E39 — Jack Humphrey: Rewilding America, Wolves, Jaguars & the Case for Half the Earth

What would it take to truly rewild North America?

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Jack Humphrey of the Rewilding Institute to explore one of the most ambitious and consequential ideas in modern conservation: reconnecting large landscapes so nature can function the way it once did.

Jack shares decades of firsthand experience working on wilderness cores, wildlife corridors, and large carnivore conservation—from restoring illegal roads in the Southwest, to building wolf acclimation pens on Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch, to helping shape the continental rewilding movement itself.

Together, Scott and Jack unpack:

• What rewilding really means (and what it doesn’t)
• Why wolves, jaguars, and other apex predators matter far beyond their own survival
• The concept of cores, corridors, carnivores, and coexistence
• How wolf reintroduction reshapes entire ecosystems
• Why conservation may depend on protecting half the planet
• The tension between scientific urgency and public messaging
• Whether nature can recover if humans simply get out of the way

This is a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation about biodiversity, land use, human responsibility, and the future of wild places—grounded in science, history, and lived experience.

Jack also recommends the book Borderland Jaguars, a powerful primer on the return of jaguars to the U.S.–Mexico borderlands.

If you care about wolves, wilderness, national parks, or what a livable planet actually requires, this episode is for you.

Updates and bonus content:
 https://naturallyscott.kit.com/5fd12c6752