Wilderness Connect, housed on the University of Montana campus, acknowledges that we are on the traditional lands of the Salish and Kalispel peoples, who have stewarded this land throughout many generations and are its past, present, and future caretakers.
Webinars
Each year wilderness and conservation agencies and their partners offer webinars on contemporary topics in wilderness and public lands stewardship. If your group is offering a webinar relevant for this listing, please contact us with your webinar. Select webinar recordings are available.
Upcoming Webinars
Talking Trash: Approaches to intercept and remove ocean-bound plastic and debris
November 8, 2022 3:30–4:30 PM EST
Host
River Management Society
Webinar Description
This session will discuss programs offered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program to prevent, remove, and research ocean-bound trash in U.S. rivers. The presentation will provide an overview of the latest research related to rivers and reservoirs for plastic debris, as well as rivers as key sources for ocean marine debris. NOAA will showcase funded projects in rivers to tackle this persistent source of pollution and some of the challenges, solutions, and funding opportunities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will highlight a collaborative project with NOAA that removed man-made debris from the Pearl River (boundary of Louisiana and Mississippi) that restored hydrologic functions to the river and provided fish passage to the endangered Gulf Sturgeon and other anadromous species, among other benefits. We’ll welcome input from participants who can share experiences on trash in rivers and effective removal and interception techniques to address this global problem.
Presenters:
MaryLee Houghwout, NOAA, and Glenn Constant, USFWS
Volunteer 101
November 22, 2022 1:00 PM MST
Host
National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance
Webinar Description
This webinar will explore the procedures and processes for volunteering with the USDA Forest Service. From the forms needed to working with local units. This session will help anyone or any organization volunteer their time for a project on the National Forests.
Wilderness Trails: Special Places, Special Considerations
December 1, 2022 10:00–11:30 AM PST
Host
American Trails
Webinar Description
In total, approximately 18% of federal land administered by the four major federal land management agencies, and nearly 5% of all land in the United States, has been designated as wilderness. Trails are a primary way that visitors enjoy and experience these special places— where humans are visitors who do not remain. While the word “wilderness” may have very different meanings to each of us, federally-designated “Wilderness” has an official definition and the agencies have legal stewardship responsibilities which impact how trails are planned, constructed, managed, maintained, and used in these areas. Three presenters will provide some basic information on Wilderness, trails in Wilderness, examples of practical experiences, and resources to learn more.
Learning Objectives:
- Provide basic Wilderness information including the Wilderness Act, the designation process, the amount-extent-variety of Wilderness, and the priorities for Wilderness stewards (agencies, partners, and volunteers).
- Provide basic information and considerations for trails and trail use in Wilderness.
- Provide some recent, real-life examples of Wilderness trail maintenance, management, construction, and administration situations in Wilderness.
- Provide information on available resources for information about Wilderness and Wilderness trails.
Presented by:
- Pete Irvine, retired, USDA Forest Service
- Dan Abbe, Wilderness Specialist, Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center
- Ian Nelson, Regional Representative, Pacific Crest Trail Association
Jeffrey Ryan - Finding Their Roots: Exploring the Childhood Landscapes of Our Conservation Giants
December 1, 2022 1:00–2:00 PM EST
Host
Forest History Society
Webinar Description
Many of us have come to know those most responsible for America’s public lands through their well-documented accomplishments and writings. But what led people like Aldo Leopold, Benton MacKaye, Ernest Oberholtzer, and Howard Zahniser to become advocates for our parks, forests, and wilderness areas? While researching his latest book, author Jeffrey Ryan visited the birthplaces and other critical landscapes of these and other early conservationists to better understand how “nature” and family shaped their lives and careers. Ryan will share images from his travels as well as quotes from the subjects themselves about how their early connections with nature helped set them on the path to becoming fervent defenders of our parks, forests, and wilderness areas.
Maine-based author, historian, and speaker Jeffrey Ryan has a passion for exploring the outdoors on foot and along the dusty paths of history. His travels over thousands of miles on both America’s most famous and lesser-known trails and his interest in the history of America’s conservation movement have inspired more than half a dozen books. His latest, This Land Was Saved for You and Me, traces the 150-year history of the development and management of America’s public parks, national forests, and wilderness areas.
Presenter
Jeffrey Ryan
Poop, Trash, Crowding, and other Wilderness Woes: How a Visitor Use Management Framework Can Help
December 1, 2022 1:00–2:30 PM MST
Host
The Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center
Webinar Description
Do you want to address management challenges in a meaningful way that lasts? Do you feel like you lack the tools, support, and information you need to tackle visitor use challenges in wilderness?
This session will introduce Visitor Use Management and the Visitor Use Management Framework Tool. The tool is designed to help tackle Visitor Use Management challenges both big and small.
Featured Presenter
Katy Nelson
Wilderness & Trails Program Manager
White River National Forest