On my mind is planning for the 8^thInternational Congress for Wildlife and Livelihoods on Private and Communal Lands: Livestock, Tourism, and Spirit to be held September 7-12, 2014, YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park Colorado. When people arrived on the land, wildlife were affected.  Now we have responsibility to coexist.

 

Influence us and participate as we plan and attend the Congress.   Help us to focus on actions, celebrations, and improvements for management of animals, land, and people on private and communal lands that represent 2/3rds of Colorado and the US. Join us in spirit and in participation to present the most thoughtful and effective outcomes of record.

Previous Congresses were held in Africa 3 times, Canada twice, France, and the first in New Mexico. Our Congress emphasizes practical knowledge, skills and attitudes with action outcomes to assist private and communal sectors internationally, in North America, and in Colorado before, during and after the event.  Sessions and workshops are planned with invited speakers of quality and substance, related papers from around the world, and field trips to Blue Valley Ranch and Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Over 40 topics are being considered including titles such as:

·         Collaborations across landscapes, borders, and jurisdictions

·         Integrating agriculture and livestock into nature conservation

·         Conservation legislation and policy to encourage wildlife management, nature conservation, endangered species protection, tourism, and other human and landscape needs

·         Energy uses, development ,and mitigations that promote wildlife and livelihoods

·         Organizing, administering, and using Land Trusts or other payments for environmental services

·         Urban and X-Urban communal land planning, development, and mitigations

·         Ethics of hunting and management under different systems

·         Role of NGOs to promote, and to evaluate conservation interests locally and internationally

·         The role of universities and professionals to educate and nurture future leaders and managers about working with private and communal sectors

·         Protecting against diseases and conflicts between humans and  wildlife

·         Forming and managing local, state/provincial, national, and international Wildlife Associations

·         Helping persons to want wildlife and nature as part of their spirit and livelihoods

Actions are our desired outcomes not mere studies of problems.   Words to consider as we plan include: critical thinking, solutions, guidelines, Best Management Practices, innovations, results, applications, models, tools, impacts, future progress, management recommendations, provocative debates, mitigations, examples, outcomes, successes, case studies, actions, etc.