In this episode, Chris and Jeremy take a lesson from nature — and from beavers, specifically — to explore what happens when we try to do work we weren’t built for. Using Patrick Lencioni’s Six Types of Working Genius framework, they show how leaders and teams can align their work with their natural sources of energy to avoid burnout, boost motivation, and build more resilient teams.

Chris shares how this understanding reshaped how he leads his team at Des Moines County Conservation, while Jeremy offers examples from his fieldwork in western Iowa that show how simple awareness of “what fills your cup” can transform the way we approach our work.

Along the way, they reveal why:

• Beavers can’t not build dams — and what that means for you
• Sometimes we feel like squirrels doing beavers’ jobs (and vice versa)
• “Energy mapping” your team can help you assign work that fuels rather than drains
• Language frameworks like Working Genius help identify what gives energy vs. what depletes it
• Leaders should encourage their people to find and follow their “thing,” even when that means letting them go

If you’ve ever wondered why some parts of your job feel effortless while others leave you exhausted, this episode will give you the tools and language to start changing that — for yourself and your team.

Want to figure out where your energy is going — and where it’s getting blocked?

Go to www.ParksandRestoration.com to download our free Workplace Energy Audit to help you and your team identify what gives and drains energy at work.

---

About Parks and Restoration

Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement (and get the free Energy Audit download) at ⁠⁠www.ParksandRestoration.com⁠⁠

Sometimes, productivity doesn’t come from adding more—it comes from taking things away. In this episode, Chris and Jeremy explore the law of subtraction through lessons from oak trees, prairies, and leadership. A fascinating Tennessee study showed that fertilizing oak trees had no effect on acorn production, but thinning the stand by 50% boosted production by 65%. The takeaway? Productivity often increases when we remove competition and clutter.

From managing cedars in prairies to reducing meetings and programs in the workplace, the guys connect ecological energy management to the way we lead our teams. They share practical ways to apply subtraction—cutting busywork, saying no to non-mission-critical projects, and empowering others to do the same—so you and your team can focus on what truly matters.

• Do less to accomplish more.A 50% reduction in oak density produced a 65% increase in acorns. The same principle applies to our work and leadership.

• Manage energy by what you remove.Just as ecologists remove cedars to let sunlight reach native prairie plants, leaders can remove bureaucracy, busywork, and distractions to free up their people’s energy.

• Clarity through subtraction.Jim Collins’s Stop Doing List and Greg McKeown’s Essentialism both remind us that great organizations get clear on what not to do, freeing focus for the work that truly drives their mission.

• Nature and leadership run on the same rules.Whether thinning forests or cutting unproductive projects, subtraction creates the conditions for new growth and stronger ecosystems—natural or organizational.

“We always think productivity comes from adding more initiatives, more committees, more goals. But often, the real productivity gains come when we thin the stand.” — Chris Lee

“In the prairie, the plants you want are already there. You just have to remove what’s stifling them. The same goes for people.” — Jeremy Yost

“When leaders focus on subtraction, they free people up to do the work they were hired and inspired to do.” — Chris Lee

How you can apply these lessons:

• Get clear on the "WHY" Work with your team to determine what's truly important.

• Do a “timber cruise” of your priorities.Identify projects, meetings, and reports that drain energy without creating value or contribute to mission.

• Create a Stop-Doing List.For every new “to-do,” remove something that doesn’t advance your mission.

• Audit meetings and processes.Eliminate or consolidate recurring meetings with no clear outcomes.

• Empower people to say no.Build a culture where questioning nonessential work is encouraged and rewarded, not punished.

• Experiment.Try subtracting something for a quarter. You can always add it back—but you’ll likely discover you don’t need to.

Resources:

• Brooke et al. (2019): Effects of fertilization and thinning on acorn production in upland oak stands.

• Leidy Klotz – Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less

• Jim Collins – Good to Great

• Greg McKeown – Essentialism

---

About Parks and Restoration

Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement (and the email list) at ⁠www.ParksandRestoration.com⁠

What’s stronger than strategy? Culture.

In this episode of the Parks and Restoration Podcast, Chris and Jeremy dig into why culture has to be every leader’s top priority—and why even the best plans fall apart without it. Through stories ranging from a construction crew with 20-year employee tenures to lessons from Glacier National Park, they unpack how culture shapes retention, performance, and resilience in the parks and natural resources field while weaving in a little wild turkey science.

You’ll learn:

• Why culture is the ecosystem that drives everything else in your organization

• The differences between good and bad cultures (and how to spot the warning signs early)

• The surprising ROI of strong workplace culture, backed by Gallup and Great Place to Work research

• Three simple things you can do this week to start building a culture people want to be part of

Whether you’re leading a small crew, a large department, or you’re just starting to step into leadership, this conversation will show you why culture isn’t an “extra”—it’s the foundation.

Referenced episodes

• A philosopher's guide to land stewardship with Chad Graeve, Natural Resource Specialist in Pottawattamie County (episode 26)
• SPF2: A Non-Greasy Formula for Effective Recognition (episode 72)

About Parks and Restoration
Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement (and the email list) at www.ParksandRestoration.com

What happens when the people protecting our natural resources are running on empty?

In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost tackle an uncomfortable truth: the very passion that drives us to protect parks and natural resources might be slowly destroying us. They introduce the CARE Framework—a practical approach to wellbeing that every conservation professional needs to hear.

Through research-backed insights and personal stories (including Jeremy's two-month journey off energy drinks and Chris's sleep transformation), they explore how:

• Connection combats the isolation that might be your biggest occupational hazard
• Activity differs from "work movement" and sustains long-term health
• Rest functions as performance time, not just recovery
• Eating well becomes the fuel that makes or breaks your leadership effectiveness

If you've ever worked through lunch to finish a trail project, skipped vacation during burn season, or stayed late writing grants while telling yourself it's dedication, this conversation will show you why taking care of yourself is actually strategic leadership.

Be part of the conversation!

How do you prioritize wellbeing in this demanding field? What strategies work (or don't work) for you? Send us your insights and experiences at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Chapters00:00 The Hidden Crisis in Conservation04:16 The CARE Framework Introduction05:03 Connection: Why Isolation is Dangerous16:18 Activity: Moving Beyond Work Movement25:23 Rest: Sleep as Performance Time36:23 Eat: Fueling Your Leadership48:06 Wellbeing as Strategic Leadership57:21 Putting CARE Into Practice

About Parks and Restoration

Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement at www.ParksandRestoration.com

How do you eat an elephant?
Most people say, “one bite at a time.” But what if you invited 45 of your friends and turned it into a barbecue?

That’s exactly what happened in Iowa’s Loess Hills when multiple agencies came together for a cooperative cedar-cutting workday—and it’s the perfect picture of how partnerships expand capacity and tackle projects no one organization could handle alone.

In this episode of Parks and Restoration, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost dive into the power of multi-organizational partnerships. From cooperative burn weeks to large-scale habitat projects, they explore how collaboration helps parks and conservation professionals:

• Multiply their impact with limited staff and resources

• Build a culture where cooperation is the norm, not the exception

• Manage logistics, permissions, and risk across multiple agencies

• Tell a better story to the public and media about conservation work

If you’ve ever felt like the challenges in your park system are too big for your team to handle, this conversation will show you how to invite others to the table—and barbecue the elephant together.

Be part of the conversation!

We want to hear your stories (successful or not!) of cooperation/collaboration with other agencies and organizations. Send us a message or leave us a voice memo at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Chapters

00:00 Building a Culture of Cooperation

05:26 The Power of Community Engagement

10:52 Creating Effective Partnerships

16:41 Logistics of Collaboration

22:20 Expanding Influence Beyond Boundaries

27:12 Building Relationships for Effective Disaster Response

30:11 Decentralized Command: A Key to Effective Leadership

35:10 Logistics and Clarity in Large-Scale Events

39:27 Fueling the Team: Logistics of Food and Recognition

44:36 Transforming Challenges into Collaborative Opportunities

About Parks and Restoration

Better leaders. Better parks.

Parks and Restoration is THE show for current and rising leaders in the parks, conservation, and natural resource professions. Every two weeks, you get new episodes that explore key leadership concepts and how they apply to you and your team.

Great parks and healthy lands and waters are the products of strong leadership. We aim to help you become that leader.

Join the movement at www.ParksandRestoration.com

What if the way you recognize your team could make or break their motivation to stay? Or screen them from burnout?

In this episode, Chris Lee and Jeremy Yost share the SPF² Framework—Specific, Personalized, Fast, and Frequent recognition—and show how it can protect your team from burnout while building a culture people can’t wait to be part of.

---

This is the Parks and Restoration Podcast, the show for parks and natural resource professionals that want to be the leaders that their agencies, their communities, and future generations need them to be.

Better leaders. Better parks.

What can parks and natural resource leaders learn from military operations, professional athletes, top performers, and Pixar?

How to build effective feedback systems.

In this episode, Chris and Jeremy dig into the power of After-Action Reviews and exit interviews—two tools that can help you capture honest feedback, build trust, and make your organization better season after season. Whether you're managing a summer trail crew, hosting college interns, or just wrapped a big event, this conversation will help you create space for reflection and growth (without turning it into a bureaucratic mess).

Along the way, they share favorite questions to ask, mistakes to avoid, and real stories from the field.

---

Parks and Restoration is the podcast for parks, conservation, and natural resource professionals who want to lead with purpose, build stronger teams, and create healthier landscapes. Tune in for practical insights, real-world stories, and leadership strategies that help you thrive in the field (or at the office).

Better leaders. Better parks.

Join the conversation at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Struggling to get qualified interns to apply for your conservation or parks program—let alone relocate from across the country?

Recruiting great interns in parks and natural resources is harder than ever, especially when you're working in a rural or lesser-known area. In this episode, Chris and Jeremy break down how one Iowa county attracted interns from places like Alaska and New Jersey—not with big paychecks, but with bold storytelling and smart strategy. If you’ve ever posted a job and heard nothing but crickets, this one's for you.

• Learn how to write an internship posting that actually grabs attention (and applications).

• Discover how authenticity and visual storytelling can sell your program better than a generic job description ever could.

• Get insight into what up-and-coming park and natural resource professionals are really looking for in conservation internships.

*Also, listen to the end for the question of the week (about alligators!) and submit your answers at www.ParksandRestoration.com.

Hit play now and walk away with recruitment strategies that’ll make your next internship post stand out—even if you’re miles from the nearest city.