Striking a balance between deep dive reporting and the daily news cycles.
The premise is straightforward: take a headline and explore it’s aftermath with an expert in the field. The segment airs at the end of each episode and is removed once it becomes outdated. Listeners opt in and engagement has been high.
Many thanks to our Diaries+ Members whose support is making this reporting possible. Listen to our past And Then What segments below.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Mar 16, 2026
The elected officials who brought you last summer’s attempt to sell of public lands are back. Now, Senator Mike Lee and Representative Celeste Maloy of Utah are propsing to undo the management plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument using the Congressional Review Act. Their claim: local voices were excluded.
We talk with Autumn Gillard, Coordinator for the Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition to break down threat to this landscape, and who counts as local.
Take Action
Write, call or on social, tag your Congress person. Let them know why you want to keep the current Management Plan for GSENM in place or why your concerned about the use of the CRA.
— Call 202-224-3121 to be connected to your Congress person
The Wilderness Society has made a fast action to connect with your reps. It only takes a moment to do.
Cochamó
Feb 11, 2026
At the end of 2024, we shared the story of Cochamó in the broader Chilean region of Patagonia Puchegüín, and the efforts of locals to protect one of the world’s truly incredible places. When 330,000 acres was listed by Christie’s Real Estate for $150 million, the crew at Conserva Puchegüín had a wild thought– Could we buy it and protect it permanently?
Brady Robinson, ED at the Freyja Foundation, joins us to talk Cochamó.
Boundary Waters
Jan 16, 2026
Less than three weeks into 2026 and it feels like all eyes are on Minnesota. While residents in Minneapolis are grappling violence, immigration enforcement and threats by President Trump to invoke the Insurrections Act, lawmakers continue to push forward an agenda that strips protections from public lands– the very places that people often turn to in turbulent times.
The Boundary Waters, a wilderness area over 1 million acres, is at risk, again, of being opened up for mining. And while the attack may seems local, a vote taking place in Congress as early as next week could set a precedent that would impact public land protections across the country.
Today we are joined by Ingrid Lyons, Lead Organizer for Save The Boundary Waters.
Take Action
Save The Boundary Waters lays out what’s at risk and how to take action
Write, call or on social, tag your Congress person. Let them know why you want to protect the Boundary Waters or why your concerned about the use of the CRA.
— Call 202-224-3121 to be connected to your Congress person
— Save the Boundary Waters can provide a script to make it easy
Oak Flat
Dec 18, 2025
An oasis in the deserts north of Phoenix, Oak Flat is sacred to San Carlos Apache. It’s beloved by climbers and its creek made for an ecological rich landscape cherished for its biodiversity and birding.
Mining had existed there for more than 100 years, but the plan by Resolution Copper, a foreign owned company, was next level. The battle over Oak Flat has stretched out for over a decade, with changing administrations and legal fights. Now, we may soon know the fate of Oak Flat. Today we are joined by Erik Murdock, longtime climber and Deputy Director of Programs, Policy and Government Affairs for the Access Fund.
Take Action
Learn More about Oak Flat (Access Fund | Apache Stronghold)
Adelita Grijalva’s Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act
Yep, you know the drill. Call your Congress person to tell them why Oak Flat is important to you: 202-224-3121
National Parks During The Shutdown
Nov 5, 2025
As the federal government shutdown continues, concerns and confusion about what’s happening on public lands, particularly in the National Parks, has only risen. Are the parks open? Collecting fees? Are the rangers working?
We catch up with David Lamfrom, Vice President of Regional Programs with the National Parks Conservation Association to get a few answers.
Take Action
Write Secretary of the Interior Burgam. NPCA has a sign on letter asking the Secretary to close the parks while the shutdown is ongoing to preserve the ecosystems.
Yep, you know the drill. Call your Congress person to tell them why a National Park is important to you and your community: 202-224-3121
Roadless Rule
September 12, 2025
Chances are if you’ve been on social recently, you’ve probably seen people posting about the Roadless Rule. Right now, there is an open window for comments so there’s a big push for people to weigh in about the importance of these landscapes in their lives and in their communities. Roadless areas are often our backyard areas that we visit for outdoor recreation, conservation, hunting and fishing.
Today, Tim Cook from the Grand Canyon Trust joins us to break down the Roadless Rule and why it’s important.
Take Action
Submit your comment about the Roadless Rule
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- Grand Canyon Trust’s form is specific to Utah and Arizona
- Outdoor Alliance’s form works for all of the US
Explore Roadless Areas Near You
See if your Rep has co-sponsored Roadless Area Conservation Act (2025)
National Parks Summer Check-In
August 19, 2025
National parks. Last February after sweeping firings, freezing of hiring of seasonal workers and fork in the road emails, there was an outpouring of bipartisan support for our national parks and the employees. Yet, the workforce has still been reduced by about a quarter, despite already being stretched thin. And strong visitation continues. What’s happened to our parks after a summer season? How are they fairing?
Today we are joined by David Lamfrom, Vice President of Regional Programs at the National Parks Conservation Association.
Take Action
Yep, you know the drill. Call your Congress person to tell them why your local National Park is important to you and your community: 202-224-3121
As David said, “They [members of Congress] need their constituents to ask them to be champions. So that’s a great thing to ask. “We want you to be vocal and public when you have time on the floor. Talk about national parks, talk about what it means to our communities.”
Boundary Waters
July 11, 2025
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is America’s most visited wilderness, a gateway to a 4.4 million freshwater ecosystem. For years, a copper mine has been proposed to be placed on its doorstep. The battle over the copper mine has gone back and forth until the Biden administration put a 20 year ban on mining in the area. But now, there’s talk of repealing the ban in the new administration.
Ingrid Lyons, Executive Director at Save The Boundary Waters, joins us.
Take Action
Learn more about the campaign at Save The Boundary Waters.
Raise your voice and call your Congress person to tell them why the Boundary Waters are important to you: 202-224-3121
Follow Save the Boundary Waters on Instagram to stay in the know.
Public Lands Sell Off: Senate Edition
June 15, 2025
Thanks to thousands of people, just like you, calling their reps, an amendment that would sell off 500,000 acres of public lands in the proposed House reconciliation bill was removed before it even went to the house floor for a vote.
But guess what? That reconciliation bill then made its way over to the Senate. And now, the Energy and Natural Resources committee proposed selling off 3 million (!!) acres of public lands.
Paul Hendricks, Executive Director at the Conservation Alliance, joins us.
Take Action
Check out the maps of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management that could be eligible for sale.
Call your Senator: 202-224-3121 and tell them you don’t want public lands sold.
If you’re a business owner, consider joining the Brands For Public Lands Coalition.
Follow Conservation Alliance on Instagram to stay in the know.
Public Lands Sell Off
May 20, 2025
The majority of Americans oppose the sale of public lands – this is as a bipartisan issue as we have. Even so, the Trump Administration wants to sell off public lands in order to pay for tax cuts.
In April, a last ditch effort to remove public lands sell offs from the budget process fell short. Now as our elected officials go through the process of creating the federal budget, public lands sales are in the proposed House reconciliation budget. Sell it and it’s gone forever.
How did we get here and how do we get out of this situation? Louis Geltman, Vice President of Policy and Government Relations at Outdoor Alliance, joins us to explain.
Take Action
Public Lands in Public Hands Caucus
- Has your Representative has joined the new caucus?
Find Your US Representative or Senator
- Find your Congress person and their phone number.
Follow Outdoor Alliance on Instagram or Blog to stay in the know as this issue continues to develop.
Firing of Federal Employees
April 10, 2025
It’s come to be known as the Valentine’s Day Massacre. On Feb 14, 2025, thousands of federal employees were fired. So what’s happened since then? Tania Lown-Hecht, VP of Strategy and Communications for Outdoor Alliance, joins Fitz to break it down.