Episode Details

Environmental justice scholar Joe Whitson joins Bill and Anders to talk about how our stories about nature shape the land itself.

Joe explains his concept of “wildernessing,” the process of making a place look and feel “untouched” through policy decisions, land management, and marketing, even though these landscapes have deep human histories. The conversation moves from history to the present, exploring how our cultural definition of “wilderness” has shifted over time, why climate change is challenging the myth of pristine nature, and what it will take to create a more just and inclusive future for public lands.

Find the resources mentioned in today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.