National Geographic Explorer & Marine Biologist - Callie Veelenturf
Mon Feb 02 2026
In this episode of Intelligence Report, host Dylan Welch sits down with marine conservation biologist and global ocean advocate Callie Veelenturf for a wide-ranging conversation that bridges field science and international policy.
As Executive Director of The Leatherback Project, a National Geographic Explorer, Explorers Club Fellow, and advisor to both the United Nations Harmony with Nature Programme and United Nations Development Programme, Veelenturf operates at the intersection of conservation biology, Indigenous partnership, and the emerging global movement to recognize the Rights of Nature in law.
Dylan and Callie explore what it’s like to conduct hands-on marine research in some of the most remote ecosystems on Earth, tracking endangered leatherback sea turtles, working alongside coastal communities, and confronting the realities of habitat collapse. But the conversation goes beyond the beach and the boat.
Callie shares how scientific data becomes legal leverage, detailing her work helping governments and local leaders draft and pass laws that grant ecosystems legal rights and personhood. The discussion dives into how courtroom victories, constitutional reforms, and international advocacy are becoming essential tools in the fight to protect biodiversity.
This episode is both a field report and a policy briefing—revealing how modern conservationists must be equal parts scientist, diplomat, and strategist in a rapidly changing world.
A conversation about saving species, and rewriting the rules that govern how humanity relates to the natural world.
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In this episode of Intelligence Report, host Dylan Welch sits down with marine conservation biologist and global ocean advocate Callie Veelenturf for a wide-ranging conversation that bridges field science and international policy. As Executive Director of The Leatherback Project, a National Geographic Explorer, Explorers Club Fellow, and advisor to both the United Nations Harmony with Nature Programme and United Nations Development Programme, Veelenturf operates at the intersection of conservation biology, Indigenous partnership, and the emerging global movement to recognize the Rights of Nature in law. Dylan and Callie explore what it’s like to conduct hands-on marine research in some of the most remote ecosystems on Earth, tracking endangered leatherback sea turtles, working alongside coastal communities, and confronting the realities of habitat collapse. But the conversation goes beyond the beach and the boat. Callie shares how scientific data becomes legal leverage, detailing her work helping governments and local leaders draft and pass laws that grant ecosystems legal rights and personhood. The discussion dives into how courtroom victories, constitutional reforms, and international advocacy are becoming essential tools in the fight to protect biodiversity. This episode is both a field report and a policy briefing—revealing how modern conservationists must be equal parts scientist, diplomat, and strategist in a rapidly changing world. A conversation about saving species, and rewriting the rules that govern how humanity relates to the natural world. Support the show