In this end-of-year Nature Coffee Hour, Brooke and Charles swap their usual evening beers for morning beverages and reflect on 2025’s biggest conservation moments. From the incredible comeback of green sea turtles and Florida’s record-breaking leatherback nesting season to the concerning rollback of U.S. wetland protections, this conversation covers the wins, losses, and everything in between. They also share personal updates on Project Patagonia’s Jackson Wild recognition, Charles’s health recovery, and some unexpectedly philosophical realizations about humanity’s shared responsibility for our planet.
What You’ll Learn
- Why green sea turtles were downlisted from endangered to least concern after decades of conservation work
- How the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision is eliminating protection for millions of acres of U.S. wetlands
- Why Ecuadorian fishing communities are successfully protecting mangroves from industrial shrimp farms
- What the historic High Seas Treaty means for protecting two-thirds of our oceans
- How the Tropical Forest Forever Facility could revolutionize Amazon conservation funding
- Why shifting from jargon to accessible language makes conservation more inclusive
Timestamps
- [00:00] Introduction and coffee vs. beer vibes
- [05:20] Reflecting on 2025: Project Patagonia and Jackson Wild
- [18:30] Charles’s health journey and new lab updates
- [29:10] Top conservation headlines: Sea turtle comebacks
- [36:00] The wetland protection crisis in the U.S.
- [53:30] Ecuadorian communities protecting mangroves
- [1:02:30] Philosophical reflections on humanity and interconnectedness
- [1:12:20] The High Seas Treaty and ocean protection wins
- [1:19:00] Closing thoughts and what’s ahead for 2026
Take Action
- Comment on proposed EPA rules affecting wetland protections (check deadlines at epa.gov)
- Support state-level wetland conservation initiatives in your area
- Learn about marine protected areas and the High Seas Treaty
- Replace your lawn with native plants to create wildlife corridors
Featured Guest
Dr. Charles van Rees – Assistant Professor at the Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, and founder of Gulo in Nature. Charles specializes in freshwater biodiversity conservation, wetland ecology, and nature-based solutions. He’s a regular Nature Happy Hour co-host and dear friend of the show.
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