FROM THE GROUND UP:
Rebuilding the Future of America’s Public Lands
With accelerating climate impacts, deep Agency cuts and regulatory rollbacks, our public lands are at a turning point—and so are we. For better or worse, there is no going back to the way things were. But with change comes opportunity, and there will be an opportunity to reimagine and rebuild our nation’s public land agencies and how we steward our shared resources—if we’re prepared to take it. In these timely and insightful panel discussions, we’ll dig into the work of conceiving and rebuilding systems that serve both people and planet—from the ground up. NOTE: Panelists listed below are confirmed; descriptions are not necessarily final and are likely to evolve based on new policy developments in the coming months.
Friday: September 12
Public Lands From the Ground Up: Where Do We Go From Here?
The agencies charged with managing our federal public lands have been deeply understaffed and chronically underfunded for decades—even before the current administration’s chainsaw approach to government. Many in the public have long been frustrated with the perceived complexity and inefficiency of public process and decision-making. Now, in the wake of the deepest cuts in the history of America’s public lands, are there silver linings for the future? Are there (or will there be) opportunities for legitimate reform that might actually improve the ways that public lands agencies balance sustainable recreation management with resource protection and conservation?
- Susan Jane Brown, Principal & Chief Legal Counsel, Silvix Resources
- Hilary Eisen, Federal Policy Director, Wild Montana
- Megan Birzell, Washington State Director, The Wilderness Society
- Moderator: Fitz Cahall, Dirtbag Diaries
Indigenous Leadership in Public Lands Stewardship
Tribal ancestral lands and treaty rights are heavily impacted by ever-increasing numbers of people participating in outdoor recreation on public lands and waters. In Washington, the Tulalip Tribes and Snoqualmie Tribe have both pursued initiatives to bring awareness to these concerns. In addition, Washington State is working with tribes to co-develop recreation management tools and a framework to coordinate cooperative stewardship of natural and cultural resources and preserve protected tribal rights on state lands.
- Libby Nelson, Sr. Environmental Policy Analyst, Tulalip Tribes
- Sarah Ballew, External Affairs Program Manager, Snoqualmie Tribe
- Ezekiel Rohloff, Wildlife Biologist, Snoqualmie Tribe
- Joel Sisolak, Lands Planning and Recreation Manager, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
- Moderator: Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director, The Mountaineers
Big Enough for the Both of Us? Balancing Recreation and Wildlife Habitat
With winter recreation and mountain town populations booming, more people are recreating in sensitive wildlife habitat. What evidence do land managers weigh when making a decision to close a trail or area? Oftentimes decisions must be made by extrapolating conclusions from published studies conducted elsewhere, which can be a challenge for land managers and wildlife advocates to communicate to the public. Is there such a thing as “enough” wildlife habitat? What about “enough” trails or outdoor recreation access? And, how do we balance these sometimes-competing uses of public lands?
- Cal Waichler, Project Coordinator, Cascades Wolverine Project
- Heide Andersen, Recreation Planner for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Trevor Kostanich, AMGA-certified ski guide and author
- Moderator: Kurt Hellman, Wildlife-Recreation Coexistence Senior Coordinator, Conservation Northwest
Show Me the Money! Paying the Cost for Public Lands
Funding is vital to managing and protecting public lands. Over the last fifteen years, outdoor recreation visits have steadily increased on America’s public lands. Yet real money for recreation management has steadily decreased. Adequate funding is important for maintaining sustainable, equitable, and enjoyable recreation experiences. Persistent funding shortfalls and ever-growing infrastructure maintenance backlogs adversely affect outdoor recreation experiences and degrade public lands and waters. Now, with the latest budget proposals suggesting a further 25% cut in the Forest Service budget just this year, the question is dire: will anyone bear the cost of managing public lands? And if not, what is the end result? Funds generally reach land management agencies through two primary pathways: through Congressional appropriations and through other legislation that directs monies to agencies for specific purposes. Alternative scenarios include public-private partnerships of one kind or another, and/or states, counties and local communities bearing an increasing share of management costs. But is that a sustainable—or even desirable—solution? Or does it undermine the fundamental premise of national public lands?
- Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director, The Mountaineers
- John Garder, Senior Director of Budget & Appropriations, National Parks Conservation Alliance
- Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources
- Moderator: Garrett Brennan, Raven Analytics + Three Pin Strategy
Saturday: September 13
Avalanche Forecasting in a Time of Uncertainty
Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the United States and most of these deaths involve recreation on national forests. The US Forest Service operates 14 avalanche centers across the country, all of which operate as public/private partnerships with around half of each center’s operating budget coming from grassroots, community-supported Friends groups. Despite this robust model, Forest Service avalanche centers have been rocked by uncertainty over the past year with hiring freezes and budget constraints. How are avalanche centers weathering the storm and how can we ensure resiliency in the US avalanche forecasting system?
- Caroline Miller, Executive Director, Utah Avalanche Center
- David Reichel, Executive Director, Sierra Avalanche Center
- Scott Schell, Executive Director, Northwest Avalanche Center
- Moderator: Brody Leven, professional chairlift-free adventure skier
Getting There: Sustainable Winter Access for All
From finding a place to park to mastering the skills and obtaining the gear necessary for winter recreation, accessing public lands in winter can be a challenge. For many people there are also significant equity challenges. But all challenges have solutions. Organizations across the country are working to increase public land access in winter for all people through new and traditional approaches, while simultaneously addressing the impacts from increased use.
- Cal’ Smith, Director of Winter Programming, Climbers of Color
- Megan Fiske, California Stewardship Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance
- Will Russack, Board of Directors, Cascade Backcountry Alliance
- Anthony Cupaiuolo, Executive Director Tahoe Backcountry Alliance
- Moderator: Kerry McClay, WWA National Snowschool Program Director
Project 2035: Mapping the Future of Winter, One Community At a Time
25 years ago, snowmobilers and skiers were forced to come together to draw a map. Tensions had flared to the point where guns had been drawn and a backcountry ski hut burned to the ground. It took a year. It was not an easy process. But the result was a fair and balanced winter recreation map for the Sawtooth National Recreation Area that created space for wide-open snowmachine recreation AND quiet Nordic and backcountry zones. That map, for the most part, still holds today. It would never have happened without the convening and leadership of the United States Forest Service. Flash forward 25 years of increasing rules, regulations, litigation, settlements, more rules, uneven leadership, open-ended timelines, social media, culture wars, technological advances, staffing and funding cuts, legislation and proposed rule rescissions, and we still only have legal, balanced winter recreation maps for maybe half a dozen places across the West. Enter the EXPLORE Act, passed by unanimous consent in the final days of the last Congress. By law, the Forest Service is now mandated to produce and make available, within 10 years, over-snow vehicle use maps for 83 national forests—by 2035. Given current challenges faced by the Agency, what might this process look like? Is it even possible? What is the role of local communities in this kind of planning? What do we need to do in the next ten years to ensure that the public is involved, and that nonmotorized recreation interests, wildlife and natural climate solutions are not only at the table but accurately reflected in final maps?
- Brittany Leffel, Colorado Policy Manager, Winter Wildlands Alliance
- Lynn Padgett, Commissioner, Ouray County, Colorado
- Zach Angstead, Federal Legislative Director, Wild Montana
- Moderator: David Page, Executive Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance
Advocacy Outside Our Comfort Zones: New Strategies for Success
With many of the traditional tools and frameworks for conservation now under fire or being rapidly dismantled, how can we still be effective advocates for the places and experiences we care about? What has worked or not worked in the last 8 months to spark engagement, activate community and influence decision-makers? Learn from four expert communicators about the latest tools and creative strategies—including some that may make us uncomfortable—to break through the noise and galvanize collective power.
- Conor Marshall, Advocacy and Engagement Manager, The Mountaineers
- Nicole Brown, Communications & Public Engagement Manager, Outdoor Alliance
- Alicia Harvie, Head of Community & Government Affairs, REI Co-op
- Moderator: Fitz Cahall, Dirtbag Diaries
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