#55 The stories we tell about nature - with Kristy Ferraro and Adam Meyer

In this episode, we are speaking with Dr. Kristy Ferraro and Dr. Adam Meyer. Kristy is an ecosystem ecologist working at the intersection of biogeochemistry, animal movement, and conservation ethics. She completed her PhD at Yale University, focusing on the ecosystem ecology of animal reintroduction. She’s currently a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan and was previously a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Adam is a field and mathematical ecologist who just finished his PhD at Memorial University and starting in September, will be a Research Excellence post-doctoral fellow at the University of Toronto. His research seeks to understand the impacts and management of moose in Newfoundland forest ecosystems. Kristy and Adam both take interdisciplinary approaches to their science, continually integrating cultural and ethical perspectives into their work. We reached out to Kristy and Adam after coming across their article titled “Beyond Hero and Villain Narratives in Ecology and Conservation Science,” which was recently published in Bioscience. Drawing from their article, we talked about how morals and storytelling shape both conservation science and public understanding of nature. We also revisit the topic of invasion biology, considering how the language implicit to the discipline acts as a double edged sword, raising awareness but also polarizes and oversimplifies. Ultimately, Kristy and Adam are calling for a thorough examination of how we talk about these things in conservation, and challenge us as scientists and consumers of media to keep a critical lens as we confront the issues and how they’re being portrayed. It was a pleasure to explore this connection between the humanities and conservation science with Kristy and Adam, and we hope it sparks some deep reflection for those listening. https://theconversation.com/the-cost-of-casting-animals-as-heroes-and-villains-in-conservation-science-263883