Eating Aliens - Jackson Landers #150

Can we eat our way out of our "invasive species" dilemma? Jackson Landers thinks that's part of the solution. The issue of invasives is becoming more prevalent as these species continue to spread, causing ecological destruction and the loss of native species and habitat all throughout our planet. As foragers and hunters, we have the opportunity to assist in the management of these non-native invasive species by targeting them when hunting and gathering. 

We’ve been discussing invasive species throughout this season of ReWild Yourself Podcast, and today’s interview will be the first in an informal series investigating the topic.

Our guest Jackson Landers is here to share his personal experience with eating invasives. Jackson is an author, science writer and adventurer based out of Charlottesville, Virginia, specializing in wildlife out of place. His most recent book, Eating Aliens, chronicles a year and a half spent hunting and fishing for invasive species and finding out whether we can eat our way out of some ecological disasters. In this episode, he recounts some of the interesting invasives he’s enjoying hunting and eating — from armadillo to lionfish. We discuss the true definition of invasive species, the effectiveness of hunting invasives as a form of eradication and how you can get involved with invasive species management. Enjoy this interview, and let’s keep this conversation going as we explore managing invasive species through hunting and gathering together this season!

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

  • Show Introduction:
    • Hunt + gather updates: Eating mackerel and milkweed season
    • Chewstick update
    • Q&A: Humanely killing fish
    • Q&A: Roadkill legality and harvest tips
    • On Invasive Species
  • Introducing Jackson Landers
  • How Jackson got into the world of hunting and fishing
  • Breaking the barrier to entry into the hunting world
  • Credible sources for hunting journals
  • What led Jackson to invasive species
  • Hunting the invasive armadillo
  • Defining invasives
  • Humans as an invasive species
  • What caused the great mass extinctions of years past?
  • How effective is hunting invasives as a form of eradication?
  • Palatability and easy to eat invasives
  • De-extinction explained
  • Jackson’s prognosis for the future of human species and conversation
  • How to get involved with Jackson

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Meet Jackson

Jackson Landers is an author, science writer and adventurer based out of Charlottesville, Virginia, specializing in wildlife out of place. His work has appeared in "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," Slate, and he is a frequent contributor to "Smithsonian Magazine." His most recent book, Eating Aliens, chronicles a year and a half spent hunting and fishing for invasive species and finding out whether we can eat our way out of some ecological disasters.