Podcast Episode March 29, 2022

Episode 58 | Benny Braden on Public Lands Stewardship


The extended video version of this podcast episode is available to Unlimited Members.
  • The extended video version of this podcast episode is available to Unlimited Members for free as part of their membership. Become an Unlimited Member »
  • You must be logged in with your Unlimited Membership account to see the extended video version of this podcast episode here. Login Now »
Login Membership

Stream

Summary

Benny Braden is a public lands advocate and accomplished long-distance hiker. In this episode, Andrew and Ryan chat with him about public lands stewardship, social media, National Park funding, and more. Also in this episode – what’s up with bagging dog poop but leaving it on the side of the trail?

Outline

  • 00:00:28 – spring in the Rockies
  • 00:03:30 – low snowfall in the Sierra this year
  • 00:04:04 – climate change and snowpack in the Sierra and Rockies
  • 00:06:14 – bagging your dog poop but leaving it on the side of the trail
  • 00:09:46 – Benny Braden interview begins
  • 00:14:00 – Max Patch destruction
  • 00:17:38 – social media as a tool – negative vs. positive effect on public lands
  • 00:22:05 – what can public lands give us vs. how we can give back to public lands
  • 00:23:32 – drone footage from Max Patch
  • 00:26:00 – rehabbing Max Patch
  • 00:28:02 – the interface between private charity and federal agencies
  • 00:31:59 – practical advice for working with federal agencies
  • 00:37:00 – Save our Smokies
  • 00:43:08 – why trash is so bad in the smokies
  • 00:47:00 – our parks need better funding
  • 00:50:19 – Responsible Stewardship
  • 00:57:36 – local non-profits vs. national organization – what is Responsible Stewardship adding to the leave no trace landscape?
  • 01:00:48 – internet, social media, and tagging lightly
  • 01:05:34 – a brief conversation on gatekeeping
  • 01:12:31 – a responsible stewardship reminder
  • 01:14:19 – community kudzu
  • 01:15:49 – end of Benny Braden interview
  • 01:17:14 – minimizing personal impact
  • 01:25: 22 – what’s new at BPL

Resources

Max Patch

Drone footage from September 19, 2020:

Still photos:

max patch drone photo aerial view september 19, 2020 copyright mike wurman used with permission
September 19, 2020 at Max Patch. Photo by Mike Wurman (used with permission).
Max Patch aerial photo october 2021. by Mike Wurman. Used with permission.
Max Patch, October 24, 2021. Photo by Mike Wurman. Used with permission.

How to Subscribe

More Episodes

Credits

  • Executive Producer - Backpacking Light; Show Director and Host - Ryan Jordan; Producer - Chase Jordan; Theme music: Look for Me in the Mountains written by Chris Cunningham and Ryan Jordan, performed by Chris Cunningham (acoustic guitar, lead and harmony vocals, harmonica), Chad Langford (upright bass), and Tom Murphy (mandolin), produced by Basecamp Studios in Bozeman, Montana.

Feedback / Tips / Questions

More Backpacking Light

Disclosure

  • Sponsorship Policy: Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for product mentions or placements in editorial coverage, including any podcast episode content not excplicitly identified as sponsored content.
  • Some (but not all) of the links in these show notes may be affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and visit one of our affiliate partners (usually a retailer site), and subsequently place an order with that retailer, we receive a commission on your entire order, which varies between 3% and 15% of the purchase price. Affiliate commissions represent less than 15% of Backpacking Light's gross revenue. More than 70% of our revenue comes from Membership Fees. So if you'd really like to support our work, don't buy gear you don't need - support our consumer advocacy work and become a Member instead.
  • Learn more about affiliate commissions, influencer marketing, and our consumer advocacy work by reading our article Stop wasting money on gear.
Free Handbook

Get ultralight backpacking skills, gear info, philosophy, news, and more.

Home Forums Episode 58 | Benny Braden on Public Lands Stewardship

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #3744638
    Backpacking Light
    Admin

    @backpackinglight

    Locale: Rocky Mountains

    Companion forum thread to: Episode 58 | Benny Braden on Public Lands Stewardship

    Andrew and Ryan talk with public lands advocate and accomplished backpacker Benny Braden about vandalism, stewardship, and social media.

    #3744639
    Andrew Marshall
    BPL Member

    @andrewsmarshall

    Locale: Tahoe basin by way of the southern Appalachians

    Enjoy!

    #3744641
    Scott H
    BPL Member

    @cbk57

    Listening to the podcast today so much trash everywhere, my son is in BSA and we do watershed clean up every year there is more trash, but I remember as a child in the 1970s in Illinois, my grandparents had a seasonal stream behind their house and they did not have garbage service, they just dumped their non burn able trash along the stream, they burned what could be burned but everything else was just dumped.  I had another relative that would pull up to a ditch along side a farm field he owned and would dump his trash in the ditch instead of pay for some sort of trash service in the town he lived in.  Believe it or not things might be better now than they were at one time.

    #3745385
    Andrew Marshall
    BPL Member

    @andrewsmarshall

    Locale: Tahoe basin by way of the southern Appalachians

    Scott H, I believe it! This is what I was referencing when I mentioned the Cuyahoga. Like…is our current state hopeful or distressing? Kind of hard to figure it out. Thanks for listening.

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Join Our Community

Become a Backpacking Light Member


Forum Access

Unrestricted access to all forums, plus the ability to post and start new threads.

Premium Content

Unrestricted access to all 2,300+ articles, gear reviews, skills, stories, and more.

Community Posts

Post new content to the community including gear swaps, reviews, trip reports and more!

Online Education

Get unlimited access to all our online education (*Unlimited membership required).

Pack less. Be more. Become a member today!

Get Started

Loading...