Beavers are often called nature's greatest ecosystem engineers. Their dams can reshape waterways, reconnect streams to their floodplains, support biodiversity, and help landscapes retain water. But what does it actually take to bring beavers back to a landscape, and are we approaching their restoration the right way?

In this episode of Safe Travels, we're in Central Oregon at the South Fork of the Crooked River, joined by Dr. Matt Orr, biology professor at Oregon State University–Cascades, and Reese Mercer, founder of Western Beavers Cooperative.

Together, we explore the fascinating relationship between beavers and the landscapes they inhabit, the emerging science of ecological restoration, and the challenges of helping degraded waterways recover.

We discuss the history of beaver removal throughout the American West, how the loss of beavers and changes in land use contributed to degraded stream systems, and why restoring these landscapes requires much more than simply building dams or relocating animals.

Reese explains why preparing habitat and establishing adequate food sources are essential for successful beaver recovery, while Matt shares what years of research and experimentation with beaver dam analogs have taught him about stream restoration.

We also explore how beaver activity can influence water retention, biodiversity, wildfire resilience, and the health of surrounding ecosystems.

Perhaps most importantly, this conversation challenges us to reconsider how we approach conservation. Beavers aren't restoration tools waiting to be deployed. They are wild animals with their own needs, behaviors, and agency. Our responsibility is to understand those needs and create landscapes where they can thrive.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why beavers are considered ecosystem engineers and keystone species
• The history of beaver trapping and the transformation of waterways throughout the American West
• How cattle grazing and stream incision have changed riparian ecosystems
• What beaver dam analogs (BDAs) are and how they influence stream systems
• Why planting adequate food and forage is essential for successful beaver restoration
• How beavers can help reconnect streams to their floodplains and retain water
• The relationship between beaver wetlands, biodiversity, and wildfire resilience
• Why relocating beavers isn't necessarily the solution to restoring populations
• The importance of long-term monitoring and adaptive management in ecological restoration
• Whether restoration should recreate historical ecosystems or prepare landscapes for future climate conditions
• The challenges of restoring ecosystems at watershed scale
• How individuals and local communities can get involved in restoration

About the guests:

Dr. Matt Orr is a biology professor at Oregon State University–Cascades whose research includes ecology, stream restoration, and the effects of beaver dam analogs on aquatic and riparian ecosystems.

Reese Mercer is the founder of Western Beavers Cooperative, an organization working with landowners and local communities to prepare landscapes for beaver recovery and support watershed-scale restoration throughout Eastern Oregon.

Learn more:

• Western Beavers Cooperative: https://westernbeavers.org/
• Oregon State University–Cascades: https://osucascades.edu/directory/matthew-orr

Thanks for listening to Safe Travels: A Nature Podcast. If you enjoy these conversations and want to support independent nature journalism, you can find us on Patreon: patreon.com/safetravelspod

Safe travels!

For the first time in recorded history, sea turtles have been discovered nesting along the West Coast of the United States. And the species responsible? The olive ridley sea turtle.

In September and November 2026, three olive ridley sea turtles came ashore in Southern California to lay their eggs, marking an extraordinary moment for marine biology and sea turtle conservation.

To better understand this historic discovery, I'm joined by Dr. Jeff Seminoff, one of the world's leading sea turtle researchers and the head of NOAA Fisheries' Marine Turtle Ecology and Assessment Program at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California.

Jeff has spent decades studying sea turtles throughout the Eastern Pacific, contributing to our understanding of their ecology, migration patterns, population dynamics, and conservation. In this conversation, we explore his remarkable journey into marine biology, including a series of expeditions across Mexico that helped shape his career and ultimately led him to become one of the leading voices in sea turtle research.

We also take a deep dive into the biology of sea turtles, exploring the different species found along the California coast, their remarkable navigational abilities, and the important role they play in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.

Then, we turn our attention to the olive ridley sea turtles and their unprecedented nesting activity in California. Why are they showing up here? What role is the unusually warm ocean water playing? Could these nests eventually lead to an entirely new nesting population along the California coast? And what happens to the eggs once they're laid?

We also discuss one of the most extraordinary reproductive behaviors in the animal kingdom: arribada nesting, where hundreds of thousands of olive ridley sea turtles can emerge from the ocean to nest on the same beach within just a few days.

Finally, we explore the broader implications of a changing climate, including how rising temperatures are influencing sea turtle populations, the sex of developing hatchlings, and the distribution of marine species around the world.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Jeff's journey from a childhood fascination with wildlife to becoming a leading sea turtle researcher.
• His early expeditions across Mexico and the experiences that shaped his career.
• The different sea turtle species found along the Eastern Pacific and California coast.
• Why green sea turtles are considered ecosystem engineers and how they influence seagrass habitats.
• What makes olive ridley sea turtles unique, including their remarkable adaptability and reproductive strategies.
• The incredible phenomenon of arribada nesting, when hundreds of thousands of sea turtles gather to lay their eggs.
• Why three olive ridley sea turtles recently nested along the Southern California coast for the first time in recorded history.
• How El Niño and unusually warm ocean temperatures may have created the conditions for these turtles to reach California.
• The science behind relocating sea turtle eggs and the challenges of ensuring successful hatching.
• How rising global temperatures are changing the sex ratios of sea turtle populations.
• Whether California could eventually become a permanent nesting ground for olive ridley sea turtles.

About Dr. Jeff Seminoff:

Dr. Jeff Seminoff is a wildlife ecologist and marine biologist who leads NOAA Fisheries' Marine Turtle Ecology and Assessment Program at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California. His research focuses on understanding the ecology, population dynamics, and conservation of marine turtles throughout the Eastern Pacific.

Through decades of research, Jeff has helped advance our understanding of sea turtle populations and the challenges they face in an increasingly evolving ocean.

Support Safe Travels: patreon.com/safetravelspod

Website: https://safetravelspod.com

Thank you so much to Patreon supporters:
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After a few months away, Safe Travels is back and entering a new chapter!

In this special bonus episode, Joey shares a major update: he's officially stepped away from his career in sports broadcasting to pursue Safe Travels full-time.

What started as a journey to explore our national parks and learn from the park rangers, scientists, and conservationists who know them best is growing into something bigger. While national parks and ranger interviews will always remain at the heart of the podcast, Safe Travels is expanding to include conversations with leading researchers from around the world and original field documentaries exploring wildlife, geology, ecology, and conservation.

Joey also announces the launch of the Safe Travels Patreon, where listeners can get behind-the-scenes access, submit questions for upcoming guests, help shape future documentaries, and support independent nature journalism.

The mission remains the same: to help people develop a deeper understanding of the natural world, build meaningful connections with the places they visit, and inspire a greater commitment to protecting them.

Thank you to everyone who has listened, watched, and supported Safe Travels along the way. This is just the beginning!

🌲 Support Safe Travels on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SafeTravelsPod

New episodes are coming soon. Thanks for being part of the journey!