https://feeds.blubrry.com/feeds/gowest.xml The Landscape https://westernpriorities.org/ https://westernpriorities.org/ News, interviews, and history with newsmakers and environmental advocates, focused on parks and public lands across the American West. Produced by the Center for Western Priorities, formerly known as Go West, Young Podcast. serial Center for Western Priorities true podcast en-us Copyright 2026 The Landscape Copyright 2026 The Landscape https://westernpriorities.org/ https://assets.blubrry.com/coverart/orig/392317-1684507499.jpg The Landscape News, interviews, and history with newsmakers and environmental advocates, focused on parks and public lands across the American West. Produced by the Center for Western Priorities, formerly known as Go West, Young Podcast. Blubrry Podcasting: https://www.blubrry.com/ false http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 53d11aea-28ff-589b-b07b-3e73acb8cffe Denver, Colorado Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:50:41 -0400 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:50:41 -0400 A former Interior department official explains what’s wrong with mining on public land https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153953585/ 153953585 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=34087 Center for Western Priorities Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:50:41 -0400 Kate and Aaron are joined by Dr. Steve Feldgus, an independent consultant who served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management at the Interior Department under President Biden. Dr. Feldgus talks about how to improve mine permitting in the US, a topic he worked on while at Interior.

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Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, Kate Groetzinger, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Construction equipment at a bentonite mine on BLM land near Greybull, Wyoming; Source: Photo by Gretchen Hurley, Geologist, BLM Cody Field Office

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]]> 0:51:47 false How a private billionaires’ club took over the Crazy Mountains https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153899818/ 153899818 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33987 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 21 May 2026 18:29:47 -0400 Floodlight News reporter Evan Simon joins Aaron and Kate to break down a controversial Forest Service land swap in Montana’s Crazy Mountains that quietly gave Yellowstone Club — a private club for billionaires — near-exclusive access to what should be public land, and how Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s involvement in the club raises serious questions.

In the news this week: House Natural Resources Committee members put Doug Burgum through a brutal hearing, calling him out on everything from his anti-renewables talking points to Trump’s DC vanity projects and gutted public lands budget.

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Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, Kate Groetzinger, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Loco Mountain in Crazy Mountains, Mike Cline

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]]> 0:36:39 false Jennifer Rokala on 11 years fighting for public lands at CWP https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153867567/ 153867567 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33909 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 07 May 2026 17:00:55 -0400 In this special episode of The Landscape, the entire Center for Western Priorities team joins us for an interview with Jennifer Rokala, CWP’s outgoing executive director, to celebrate her 11 years leading the organization. Jen reflects on key victories throughout her tenure at CWP, the organization’s evolution as a communications-driven conservation hub, and her advice for Aaron as he steps into the role of executive director.

Plus, the team talks about the best food in the West. Here are the restaurants mentioned during this episode:

  • Hot Tomato Pizza – Fruita, Colorado
  • Bin 707 – Grand Junction, Colorado
  • Eegee’s – Tucson, Arizona
  • Taco Party – Grand Junction, Colorado
  • Rome Station – Rome, Oregon
  • BirdHouse – Page, Arizona
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Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, Kate Groetzinger, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Center for Western Priorities team

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]]> 0:43:12 false Borderlands part 2: The fight against a border wall at Big Bend https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153849657/ 153849657 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33864 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:26:54 -0400 In the second part of our series on the borderlands, Aaron and Lilly are joined by Bob Krumenaker, former superintendent of Big Bend National Park and current chair of Keep Big Bend Wild. They discuss the proposal for a border wall through one of America’s national treasures, the bipartisan coalition rallying to stop it, and what’s at stake for the park, communities, and local economy. Plus, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum struggles to defend a 38% cut to the National Park Service maintenance budget while making a $10 billion request for D.C.-based projects.

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Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: U.S.-Mexico border within Big Bend National Park, NPS photo

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]]> 0:37:15 false Borderlands part 1: The threats to public lands at the border https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153844505/ 153844505 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33846 Center for Western Priorities Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:05:37 -0400
  • Pearce on a list of candidates Senate hopes to confirm soon — E&E News
  • Trump Just Withdrew Scott Socha to Lead the National Park Service — SFGate
  • White House completes review of BLM public lands rule — E&E News
  • Trump used Park Service to funnel millions to ballroom construction firm — New York Times
  • President’s Budget Proposal Slashes National Park Service Funding Amid Ongoing Attacks on National Parks — National Parks Conservation Association
  • Border wall map disappears from government website — Big Bend Sentinel
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    Produced by Aaron Weiss, Kate Groetzinger, Lauren Bogard, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: San Rafael Valley border wall construction. Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity

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    ]]>     0:30:50 false     The dangerous rush to consolidate America’s wildfire response https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153817568/ 153817568 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33788 Center for Western Priorities Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:47:54 -0400 Producers Lauren Bogard and Lilly Bock-Brownstein are joined by Timothy Ingalsbee of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology (FUSEE). Timothy explains why the Trump administration’s rushed reorganization of federal firefighting is so risky, what it means for the firefighters already heading into a dangerous season short-staffed, and why he sees the whole effort as less like reform and more like sabotage.

    In the news this week, the Senate voted to open the Boundary Waters to copper mining, and emails show Secretary Doug Burgum secretly helped craft talking points for Senator Mike Lee’s land sell-off bill. Plus, some big news from Aaron and the CWP team!

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    Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Steve Segin, USFWS

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    ]]>     0:44:35 false     What the off-road community stands to lose on public lands https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153781885/ 153781885 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33682 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:59:24 -0400 In this week’s episode, Aaron is joined by guest co-host Lauren Bogard for a conversation with Jonathon Klein, editor-in-chief of RideApart, an online news source for the motorized vehicle community. Jonathon makes the case that the OHV and powersports community has more at stake in the public lands fight than many of its members realize. He argues that the current moment is a rare opportunity for outdoor recreation communities to unite.

    Also this week: The Trump administration moves to relocate the Forest Service to Salt Lake City and the “God squad” votes to strip Endangered Species Act protections to prioritize Gulf of Mexico oil drilling. Plus, good news?!

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    Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Nick Taylor, Flickr

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    ]]>     0:35:50 false     America’s 250th anniversary and why history matters in our parks https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/153197299/ 153197299 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33621 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:05:25 -0400 Aaron is joined by Alan Spears from the National Parks Conservation Association to discuss his recent testimony before Congress about the Trump administration’s efforts to erase difficult histories from national parks and historic sites. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Alan makes the case that telling the full story of our past is patriotic. He warns about the consequences of sanitizing history and explains why telling complex stories strengthens our democracy.

    Plus, new documents reveal Interior official Karen Budd-Falen may be violating ethics agreements by working on grazing policy despite her family’s extensive ranching operations on public lands.

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    Produced by Aaron Weiss, Lauren Bogard, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: President’s House Site at Independence National Historic Site in Philadelphia, National Park Service

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    ]]>     0:45:46 false     Why America’s lesser known national parks matter now more than ever https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/152923305/ 152923305 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33586 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:39:52 -0400 In this episode, Aaron and Kate are joined by Jesse Chakrin, Executive Director of the Fund for People in Parks. They discuss how his organization supports smaller, overlooked national park sites across the West through philanthropy and partnerships. From multilingual signage to junior ranger programs in American Samoa, Jesse shares how they’re making parks more accessible and welcoming while navigating an increasingly challenging political environment.

    Plus, oil prices top $100 a barrel as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum becomes the “Where’s Waldo” of the Trump administration.

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    Produced by Aaron Weiss, Kate Groetzinger, Lauren Bogard, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Honouliuli National Historic Site, National Park Service

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    ]]>     0:41:13 false     2025 was awful for public lands. Is there hope? https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/152663409/ 152663409 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33544 Center for Western Priorities Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:15:02 -0500 In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Kate speak with Jim Pattiz of the More Than Just Parks newsletter about public lands news after the first year of the second Trump administration, including Jim and his brother Will’s list of 70 major public-lands setbacks in 2025 and CWP’s assessment of Project 2025.

    Aaron also covers Steve Pearce’s confirmation hearing to lead the Bureau of Land Management and lawmakers’ concerns about National Park Service censorship and Freedom 250, including a judge’s order to restore Philadelphia displays about enslaved members of George Washington’s household and a leaked database of NPS materials flagged for review. Pattiz discusses short- versus long-term harms such as civil service attacks, logging mandates, land giveaways, and fast-tracked mining, and the group closes with hopes for coalition-building and rebuilding public lands governance.

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    Produced by Aaron Weiss, Kate Groetzinger, and Lilly Bock-Brownstein Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org Music: Purple Planet Featured image: Interpretive sign at Grand Canyon National Park, Wikimedia Commons

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    ]]>     0:53:54 false     Unpacking the 2026 Conservation in the West Poll https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/152513240/ 152513240 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33515 Center for Western Priorities Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:09:36 -0500 In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron welcomes pollsters Lori Weigel from New Bridge Strategy and Miranda Everitt from FM3 to discuss the 16th annual Colorado College Conservation in the West Poll. The bipartisan polling team breaks down voter attitudes across eight Western states on public lands, conservation priorities, and the Trump administration’s funding cuts and policy rollbacks. The poll reveals consensus across party lines—including among MAGA voters—on protecting public lands, opposing sell-offs, and prioritizing renewable energy over fossil fuel extraction.

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    ]]>     0:30:38 false     What gutting the Council on Environmental Quality means for public lands https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/152220854/ 152220854 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33470 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:37:10 -0500 In this episode, Kate and Aaron are joined by Professor John Ruple, a public lands law expert at the University of Utah and former attorney at the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), to discuss the Trump administration’s dismantling of the CEQ’s authority over NEPA regulations. He breaks down what the Trump administration means when it claims to have ended NEPA’s “regulatory reign of terror” and why removing uniform environmental review standards creates chaos for public lands.

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    ]]>     0:51:13 false     Weaponizing the Congressional Review Act against America’s public lands https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/152062030/ 152062030 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33444 Center for Western Priorities Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:25:57 -0500 In this episode, Kate and Aaron discuss how Congress is using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn public land management plans, creating chaos and uncertainty for federal lands. Steve Bloch from the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance explains that the CRA, originally designed to review agency rules, is now being weaponized to repeal resource management plans and even national monument plans like the one in place for Grand Staircase-Escalante, despite these never being treated as “rules” before.

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    ]]>     0:43:15 false     Why a New Mexico gun rights leader opposes Trump’s pick to lead the BLM https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/151697664/ 151697664 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33393 Center for Western Priorities Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:29:57 -0500 Aaron and Kate speak with Zachary Fort, president of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, about his opposition to Steve Pearce’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Fort, a former Republican and gun rights advocate, explains why hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts are concerned about Pearce’s track record on public lands. He discusses Pearce’s history of sponsoring legislation to sell off national public lands, his prioritization of oil and gas interests over public access, and his divisive leadership of the New Mexico Republican Party. Fort argues that Pearce’s support for transferring public lands to private ownership threatens hunting and shooting opportunities that generations of New Mexicans have relied on.

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    ]]>     0:30:58 false     Will Maduro’s capture lead to an American oil rift? https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/151346007/ 151346007 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33323 Center for Western Priorities Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:18:45 -0500 Kate and Aaron talk to Kelly Mitchell, executive director of oil industry watchdog FieldNotes, about what Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro’s capture by the US means for oil and gas producers here in the West. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has also been making the rounds on Fox cheering on Trump’s actions in Venezuela and calling on US companies to start drilling there, which we also touch on.

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    ]]>     0:22:33 false     Burnout and bravery: Fighting fire on America’s public lands https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/150968912/ 150968912 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33286 Center for Western Priorities Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:00:37 -0500 In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Lauren ask veteran wildland firefighter Bobbie Scopa about the state of America’s wildfire response. Bobbie, who is a retired firefighter with the organization Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, shares insights from her five-decade career, exploring how recent federal layoffs and policy changes are impacting fire mitigation, hazardous fuels reduction, and the morale of those on the front lines. This episode delves into the complexities of forest management, the challenges of interagency coordination, and the dedication of those who protect our public lands.

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    ]]>     0:42:40 false     Common waters: Inside the fight for stream access in Colorado https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/150854246/ 150854246 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33261 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:20:31 -0500 In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Sterling talk to Cody Perry, a filmmaker and founder of Rig to Flip, and Professor Mark Squillace, an expert in public lands and environmental law at the University of Colorado, about the ongoing battle to change Colorado’s restrictive stream access laws. The conversation centers around Perry’s documentary “Common Waters,” which follows Prof. Squillace’s efforts to change the law by attempting to get himself arrested.

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    ]]>     0:37:14 false     The dirty truth about oil and gas drilling in New Mexico https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/150511500/ 150511500 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33207 Center for Western Priorities Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:27:53 -0500 On this episode of the Landscape, Kate and Aaron are joined by filmmaker Annie Ersinghaus, rancher Don Schreiber, and Gail Evans, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, to talk about the impact poorly regulated oil and gas extraction has on New Mexico’s environment. Gail and Don appear in Annie’s new film, The Land of Sacrifice: The Burden of New Mexico’s Oil and Gas Extraction.

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    ]]>     0:39:32 false     Trump bonding rates could cost taxpayers billions https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/150077324/ 150077324 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33141 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:54:44 -0500 In this episode of The Landscape, Aaron and Kate discuss the Trump administration’s plan to roll back oil and gas bonding rates designed to protect American taxpayers from the cleanup costs of abandoned wells. The episode features insights from David Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship. His group recently released a report finding the Trump’s roll back could saddle taxpayers with over $750 billion in potential financial liabilities.

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    ]]>     0:26:23 false     Uranium boom or bubble? Exploring the future of uranium mining in the West https://podcast.show/gowest/episode/149734808/ 149734808 https://westernpriorities.org/?p=33036 Center for Western Priorities Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:17:25 -0500 Join us on The Landscape as we dive into the resurgence of uranium mining in the American West. Hosts Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger speak with Land Desk author and public lands expert Jonathan Thompson about whether the current uranium hype signifies a boom or a bubble. We explore the history of uranium production, the complications of mining on public lands, and the environmental and economic implications of revival efforts. Additionally, we discuss recently fast-tracked mining permits under the Trump administration and the future of small modular reactors as potential power sources.

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