Conservation photographer Tony Bynum joins Bill and Anders for a wide-ranging conversation about photography, sovereignty, wild places, and what it means to tell the truth with an image. Tony's work isn’t just about capturing beauty; it’s about telling the full story of a place, pushing for protection, and reminding us what’s at stake.

Today's conversation explores what makes an image meaningful, why Tony walked away from shooting for certain publications, and how photography can either glorify or challenge our assumptions about land, nature, and use. Tony also shares insights from his time at the EPA, his work with tribal nations across the Columbia River Basin, and his deep belief that storytelling, when done honestly, can move people to care and act.

Learn more and connect with Tony by visiting our show notes page at thewildidea.com, where we've included links and resources from today's episode.

Bill and Anders cover the end of the budget reconciliation process which saw the public land sell-off removed, but many more major setbacks for public lands survived. The Forest Service took steps to loosen rules around following the National Environmental Policy Act, and in Montana they ceded management of 200,000 acres to the state through a new Good Neighbor Authority agreement. We track a lawsuit around the lands being used for the so-called Alligator Alcatraz.

Learn more and find the resources from today's episode at our website, thewilddea.com.

In this bonus of The Wild Idea, we’re literally taking you to the Appalachian Trail.

Anne Robinson joins us from Harpers Ferry, the symbolic halfway point of her 2,200-mile thru-hike, for a conversation about what happens when you step away from your desk and into the woods for months at a time. Anne recently left her job at Southern Environmental Law Center to take on the AT, and in this episode, she shares what she’s learning about land, history, community—and herself—along the way.

Learn more about Anne and find the links and resources from today's episode at our website, thewildidea.com.