Kaitlin de Varona: Stewardship as a Form of Advocacy

Kaitlin de Varona is the executive director of Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS), the nonprofit that has spent more than a decade building a community of skilled, committed wilderness stewards across the Southeast. In this special episode, she joins Bill and Anders — both former SAWS leaders who helped shape the organization — for a wide-ranging conversation about what it takes to keep wild places healthy and accessible for generations to come.From the passage of the Tennessee Wilderness Act in 2018 to the harrowing weeks following Hurricane Helene in 2024, SAWS has repeatedly proven that consistent stewardship changes minds, builds coalitions, and, when disaster strikes, can respond to the wilderness faster than anyone expected. In the months after Helene, Kaitlin's pro crews deployed into remote Tennessee backcountry in winter conditions with one week's notice, clearing 700 downed trees using only traditional tools. Meanwhile, she worked to ensure that not a single staff member lost their job in the storm's aftermath.This episode is part of The Wild Idea's Month of Stewards series and captures a moment of genuine transformation for SAWS: the organization has grown to approximately 70 employees, launched year-round professional crews with benefits, and continues to expand the Wilderness Skills Institute — all while staying true to the founding conviction that places worth protecting are worth showing up for, again and again.Learn more and find the links and resources mentioned today at our website, thewildidea.com.