Rewilding Earth Podcast – Episode 169 Summary

Title: Reba Elliott on the Strategic Power of Older Women in Defense of Public Lands
Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Jack Humphrey
Guest: Reba Elliott, Executive Director of Great Old Broads for Wilderness

Overview

This episode explores the “strategic power of older women” in the conservation movement, focusing on the nearly 40-year history of the Great Old Broads for Wilderness. Host Jack Humphrey and guest Reba Elliott discuss the essential and often underestimated role of older women in protecting public lands, advocating for biodiversity, and injecting durability and joy into environmental activism. The conversation highlights the unique skills, social advantages, and stories of “great old broads,” and why their work is central to both the fight for public lands and the wider rewilding movement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The History and Culture of Great Old Broads for Wilderness

• Purpose & Focus: The only national environmental organization specifically for older women, with a nearly four-decade history and a grassroots, member-driven culture.
  (04:14) Reba Elliott: “Great Old Broads for Wilderness is the only national environmental organization for older women...there’s a real sense of community.”
• Geographic Spread: Founded in the West, most members are west of the Mississippi, but chapters are increasing in the East and South.
  (04:14)
• Fun as a Movement Pillar: Fun isn't just a byproduct, but a core pillar along with advocacy, education, and stewardship.
  (08:17) Reba: “Explicitly, one of the goals of the organization is to have fun together, because who wants to slog?...If you don’t intersperse those moments of gravity with moments of lightness...the movement is not durable.”
• Cultural Legacy: The “lightness and joy” that older women bring to the work fosters sustainability and energy in activism.
  (07:36) Jack: “I always felt better when a great old broad was in the room. They seem to have this...attitude that brings lightness and joy.”

Why Public Lands Matter

• Personal & Spiritual Connection: Reba shares her faith-based view on the interconnectedness of all life and how public lands preserve that fabric.
  (11:16) Reba: “We’re not apart from the rest of creation, but we stand with it...Public lands are the only places we have set aside...we are connected to something greater than ourselves.”
• Ecosystem Functions: Public lands are vital laboratories for biodiversity and climate response, water filtration, and oxygen creation.
  (11:16) Reba: “We can no more easily throw away nature’s water filter than we can throw away our own digestive system.”
• Societal Significance: They’re “arcs of biodiversity,” protecting 20% of all vertebrate species and serving as a bulwark against collapsing systems.
  (11:16)
• National Security: Recent studies highlight that ecosystem breakdown leads to geopolitical and economic instability.
  (21:09) Reba: “Nature is a foundation of national security.”

The Tactical Advantages of Older Women in Conservation

• Depth of Experience: Older women bring diverse professional skills, lifelong experience in organizing, networking, and project management.
  (00:05, 26:33) Reba: “There’s women in our network who are retired as teachers and doctors...all of the skills you need to make community...You don’t forget that when you retire.”
• Liberated Attitude: With fewer societal/family constraints, they act with confidence, candor, and humor.
  (26:33) Reba: “My mom...she said, ‘I just don’t care anymore. I’m going to do what I want.’ That seems like a great way of getting older.”
• Underestimated Power: Often seen as non-threatening, their opponents are caught off guard by their tenacity and effectiveness.
  (31:36) Jack: “I have witnessed countless times Billy Bob, land commissioner at a public hearing, take for granted that the woman stepping up to the mic right now looks harmless...And then they walk away as the most effectual people who came through that day.”
• Trusted Messengers: Older women are high-propensity voters and swing voters, and are deeply trusted communicators in their communities.
  (26:33)
• Memorable Quote:
  • Reba (33:16): “There can be a real blessing to being underestimated...when other people discount that they do so at their own peril.”

Stories of Impact: Great Old Broads in Action

• Colorado: Robin, Christian, and Peggy leading a team to monitor and protect bighorn sheep from disease, surveying 184 miles and collecting citizen science data.
  (35:29)
• Arizona: Roz and Emily working on Mexican gray wolf conservation, leading wildlife tracking workshops, holding USFS (US Forest Service) accountable to their guidelines.
  (35:29)
• Oregon: Cindy, Chandra, Carol, and Maya planting 3,000 native plants along the Klamath River for riverine ecosystem restoration and dam removal advocacy.
  (35:29)
• Holistic Engagement: Direct action, citizen science, and stewardship back up their policy advocacy with hands-on credibility.
  (39:56) Reba: “Hands on, in the field, boots on the ground, breathing the air, touching the plants, getting muddy...all of that comes together in these older women.”

Unique Impacts and Emotional Resonance

• Women’s Approach to Impact: Emphasis not just on quantifiable outcomes but also on the emotional and cultural significance of their work.
  (41:32) Reba: “Women also tend to think of feeling as being a form of impact. How did you make people feel?...How meaningful was putting that little acorn into the ground?”
• Intergenerational Influence: Personal reflections on mothers and elders fostering a love of nature and activism.
  (41:32) Jack: “There’s a quality that I think every man who’s observant would definitely agree...That’s why one of the reasons I love great old broads.”

Current Initiatives and Opportunities (2026 Outlook)

• Online Events:
  • Monthly “Lunch & Learn” sessions – member-led expertise sharing (Congressional Review Act, integrating art into activism, hands-on citizen science).
    (43:07)
  • Training on grassroots organizing for conservation.
    (43:07)
  • Workshops on engaging political candidates about public lands priorities.
    (43:07)
• Local Chapter Events: Ongoing in-person opportunities across the country
  (43:07)
• Welcoming New Members: Supporting people who attend an event—online or in-person—to start their own local chapters.
  (46:04)
• Humor Continues: Possible spin on “Lunch & Learn” to “LOL” sessions for lightness and engagement.
  (46:19-46:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On culture and fun:
  • "If you don’t intersperse those moments of gravity with moments of lightness...the movement is not durable." (08:17, Reba)
• On being underestimated:
  • “There can be a real blessing to being underestimated...when other people discount that they do so at their own peril.” (33:16, Reba)
• On the interconnectedness of all life:
  • “We’re not apart from the rest of creation, but we stand with it.” (11:16, Reba)
• On the power of participation:
  • “The women in this network, they’re using all of their gifts in this way that’s to the benefit of the lands we all depend on.” (35:29, Reba)
• On legacy and surprise:
  • “I just think of great old broads. I think of vivacious people who have really wild spirits who can be scrappy when they need to be.” (02:39, Jack)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:05 | Reba on the skills and experience of older women
• 01:28 | Introduction to episode theme
• 04:14 | Great Old Broads: History & mission
• 08:17 | The role of fun as a movement pillar
• 11:16 | The spiritual and societal value of public lands
• 21:09 | Biodiversity loss as national security risk
• 26:33 | Why older women excel in conservation work
• 31:36 | Underestimation as strategy and real-life examples
• 35:29 | Stories of Broads in action: Colorado, Arizona, Oregon
• 41:32 | Women and intergenerational impact; feelings as impact
• 43:07 | 2026 events and training highlights
• 46:04 | Empowering new chapters and involvement tips

Conclusion

This episode is a vibrant testament to the power of older women in the conservation movement, highlighting how laughter, life experience, and strategic savvy make the Great Old Broads for Wilderness a force for both grassroots and systemic change. Their model marries hands-on action and high-level advocacy, all while sustaining the joy and energy needed for the “long game” of rewilding. As Jack says, it’s a group everyone can learn from, and their presence ensures “something deep here”—not just activism, but a lived culture of interconnection, fun, and lasting impact.