Conservation and Science
Episodes
217: Canopy of Titans - Greenwashing and the Great North American Temperate Rainforest with Paul Koberstein
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the world's most powerful climate solution is being logged away while politicians and industry groups feed us misinformation? How can an ecosy...
216: EU Wolves and the Conservation Success Conundrum with Hanna Pettersson
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can we find a middle ground between those who see the EU's wolf downlisting as a catastrophe and those who celebrate it as good news? The debate aroun...
Can We Coexist with Large Carnivores? Estonia Shows How.
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On my podcast, we talk a lot about coexistence with large carnivores and the challenges it poses. Some of those challenges might seem insurmountable t...
215: Just Earth with Tony Juniper
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why are we failing to make progress on climate change and biodiversity loss despite fifty years of environmental campaigning? What changed in recent y...
What Regenerative Agriculture Really Means
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is sustainable agriculture? Does regenerative farming mean focusing primarily on the soil biome? Is farming a leading cause of biodiversity loss?...
214: Bringing Back the Wild with Mike Arnold - A Hunter's View of Global Conservation
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can hunting truly support conservation? Does fortress conservation offer a sustainable solution for protecting wildlife in the long term? And how do w...
Why Military Bases Might Determine the Future of Whales
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is the resumption of commercial whaling inevitable? What hidden geopolitical forces are shaping international whale conservation efforts? Let's dive (...
213: Ferret Eradication from Rathlin Island with David Tosh
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the ethical considerations when eradicating invasive species from an island? How do you develop wireless technology to monitor hundreds of tr...
Rewilding Professor Unpacks
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is rewilding truly mainstream now, or does it remain mired in misunderstanding? Can we finally agree on what the term actually means? And is it really...
212: Snow Leopard Trail with Jonny Hanson
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can communities in Ireland and Britain learn to share landscapes with apex predators again after centuries of their absence? What does coexistence act...
Rewilding Myths and Misconceptions with Ian Parsons
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What exactly is rewilding? Does it simply mean bringing back wolves, lynx and bears, or is there more to it? Can we balance food production and rural ...
211: When Reintroductions Cause De-wilding with Alex Lees
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can species reintroductions harm biodiversity rather than help it? Why might bringing back wolves or lynx create more problems than solutions? Are we ...
Sika Deer: Pest or Precious?
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sika (cervus nippon) is a mid-sized deer that was introduced to Ireland in the 1860s to the Powerscourt Estate. Soon after that, it started spreading ...
210: The Culling Conundrum with Ryan Davy
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why are elephants dying slow deaths from starvation in African parks? Can contraceptives really solve wildlife overpopulation in fenced reserves? What...
Understanding Lead Exposure from Ammunition
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Should we worry about consuming venison from an animal harvested with lead ammunition? Will cutting out and discarding meat around the impact area sol...
209: Beavers vs Salmon - Balance The Scales with Rob Needham
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can beavers save Britain's dying rivers? Are these ecosystem engineers the key to reversing the catastrophic decline of Atlantic salmon, or do their d...
208: Encounters with Corvids - Fionn Ó Marcaigh
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are corvids overabundant pests or are they simply survivors in landscapes we've shaped? Why do these birds seem to look at us as intently as we look a...
207: Land Access and Irish Trails with John Smyth
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why are no trespassing signs appearing on Irish mountains that hikers have accessed for decades? Can walkers really sue farmers when they injure thems...
206: The Real Yellowstone
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why is the farming community so opposed to the American Prairie Foundation's rewilding vision? Can ranchers and conservationists find common ground wh...
205: The Rewildlife with Jack Morley
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why are people so opposed to the term "rewilding" when it can inspire action for nature restoration? How can we communicate conservation issues withou...
204: The Elephant Translocation Disaster with Jens Ulrik Høgh
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does a wealthy animal welfare organisation, funded by well-meaning donors from Europe and North America, end up relocating hundreds of elephants t...
203: TB in Deer: An Irish Hunter's Guide to the Uncomfortable Reality
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is TB in deer a growing concern for Irish hunters? What happens when you shoot a deer infected with TB, and what are the realities from a hunter's per...
202: Uncommon Ground with Patrick Galbraith
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are we being locked out of the countryside, or is the narrative around land access more complex than it seems? How can we navigate the competing deman...
201: Rewild Your Land with Pádraic Fogarty
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to 'rewild' a landscape in Ireland, one of Europe's most nature-poor countries? Can rewilding coexist with traditional farming pract...
200: Deer Management in Ireland with Ashley Glover
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is Ireland ready to tackle its growing deer management challenges? How will the new national deer management programme impact hunters, landowners, and...
199: Circumnavigating the Globe for Science with Bert terHart
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can one person sailing solo around the world contribute to scientific knowledge? What happens when you encounter illegal fishing vessels in the middle...
198: Living with Wolves - The Complete Guide to Coexistence
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I feel like this episode is the ultimate guide to understanding coexistence with wolves. Once again I talk with ecological anthropologist Thorsten Gie...
Podcasthon: IWDG and IWT
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and Irish Wildlife Trust.This episode is part of the global Podcasthon initiative, in which podcasters worldwide dedicat...
197: Living with Lynx - Conversation with Jonny Hanson
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible for humans and large carnivores to share landscapes without conflict? What happens when predators like wolves, bears, and lynx return t...
196: Offshore Wind and Marine Mammals with Stephen Comerford
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are offshore wind farms detrimental to marine mammals? What happens when we industrialise our seas with massive turbines? Can we balance the urgent ne...
195: Can Hunting Foster Environmental Stewardship? Conversation with Thorsten Gieser
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes someone kill an animal and still claim to care deeply about nature? Can the act of hunting foster environmental stewardship? These somewhat...
194: Pink Salmon Invasion on Norwegian Rivers with Jude Isabella
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when Pacific salmon invade Atlantic waters? How does a Soviet-era experiment from the 1950s continue to impact Norwegian rivers today? We...
193: Human-Wildlife Conflict - Romanian Bears and African Elephants with Jens Ulrik Høgh
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can hunting be an effective way to manage human-wildlife conflict? What happens when well-intentioned wildlife protection measures backfire? I spoke w...
Conservation and Science 2024 Recap
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The calendar year is coming to an end. Since the episode's scheduled date falls on the last day of the year, I feel it's fitting to publish a 2024 rec...
Christmas Wishes and a Peek into 2025
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Unlike many podcasters who take a break over Christmas, I'm not taking breaks. Instead, as I do every year, I'm publishing a special episode with seas...
Expert Talk: Bowhunting Ethics and Practice
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a real treat for all those who are interested in bowhunting, bowhunting culture and the ethics of bowhunting compared to rifle hunting...
192: EU Green Policy - The Science-Politics Divide with Faustine Bas-Defossez
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How much influence do personal experiences of high-ranking officials have on EU environmental policies? What happens when science-based conservation c...
The Return of the Irish Sturgeon
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I'm joined by Declan Quigley to explore the history of sturgeon in Irish waters. We talk about the recent campaign by the Irish Wildli...
191: Rewilding Myths and Misconceptions with Ian Parsons
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What exactly is rewilding? Does it simply mean bringing back wolves, lynx and bears, or is there more to it? Can we balance food production and rural ...
Ireland on the Fly with Daire and Tom
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What drives two friends to create a weekly podcast about fly fishing? How do they manage to keep it fresh and engaging week after week? Ireland on the...
190: The Geopolitics of Whale Conservation with Peter Corkeron
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is the resumption of commercial whaling inevitable? What hidden geopolitical forces are shaping international whale conservation efforts? Let's dive (...
Salmon Farming Exposed: Environmental Catastrophe and Community Impact
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to my conversation with John Aitchison from the Coastal Communities Network Scotland to learn about the devastating effects of salmon farming o...
189: Climate Anxiety and Presence Activism with Lynne Sedgmore
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you feel climate anxiety? Is it overwhelming you? How do we find peace while being bombarded with dire environmental predictions? In an attempt to ...
Polar Bears in a Warming World with Andrew Derocher
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last week I published a blog post where I set out to answer the question of whether polar bears are facing impending extinction due to climate change ...
188: Peer Review Reimagined - How Stacks Journal is Transforming Scientific Publishing
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is scientific publishing broken? How can we make it more accessible and inclusive? And what if peer review could be collaborative and efficient instea...
The EU Review of Wolf Protection Status
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The European Commission is deliberating on lowering the protection status of wolves in the EU. It seems like this decision has been taken after the Eu...
187: Soil, Dung Beetles, and Longhorn Beef with Elise Sutton
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can farming and conservation coexist harmoniously? How can farmers produce high-quality food while protecting biodiversity? Elise Sutton, a passionate...
186: Climate-Resilient Crops - Gene Editing with BetterSeeds and Ido Margalit
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the latest advancements in gene editing for crops? How can genetic engineering help plants withstand climate change? Is genetically modified ...
185: Farmers' Perspective on Carnivore Reintroductions with Jonny Hanson
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can large carnivore conservation coexist with livestock farming? In this episode, environmental social scientist Jonny Hanson and I discuss the comple...
Wildlife In The Balance with Simon Mustoe
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is one of the most thought-provoking books I have read. Although I don’t agree with everything in the book, I can overlook my disagreements bec...
184: Novel Ecosystems and Nature-Based Solutions with Marcus Collier
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are humans part of nature or separate from it? How do we define native species, and should we always strive to eradicate invasive ones? Can urban gree...
183: Nature Restoration Law - an Irish Farmer’s Perspective with Bill O’Keeffe
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why was the farming community so opposed to the EU’s Nature Restoration Law? Doesn’t a healthy ecosystem benefit agriculture? Isn’t the availabi...
182: Lead Ammunition and Health with Fredrik Widemo
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Should we worry about consuming venison from an animal harvested with lead ammunition? Will cutting out and discarding meat around the impact area sol...
181: Farming and Soil Biodiversity with Stuart Meikle
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is sustainable agriculture? Does regenerative farming mean focusing primarily on the soil biome? Is farming a leading cause of biodiversity loss?...
180: Hunters Just Are
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not long ago I posted a tweet: “Hunters are not good or bad, they just are. Therefore, they must be managed just like, and as a part of, the wildlif...
179: Sika Deer: Pest or Precious?
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sika (cervus nippon) is a mid-sized deer that was introduced to Ireland in the 1860s to the Powerscourt Estate. Soon after that, it started spreading ...
178: Why Biodiversity Matters with Nigel Dudley
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Why Biodiversity Matters” is fundamentally a philosophy book. However, the author and our guest, Nigel Dudley, is not a philosopher but an accomp...
177: Nature, Farming and Politics with Saoirse McHugh
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join me for a conversation with Saoirse McHugh who is running as an independent candidate for the European Parliament to represent the Midlands-North-...
176: Invasive Ants Impact Lion Predation on Zebras, with Adam T. Ford
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The paper that we discuss in this episode describes how an invasive species of ants disrupts lion hunting behaviour. There are also acacia trees, elep...
175: SOTKA Wetlands with Veli-Matti Pekkarinen and Heikki Helle
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Finnish SOTKA is a large-scale habitat restoration project and a part of a larger Helmi Habitats Programme aimed at restoring Finland’s biodiversity...
174: Not A Conservationist
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many people claim they are conservationists. But are they really? Inspired by your comments and some discussions that I had in the past, I decided to ...
173: The Last Keeper with Tom Opre
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I have been waiting for Tom Opre’s new film “The Last Keeper” since I learned in July 2022 that he and his team are working on it. Well, the wai...
172: Antidote to Screen Addiction with Emanuel Rose
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is slightly different than usual when it comes to its subject. However, working with technology by day and creating digital content by ni...
171: Rewilding with Steve Carver
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It has been a considerable time since the last time we spoke about rewilding on the podcast. I feel that the discussion around the practice as well as...
170: EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 with Frank Vassen
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Currently, a lot is going on in the European Union concerning regulations that can impact nature and nature restoration. To get a better understanding...
169: Species Reintroductions
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Species reintroductions, often in the context of rewilding, is a topic that we frequently discuss on this podcast. It is also fiercely debated on soci...
168: Coexistence with Wolves in Estonia with Helen Arusoo
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On my podcast, we talk a lot about coexistence with large carnivores and the challenges it poses. Some of those challenges might seem insurmountable t...
167: Conservation Detection Dogs with Caroline Finlay
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When we talk about dogs and conservation, it is usually in the context of wildlife disturbances caused by pet dogs and their inconsiderate owners. How...
166: Conservation and Science in 2024 - Housekeeping
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The new year has just started and I’m quick to treat you to yet another episode of the Conservation and Science podcast. Since it is this early in t...
165: Flicker in the Water with Bob Gonzalez
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A Flicker in the Water is a book about fishing I wish someone had written a long time ago. I gotta admit that due to its small size, I initially under...
164: Shotgun Conservationist with Brant MacDuff
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Brant MacDuff, the author of the book under the title “The Shotgun Conservationist: Why Environmentalists Should Love Hunting” is in ...
163: The EU Review of Wolf Protection Status
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The European Commission is deliberating on lowering the protection status of wolves in the EU. It seems like this decision has been taken after the Eu...
162: Sheep, Soil and Biodiversity with Suzanna Crampton
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The impact of farming on nature is one of the most contested subjects. The negative impact on biodiversity and soil health is juxtaposed with food sec...
161: Archery Insights with Jim Clark
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a real treat for all those who are interested in bowhunting, bowhunting culture and the ethics of bowhunting compared to rifle hunting...
160: Safari Club International with Ben Cassidy
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we continue the exploration of the public perception of hunting, the issue of social license to hunt and some current topics related to hunting...
159: Polar Bears in a Warming World with Andrew Derocher
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode will answer all your questions about polar bears — including those you didn’t know you had. Our guest is Professor Andrew Derocher fr...
158: Wildlife In The Balance with Simon Mustoe
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In his book, “Wildlife in The Balance”, expert ecologist Simon Mustoe lays out the case for animals being the most important ingredient of the eco...
157: Is The Red Wolf a Real Species? Conversation with Peter Brewitt
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In our conversation with Peter Brewitt from the University of California, Santa Cruz (currently the University of Cumbria) we dive into the history of...
156: Save Blackswarth Road Wood with Phil Sturgeon
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some things are so tiny yet so central that they matter more than giant things elsewhere. This is a paraphrased message I got from Phil Sturgeon, an e...
155: Sixgill Sharks and Flapper Skates with Patrick Collins
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) is the largest of the Hexanchiformes order of sharks, the most primitive living sharks, sometimes called “foss...
154: Hunting Europe: The Present and Future with David Scallan
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It was my great pleasure to once again welcome to my show Dr David Scallan, the Secretary General of the European Federation for Hunting and Conservat...
153: Do You Believe in Climate Change?
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is slightly different from the usual format. It is a solo episode, so no guest today. I decided to record it because of a few bothersome ...
152: From Anti-hunter to Advocate with Philippe Jaeger
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hunting is a frequent topic on my podcast. It lies in the epicentre of the unnecessary divide in wildlife conservation space. It evokes strong emotion...
151: Irish Sturgeon with Declan Quigley
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the three pillars of my podcast is to preserve knowledge about how the natural environment was in the past and to record stories and experience...
150: Predator Control with Barry McMahon
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The topic of lethal predator control has proven to be highly contentious. On one end of the spectrum, there are people who are inherently opposed to k...
149: Changes to Deer Hunting and Firearms Licensing in Ireland with Liam M. Nolan
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There is a lot going on for Irish deer hunters at the moment. First, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched a Public Consultation...
148: Environmental Dialogue with Rob Yorke
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Those of you who follow me on social media already know that last week I gave a presentation about the use of podcasting for communicating complex and...
147: Woodcock Research and Hunting with James O'Neill
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The woodcock is one of the most interesting birds. It is a wader that adapted to the woodland habitat. It has a range of unique characteristics like 3...
146: Multi-Generational Outdoors Teaching with Emanuel Rose
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Once again we are coming back to the subject of getting the young generation educated about nature and involved in experiences they might otherwise mi...
145: The Future of Hunting with Richard Prideaux
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With declining wildlife populations, expanding urbanisation and dwindling social acceptance of hunting I often question whether this activity has a fu...
144: How to Cut All Chemical Nitrogen on a Farm with James Foley
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we discuss a wide range of important farming-related topics like getting rid of nitrogen inputs, multispecies pasture, soil health, organic farm...
143: Emergent with Miriam Kate McDonald
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We often ask the question of whether farming and rewilding can coexist. Today we are going a step further and asking if farming and rewilding can supp...
142: Treated Like Animals with Alick Simmons
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The subject of the humane treatment of animals is not an easy one. As hunters, anglers, conservationists, farmers and pet owners we like to think that...
141: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna with William Roche
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join me for the conversation with Dr William Roche, a senior research officer at Inland Fisheries Ireland, about angler-driven fish tagging programmes...
140: Salmon Aquaculture and Coastal Communities with John Aitchison
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to my conversation with John Aitchison from the Coastal Communities Network Scotland to learn about the devastating effects of salmon farming o...
139: Tommy’s Outdoors Year End Show
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is the final show of the year 2022. So, instead of examining another complex subject from the realm of conservation or ecology, I decided to reco...
138: Marine Mammals and Aquatic Soundscapes with Denise Risch
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Marine acoustic ecology is a discipline that is important for our understanding of marine ecosystems. To learn more about it, tune in to my conversati...
137: Salmonid Studies with Richard Kennedy
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are the differences between salmon and sea trout? What are their migration patterns when they get to the ocean? Find out what scientists from the...
136: The Politics of Nature Restoration with Ariel Brunner
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, our guest is Ariel Brunner, Head of EU Policy at the environmental NGO BirdLife International. During our conversation, we hit on thr...
135: Wilder Bison with Paul Whitfield
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about bison in the UK, shall we? In this episode, I chat with Paul Whitfield, the Director General of Wildwood Trust, about the Wilder Blea...