Episode 58 | Benny Braden on Public Lands Stewardship

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

• piece at Outside about Sierra snowpack
• Save Our Smokies
• Responsible Stewardship
• Highline Film that Benny appears in
• Benny’s Instagram account
• the Route Planning Tools and Processes Member Q&A

Max Patch

Drone footage from September 19, 2020:

Still photos: