What is sustainable agriculture? Does regenerative farming mean focusing primarily on the soil biome? Is farming a leading cause of biodiversity loss? …and do we really have only 60 harvests left? To get the answers to those and other questions about farming and biodiversity, join me for a conversation with an agricultural management and policy specialist, an economist, a writer and an advisor, Stuart Meikle.In this episode, Stuart shares with us the history of his education in farming and later his work in different farming environments across the world. Then we switch gears and talk about issues specific to Irish agriculture, which also has some relevance in the UK context. And so, we discuss the use of nitrogen fertilisers, soil health and whether the cuts to the size of the national cattle herd are inevitable. I also ask Stuart about his thoughts on the recently passed Nature Restoration Law.After you listen to this episode, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter so as not to miss more farming episodes that are due in the coming weeks. Being a subscriber also gives you an excellent opportunity to send me your feedback and suggestions about past and future episodes. It’s as easy as replying to an email! Finally, newsletter subscribers are first to be informed about live events and can avail themselves of substantial discounts on exclusive content.Subscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and FacebookMentioned in this episode:This is the Conservation and Science podcast Replay series, a curated collection of best episodes from last year. If you are new to the show, this is an excellent opportunity to catch up with the most popular episodes from the back catalogue. And if you’re a regular listener, maybe you missed one of those or want to listen to one of them again. Don’t worry! The new episodes are being published on the regular fortnightly schedule, so keep tuning in for the new content every other Tuesday.
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214: Bringing Back the Wild with Mike Arnold - A Hunter's View of Global Conservation
Can hunting truly support conservation? Does fortress conservation offer a sustainable solution for protecting wildlife in the long term? And how do we balance the needs of impoverished communities with the preservation of fragile ecosystems? Our guest today is Mike Arnold, a Distinguished Research Professor and Head of the Department of Genetics at the University of Georgia and a lifelong hunter. Mike has published over 220 articles in outdoor magazines and hundreds of research papers on conservation biology. He's also the author of "Bringing Back the Wild: Stories from Revitalised Ecosystems Around the World and How Sport Hunting Supports Them". In our conversation, Mike tackles these difficult questions head-on, drawing from his experiences across the globe.Mike explains how private hunting concessions in places like Mozambique have maintained stable rhino populations whilst nearby national parks have lost over 90% of their animals to poaching. He shares fascinating insights from his travels to locations as varied as Mexico's Yucatan, Scotland's hunting estates, and Sweden's forests - including his quest for a rare red-coloured West African Savannah buffalo. What emerges is a nuanced picture of conservation that refuses easy answers. Mike discusses the biological realities of managing herbivore populations, the importance of protecting entire ecosystems rather than just game species, and how economic benefits to landowners create incentives for habitat protection.The conversation takes an honest look at challenges facing hunting and conservation. Mike and I discuss the troubling demographics of hunting organisations, where finding anyone under 50 is increasingly difficult. We explore the tensions between rewilding advocates and traditional land users, the concept of "fortress conservation", and whether current systems can survive long-term pressures from growing inequality. We argue that addressing poverty is essential for conservation success, and that getting young people engaged with nature, not TikTok and PlayStation, is crucial for the future. Whether you hunt or not, this episode offers valuable perspectives on one of conservation's most contentious subjects.Buy Mike's Book: https://amzn.to/3WLkFe2Subscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and FacebookThe guest featured in this episode paid a nominal guesting fee. This fee did not directly influence the content of the episode. The guest had no editorial control, did not review the episode before publication, and did not influence the questions asked during the interview.
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Why Military Bases Might Determine the Future of Whales
Is the resumption of commercial whaling inevitable? What hidden geopolitical forces are shaping international whale conservation efforts? Let's dive (pun not intended) into the complex world of whale conservation with marine scientist Dr Peter Corkeron. In our conversation, Peter uncovers the surprising connections between military bases, national security, and the fate of the world's largest mammals.From the history of industrial whaling to the current state of whale populations, our guest provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing whale conservation today. He explains how some whale species are making an impressive comeback while others teeter on the brink of extinction. But the real story goes beyond biology! Learn how US military interests in Japan may be influencing whaling policies, and why anti-whaling efforts that seemed successful for decades may now be faltering.As commercial whaling threatens to resume, we argue for a new approach to whale protection. We discuss the limitations of current conservation strategies, the complex motivations behind pro-whaling interests and why simply allowing whaling to "fizzle out" is no longer a viable option. Finally, Peter offers his perspective on potential solutions, addressing underlying geopolitical factors and advocating for policy changes to protect whale populations more effectively.Further reading:Losing the Whales: How the Anti-Whaling Narrative Has FailedThe Return of WhalingWhat US Militarism Has to Do With Japan's Quest to Slaughter More WhalesSubscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and FacebookMentioned in this episode:This is the Conservation and Science podcast Replay series, a curated collection of best episodes from last year. If you are new to the show, this is an excellent opportunity to catch up with the most popular episodes from the back catalogue. And if you’re a regular listener, maybe you missed one of those or want to listen to one of them again. Don’t worry! The new episodes are being published on the regular fortnightly schedule, so keep tuning in for the new content every other Tuesday.
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213: Ferret Eradication from Rathlin Island with David Tosh
What are the ethical considerations when eradicating invasive species from an island? How do you develop wireless technology to monitor hundreds of traps across difficult terrain? Why do conservation projects like this cost so much more than people expect? These are some of the questions we explore in our conversation about the LIFE Raft project on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island.Our guest is David Tosh, a Lecturer in Terrestrial Ecology at the School of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Ulster University. David led the ambitious effort to eradicate feral ferrets and brown rats from Rathlin to protect internationally important seabird colonies. The ferrets were introduced in the 1980s to control rabbits but instead devastated ground-nesting bird populations. David explains the complexities of targeting two species simultaneously using different methods, the development of wireless platforms to monitor traps remotely, and where the money actually goes in projects like this. Success came faster than expected, with Manx shearwaters breeding on Rathlin for the first time in decades, just months after the eradication was completed.Beyond the technical achievements, our conversation explores the social dimensions that often determine whether conservation projects succeed or fail. David shares why the most important measure of success isn't just the return of seabirds, but whether the organisations involved can maintain trust and partnership with the islanders. We discuss the frustrations of five-year funding cycles for projects that require decades of commitment, and what it takes to ensure Rathlin remains ferret-free and rat-free for generations to come.Subscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and FacebookMentioned in this episode:DisclaimerThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organisation. The participants are expressing their personal opinions and perspectives.
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Rewilding Professor Unpacks
Is rewilding truly mainstream now, or does it remain mired in misunderstanding? Can we finally agree on what the term actually means? And is it really an anti-rural movement that seeks to empty the countryside of people? These questions have dominated conservation debates for years, and our conversation today tackles them head-on with refreshing clarity. Our guest is Dr Steve Carver, Director of the Wildland Research Institute at the School of Geography, University of Leeds, and Professor of Rewilding and Wilderness Science.In our conversation we explore how rewilding differs fundamentally from traditional conservation and regenerative farming. We examine the crucial role of scale, the problematic nature of fences in rewilding projects, and why the Oostvaardersplassen experiment in the Netherlands offers important lessons. Steve introduces his concept of 'nature-led versus human-led' approaches and explains why giving nature the space and time to determine its own trajectory remains the core principle. We also discuss the controversial question of whether projects like Knepp Estate truly qualify as rewilding or represent something else entirely.Throughout our discussion, Steve emphasises that rewilding is deeply context-specific and requires genuine local community engagement to succeed. He unpacks the relationship between wilderness and rewilding, explores why species reintroductions aren't mandatory, and shares his measured optimism about lynx returning to the UK (though wolves remain a more distant prospect). We also examine how the European interpretation of rewilding has evolved differently from its North American origins, and what this means for future conservation efforts. This episode offers a balanced, scientifically grounded perspective on where rewilding stands today and where it might be heading.Further reading:Guiding principles for rewildingSubscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and FacebookMentioned in this episode:This is the Conservation and Science podcast Replay series, a curated collection of best episodes from last year. If you are new to the show, this is an excellent opportunity to catch up with the most popular episodes from the back catalogue. And if you’re a regular listener, maybe you missed one of those or want to listen to one of them again. Don’t worry! The new episodes are being published on the regular fortnightly schedule, so keep tuning in for the new content every other Tuesday.
Are you tired of one-sided narratives about nature and conservation? Simplified takes that ignore the nuance and complexity of matters? This show brings you diverse perspectives on environmental stories, examining their ecological, social and political dimensions. Listen and become a well-rounded voice, empowered to foster dialogue and create change.
I'm Tommy Serafinski and this is the Conservation and Science podcast, where we take a deep dive into topics of ecology, conservation and human-wildlife interactions (which, in most cases, means human-wildlife conflict). I talk with world-class scientists, members of environmental organisations, practical conservationists, farmers, nature writers, and last but not least, hunters and anglers. My conversations cover biodiversity, conservation, hunting and fishing, rewilding and more.
Start with the acclaimed episode 163, “The EU Review of Wolf Protection Status.” It’s the perfect introduction to what this podcast has to offer.
South Africa