Environmental Professionals Radio (EPR)
Restoring National Parks, Working with Bison, and the Value of Reinventing Yourself with Jeremy French
Aug 14, 2026
Episode 258
Nic Frederick and Laura Thorne
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Laura and Nic interview Jeremy French, Chief of Ecological Restoration for the Southeastern Grasslands Institute, about restoring some of America’s rarest grassland ecosystems, rebuilding habitat in national parks, and the surprising role bison play in shaping landscapes. From conservation leadership and mentorship to curiosity, reinvention, and dreaming big, Jeremy shares why it's never too late to forge a new path and make a lasting impact.
Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!
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This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.
Connect with Jeremy French at jeremy.french@segrasslands.org.
Guest Bio:
Jeremy French serves as the Chief of Ecological Restoration for the Southeastern Grasslands Institute. He is based out of Clarksville, TN and serves as the SGI lead for the NPS IRA and BIL projects. Jeremy and his team spearhead grassland conservation across SGI's 24-state focal region, encompassing grassland research, restoration, and reconstruction. Previously, he led a multi-state and multimillion dollar project geared toward restoring grasslands on private lands, which impacted thousands of acres. Jeremy's love for grasslands stems from his time researching the effects of Bison grazing on herpetofauna communities in prairie remnants and community response to oak savanna restoration.
Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller
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