f68811-f830-4efb-88c7-cc55066984d5] 19:22 - Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life - Anne Lamott [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6aedad6f-3f8e-4fc0-94ce-4cc74be14d61] 20:29 - The Effectiveness Equation 30:35 - SoilHealthInstitute.org [https://soilhealthinstitute.org/] 30:47 - Soilsatguelph.ca [https://soilsatguelph.ca/]

Cycling for Nature: Leanna and Timm's Journey Across Canada and Beyond

On this episode of Vistas & Voices, I speak with Canada’s first female decathalete Leanna Carriere and ecologist Dr. Timm Döbert, the founders of Wings of Survival [https://www.wingsofsurvival.com/] who have recently finished cycling 7,000 km across Canada in 30 days, overnighting at Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) along the way. The ride across Canada is a preparation ride for their epic adventure starting next year, where they plan to ride from Alaska to Patagonia, mimicking the migratory path of the Whimbrel [https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/whimbrel].    In our discussion we cover topics related to endurance athletes and nutrition, the highlights and challenges of riding 7,000km in 30 days, Key Biodiversity Areas and their significance to Canada, the role of grasslands in Canada’s ability to sequester carbon, science communication, Canada and the 30x30 conservation initiative and much more.    If you liked this month’s episode, please consider sharing it with a friend or someone who would enjoy it! Sharing the episode will help our community grow and spread the message of the wonderful conservation work being done around the country.  03:10 The Mission: Wings of Survival 03:55 Endurance and Nutrition: Crossing Canada 07:00 Cycling Across Canada: Highlights and Challenges 11:22 Key Biodiversity Areas: Importance and Impact 14:37 Conservation Goals: 30x30 Initiative 18:27 The Role of Grasslands in Climate Change 22:59 Personal Reflections and Future Goals 26:27 Challenges in Environmental Awareness 27:15 Adapting Strategies for Conservation 28:21 Filming and Outreach Efforts 30:40 Engaging the Public with Science Communication 32:30 Tracking Birds and Expedition Plans 36:03 Preparation and Logistics for the Journey 41:19 Final Thoughts and Future Goals   Wings of Survival Documentary Demo [https://vimeo.com/812576142?&login=true#_=_] CBC interview [https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6473999]

Paul Schmidt on the Craft of Delivering a Successful Message

In this episode, I engage in a fascinating conversation with Paul Schmidt, a lecturer in management communications at the Ivey School of Business and manager of the Writing Support Center at the University of Western Ontario. Paul shares insights on making impactful changes to how we use language to communicate effectively about sustainability and conservation efforts. We discuss the importance of emotional connection, factual storytelling, positive messaging, and empathy in crafting messages that resonate with diverse audiences and encourage behavioral change. This episode highlights the challenges and necessary strategies for delivering successful sustainability messages to inspire action.   04:12 Challenges in Sustainability Communication 05:34 Defining Sustainability 07:56 Tailoring Messages to Different Audiences 09:07 Pragmatic Approaches to Sustainability 13:20 Building Trust in Sustainability Efforts 17:06 Behavioral Change and Positive Messaging 26:45 Reaching Younger Audiences 28:58 Making Sustainability Fun 30:07 Reframing Sustainability Messaging 31:21 Shifts in Sustainable Practices 32:49 Transparent Communication and Empathy 35:44 The Power of Storytelling 38:27 Crafting Relatable Stories 44:27 Collaborative Efforts in Storytelling 45:52 Final Thoughts and Reflections 51:56 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Chris Kornacki: Discovering Relationships in Silvopasture

In today’s conversation I chat with Chris Kornacki, a small-scale regenerative agriculturist from South West Ontario. I first learned about Chris’s work through his presentation at Forest Ontario’s annual conference, where he presented on silvopasture, something I’d never heard of before. Needless to say, Chris’s presentation was captivating, he unpacked so much knowledge in a short period of time. I knew getting him on the podcast would be a great show.    Chris is from Toronto and grew up in the city, but after having some health complications as a young man, he turned towards nutrition and fitness to remedy his health. Through his journey as a successful trainer and gym manager, he studied regenerative agriculture books and learned of the connecitons between food production and food quality, especially related to nutrients. Chris took the dive into his own farming adventures just about 10 years ago and has been growing his practice ever since.    Chris now runs a successful and extremely healthy farm that produces some of the finest pork, beef and chicken you can find anywhere in Ontario thanks to his dedication and care for his animals and land.    Chris’s passion and drive to learn is contagious, he shares some of his most valuable resources and many wise words along the way. I really hope that you enjoy today’s conversation. I learned a lot, editing the show and listening through again because there are so many tidbits of information that apply to more than practices on the farm. There are a lot of good life lessons in here.   So I hope that you have some time to sit down and enjoy the conversation and what Chris has to say.   Show Notes: 4:24 - Alan Savory: Holistic Management 11:01 - Systems Thinking 14:32 - competency epiphany 16:21 - Starting property 20:00 - Cultivation Opportunity 23:34 - Challenges of starting a Farm 31:45 - Relationships and Mentors 36:11 - Silvopasture 51:54 - Key Principles of Chris’ Farming   Alan Savory - Holistic Management [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e2077e59-fc3b-4e40-b4d7-57b5af987c3e] Chris Trump [https://www.biomei.solutions/] - Korean Natural Farming Elaine Ingham [https://www.soilfoodweb.com/] Jean Martin Fortier [https://www.en.jeanmartinfortier.com/] Joel Salatin - You Can Farm [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c5ead094-d2a5-48b9-957d-a5462f975981] Richard Perkins [https://www.richardperkins.co/]

Chelsea Greer: Wolves, Caribou, and Conservation

Welcome back to Vistas and Voices, where we explore compelling conversations with experts and enthusiasts passionate about conservation, sustainability, and the natural world with your host, Tyler Garwood.    Today’s episode blends science, ethics, and heartfelt dedication to the natural world. My guest today is Chelsea Greer, the Wolf Conservation Manager at Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Chelsea is dedicated to safeguarding the lands, waters, and wildlife of coastal British Columbia through scientific research, public education, and wildlife management reform.   In this episode, we discuss the complex world of wolf management, political challenges, and the ecological significance of wolves. We dive into the historical persecution of wolves, controversial wolf culling programs, and the critical need for habitat protection.   Chelsea shares her journey and why she pursued a career with wild animals, the ethical considerations in wildlife management, and the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices into conservation efforts.    We had a genuinely fantastic conversation that could’ve gone on much longer. Chelsea will be back in for another episode in the future.    Thank you for tuning into Vistas & Voices and enjoy the show.      Show Notes 02:59 Chelsea's Journey into Wolf Conservation 07:06 Raincoast Conservation Foundation [https://www.raincoast.org/] 09:28 Provincial Wolf Management Practices 19:37  Habitat Destruction and Its Effects 21:15 Clayton Lamb Scientific Paper [https://scholar.google.ca/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=hrQ0FlMN-FcC&sortby=pubdate&citation_for_view=hrQ0FlMN-FcC:dfsIfKJdRG4C] 23:39 Ethical Considerations in Wildlife Management 26:36 Species at Risk Act (SARA) [https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-enforcement/acts-regulations/about-species-at-risk-act.html] 32:25 Spotted Owl [https://www.nwpb.org/2020/12/03/much-more-than-a-spotted-owl-fight-northwest-timber-wars-of-30-years-ago-revisited-in-podcast/] 43:29 Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation 46:49 Conclusion and Closing Questions   Raincoast Conservation Foundation: Wolves [https://www.raincoast.org/wolves/] Chelsea Greer on X (Twitter) [https://x.com/ChelGreer]   Additional resources from after the show: Wolf’s perspective of the 3 little pigs [https://www.youngaudiences.org/sites/default/files/Unit%201%20The%20True%20Story%20of%20the%203%20Little%20Pigs.pdf] 4th wing - fantasy novel [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c9ca5bdd-30da-48ad-a0c9-3c9ac03a297a] Never cry wolf - farley mowat [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7c4d86ef-898b-4af6-85c1-5ea0ec32881a] The stories from the magic canoe - cecil paul [https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/89251ae6-3fef-4374-b509-4febbe250520] Webinar Wolf School - Rick Mcintyre [https://www.raincoast.org/wolf-school/]