In Conversation with James Shooter
2 years, 11 months, 16 days, 6 hours
5 August 2026
‘I always think we need to find the best imperfect solutions.’
James Shooter is the host of The Rewild Podcast.
A wildlife photographer, film-maker, guide, and Visual Storyteller at Rewilding Europe, he has devoted his career to nature. Earlier this year David Mason-Williams (zookeeper, Rewilding Europe volunteer and son of my good friend Mike Mason-Williams) introduced me to James, and in August we went together to visit him near his home in the Caingorms in Scotland.
The 18 podcast episodes that James created bring to life the stories of the impact that individuals can make in protecting, restoring and rewilding nature. I was keen to talk to him about the power of storytelling, to influence and inspire, and the power of individuals to make a difference.
In our conversation we discuss the recent wildfires in the Cairngorms and how that felt for him living there. We talk about the relationship between nature and humans: James is clear that rewilding is about working with communities, not excluding them, and argues for a move from ‘co-existence to co-prosperity’, to live ‘hand in paw’. We cover the example of lynx reintroduction in Slovenia, and the role of the hunter community in that programme. Then we talk about the role of individuals, businesses and governments. Advocating for the power of individual action, James believes in finding ‘the best imperfect solutions’. Progress is better than perfection.
We close on the topic of how to convey hope about the future. James is animated as he speaks to the extraordinary things you can see in nature and challenges us to not to think in terms of what nature can do for humanity, but rather ‘What about the joy of nature?’
‘You see all this wonderful stuff, and you’re not thinking at the moment, ‘I bet they’re good for carbon sequestration’.
It made me reflect that inspiring and giving hope is a matter of reaching the heart first. This is what James does so well.
Image credit: James Shooter/Cairn Media.