Making Relevance a Reality

Co-Chairs:

Dan Decker, Cornell University
Ann Forstchen, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Cynthia Jacobson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Overview:

Sustaining and growing public support for wildlife conservation and management is a high priority on state and national wildlife conservation agendas. Without public support, little meaningful conservation is likely to occur; with it, much is possible.

Last March, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America?s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources issued its final report, "The Future of America?s Fish and Wildlife." The Blue Ribbon Panel recommended: (1) Congress markedly increase funding for fish and wildlife conservation and (2) a subset of the panel continue as a working group on improving relevancy of fish and wildlife conservation and to ?make recommendations on how programs and agencies can transform to engage and serve broader constituencies.? The second recommendation coming from the Blue Ribbon Panel emphasized the urgency of making relevancy a reality for public fish and wildlife programs and agencies nationwide.

Previous presentations at the North American and the Blue Ribbon Panel meetings have emphasized that fish and wildlife programs and agencies need to connect with and be valued by a larger proportion of society or risk losing public support for conservation. Progress in fulfilling public trust responsibilities to all citizens, regardless of the nature of their interest in fish and wildlife, has been slow for a variety of reasons. At this session, these and other issues impacting agency relevance will be addressed by a line-up of experienced professionals from a variety of sectors in the conservation community.

AGENDA: Making Relevance a Reality