Vermejo, Ted Turner & Nature’s Second Chances

Welcome to Open Container, where we unpack the most urgent issues facing the outdoor community - culture, conservation, and the power of nature to heal. Today, Doug Schnitzspahn (https://www.linkedin.com/preload/#) sits down with director and photographer Ben Clark (https://www.linkedin.com/preload/#) to explore a rare story of restoration and resilience on America’s wild lands. Drawing on his background as an adventurer and filmmaker, Ben shares behind-the-scenes insights from his new documentary, Preserved, which chronicles the ambitious revitalization of Vermejo Park Ranch - a 560,000-acre landscape in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Doug and Ben discuss environmental destruction and rebirth, reflecting on how even scarred places, whether clear-cut forests in Idaho or polluted beaches of the Jersey Shore, can find new life with hope, hard work, and innovative conservation. Timestamped summary 00:00 America's Expanding Environmental Scars 03:28 "Nature's Resilience and Regrowth" 09:21 Collaborative Conservation Efforts 11:37 Science Communication Challenges 13:58 Landscape Filmmaker Focuses on Characters 16:57 Backpacking and Filming in the Rockies 23:01 Indigenous Stewardship and Land Models 26:34 Conservation Success in North America 29:37 "Dividing Vast Wilderness: A Journey" 32:09 Reduce Excessive Spending Habits 35:31 "Open Container: Follow & Engage" Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight (https://my.captivate.fm/rockfight.co) , LLC. Let's Get Some! Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List. Please follow and subscribe to Open Container and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts. Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com (mailto:myrockfight@gmail.com) .