Episodes
![E15: Look Beyond the Interstate, with Nicole Braddock (Executive Director of the Solano Land Trust)](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Nov 26, 2024
Tuesday Nov 26, 2024
The work of land trusts is dictated by the needs of the landscape and the people that live on it, and on a diverse landscape with diverse people that can look like a lot of different things. While it’s impossible to cover over 30 years of conservation work, on this episode Nicole Braddock, Executive Director of the Solano Land Trust, highlights the successes, both old and new, of the organization. We see how the work of a land trust doesn’t need to stop or be limited to the protection of land, but that through partnerships and engagement can extend into a much larger community role. In Solano, this looks like getting 100% of local youth outside, creating accessible spaces, working with local tribal communities, protecting important farm and rangeland, and habitat restoration to improve climate resiliency.
Tune in to uncover the hidden beauty of Solano County, and the inspiring stories of conservation that protect both the land and the communities that call it home.
I encourage you to learn more about the Solano Land Trust and plan a visit to one of their amazing preserves like Jepson Prairie or Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park.
![E14: More Than Just a Water Trough, with Eric Kellegrew (Sacramento Valley Conservancy)](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
On this episode I talk with Eric Kellegrew, Stewardship Director of the Sacramento Valley Conservancy, to walk through the task and effort of developing a well and water trough system at the 4,600-acre Deer Creek Hills Preserve, located in east Sacramento County. A superficially unassuming and honestly uninteresting accomplishment, that is, without context. It turns out this inconspicuous water source provides the means and adds significant capacity to better manage thousands of acres of rangelands, improving cattle management by better dispersing grazing pressure, supplying water for restoration and replanting efforts, and providing a perennial water source for wildlife on an otherwise parched landscape through the summer and fall months.
In my opinion this project perfectly embodies the nature of stewardship work. You identify a problem, you use what you got to find a solution, and it takes a long time, but it’s worth it. We really get into the weeds on this one, dissecting the behind-the-scenes work that often goes unrecognized. Hope you enjoy.
For more information on events and ways you can experience the lands protected by SVC click here.
![E13: Bringing Chaos Back to a Meadow, with Cathy Mueller (American River Conservancy)](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Oct 01, 2024
Tuesday Oct 01, 2024
Backpacking along a dusty trail, you come across a meadow—full of life, water, and softness. Leek Springs Meadow, a 92-acre oasis at the headwaters of the North Fork of the Cosumnes River, is the largest meadow in the watershed. Join us in this episode as we delve into the beauty and significance of meadow ecosystems with Cathy Mueller, Stewardship Manager at the American River Conservancy.
Cathy shares her journey from her early days of outdoor adventures to her current role, and we explore the intricate process behind the Leek Springs Meadow Restoration project. This episode highlights the successful collaboration between land trusts and public land agencies and discusses the vital role meadows play in our environment.
We also dive into the technical aspects of the restoration, the importance of beaver dam analogs, and the challenges and triumphs encountered along the way. Tune in to learn how dedicated stewardship and innovative restoration techniques are bringing life back to Leek Springs Meadow.
![E12: Finding a Seat at the Table, with Clipped In for Life](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Sep 03, 2024
E12: Finding a Seat at the Table, with Clipped In for Life
Tuesday Sep 03, 2024
Tuesday Sep 03, 2024
There are so many ways to engage with nature, most of us enjoy a simple stroll through a beautiful place, some prefer that stroll to be experienced from the top of a horse, while others choose to identify every single plant they pass or every bird song they hear. Then there are those who choose the more intense experience, like mountain climbing, whitewater kayaking, trial running, or mountain biking. These different users often find themselves sharing the same natural spaces, especially near cities and denser suburban areas, and can lead to competing interests that sometimes result in conflict when left unchecked.
I’m not a conflict resolution specialist, but from my experience in public access and land management I can say that when a group can legitimize their interests, have a unified vision and goals, and advocate for themselves then they will often be granted a seat at the table. So goes the story for Clipped In for Life, or Clipped in for short, a Folsom-based nonprofit with the mission to create opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to find achievement, adventure, and connection through cycling. What I’m so appreciative of, and why I was so excited to sit down with Clint Claassen and Jen Fuss of Clipped In, is that throughout a story of necessity and intention, this organization has been an ever-evolving venture in finding that seat at the table and so much more. As you’ll hear through this conversation, what started off as an effort to improve the timing system for races, has evolved into a slew of programs and offerings that go far beyond just seeing who can ride down a hill the fastest. Clint and Jen highlight their existing youth programs (Folsom Grom Race Series and 678 Jr High MTB Club), which take a holistic approach, not just focusing on skill development, but trail ethics and stewardship as well. And take the opportunity to promote their newest upcoming offering, Grip Academy, which take a martial arts-style approach to enhancing bike handling skills across diverse proficiency levels while also incorporating essential elements such as traffic safety, bike maintenance and technology, first-aid, stewardship, and fitness in addition to existing youth programs.
![E11: Getting the Message Across, with Spencer Davies of Trespasser Productions](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Friday Aug 02, 2024
Friday Aug 02, 2024
I’ve mentioned before that the land is our common denominator. We may have differing ideas and approaches but generally, at least in my experience on a local and regional level, people are willing to listen, make compromises, and change the way they do things if you take the time to talk through it with them and have it makes sense. My guest on this episode of All Land is Beautiful is Spencer Davies, owner and one of the directors at Trespasser Productions, a production company based out of Placerville, California. Spencer and I connected several months ago working on a video to highlight the legacy conservation project in El Dorado County, the El Dorado Ranch State Wildlife Area. I guess you could say that we clicked from the beginning, but not because we necessarily agreed on everything. I would say that is was more based on both of our willingness to listen and discuss our differing opinions on land management and conservation.
This episode is a bit different from the rest as Spencer isn’t a biologist or representing a conservation organization, but he instead represents what I think is a critical connection for nonprofits and government agencies working in land protection and natural resource management. One of the biggest challenges these organizations face is translating their work into something that the general public can see and interact with. Trespasser Productions has made a name for itself in the commercial industry, but has taken on more recent work with organizations like American River Conservancy, the El Dorado-Georgetown Resource Conservation District, Calfire and US Forest Service, taking a technical production approach to capturing and presenting grassroots community efforts. We talk through this, along with Spencer’s upbringing, the beginnings and growth of Trespasser Productions and the how they’ve found success outside of the Hollywood scene, and how Spencer has found excitement and fulfillment supporting his community the best way he can, through film.
![E10: Talkin' About Trails with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
E10: Talkin' About Trails with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
On this episode of All Land is Beautiful, I find myself back on a landscape that needs no convincing of how extraordinary and magnificent it is. I’m talking about the jewel of the Sierra, Lake Tahoe. Around 15 million people visit Lake Tahoe each year, which is roughly three times the number of visitors to Yosemite National Park. Needless to say, this precious resource receives a lot of pressure and yet its beauty almost seems unwavering.
Now I’m just one person and I don’t have the capacity to research and investigate all of the good work within the Tahoe region, but I did have the great opportunity to sit down with Brooke Clayton and Anthony Porter of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, or TRTA. TRTA helps manage and advocate for the preservation of one of the nation’s premier trail systems, the Tahoe Rim Trail, which also happens to be a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. As a nonprofit organization, TRTA occupies a unique space within recreation and conservation, acting as a conduit between those who use the trail, and those who own and manage it, like the US Forest Service and State Park Agencies. They help to facilitate and add capacity for things like trail repairs, improvements, and habitat restorations, they educate and provide resources for recreationalists of all capabilities on how to respectfully use and preserve the trail, ensuring it’s continued use for generations to come. And what I can also really appreciate is that they recognize the role the organization plays within the greater community, as a player in both the economic and natural health of Tahoe.
![E9: So You Want to Start a Land Trust?, with Alan Ehrgott (former Executive Director of the American River Conservancy)](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Most land trusts have a similar story. At some point in time there was a threat to a beautiful and natural place and a few people that lived in that place decided they weren’t going to just sit by and not doing something about it. The beauty of this, in the context of land trusts, is that this story grew into a conservation movement that continues today. The early successes of those people that just wouldn’t sit by grew into organizations, now decades later, that have collectively protected millions of acres across California and beyond.
Alan Erhgott, former executive director and founding member of the American River Conservancy is one of those people that did something. On this episode we learn about the good guys, bad guys, and challenges faced with protecting land, habitat, and water in the upper American River and Cosumnes River watersheds. Alan and I chat about his early connection to land and wild places, which includes starting a travel company and becoming a hot air balloon pilot. We talk about what the process looked like in starting the Conservancy, and the challenges and successes that came along with earning his and the Conservancy’s seat at the table. I was particularly appreciative of this conversation because it provides context, insight, motivation, and inspiration into the world of regional land conservation.
![E8: Resiliency and Connection at the San Elijo Lagoon, with Doug Gibson (CEO of the Nature Collective)](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17615751/All_Land_is_Beautiful_ynajku_300x300.jpg)
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
I had the joy of sitting down with Doug Gibson, CEO of the Nature Collective, to talk about the San Elijo Lagoon and greater San Diego County north coast landscape, and the amazing work that is being done to protect and restore it. We discuss the early history and poor treatment of the San Elijo Lagoon, to the recent completion of a massive restoration improving its habitat and overall resiliency in a changing climate. From there we talk about public access improvements that were packaged and developed along with the restoration, and the importance of giving people the opportunity to experience the habitats and resources that we’re working to protect. We then look at where the Nature Collective is headed as they expand their area of influence, working collaboratively, sharing hard-earned do’s and don’ts, and continuing the promotion and execution of habitat improvements in San Diego County.
For more information check out the Nature Collective's website.
Hope you enjoy the change of scenery and I look forward to turning my eyes west to the ocean for more coastal-themed episodes in the future.
![Image](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/85kp5z/DSC_0069.jpeg)
Marshall Gorham
Host & Creator
Marshall is a California-based conservationist, working in land protection and habitat management in the Sacramento Region, and the creator of All Land is Beautiful. His career started in public parks and recreation, but over the last decade has become focused on land, water, and private land conservation. He’s a husband, father, general enthusiast about anything nature-related, and loves a good bird pun, NO EGRETS!