Sally Ann Ranney: How a Tree Taught Me Everything

Conservation leader Sally Ann Ranney joins the Scientista Podcast to share the surprising story that started it all—napping inside a tree as a child—and how that deep connection to nature led her to spearhead a bold international campaign: a 10-year moratorium on Arctic development.

She talks with Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina about what makes the Arctic the epicenter of climate change, why women are leading the movement to protect it, and how trust, science, and courage are reshaping global conservation.

🌍 Listen in for a powerful conversation on leadership, resilience, and the fight to safeguard our shared future.

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Transcript

Sally Ann Ranney: A Tree, a Vision, and the Fight to Save the Arctic

At just seven years old, Sally Ann Ranney told her mother she didn’t want to go to Sunday school. Instead, she found God in a tree—a towering, hollowed-out elder in a nearby field. It became her sanctuary, her classroom, and her guide. That early bond with nature set her on a path that would eventually lead to the Arctic—now ground zero in the climate crisis.

Sally Ann, a veteran conservationist and the founder of Global Choices, joined Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina on the Scientista Podcast to share her incredible journey from childhood reverence for the natural world to leading a bold international campaign to pause industrial activity in the Arctic.

A Bold Proposal: The Arctic Ocean Moratorium

Sally Ann is on a mission to secure a 10-year moratorium on industrial exploitation in the Central Arctic Ocean—one of the few remaining high seas regions not claimed by any country. Her goal is to prevent irreversible harm caused by deep-sea mining, fossil fuel extraction, shipping lanes, weapons testing, and other human interventions.

“The former president of Finland once said, ‘If we lose the Arctic, we lose the world.’ I used to think that was hyperbole. It’s not,” Sally Ann said. “The science confirms it.”

As melting ice disrupts global ocean currents, rising sea levels and extreme weather are no longer distant threats—they’re already hitting home, from heatwaves in Siberia to polar vortexes across the U.S.

Why Women Are Leading the Charge

Global Choices is intentionally women-led, recognizing that leadership rooted in empathy, collaboration, and long-term vision is essential for safeguarding our planet. “This isn’t just science-driven; it’s equity-driven,” Sally Ann explained. “We’re creating a model for multilateral collaboration that could set a precedent for protecting all high seas.”

Leading from the Heart

Sally Ann’s story is one of audacity, resilience, and deep conviction. When a major grant for her former nonprofit, American Wildlands, fell through, she didn’t quit—she mortgaged her house three times to keep the work going. That decision paid off. “It’s not about education or status,” she reflected. “It comes from your heart. From your original knowing.”

That same inner knowing now fuels her call for a planetary pause. “Before we destroy this pristine place,” she said, “let’s take a breath and figure out what’s really worth protecting.”

What If We Get It Right?

If the Arctic moratorium succeeds, it won’t just protect polar bears or newly discovered marine species. It will be a model of what’s possible when science, law, and moral courage come together. “This is bold,” Sally Ann said. “But it’s doable.”

She left listeners with a message of both urgency and hope: “We all know, deep down, how to live in harmony with nature. We just have to remember.