From P-22 - dubbed the "Brad Pitt of mountain lions" - navigating LA freeways to steelhead battling urban barriers, the latest Fish Water People podcast episode dives into an urgent question: how can we help wildlife move through a world designed primarily with human movement in mind? Join us as we connect with Beth Pratt, wildlife advocate, author, and California Director for the National Wildlife Federation, who reveals why data alone is not enough to motivate environmental action. She discusses how compelling personal stories transformed public perception of urban animals and drove the construction of the world’s largest wildlife crossing, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Los Angeles County.
Ben Goldfarb, journalist, author, and Beaver Believer, also joins the conversation and reveals how innovative crossings - from overpasses to culverts - give animals new paths to survival. Together, these conservation leaders are painting a realistic picture of how cities and wildlife can coexist, one crossing at a time.
This episode was recorded prior to the catastrophic fires in LA. Our hearts are with all those affected, and we are devastated for the communities that have been so quickly and shockingly displaced by these fire events. For those seeking assistance or looking for ways to help, please explore the below resources. and
Resources for those affected: List HERE
Water touches all of us in both practical and magical ways. What's your relationship with water? What makes California’s rivers and waterways special to you? Let us know!
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Stay tuned as the Fish Water People podcast continues with more conversations with people from around the state and beyond.
Is there someone you'd love to hear Curtis talk with this season or a topic you want to hear us explore? Email info @ caltrout.org to let us know!
The Fish Water People podcast is brought to you by California Trout and Bridget Shaw and Drew Alvarez at Pusher Inc. with music from Wilco. Thanks for listening & subscribing!
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.
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