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RewildologyAuthor: Brooke Mitchell
Conservation, sustainability, wild travel stories. Host Brooke Mitchell, conservation biologist and adventure traveler, chats with experts from across the globe to discuss natures biggest questions: How do we save and rewild our natural spaces? How can we restore wildlife populations? How do we overcome adversity and bring communities together? Where are the best places to experience nature? Pour yourself a glass of something tasty (coffee, tea, wine, whiskey?) and join the conversation. Together well rewild the planet. Language: en-us Genres: Nature, Places & Travel, Science, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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#217 | The Great Plains Comeback: Inside America's Largest Rewilding Project with Daniel Kinka, PhD
Episode 217
Tuesday, 20 January, 2026
When Lewis and Clark traveled the Missouri River in the early 1800s, they encountered bison herds stretching to the horizon, grizzly bears roaming the plains, and wildlife in numbers that seemed endless—but just 100 years later, it was nearly all gone. In this episode, Brooke sits down with Dr. Danny Kinka, Director of Rewilding at American Prairie, to explore the science behind the largest landscape rewilding project in the continental United States. American Prairie is working to restore 5,000 square miles of Montana's Great Plains by restoring keystone species like bison and creating the conditions for wildlife like beaver, prairie dogs, and eventually large carnivores to naturally return and thrive. They discuss why bison grazing is essential to grassland diversity, how prairie dogs are the unsung heroes of the plains, why American Prairie isn't ready for wolves yet but grizzly bears are a different story, the complexities of conservation in working ranch landscapes, community relations, and what you can do to support wildlife restoration wherever you live in the world. This is the science of rewilding, Montana's Great Plains comeback, and the tangible hope happening on the ground right now. TIMESTAMPS00:00 The Return of Wildness in Central Montana00:22 Introduction to Rewildology and today’s guest01:51 Meet Dr. Daniel Kinka: From Psychology to Rewilding03:17 The Historical Transformation of the Great Plains07:27 The Ecological Impact of Wildlife Loss12:12 American Prairie: Mission and Goals16:53 Rewilding Strategies and Challenges26:57 The Role of Large Carnivores in Rewilding33:15 Current Status and Future of American Prairie35:57 Functional Recovery of the Ecosystem36:08 Rewilding Progress and Challenges37:37 Wildlife Restoration and Management38:07 Community and Economic Impact40:40 Public Support and Skepticism50:54 Global Significance of Rewilding57:08 Personal Reflections and Hope01:00:38 How to Support Rewilding Efforts01:07:28 Final Thoughts and Call to Action SUPPORT AMERICAN PRAIRIEhttps://americanprairie.org/ LEARN MORE ABOUT PROJECT PATAGONIAhttps://rewildology.com/projectpatagonia/ REWILDOLOGY FIELD EXPEDITIONSWhere The Wild Calls: Patagonia Puma Expedition & Torres Del Paine Adventure, March 31 - April 7, 2026: https://rewildology.com/patagoniaexpedition/ JOIN THE REWILDOLOGY BOOK CLUB. IT’S FREE!https://rewildology.com/rewildology-book-club/ SHOW NOTES & NEWSLETTERShow notes & subscribe to newsletter, https://rewildology.com/ SUPPORT REWILDOLOGYhttps://rewildology.com/support-the-show/ LISTEN TO THE REWILDOLOGY PODCASTApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3YXWSsFSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oW6artLcvxX0QoW1TCcrq?si=ff3b5e2ec90542a2 FOLLOW REWILDOLOGYYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RewildologyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rewildology/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rewildology/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rewildologyX: https://x.com/rewildology
