"THE WILD with Chris Morgan" explores how nature survives and thrives alongside (and often despite) humans. Taking listeners across the Pacific Northwest and around the world, host Chris Morgan explores wildlife and the complex web of ecosystems they inhabit. He also tells the stories of people working in and protecting the wild around us.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is nestled between Akron and Cleveland, Ohio. It once was an industrial wasteland, filled with debris from the nearby auto factories. The Cuyahoga river was so polluted that it literally caught fire. That fire was a moment that sparked an environmental movement. But I'm headed upstream. I'm going to follow the river and its story from its grim past to becoming a national park. We’ll look at how a toxic dump was transformed into a national park and a thriving ecosystem, teaming with life. THE WILD would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by donating at <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/thewildnotes" data-stringify-link="http://kuow.org/donate/thewildnotes" data-sk="tooltip_parent">kuow.org/donate/thewildnotes</a>. Thank you! For some great photographs and clips from our journey through the national parks, check out our Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife. THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/matt-martin">Matt Martin</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/jim-gates">Jim Gates</a>. THE WILD is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by <a href="https://apryledcraig.wordpress.com/">Apryle Craig</a>. Our theme music is by <a href="https://www.michaeltparker.com/">Michael Parker</a>.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Wild with Chris Morgan

Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Toxic wasteland to ecological champion

We’re on a short break as we finish working on our stories for our series about America’s National Parks. I can’t wait to share with you what we’ve learned. Amazing stuff. We’ll be back with new episodes on October 15. But today, I’d like to play an episode of a podcast from our friends at Montana Public Radio and the Montana Media Lab. It’s called The Wide Open and tells stories about the places where people come together and fall apart. It’s a new podcast and this is their first episode. It’s about the Endangered Species Act, and what that 50-year-old legislation says about living with wildlife and living with each other. You can learn more about The Wild Open and listen to more episodes <a href="https://www.mtpr.org/wideopen">here</a>.  THE WILD would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by donating at <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/thewildnotes" data-stringify-link="http://kuow.org/donate/thewildnotes" data-sk="tooltip_parent">kuow.org/donate/thewildnotes</a>. Thank you!See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Wild presents The Wide Open: Balancing the needs of endangered species and humans

We’re taking a short break from releasing episodes so we can work on more new stories for our series on our National Parks. I hope you’re enjoying it! In the meantime, I wanted to share a special episode of a show I think you’ll really enjoy: Outside/In from our friends at New Hampshire Public Radio. Each week, the show explores topics around science, wildlife, environmentalism, and more. It takes listeners on journeys across the natural world from wherever they are – and includes a healthy dose of goofing off. In this episode, the host and award-winning reporter Nate Hegyi explores wild horses. For many, these creatures are a symbol of freedom and the American West but for others, they’re an ecological nuisance. Nate visits a rancher on the Blackfeet Reservation where free-ranging horses have become more plentiful than deer. They’re outcompeting cattle for forage and putting livelihoods at risk.  Wild horses are a lot more controversial in the American West than most people realize.  You can learn more about Outside/In and listen to more episodes <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/Fm_PgTl9?sid=thewild">here</a>.  THE WILD would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by donating at <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/thewild">kuow.org/donate/thewild</a>. Thank you!See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Wild Presents Outside/In: Not everyone is wild about wild horses

A decommissioned military base in northeast Oregon provides sanctuary for a recovering burrowing owl population.   David Johnson is founder of the Global Owl Project to protect endangered owl species all over the world. And one lucky owl species that’s been David’s main focus for these past 12 years is the little burrowing owl. His rescue mission involves some chemical weapons, an old military base, and a very large plunger.  This show would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by donating at <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/thewild">kuow.org/donate/thewild</a>. Thank you. THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/matt-martin">Matt Martin</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/jim-gates">Jim Gates</a>. The Wild is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by <a href="https://apryledcraig.wordpress.com/">Apryle Craig</a>. Our theme music is by <a href="https://www.michaeltparker.com/">Michael Parker</a>.  See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

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