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Rangers of the Lost Park Podcast is taking a short break until 2027- but have no fear! We will be back! Liz explains a little about why the break is needed, some personal updates, and expresses gratitude to listeners and guests. It's been one hell of a year! Thank you all so much. Buy Liz a Coffee: @rangersofthelostpark on Venmo. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Liz joins John Leshy, lawyer and public lands advocate, for a deep and thoughtful discussion about protecting public lands and what that looks like for people of all walks of life. They share what they're hearing from others, what these attacks on public lands mean, and why it is important to stay engaged and speak up. John's new podcast series, On Common Ground, tells the story of America's 640 million acres of public land - why it matters, who's trying to sell it off, and what it will cost the rest of us if we let them. Listen to On Common Ground wherever you get your podcasts! Follow On Common Ground on Instagram: @on_common_ground_Watch On Common Ground on YouTube. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Liz welcomes Tara and Nancy of Crime Off The Grid Podcast for this fun collab! We talk about crazy, bizarre and intense stories from their time as Law Enforcement rangers in National Parks like Yellowstone, Crater Lake and Mount Rushmore; female friendships; exploring the outdoors, and more! About Tara & Nancy: These badass women are both true crime enthusiasts with each having over 30 years of experience as a Law Enforcement Park Rangers in the National Park Service, and Nancy has also worked as a Captain in the US Forest Service. Tara spent the majority of her career as a ranger in Yellowstone NP and the last 5 years she worked primarily assisting victims of crime across the NPS. Check out Crime Off The Grid Podcast episodes!Visit their website.Follow Crime Off The Grid on Instagram: @crimeoffthegridpodcast. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You NEED To know about the most adorable little "mountain potatoes": the American pika (Ochotona princeps)! Not only is the logo for this here podcast a pika, but the American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small, herbivorous mammal of the family Ochotonidae, closely related to rabbits and hares. They live in alpine rockslides and talus slopes; and they have the cutest "MEEP!" you'll ever hear. Pikas are widely considered a mammalian indicator of environmental change in alpine ecosystems because they have experienced climate-mediated declines in parts of their range. My two guests for this episode are an incredible scientifically-savvy duo: Dr. Johanna "Pika Jo" Varner and Karli Weatherill - who study pikas for a living! Johanna “Pika Jo” Varner is a pika biologist who lives in Colorado. During the academic year, she teaches biology at Colorado Mesa University, but during the summer, she spends a lot of time in the mountains looking for pikas, placing temperature sensors, and collecting scat samples to analyze for stress. Before she was a pika biologist, Dr. Varner was a biomedical engineer, a baker, and a blueberry farmer. But she likes studying pikas best because they are adorable and they live in beautiful places. Karli Weatherill is a Ph.D. student at the University of Oklahoma and a graduate of Colorado Mesa University, where she first met Pika Jo and earned her bachelor's degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. Her research has focused on the stress physiology of American pikas. Karli is an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves that she gets to study pikas while spending time in the mountains. She is also passionate about science communication and youth science education, striving to make science accessible and inspiring to diverse audiences. Read about the pika study implemented by Karli and Jo: Climatic stressors and habitat quality explain individual stress metrics in an isolated population of small mammals. Download the Pika Patrol app! Check out Pika Jo's website: Dr. Johanna Varner. Follow Pika Jo on Instagram: @doctorpikajo. Follow Karli on Instagram: @mtntopbiologist. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jason Wise is a Certified California Naturalist, environmental educator, conservationist, trail guide, LGBTQ activist, writer, and sometimes photographer, with a master's degree in environmental policy (MPP). His passion is fostering a deeper connection between people and nature, and believes that access to and education about the natural world are essential for cultivating strong environmental advocates. His in person hikes and social media lessons explore topics like urban ecology and history, foraging, queer ecology, mindfulness, and our interconnectedness—elements that are vital for a fulfilling life and a healthier planet. Also, he's super fun! Follow Jason on Instagram: @jasonjourneyman. Subscribe to Jason's Naturalist newsletter: JourneyStack. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

She skinny dipped with a bear?! Yep, and she's also a backcountry adventurer and this week's guest on Rangers of the Lost Park! Her name is Emma Hoskins. Emma works at the intersection of public lands, climate resilience, and outdoor storytelling. Through research, policy work, and time spent on the road, from U.S. National Parks to New Zealand, Emma explores how travel, recreation, and conservation shape the places we love. On New Year’s Eve of 2020, she made a slightly ambitious promise to herself: visit every U.S. National Park by the time she turned 30. Did Emma make it to all 63? What's it like working in conservation in Canada? Why is Visitor Use Management Systems important in protecting public lands? Find out by listening to our episode! Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmarhoskins.Check out Emma's website: EmmaRHoskins.com. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Big Bend National Park and the local communities surrounding it are being threatened by a destructive border patrol endeavor. The Department of Homeland Security released “Smart Wall” plans for this area of Texas (including Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park) which include PHYSICAL construction of border walls in both the Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park. "This will not only have extreme environmental impacts, it will also remove access to miles upon miles of public land and close some of the most beloved sections of both parks (including the Hot Springs in Big Bend National Park and Hoodoos & Balanced Rock trail in Big Bend Ranch State Park) and also includes physical walls along sections of the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic river," says local resident Anna Claire Beasley. Anna Claire Beasley is an adventure and wedding photographer originally from Castroville, Texas. She now lives and works in Far West Texas, specifically calling the desert town of Terlingua near Big Bend National Park her home. And, she's this week's guest on Rangers of the Lost Park! Anna Claire talks about what this area means to her and why this border wall is bad for her community and the landscape itself. She also talks about her love for Texas, adventurous travels around the US via bikepacking, and more! Follow Anna Claire on Instagram: @annaclairebeasley. Follow No Big Bend Wall on Instagram: @nobigbendwall. Learn more about this issue at NoBigBendWall.org. Sign the petition to stop the Big Bend Wall! Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

From sleeping in flowers to keeping the natural world thriving, native bees are absolutely magical. Krystle Hickman loves bees and is incredibly knowledgable! She is a National Geographic Explorer and Expedition Expert, award-winning conservation photographer and author, keynote speaker, and artist whose work explores biodiversity, pollinators, and environmental storytelling through fieldwork around the world. Join Krystle and Liz as they talk about pollinator cuteness, the realities of visiting popular attractions, why movies aren't what they used to be, and more! Follow Krystle on Instagram: @beesip.Follow Krystle on Facebook: @beesiponline.Watch Krystle's YouTube channel: BeeSip.Check out Krystle's website and book: BeeSip.com/Shop. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You may recognize him from his quirky Instagram/Tiktok reels - the man known for creating quality, local artist-driven conservation tees: Jim Morris! Jim Morris is the founder of Boulder-based Jim Morris Environmental & Wildlife T-Shirt Co. Since 1976, he has been screen-printing eco-friendly tees to raise environmental awareness and support conservation efforts. A few years ago, Jim became an internet sensation, affectionately dubbed the "internet's grandpa" for his contagious passion for nature. Jim is always wearing a wildlife-themed tee from his shop and viewers have become drawn to clips of Morris, in his late 70's, catching frogs at a nearby pond or observing herons through his binoculars. But the most heartwarming thing about Jim is his deep love for nature. Jim and Liz talk about his upbringing in Wisconsin, his mountaineering and skiing adventures, how he helped save beached whales in Florida, what it means to open your senses to nature, and the process of creating his wildlife tees. Jim even shows Liz a physical display of how to cross a stream safely!  Order your wildlife tee to support local artists and conservation organizations: jimmorris.com. Follow Jim on Instagram: @jimmorristees.Follow Jim on TikTok: @jimmorristees. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, Eli Henderson of The Ground Between Us Podcast sits down with Liz Crandall of Rangers of the Lost Park Podcast to explore how a passion for wilderness can grow into a lifelong commitment to conservation and public lands advocacy. Liz shares the experiences that shaped her connection to the outdoors and led her to dedicate her career to protecting public lands. From her work in Yellowstone to her advocacy for places like Dolly Sods, we discuss the importance of stewardship, the challenges facing public lands, and the responsibility we all share in preserving these landscapes for future generations. This conversation is about more than conservation policy. It's about developing a deeper relationship with the natural world, finding purpose through service, and understanding why wild places are worth fighting for. Subjects covered include: Public lands conservation and advocacyWilderness stewardshipYellowstone and Dolly SodsBuilding a career in conservationEnvironmental education and outreachConnecting people with natureStewardship and outdoor ethicsProtecting wild places for future generations Connect with The Ground Between Us 📧 [email protected] 📸 https://www.instagram.com/thegroundbetweenus 📘 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585112773537 📺 https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundbetweenus 🎵 https://www.tiktok.com/@thegroundbetweenus Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: ECMVUU9K35XVZRPU Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week's guest is someone who has a wonderful sense of humor, tenacity in conservation work and is a young person trying to do good for nature. Her name is Nancy Nan, or Nance.  Nance graduated from UCLA in 2024 with a bachelor’s of arts in Geography and Sociology. She is originally from North Carolina, but has done work in Arizona with the US forest service and Arizona Conservation Corp before moving to Hawai'i. Most of Nance’s conservation work experiences are with fire mitigation, recreation and environmental education. In her free time, Nance likes to do anything creative, from making music to crocheting.  Nance publicly ranks the many conservation jobs she’s had so people can see a glimpse into her life as a field employee on her social media account @n.ansees. Her style is humorous, with photos of her laying on a pickup bed of weeds she trimmed, kneeling in streams for restoration projects, and scrubbing a turtle with a toothbrush! Nance is Gen-Z, and many of us paying attention know that the lack of conservation jobs and swath of economic hardships do not set up younger generations in the United States for success. Yet, she is someone who is striving against all odds, and giving back to the environment. And, she’s doing it joyfully. Follow Nance on Instagram for fun conservation content: @n.ansees. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Who knew learning history could be so fun?! Will DeMan (known as "NationalParkHistory") is a Michigan-based educator, writer, and public land advocate. His content on Instagram and Substack combines history and advocacy to help his audience understand and respond to the many issues our public lands and national parks are facing. He is the author of two books on the origin stories of the national parks, with his most recent book focusing on Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton. Will has partnered with The Wilderness Society, Protect the Porkies, and other outdoors creators to defend national monuments, protect state parks, and keep public lands in public hands. He is a recent graduate of the 2026 Trust Creator Fellowship with News Creator Corp. Tune in to hear cool facts and stories about National Parks, a spooky story in Shenandoah National Park, why defending public lands and history is so important, and more! Follow Will DeMan on Instagram: @nationalparkhistory.Check out Will's Substack: National Park History. Order your copy of Will's newest book Creating the National Parks: Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton. Order Will's super cool National Park History merch! Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission (located in Moab, Utah), the longest-running film commission, started in 1949 to help facilitate John Ford movies that were going there. Since then, over 200 films have been shot in the area on - you guessed it - public lands! Bega Metzner, the Film Commission Director for the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission, makes sure everyone is doing it the right way, with permits and all the logistics. So much of it is public land, like National parks, the Bureau of Land Management, etc. There is a lot to juggle. Every project has different needs, not just with locations but with accommodations or casting or wanting to hire a local crew. Her job is to facilitate whatever aspects are needed and try to make it as seamless as possible whatever the needs are.  Bega is also a board member for AFCI - The Association of Film Commissioners International—which represents a global network of more than 360 film commissions in approximately 40 countries across six continents. She is a member of FilmUSA - a national alliance representing state, regional, and local film commissions across the United States (over 100 represented at this time) - working to establish a Federal Film Office and collaborating / partnering at festivals and events around the world. Lastly, Bega is also a dedicated partner of LMGI (Location Managers Guild International). Along with her incredible work for the Film Commission, Bega has a diverse background in the film industry - including being a PA on movies like Very Bad Things (1998) and Rounders (1998), working in costume design, photography, acting, and so much more. Find out more about the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission by visiting their website: www.filmmoab.com.Follow the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission on Instagram: @filmmoab. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What happens when you gather a group of nature enthusiasts in an old growth forest? This episode is truly unique and not something Liz has done on this podcast before. Liz went out into the remote backcountry with a wonderful group of public land protectors and will be sharing four of their stories with you all today. You’ll get to hear some personal stories of deep love, resiliency and intrigue straight from the person who beholds it, including Daniel Gomez, Patty Hine, Misha Inomoto, and Chandra LeGue. On May 31st of this year, Liz braved the long, 3.5-hour journey through winding forest roads with no wifi or phone service in order to join a group of public land advocates at one of Oregon’s most long-lived old growth forests: Crabtree Valley. Located in Western Oregon, it is an environmental sanctuary, and those who are familiar with it describe it as “peaceful, resilient, diverse, and incredibly beautiful"-- with trees up to 1,000 years old (they were alive at the same time as Genghis Khan, y'all!). Named the “Crabtree Valley Expedition,” this community-driven event was advertised as “two days of exploration to connect advocates, photographers, story tellers, legal forest defenders, naturalists, and forest lovers to an area that could be impacted by the Trump administration’s proposed management plan revisions for Bureau of Land Management forests in western Oregon.” Their hope in documenting the biodiversity of this ancient forest, in a multitude of ways, is that they can mount a successful campaign to continue protections for not just this place, but all old-growth forests on BLM lands (and beyond!).” And it couldn’t have been possible without the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, Oregon Wild. Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and waters as an enduring legacy for future generations. Founded in 1974, Oregon Wild represents the fish and wildlife, ancient forests, and rich diversity of public lands and landscapes that make this state so special. They work to protect and restore the parts of the natural world that do not have a human voice, while not forgetting that humans are interconnected with nature and its systems. Oregon Wild and other conservation groups have challenged numerous BLM logging proposals in recent years that have targeted mature and old-growth forests. Courts have sided with conservation groups, highlighting that, even under the significantly weaker safeguards of the 2016 RMPs, the agency has regularly violated its own rules and bedrock environmental laws in order to facilitate commercial logging projects.  On February 19, 2026, the Trump administration announced its intention to revise Western Oregon BLM management plans. Administration officials have stated that their goal is to return to the logging levels of the 1970s and 80s—when the BLM and U.S. Forest Service were clear-cutting roughly 3-square miles of old-growth forests per week. To achieve this, they intend to override decades of court rulings protecting clean water and wildlife, and return to the very management practices that led to federal Endangered Species Act listings for coho salmon and other imperiled species in the first place.  The 1,251 acres of wild forest--Crabtree Valley--is only still standing because of the persistent advocacy of the people who fell in love with it. Folks can support The River Democracy Act proposal by visiting Oregon Wild’s website link. Lastly, tell Oregon's delegation: protect our old-growth forests. For more action tools from Oregon Wild, click here. It's important we all speak up for these ancient, wild places. Liz hopes you enjoy this very special episode of Rangers of the Lost Park. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Daniel Gomez (he/him): Daniel moved a lot as a child but spent most of his teens and college years in Kansas, where he met his wife Megan at his local college. They moved to Oregon 13 years ago and just happened to pick up photography thanks to Daniel’s father-in-law who gifted him a camera upon arriving. Since then, Daniel has grown to love taking photos of the night sky, in particular, the Milky way over scenic landscapes such as Mt. Hood. Daniel and his wife (love that he included his wife in everything, green flag) are passionate gardeners and grow most of their own produce. Last year, they grew 1000 lbs of produce out of their garden/orchard in our backyard. Daniel has since added a few more beds this year so they are hoping to grow even more. You can see Daniel's photography on his website and Instagram. Patty Hine (she/her): Patty is a Pacific Northwesterner who's having the time of her life on five acres in rural Lane County with her wife, Debby, of 32 years. A retired Navy officer and college instructor, Patty has led the scrappy group known as 350 Eugene for the past 15 years, and has been fighting for progressive climate and energy policy. Patty and Debby backpack in the Cascades and camp in the Oregon Coast Range when they're not growing tons of food and hitting the streets to fight for justice with their climate buddies. Misha Inomoto (they/them): Originally from San Diego, CA, Misha Inomoto moved out to Olympia, WA about a decade ago to go to school at Evergreen State College, where they graduated with a dual major in Ecology and Botany. After a summer school trip to Alaska in 2019, where Misha backpacked for 4 weeks in the backcountry, they came back enamored with lichens and bryophytes. Misha moved to Eugene, OR in 2022 after graduating, to look for work in a larger town that still had the feel of Olympia. They have since spent a lot of time volunteering with local non-profits to help restore and protect public lands. Since Misha was a child, they have spent as much time as possible outside. Their love of learning extends to not only botany, but languages as well. Misha is currently teaching themself Japanese and Spanish. They love being outside because it calms them. It makes them feel safe. While there are inherent dangers outside, Misha always felt a belonging and unquenchable curiosity about their surroundings. On days off, you can usually find Misha outside: volunteering, cycling, hiking, camping, or botanizing. They also love cooking and finding fun ways to pair unusual accoutrements with wine! You can follow along Misha's journey via Instagram.  Chandra LeGue (she/her): Born and r...

This week's guest is Robert "Bob" Pahre: a professor in the Political Science Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he is also currently Department Head. Liz and Bob discuss the consequences of erasing history from our nation's National Parks will entail, especially in regards to future generations and their access to knowledge and historical facts. They also talk about bear encounters, a sneaky fox who steals boots, weird German words, hanging upside down in a tree while playing the saxophone, the book that Bob is currently writing, and more! More about Bob: After graduate school, Bob first taught at the University of Rochester and then at the Political Science Department and the School of Public Policy (SPP, now the Ford School) at the University of Michigan. He received a PhD in Political Science from UCLA and a B.A. in International Relations and German Studies from Stanford University.  Not only that, but he played saxophone for the notorious Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band.   Bob regularly teaches a summer course on the politics of national parks, on-site. He alternates between Politics of the Greater Yellowstone Area and the Politics of the National Parks of Colorado, with some Utah. “You know that you want to join us,” he says. If you can’t join one of those courses in the field, Bob developed an online course on the “Politics of Yellowstone.” You need not be a student at the University of Illinois to enroll.   Most of Bob’s research has been dominated by political economy, but now he is interested more in environmental questions and the politics of culture and heritage. His favorite hobbies are hiking, backpacking, and photography. You can sometimes find him on a bike or in a kayak. Most of his photography focuses on the outdoors, especially in the national parks. Bob's current book-length examines the politics behind the ways that US national parks interpret Western expansion. Past major projects have looked at the role of hegemony in the international political economy, the domestic political economy of trade cooperation, and transdisciplinary research in the social sciences; he has also written on some miscellaneous topics. Find out more about Bob on his website. Learn more about Bob's upcoming book and research here. Read more about the impacts of erasing historical interpretation from National Parks here. Follow ROTLP on Instagram: @rangersofthelostpark.Follow ROTLP on TikTok: @rangersofthelostpark. Join Patreon! Become a Ranger Friend for bonus content and to join an incredible community. Now available on YouTube! Watch Rangers of the Lost Park select episodes. Got a cool Ranger Tea story? Want Liz to share your interesting outdoors story on the podcast? Fill out the Listener Story Form! Have a question for Liz? Want her to answer it on an episode? Fill out the Listener Question Form! Do you know someone who would make a great guest on the podcast (yourself included)? Fill out the Podcast Guest Request Form! For episode suggestions and feedback, please email Liz at [email protected]. Please download, subscribe, and leave a review! Thank you for listening! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★