418. Canoeing with Ken Dryden on the Athabasca River

·21 min·2 clips

Host David Dodge revisits a 2003 canoe trip with hockey legend Ken Dryden and environmentalists on the Athabasca River.

This episode of Green Energy Futures is a retrospective look at a 2003 conservation canoe trip on the Athabasca River, hosted by David Dodge. The episode features an archival interview with Ken Dryden, conducted during the Boreal Rendezvous, a series of river trips aimed at raising awareness for conserving Canada's Boreal Forest. Dryden, known for his hockey career, joins other notable figures like David Suzuki and David Schindler on this journey. The interview captures Dryden's personal reflections on the wilderness, including his initial lack of camping experience and the challenges of sleeping outdoors. He describes the remote setting of the Athabasca River, emphasizing its width, tranquility, and the absence of human presence. Dryden also discusses his broader perspective on life and work, explaining his role with the Toronto Maple Leafs and his ambition to make the franchise the most important in hockey. The conversation touches on lighter moments, such as a fishing competition between David Suzuki and a guide named Vince, which results in catching a large pike. Dryden shares wildlife encounters, including seeing a lynx swimming across the river, and reflects on the Boreal Forest's ecological significance. The episode concludes with Dodge reminiscing about Dryden's relaxed demeanor during the trip and teasing future interviews in the Conversations from the River series. The format blends narrative storytelling with interview segments, offering insights into environmental advocacy and personal discovery.

As heard by us

Ken Dryden comes to understand the Boreal Forest as one connected landscape, shaped through a quiet riverbank conversation.

Ken Dryden sits on a sandbar in the Athabasca River, thinking aloud about what the Boreal Forest came to mean after several days of canoeing and camping inside it.

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Why you'd press play

You get Ken Dryden making the Boreal Forest newly legible from a canoe-trip conversation on the Athabasca River.

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