Episode 76: American Prairie Reserve – Big Rewilding On America’s Northern Great Plains
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe to Rewilding Earth Podcast: Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio | Email | RSS
Dr. Daniel Kinka, Wildlife Restoration Manager, American Prairie Reserve
About Dr. Kinka
Dr. Daniel Kinka is American Prairie Reserve’s Wildlife Restoration Manager. His primary responsibilities include restoring and monitoring wildlife on the Reserve and managing the wildlife-friendly ranching program “Wild Sky.” He also acts as a liaison to scientists conducting research at American Prairie, other non-governmental organizations, agencies, and other external entities. He joined American Prairie in 2018, shortly after completing his doctoral degree in ecology at Utah State University. In graduate school, he studied the use of livestock guardian dogs to promote coexistence between large North American carnivores and ranchers. Originally from Florida and the Washington DC area, Daniel has enjoyed living “out west” since 2010. In addition to restoration ecology and applied science, Daniel harbors a deep passion for science communication, having worked as a science reporter for Utah Public Radio, publishing in High Country News, and serving as a National Geographic Society Fellow.
American Prairie Reserve | Photographer: Gib Myers (C) gibsphotos
Topics
- What is the American Prairie Reserve?
- Scope of the project (current size and planned)
- Wildlands restoration on the Northern Great Plains
- Wildlife of the American Prairie Reserve
- Working on a human landscape to restore and protect wild nature
Extra Credit
Visit: American Prairie Reserve
Article: Tribes Begin Five-Year Swift Fox Reintroduction at Fort Belknap
Watch: “This Is American Prairie Reserve”
Director of Digital Outreach (D.O.D.O.) for The Rewilding Institute
Host and Producer of the Rewilding Earth Podcast
Jack started Rewilding work as Executive Director of Sky Island Alliance in the mid-1990’s, organizing the Sky Island Wildlands Network design, ripping up illegal roads on forest service lands, installing wolf acclimatization pens on Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch & conducting howling surveys to help make way for the final stage of the Lobo reintroduction program in the Southwest.
Through the years, Jack has worked with Dave Foreman and the Rewilding Gang to further Rewilding initiatives and education.
About the American Prairie Reserve::: I love their long-term thinking and goals, HOWEVER, I fail to see any reason – short term or long term – for permitting the raising of “wildlife-friendly beef” (Wild Sky),on the APR where there should be bison and elk, etc. doing the grazing. There is NOTHING about the presence of domestic livestock on our Western lands that is “wildlife friendly” no matter how the PR people try to spin it….. Thank you, Ed Loosli – The Wildlife Trust.
Jack,
Amazingly great work on your part, as always.
Great interview, Jack. Thank you. Browsing their website I see that there are lots of opportunities there for more podcasts!