The Nature Of with Willow Defebaugh

In the season finale of The Nature Of, award-winning photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale joins Willow for a powerful and emotional conversation about witnessing extinction and choosing hope, drawing on her extensive career photographing the most critical conservation stories of our time. Ami takes Willow through her decades-long journey from documenting human conflict to the lives of endangered species—including the final days of Sudan, the last male Northern white rhino—and the people working to protect them. Together, they reflect on what it means to tell stories with reverence, how we find our humanity through connection with the more-than-human world, and why love—not loss—is at the heart of conservation.

Podcast production by Magnificent Noise

Series photography by Camila Falquez

Episode photography by Ami Vitale

Executive Producers: Willow Defebaugh, Theresa Perez, Jake Sargent

Special thanks to Karen Gray, Jasmine Hardy, Tessa Forrest, Ásta Þrastardóttir, Jonas Woost, Kattie Laur

In this episode, we explore the nature of food as a profound act of care—with the power to transform not only our health and the planet, but the very systems we live within. Maggie Baird, longtime activist, founder of Support + Feed, and mother of artists Billie Eilish and Finneas, joins Willow for a conversation rooted in compassion for humans, animals, and the Earth. From her early awakening to animal welfare to her family’s shared commitment to cultural and climate transformation, Maggie shares how plant-based food offers a hopeful path forward. Willow and Maggie discuss the myths that persist around veganism, the spiritual cost of industrial agriculture, and how joy and justice can help flavor the way we eat—for good.

Podcast production by Magnificent Noise

Series photography by Camila Falquez

Episode photography by Arianna Lago

Executive Producers: Willow Defebaugh, Theresa Perez, Jake Sargent

Special thanks to Karen Gray, Jasmine Hardy, Tessa Forrest, Ásta Þrastardóttir, Jonas Woost, Kattie Laur

What if the rupture of these tumultuous times is not an ending, but an opening? In this episode, Willow speaks with Bayo Akomolafe, philosopher, poet, and thinker whose work challenges us to step beyond binaries and into the fertile, unpredictable space of emergence. They dig into how transformation doesn’t come from rigid certainty or oppositional thinking, but from the cracks—where new possibilities take root. Nature does not resolve tension; it composts it, making way for something unexpected to arise. Bayo invites us to see the turbulence of our moment not as a problem to be solved, but as an invitation to step out of fixed ways of being and embrace the "third way"—the space between and beyond, where new ways of relating, knowing, and becoming can unfold.

Podcast production by Magnificent Noise

Series photography by Camila Falquez

Episode photography by Arianna Lago

Executive Producers: Willow Defebaugh, Theresa Perez, Jake Sargent

Special thanks to Karen Gray, Jasmine Hardy, Tessa Forrest, Ásta Þrastardóttir, Jonas Woost, Kattie Laur

Wealth is often defined by accumulation—but what if it was instead measured by what we sustain, regenerate, and share? In this episode, Willow speaks with Steph Speirs, co-founder of Solstice and board member of the Sierra Club Foundation, about how capital—in all its forms—can be stewarded to better support a flourishing planet. Together, they explore the shifting definition of wealth beyond money, the power of community in the clean energy transition, and how movements like the Sierra Club Foundation’s Shifting Trillions initiative are working to redirect financial flows from extraction to regeneration. At the heart of their conversation is a question both urgent and hopeful: What does it look like to resource a future where people and ecosystems thrive together?

Season one of The Nature Of is made possible in part by funding from the Sierra Club Foundation.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Sierra Club Foundation, check out their website and other projects they’re supporting:

Shifting Trillions - sierraclubfoundation.org/shifting-trillions

Sage Development Authority - anpetuwi.com

Solar Holler - solarholler.com

Navajo Power - navajopower.com

Transformation is both a personal and collective spell—one cast through intention, practice, and the courage to embrace change. Here, Willow is joined by adrienne maree brown, writer, activist, and emergent strategist, for a conversation on alchemy, witchcraft as resistance, and the magic of small, everyday acts that create lasting change. Together, they examine adrienne’s philosophy that small is all, the ways we can embody transformative justice in our relationships, and her latest book, Loving Corrections, which offers a radical vision for accountability rooted in care, not punishment. How can we transmute harm into healing? What does it mean to be in right relationship with ourselves and others? This episode is an invocation, and a call to step into our power as co-creators of the future.

To see a transcript of this episode: https://atmos.earth/podcast/adrienne-maree-brown-on-the-nature-of-transformation-and-everyday-alchemy/

Nature is not just a place—it’s a teacher, a guide, and a blueprint for innovation. Willow is joined by Janine Benyus, biologist, author, and co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, whose groundbreaking work has transformed the way we think about designing with nature rather than against it. Together, they outline the principles of biomimicry—the practice of looking to ecosystems, organisms, and natural patterns for sustainable solutions to human challenges. From the way forests manage resources to the aerodynamics of fish, Janine reveals how nature has already solved many of the problems we face today. The question then becomes: how can we align ourselves with life in every choice we make?

To see a transcript of this episode: https://atmos.earth/podcast/janine-benyus-on-the-nature-of-biomimicry-and-designing-life/

In nature, solutions are everywhere—coral reefs regenerate, forests heal, and ecosystems self-balance when given the chance. So, how can we apply that same wisdom to the climate crisis? Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert, a Roux Distinguished Scholar at Bowdoin College, and co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, joins Willow for an illuminating conversation about climate optimism, systemic change, and the power of solutions-driven storytelling. As the creator of the What If We Get It Right? book and podcast, Ayana offers a compelling vision of what’s possible when we shift our focus from catastrophe to collective action. Listen as they discuss the importance of local, community-based efforts, why imagination is critical in climate work, and the role we can each play in shaping a different future.

To see a transcript of this episode: https://atmos.earth/podcast/dr-ayana-elizabeth-johnson-on-the-nature-of-climate-progress-and-solutions/

Nature is the ultimate artist—shaping landscapes over millennia, sculpting coastlines with waves, and composing symphonies in birdsong. In this episode, Grammy-nominated musician Maggie Rogers joins Willow for a conversation on creative rhythm, artistic sustainability, and the deep inspiration she draws from the natural world. As an artist who has intentionally crafted a career that honors both personal well-being and creative integrity, Maggie shares insights into how slowing down can actually enhance the creative process. Together, they explore the lessons nature teaches about cycles of rest and renewal, the importance of protecting one's artistic energy, and the power of making music—and life—at a pace that feels true.

To find a transcript of this episode: https://atmos.earth/podcast/maggie-rogers-on-the-nature-of-rhythm-and-making-music

How can the way we cultivate relationships with one another offer insight into healing our fractured relationship with nature? In this episode, Willow is joined by renowned psychotherapist and bestselling author Esther Perel, whose work has reshaped how we understand intimacy, communication, and belonging in the modern world. They explore the intersections between human and ecological connection, and the epidemic of loneliness that so many are experiencing today. From the importance of relational intelligence to the role of desire in deepening our bonds, this episode unpacks how embracing the complexity of relationships—whether with people or the planet—can lead to greater resilience, reciprocity, and renewal.

On loneliness and curiosity: https://www.estherperel.com/blog/letters-from-esther-54-curiosity-is-a-balm-for-loneliness

On mutualism: https://atmos.earth/overview-mutualism-symbiosis-deep-ecology/

On queerness in nature: https://atmos.earth/overview-nature-and-queerness-lets-talk-about-sex/

On mating behaviors: https://atmos.earth/overview-relationships-mating-games/

To see a transcript of this episode: https://atmos.earth/podcast/esther-perel-on-the-nature-of-connection-and-modern-loneliness-ep-1/