Episode Details

Season 2, Episode 8 features a discussion with Mike Judd, Allan Garbutt, and Colin Smith, who are long-time advocates for the region’s ecological preservation. The conversation highlights the detrimental impacts of industrial activities such as logging, oil and gas extraction, and coal mining on the Eastern Slopes, emphasizing the urgent need for legislative protection and sustainable land management practices. The speakers advocate for comprehensive wilderness protection, public hearings, and coalition-building among environmental groups to address these challenges. They stress the importance of enforcing existing environmental laws and engaging in strategic, community-led efforts to safeguard water resources and biodiversity for future generations. The podcast underscores the critical role of public awareness and political action in achieving meaningful environmental change.

Introductions to Mike Judd and Allan Garbutt, Plus Colin Smith Returns

Jenny (00:00:04):

Welcome to The Gravity Well Podcast. I am your host, Jenny Yeremiy. Here you break down heavy ideas with me to understand their complexities and connections. Our mission is to work through dilemmas together in conversation and process. I acknowledge that I live on the traditional Territory of Treaty 7 and Metis districts 5 and 6. The treaties and self-governance agreements established by indigenous peoples were created to honour the laws of the land, maintain balance with nature by giving back and uphold reciprocal relationships. This knowledge and intention are what guide The Gravity Well conversation. I ask for genuine dialogue, real hearts, and openness to different perspectives. This is your invitation to find common ground with me.

This podcast is dedicated to the natural world, our children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and all future generations. The gravity well is on YouTube and streaming wherever you get your podcasts. Join us thegravitywell.net. Okay, we are down in the Crowsnest Pass. No, we are in Beaver Mines just south of the Crowsnest Pass. I’ll let you explain it in a minute here. We’re at Mike Judd’s place here with Allan Garbutt and Colin Smith. Colin and I came down from Calgary, very excited for this conversation for two longstanding fighters for the Eastern Slopes. Thank you for all the work you guys have done. Why are we here? We’re here to talk about protection and restoration of the Eastern Slopes, the place where we live. Let’s start with some introductions. I think you know enough about me, but I’ll just a little for you just in case.

I’m a geophysicist. I worked in development. We were just talking offline about frac development and stuff, and I was involved in all of that and ignorant for a long time. And then became aware in about 2014 when oil prices fell out is when I first started to pay attention to liability. The impact we were having, the sites that we were leaving a bunch of water, trying to get rid of it and realizing this was a growing issue and not being maintained or not being looked after at the same pace that’s required. Anyway, that’s my background and how I came into this knowledge and awareness of this issue. Yeah. Why don’t you start? Please, Mike, can you introduce yourself and give us a bit of your background?

Mike:

Yeah. Well, my name is Mike Judd. I live here on the Eastern Slopes just west of Pincher Creek, near Little Hamlin, the Beaver Mines. And I live on the land that my mom and dad bought in 1946. It’s mostly forested land with the little bits of open meadow and has a wonderful elk range, and it’s a grizzly bear. I have a grizzly bear den on my land and another one that I know of close by. This is a very important landscape. If you get up on the hills here and look around, you can see the entire front of the Rocky Mountains and the beauty of it. And also what you’re bound to become aware of