Rescope Radio

Today, a brief bonus featuring material from my conversation with Shannon Leigh that never saw the light of day, partly due to the wind that blew in, and partly due to Clean State’s mandate for shorter episodes. But it’s worth the listen, with reference to one of Australia’s much loved satirical shows on ‘nation-building’, Utopia.If you’ve come here first, tune into the main episode with Shannon Leigh, ‘World’s Best Place for Active Transport, with Streets for People co-founder Shannon Leigh’. To hear the rest of the Clean State series, and more stories of regeneration from around WA, Australia and the world, follow The RegenNarration wherever podcasts are found, or on the website.Title slide: The shared path with the First Nations stone figure talked about in the main episode by the Swan River / Derbal Yerrigan (pic: Anthony James).And for more behind the scenes, become a supporting listener via the links below. Music:By Jeremiah Johnson.Send us a textSupport the showThe RegenNarration podcast is independent

Shannon Leigh is co-founder and Director of Streets for People, and previously an award-winning urban and transport planner at the Department of Transport and later Curtin University. Investment in active transport is one of the most livelihood-rich, climate-friendly measures available. And given cost blow-outs in public health, climate related damage, and car dominated infrastructure, it’s another vital transition more of us are after – especially in the wake of the tripling of cycling in Perth since COVID-19. On that alone, WA’s former Auditor General, Colin Murphy, said that “It is hard to think of an activity with more benefits than cycling, for cyclists and for the wider community.” So to talk more about an active transport vision for WA, Shannon takes us to one of her favourite shared pathways by the Swan River.This episode was originally released as part of a series of nine episodes I produced a few years ago for the Clean State podcast, dedicated to regenerative transitions in my home state of Western

You might recognise Dr Vanessa Rauland from the renowned ABC TV series Fight for Planet A. Vanessa’s the co-founder with Alexander Karan of ClimateClever, one of a growing number of WA social enterprises that have been realising some of the enormous opportunities in our energy transition. When I spoke with Vanessa for this podcast, a few years ago, the ClimateClever team had nearly doubled in the months prior (even during COVID-19), working with an increasing number of schools, their communities and then businesses, to help them reduce emissions, save money and up-skill the next generation around regenerative living. Vanessa’s long-dedicated her days to addressing climate change and increasing awareness about the vast benefits of living in such a way. And in the wake of the extraordinary youth-led global climate strikes, it’s arguably fitting that schools would take a lead role in the energy and related transitions we so urgently need. For this conversation, Vanessa takes us to one of the WA schools doing jus

Professor Gary Kendrick’s great love is the WA coastline and its seagrasses. Gary and colleagues have been at the forefront of seagrass restoration and the blue carbon movement more broadly. And with such a massive extent of coastline featuring globally significant carbon stores, world heritage sites, and deep community and cultural knowledge, the potential for WA – and beyond - is enormous. Gary takes us to one of his favourite parts of WA, to share a little of this spectacular story.This episode was originally released as ‘Blue Carbon, Conservation Economies & the Great Seagrass Restoration, with Professor Gary Kendrick’.It was part of a series of nine episodes I produced a few years ago for the Clean State podcast, dedicated to regenerative transitions in my home state of Western Australia. Sadly, the podcast and its host non-profit are no more. But the series of episodes featured such brilliant guests and stories, that are still so very relevant, and not just to West Australians, so we resolved to re-

A brief bonus featuring part of my conversation with Chantal Caruso that never saw the light of day, due to Clean State’s mandate for shorter episodes.A poignant moment occurred at the launch of The Clean State Plan, with a group of First Nations people there expressing concern at the impending renewables revolution. It raised an important question - how do we transition energy systems without repeating colonial extractive patterns? And moreover, without unwittingly hampering the regenerative work they, farmers and others of the land are also pioneering?Then we talk about the low-cost, exponential positive impacts of First Nations radio, and one of Chantal’s favourite stories, stemming from her childhood. If you’ve come here first, tune into the main episode with Chantal Caruso, ep237 ‘Introducing The Clean State Stories, with former director Chantal Caruso.’To hear the rest of The Clean State Stories series, and learn more about the sorts of things talked about here, be sure to follow The RegenNarration podc

As introduced last week, today launches a special festive season series of the Clean State Stories. This was a series of nine episodes I produced a few years ago for the Clean State podcast, dedicated to regenerative transitions in my home state of Western Australia. Sadly, the podcast and its host non-profit are no more. But the series of episodes featured such brilliant guests and stories, that are still so very relevant, and not just to West Australians, so we resolved to re-release them here.The opening episode features highly respected former Director of Clean State WA, Chantal Caruso. Chantal was also the lead author of the Clean State Plan, outlining how to create hundreds of thousands of livelihoods for people in energy, agriculture, building, transport, tourism, and the care economy. The vison was to house and employ everyone, avert multiple catastrophes, and transition to a regenerative, fair and prosperous society.And the plan highlighted a stack of brilliant stories from around WA of people alread

A brief new year's greeting from Guatemala, to herald a special festive season series of short episodes. Around four years ago, some of you might remember I produced a series of nine episodes for an organisation called Clean State WA. That became the Clean State podcast, dedicated to regenerative transitions in my home state of Western Australia. Sadly, that organisation is no more, but the series of episodes produced featured such brilliant guests and stories that we resolved to find a way to keep them alive in the record. Their premise is so related to The RegenNarration podcast – it’s why I was asked to produce them of course – sharing a vision, narrative shift, and a plan of action, grounded in stuff that’s already happening. In that sense, their relevance remains, these few years on, and not just to West Australians. So I hope you’ll enjoy the listen to these half hour stories on-location across WA, wherever you are.Title slide: Fray Bartolome de las Casas, Guatemala, where I recorded this. Send us

Welcome to the customary package of highlights from another brilliant array of guests throughout 2024, accompanied by some of the music and sounds of Country heard along the way – this time across two continents, 49 episodes and 78 guests, from all walks of life. Listening to it all together in one place last night was just incredible. I hope you enjoy it too.You’ll hear a little from me first, with a short summary of the year in review, along with a snapshot of where we are right now, some intent for next year, and an update on the Kachana hearing just concluded. With enormous thanks to subscribers and other supporting listeners for making all this possible. And to everyone who sheltered, fed and generally cared for us throughout the year, around Australia and the States. With enormous thanks also, to all the wonderful musicians who generously granted permission for their music to be heard here. And of course, to you, thanks for listening.The track list for this episode, identifying the music and people, is

A few weeks ago I released a podcast marking the premiere of an episode of Australian Story that featured the incredible story of regeneration at the hands of the Henggeler family at Kachana Station. Many of you already know the story, from its popularity on this podcast. Well, that Australian Story has gone onto well over half a million views already. And no sooner had it gone out than I got the news that fellow legendary regenerative farmers in Western Australia, Dianne and Ian Haggerty, had been awarded the 2025 Australians of the Year for WA. Now they’re in the mix for the big one, the national Australian of the Year award.You can let the Council know how happy you are about this, and what incredible national ambassadors Di and Ian would be as the Aussies of the Year next year, via the Australian of the Year awards website and social media outlets. When sharing, use the hashtags #AusoftheYear and #NaturalIntelligenceFarming, and maybe #SustainableFarming and #RegenerativeFarming.Marking this moment, today

On the morning of Wednesday the 27th of November, I got the news that the legendary Carol Sanford had died. You might remember the conversation I was privileged to share with her at the start of last year, for our 150th episode. Carol knew she was dying, so much was getting difficult or impossible for her, and even speaking was tough, as Motor-Neuron Disease (as we call it in Australia) was taking hold. Yet she was as sharp, generous and forthright as ever. Within minutes she was saying things that have stayed with me ever since, including the statement that’s become the sub-title to this episode. So today, a tribute to Carol, featuring the conversation we shared last year, and a few words I’ve recorded here today, at a place very close to my heart.For those who didn’t catch that 150th episode, and may not know much about Carol, she’s been at the heart of what we might call the ‘regenerative paradigm’ for decades. I spent a while scrolling through her last posts on LinkedIn yesterday, and noted that she’d hos

This week we’re back with Chloe Maxmin, for a debrief that has been eagerly awaited – by me and many of you, I know – on how the Dirtroad candidates went at the recent US elections, and where to from here.For those who didn’t catch Chloe in episode 225 last month, from up at the farm in Maine, Chloe became the first Democrat ever to represent Maine House District 88, and the youngest member of the 129th Maine Legislature. Two years later, she’d become the youngest female state senator in Maine's history. And all on the back of engaging with her community directly and in ways that transcended the partisan politics so many of us have had enough of. Then, at still just 30 years of age, Chloe co-founded a non-profit that trains others in how to run for office in this way called Dirtroad Organizing. In just 18 months, this resulted in 38 alumni running at the recent election. So, how did they go (including Lucia and Maria from episode 228), how did her partner (from episode 226), incumbent independent Bill Pl

The Regenerate conference in Denver a couple of weeks ago was like no conference I’d experienced in the ‘regen ag’ / food systems space. Such a presence of next generations, women and varied cultures amongst the 500 attendees. And multiple moments of crazy serendipity. It also started the day after the US federal election. So the air was heavy with emotion and uncertainty, when Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, the ED of Quivira Coalition, the primary organising body, opened the conference in tears. It was a unique context to this gathering, a context that also couched some of the most extraordinary stories of regeneration you’re likely to hear in one place.So, come the last snowed-in day of the conference, I pulled out the mic and recorded four short grabs of 15 to 20 minutes each. I wondered if I might chase more good folk down. I’d had such wonderful conversations with dozens of people. But in the end, this small sample of voices seemed to represent those conversations pretty well. While they were also each notable in

One of the most remarkable stories of regeneration on this podcast – still the second most listened to episode - featured in a landmark ABC TV special back home last week. One of Australia’s best journalists, Walkley-award winner Ben Cheshire, pulled together the story of Kachana Station, in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia, for one of Australia’s most loved, influential and long-running TV series, Australian Story. Beautifully introduced by another legendary Aussie journo, Leigh Sales, within a few days of screening, it had already notched up over 120,000 views.It was about a year ago when I first proposed to the show that they feature the Kachana Station story. Come January, I was happy to hear from producer Winsome Denyer with her interest. Then Ben called me in July to say they were going to do it. We managed to line up an interview for the show the following month when we were in NY state. And when it went to air last week, it landed a day ahead of yet another state tribunal hearing, se

When we were in New York recently, I dropped by to visit Douglas Rushkoff at his Queens College office. For those who don’t recall Douglas from his previous times on this podcast, he’s a media professor, documentary-maker, host of the Team Human podcast, and best-selling author of 20 books - including the updated edition of Program or Be Programmed, out now, with particular additions around AI. There’s a launch party for that tonight if you happen to be in or near NY. Douglas is also one of the pioneering forces behind the internet. So when he tells me in this conversation that he’s starting to believe that the whole narrative of the internet is bull shit, it feels big. We actually sat down over lunch initially, but hadn’t talked long before Douglas suggested we press record on it – that others might be interested in this too. So this one’s a little different. Going out on both our podcasts. Less interview, more conversation. On our respective lives and work, their latest surprising turns, magic, perspective

This is a bonus extra to episode 228, featuring the Q&A that took place after the film screening of Rural Runners in the Shepherdstown Opera House, West Virginia. That award-winning film is the story of Chloe Maxmin’s incredible community-based electoral wins in Maine from episode 225. By Chloe’s side every step of the way was her best mate, and then campaign manager, Canyon Woodward, with Canyon’s parallel rise as a champion ultra-distance runner woven into the story. After this screening, Canyon hosted a conversation alongside three local candidates at the upcoming elections, who had each been through the program that Chloe and Canyon subsequently founded, called Dirtroad Organising.You’ll hear from Lucia Valentine and Maria Russo (my 2 guests in the main episode), alongside Canyon, and the other local candidate in the room that day, Troy Miller. And we hear about some of the other candidates and their experiences across the country, too, including in the so-called ‘battleground’ states. If you’ve come

“I've had several folks share with me that they are voting for Trump. But they're also voting for me.” That’s what Lucia Valentine told me when I spoke with her and another first-time candidate for the State of West Virginia at the coming elections, Maria Russo. This seemed to say so much about the coming elections here. For a start, that they’re far from as simplistic, binary and polarised as is often portrayed. And that what these women are up to is important, hopeful and possibly transformative. I met Lucia and Maria at the Shepherdstown Opera House, for the last screening of Rural Runners on its latest national tour. That’s the award-winning film on the story of Chloe Maxmin’s incredible community-based electoral wins in Maine from episode 225. By Chloe’s side every step of the way was her best mate, and then campaign manager, Canyon Woodward, with Canyon’s parallel rise as a champion ultra-distance runner woven into the story. After this screening, Canyon hosted a conversation alongside three l

‘The biggest strides in hemp-crete construction are going down on one of the smallest reservations in America.’ That’s how the bill reads on Patagonia Film’s latest production, The Green Buffalo, launching online globally today. It’s referring to the Lower Sioux Indian Community, on the southern bank of the Minnesota River about 100 miles SW of Minneapolis. Turns out we had driven close by after leaving Kelsey Scott’s place on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, where we recorded episode 222. But it took getting to Charleston, South Carolina, to meet filmmaker Joel Caldwell, and learn of this ‘against all odds’ redemptive story – one that holds so much promise for the Lower Sioux, and the rest of us.Joel is a photographer and writer hailing from rural Washington State. Having turned his hand to film making, he found himself transformed by five years following stories of regeneration, together with wife and project partner Hailey Wist. Then come 2024, he was blown away all over again by this

In some ways, the first 150 seconds of this excerpt from episode 226 with Bill Pluecker (alongside partner Chloe Maxmin), say everything that needs to be said about where politics is being done better in the US. They sum with the passage that became the lead-off quote in that episode. And they lead off this powerful last ten minutes or so of my conversation with Bill. Bill, an independent representative from Maine, invites us into a world where the beauty of rural landscapes and the preservation of traditional ways of life are under threat. He shares his passion for sustaining the farming heritage of his community amidst cultural and political tensions brought on by external influences. His six-year journey, so far, as an independent politician in a predominantly conservative area paints a picture of dedication and authenticity, as he navigates the complex political landscape to bridge the gap between progressive values and pro-farmer policies. Bill's successful approach is a testament to the power of pe

 The last 20 minutes or so of my conversation in episode 225 with Maine’s youngest ever female senator, Chloe Maxmin, has stayed with me since its release. And I’ve heard from a few of you saying similar. So in the interest of not letting it be too ephemeral with the passing podcast feed, this excerpt from that episode features that 20 minutes. We unpack the inspiring and transformative journey behind "Dirt Road Revival," a book that has sparked change in rural organising across the U.S. Chloe shares her experience in turning years of voice memos into a powerful narrative that has not only resonated deeply with rural communities but also paved the way for Dirtroad Organizing, a non-profit dedicated to training and empowering rural candidates. Already, 38 alumni are running at this coming election.We go on to compare notes on some of my impressions while travelling the country (is it so divided after all?), wonder if there might be a Dirtroad Media, and imagine this election and beyond.If you’ve come

After recording with Bill and Chloe at Begin Again Farm for last week’s episode, Bill happened to drop word of an upcoming festival. And not just any festival, but the 48th annual running of the Common Ground Country Fair. It happened on 20-22 September this year, in the aptly named Unity, Maine, about 40 miles north of Bill and Chloe’s place. The Fair draws 60,000 people, features all kinds of programs, food and arts, and even makes money for its host the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) - the oldest and largest state organic association in the US (founded in 1971). That’s who Bill works for when he’s not farming himself, or representing constituents as an Independent in the Maine legislature. So I had to ask him if he’d put the microphone back on and tell us about it.If you’ve come here first, tune into the main episodes with Bill and Chloe respectively, ep226 ‘An Independent Farmer Wins in Maine: Transcending the ‘battleground’ with Bill Pluecker’. And ep225 ‘Democracy on the Rise –