Andy Mahler Interview - The Early Years

In the summer of 2025, Andy and I took the time to sit with each other on 4 occasions to talk about his life. We had these conversations knowing his time was short due to his stage IV prostate cancer diagnosis. What I did not expect was that he would be gone before I had a chance to publish them.It is with deep sadness, as well as with deep appreciation for the time that Andy spent with me to have these conversations, that I present them to you. May they serve as a memorial to Andy, and to his life’s work, protecting the forests he loved.Our first conversation took place on June 30th 2025, and revolves around Andy’s childhood and young adulthood, up to his first encounters with the Lazy Black Bear, the place that would become his long-time home, and the center-point of the Heartwood organization.Intro music: "Diamond in the Sun" by Robert Hoyt, 1995 Dumpster Diving Across America