"Plant a seed in someone, a young person you know, that this is an opportunity, conservation careers exist, that there's opportunities for you to get involved."
Our host, Marci Mowery, sits down with Ali Bowling, who joined Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) three and a half years ago. Before that, she worked in wildlife rehabilitation in Oklahoma, corporate sustainability, and environmental advocacy through Audubon Pennsylvania.
Now serving as executive advisor for climate and sustainability, she coordinates the NextGen Advisory Council, a diverse group of approximately 20-25 young people shaping Pennsylvania's conservation future.
The council ensures that younger perspectives inform DCNR's work across outdoor recreation, climate action, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.
“Conservation can be an answer to a lot of community issues,” says Ali, “but we have to understand what the issues are.”
Unlike traditional advisory boards, this council recognizes that meaningful engagement starts in steps as small as intentionally stepping outside for longer periods throughout the day. Tiny decisions like these, says Ali, can snowball into deeper connections with nature, fostering understanding of how the natural world sustains human health and wellbeing.
The council's approach reflects a broader shift in conservation thinking: that sustainability means pausing before making choices, asking "Is this necessary?" and recognizing that protecting Pennsylvania's wild spaces requires hearing from those who will inherit them.
Through this work, DCNR acknowledges that conservation is about cultivating relationships between people and place, more than simply managing land!
Key Topics:
- Ali's Background and Path to DCNR (01:30)
- What the NextGen Advisory Council Is (03:01)
- Origins of the NextGen Council (07:34)
- Conceiving Projects (12:29)
- Barriers to Conservation (15:36)
- About DCNR’s Think Outside Program (22:37)
- Plant a Seed! (29:09)
Resources:
- DCNR NextGen Advisory Council website: Apply to Serve on the NextGen Advisory Council | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- DCNR Climate Change and Adaptation Plan
- DCNR Think Outside Program
- Pa Outdoor Corps
- DCNR Internships
- PPFF Friends Groups
🎧 Listen to the Think Outside Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or your favorite app while on the go! New episodes drop bi-weekly on Mondays, and you may occasionally find a bonus episode, as well!
The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy.
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🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau
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