
Scapegoat with Clare Follmann
From treehugger podcast by Michael T Yadrick
February 18, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 62
About this episode
Michael T Yadrick interviews Clare Follmann about her book on invasive species and the misconceptions surrounding them.
In this episode, Michael talks with environmental writer Clare Follmann about her new book Scapegoat: What the Invasive Species Story Gets Wrong (AK Press) - and yes, we are talking about invasive species again, but this time with sharper teeth. Together they question the fantasy of eradication, unpack "plastic words" like management and health, and examine how invasive species rhetoric can distract from capitalism, climate disruption, and the systems actually reshaping our landscapes. From novel ecosystems to the ethics of killing in conservation, this conversation asks restoration practitioners to be more precise, more honest, and maybe a little less trigger-happy with the war metaphors. Because in a warming world, clarity matters - and not everything that spreads is the villain. Clare Follmann https://clarefollmann.com Scapegoat: What the Invasive Species Story Gets Wrong (AK Press): https://www.akpress.org/scapegoat.html Barred Owl Controversy (Referenced in Episode) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Barred Owl Management Strategy: https://www.fws.gov/project/barred-owl-management To Kill or Not to Kill? The Controversial Plan to Kill Half a Million Barred Owls…
People in this episode
Host: Michael T Yadrick
Guest: Clare Follmann
Topics covered
- invasive species
- environmental ethics
- capitalism
- climate disruption
- restoration practices
Keywords
- invasive species
- environmental writing
- restoration
- capitalism
- climate change
- ethics
- management
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: AK Press, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Earth Law Center
Books & works: Scapegoat: What the Invasive Species Story Gets Wrong
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