Issues Workshops (Friday, May 1, 1:30-2:45 pm)

Connecting Families with Nature:  State & National Opportunities for Affiliate Action
Presentation:  Connecting Families with Nature:  State & National Opportunities for Affiliate Action  Presenters:  Heather White, NWF Director, Education Advocacy and Allen Cooper, NWF Education Campaign Manager

This workshop included updates on Federal No Child Left Inside legislation, the Obama Administration's initiatives on connecting families to public lands, model state legislation, and the natural play areas project.  Also highlighted were affiliate-led state campaigns to work with governors' offices to develop comprehensive state plans to connect families with nature.

Energy Development Impacts on Wildlife

As gasoline prices rise and fall and international tensions continue surrounding foreign oil, there is increased talk and pressure to become energy independent by expanding oil and gas development and investing in new dirty fuels like oil shale.  Simultaneously, we remain heavily dependent on coal burning, the impact of which is far reaching.  How will all these demands affect our landscapes and the wildlife that depend on them?  How do we begin to build broader public consciousness about the impacts to increase support for cleaner alternatives?

Integrating Climate Science into Habitat Management
Presentation:  Safeguarding Wildlife in a Warming World:  What Do We Need To Do Differently?  Presenter:  Bruce Stein, Ph.D., NWF Associate Director, Wildlife Conservation and Global Warming. 

Successfully meeting wildlife conservation objectives increasingly will require consideration of climate change impacts on habitats and their fish and wildlife.  Like politics, all climate change impacts are local.  This workshop explored methods for building climate change into habitat management, and how such methods can be incorporated into wildlife conservation efforts through state wildlife action plans and other initiatives.

Presentation:  Natural Resources Council of Maine Networks by Lisa Polmann, Natural Resources Council of Maine

Affiliate leaders have created state-wide coalitions and grassroots networks to advocate for conservation.  This workshop focused on how these networks were developed and used in recent conservation battles, and what grassroots tools were used to unite their partners and constituents.

Building Relationships with College Campuses and Engaging Youth Leaders
Document:  State Leaders Working to Cultivate Youth Leaders
Presentation:  Building Relationships with College Youth 
by Julian Keniry, NWF Sr. Director, Campus & Community Leadership and Lisa Madry, NWF Director, Campus Outreach

College campuses can be a great resources for organizations providing youthful talent and energy, faculty with technical expertise and a strong institutional base in the community.  NWF's Campus Ecology program has many tools and resources for working with campuses to confront the climate challenge and serving as a model for the clean energy economy. 


Enhance Your Political Influence
Presentation:  Enhance Your Political Influence  Presenters:  Sue Brown, Executive Director, NWF Action Fund and Derek Brockbank, NWF Manager, Conservation Funding

This training offered affiliate leaders new ideas and strategies to increase the power and clout of conservation activists in your state.  Attendees learned how to hold elected officials accountable, run successful ballot initiatives, build conservation champions, and get conservationists to run for office.  This workshop presented thought provoking ideas and examples from across the country.  This training was presented by the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund.