In this episode of The Parks Podcast, host Missy Rentz sits down with Tara Ross and Nancy Martinz, former National Park Service law enforcement rangers and the creators of the hit podcast Crime Off the Grid.

Forget the salacious horror stories; Tara and Nancy bring decades of real-world experience to the table to discuss the reality of law enforcement in the wild. From the unpredictability of "Ranger Tales" to the complexities of federal jurisdiction, they pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to patrol millions of acres of wilderness.

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In this urgent episode of The Parks Podcast, host Missy Rentz sits down with Sam Chadwick, Associate Director of Save The Boundary Waters, to discuss a critical and unprecedented threat to one of Minnesota’s most iconic landscapes.

Despite a 20-year mining ban enacted in 2023 to protect these pristine headwaters, a new joint resolution in Congress seeks to roll back these protections and pave the way for copper mining. Sam breaks down why this specific type of mining is so dangerous for a water-rich environment, how the "invisible boundary" of a wilderness area offers no protection against downstream pollution, and why the current legislative maneuver is a "dangerous first" for federal land management.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The Current Threat: Why the U.S. House has passed a resolution to undo the copper mining ban and what happens next in the Senate.
• Wilderness 101: What makes the Boundary Waters unique—from its "wilderness quiet" status to its status as the most visited wilderness area in the country.
• The Environmental Risk: The difference between traditional iron mining and the high-risk sulfide-ore copper mining proposed for the edge of the wilderness.
• The "Squeaky Wheel" Strategy: Practical tips for calling your senators, overcoming "phone anxiety," and why calling local state offices can be even more effective than calling D.C.
• The Power of Visitation: Why visiting and sharing your love for these places is a vital form of advocacy.

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"How is it we hear the loudest yelps for liberty from the drivers of Negroes?" (Samuel Johnson) In the shadow of Independence Hall, where the words "We the People" were first penned, stood the executive mansion of George Washington. But while the first President was establishing the traditions of American democracy, he was also orchestrating a secret scheme to circumvent Pennsylvania’s abolition laws and maintain his hold on nine enslaved human beings.

In this series premiere of the "Our Story", host Missy Rentz sits down with John Garrison Marks, author of “Black Freedom in the age of Slavery: Race, Status, and Identity in the Urban Americas.” and the forthcoming book, “Black Freedom in the age of Slavery: Race, Status, and Identity in the Urban Americas.”

In this episode, we explore:

• The President’s House: The "hidden" history of the executive mansion in Philadelphia and why it remains a pivotal site in the National Park system.
• Washington’s Dichotomy: How the man who famously set 123 people free in his will also spent his life actively undermining the freedom of others.
• The Current Conflict: A candid discussion on the recent 2026 executive orders removing slavery-related exhibits from national parks and how citizens are protesting by "bringing the history back" themselves.

About Our Guest

John Garrison Marks is the author of Black Freedom in the Age of Slavery and the upcoming Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory (April 2026). He serves as the VP of Research and Engagement at the American Association for State and Local History.

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