National Parks Traveler Podcast | Walt Dabney and Public Lands

National Parks Traveler Podcast | Walt Dabney and Public Lands

Author: Kurt Repanshek May 4, 2025 Duration: 56:35

It's fair to say that the nation's public lands, those managed by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land-management agencies are at risk under the Trump administration.

There's no hyperbole in that statement if you pay attention to what the administration already has done in terms of downsizing those agencies' workforces, and when you listen to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum say he wants to open more public lands to energy development and mining.

Federal lands in the United States are owned by all Americans, but at various times there have been efforts to wrench those lands away from the government to give to the states or sell off.

Walt Dabney spent his professional career protecting public lands during his decades-long stint with the National Park Service and then as director of the Texas State Parks. Now he is working to educate Americans on their vested interest in those lands and what could be lost if Congress or the White House tries to get rid of them. 


There's a world of stories waiting beyond the park entrance sign, and the National Parks Traveler Podcast is your audio guide to them. Led by Kurt Repanshek, this series goes deeper than trail maps and visitor statistics. It connects the natural wonder you experience firsthand with the crucial, often unseen work happening behind the scenes-the science informing conservation, the cultural histories embedded in the landscape, and the policy decisions that will shape these places for future generations. As the audio companion to the editorially independent nonprofit media organization, this podcast delivers a thoughtful blend of on-the-ground reports, interviews with researchers and park staff, and nuanced discussions about the challenges and triumphs in managing protected areas. You'll hear the sounds of the parks and the voices of the people dedicated to them. Each episode is an invitation to better understand the complex tapestry of ecology, history, and society that makes every national park far more than a scenic destination. Tune in for a regular dose of insight that will deepen your appreciation and perhaps even shape your next journey into America's most treasured public lands.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

National Parks Traveler Podcast
Podcast Episodes
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Essential Coverage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:35
Whether this is your first listen of our weekly podcast or number 299, welcome and thank you for listening. We hope you find these episodes interesting and present information or a side to the parks that you previously d…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Trail of the Lost [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:58
The National Trail System in the United States spans many thousands of miles of foot trail. The crown jewels of that system, of course, are the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pac…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Crime Off The Grid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:29
Crime happens, even in national parks, national forests, and other public lands. There are murders, thefts, robberies and all sorts of crime that we'd hope to escape by heading into the kingdom of public lands. It can be…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Rodanthe Beach Cleanup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
The coastal town of Rodanthe, North Carolina is just a small spot on the map, but it's a big place in the hearts of the people who live, own property, and vacation there. Located along Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ro…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | POWDR in Zion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:53
Concessions are the backbone of the National Park System. True, the National Park Service manages the parks and the wildlife and the visitors, but the concessionaires provide you with a bed, or campsite, to sleep in, res…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Voyageurs Wolf Project [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:04
The National Park System is an incredible reservoir of wildlife, from charismatic animals such as grizzly bears, bison and wolves, to animals such as moose, and pronghorn and sea turtles that, while not usually labeled a…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Campaign for the Parks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:44
It was back in 1967 when the Congress chartered the National Park Foundation to serve as the official charity of the National Park Service, and over the decades it has raised millions of dollars for the parks. The Founda…
National Parks Traveler Podcast | Miserable Mammoth Cave [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:33
Have you ever been to Mammoth Cave National Park? It's really not that impressive, is it. Sure, it's more than 425 miles long, but only about 10 miles are open to the public. Mammoth Cave is indeed a big, dark hole in th…