SHIFT 2016: Outdoor Rec & Our Public Lands

Introduction of the 2016 SHIFT Festival theme, Outdoor Rec & Our Public Lands; the three sub-themes for the event (The Public Lands Transfer Movement; Funding for Public Lands; Next-Generation Engagement and Cultural Relevancy); Summit objectives; and agenda review.

The media frames the conversation about outdoor recreation and conservation in the public mind, but the landscape in which the media works (as well as the journalists who work there) has changed dramatically over the past generation. How do we work within today’s digital media landscape to advance the outdoor recreation/conservation agenda?

Icebreaker | Sharing successes, inspiration, and innovation

Snow King Grand Room

Using a world café format, participants will rotate among small groups to discuss specific topics, building on previous conversations. Participants will be asked to respond to specific questions that encourage them to share successes stories and innovative approaches to encouraging partnership between outdoor recreation and conservation in their community.

With several bills proposed in western states that attempt to transfer public land management from federal agencies to state control, the proposed public land transfer is a significant and urgent threat facing the future of our public lands. Funding for public lands is directly related, since agencies have had their budgets cut, which limits their capacity to effectively manage public lands. Speaker TBD will discuss the players, politics and mechanisms behind the public land transfer movement, and the opportunities for unification it offers to conservation and outdoor recreation interests across the country.

Track 1: Public Lands | The Value of Public Lands

The economic impact of national parks and public lands.

Track 2: Next Gen | Fishbowl

Fishbowl: Participants from Emerging Leaders Program discuss the proceedings from ELP and the outdoor rec/conservation landscape from their perspective

Track 3: Funding | State of the State Offices of Outdoor Rec

Facilitating the proliferation of the offices, representatives from UT, CO, WA and MT share lessons and highlight challenges.

Track 1: Funding | The Significance of the Recreation Economy

Panelists discuss the following reports and analyses and discuss within the context of the outdoor recreation economy.

·       Outdoor Industry Association’s Outdoor Recreation Economy Report

·       Work currently underway by the Federal Recreation Council to coordinate and promote outdoor recreation—specifically, the economic analysis by the Bureau of Economic Analysis that will capture the contribution outdoor recreation has on jobs and the economy

·       Headwaters Economics’ report on the economics of outdoor recreation

·       BBC Research and Consulting’s analysis of outdoor recreation’s economic impacts

Track 2: Public Lands | The Public Lands Heist: Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste

Hunters, anglers, conservation orgs, and the outdoor rec community discuss the public lands heist and the opportunities for collaboration it presents. Possible panelists:

·       Steven Rinella, Meateater

·       Land Tawney, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers

·       Whit Fosburgh, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

·       Adam Cramer, Outdoor Alliance

·       Marcia Kunstel, The Wilderness Society

Track 3: Next Gen | Building a Better Pipeline

Panelists discuss how to move the next generation of stewards past volunteer/youth corps positions to longer-term career pathways. Possible panelists:

·       Deanne Buck, OIWC

·       Rob Terry, SCA

·       Meryl Harrel, 21csc

·      Chris Rutgers

5:00 pm

SHIFT Drinks Happy Hour

Location TBD

Each happy hour will feature a specific topic and discussion prompts (along with beverages and appetizers for purchase). Authorities on the subject representing perspectives along a spectrum will discuss the topic, with neutral facilitation.

11:00 am

Track 1: Public Lands | Counter Opps

Speakers share success stories of innovative, inclusive, collaborative, and effective responses to the public land transfer movement.

Track 2: Funding | Funding 2.0

Panelists discuss innovative new ideas for funding our public lands. Topics under discussion:

·       Examples from hunting and fishing

·       States

·       Pay to play (e.g., have a representative from Trout Unlimited or Ducks Unlimited talk about conservation stamps)

·       Taxes

·       Local sources, such as state referendums (e.g. Washington State’s No Child Left Inside; GoCo model in Colorado that uses lottery funds)

·       Voluntary donation (similar to Bass Pro Shops, which ask customers to contribute to a non-profit group)

Track 3: Next Gen | A Diversity of Experiences for a Diversity of People

There is no universal language around conservation and recreation. This discussion identifies value in what nontraditional resources (e.g., a focus on family as a gateway to outdoor rec) bring to the conversation—and insodoing, creating buy-in and inclusion from groups not typically part of the conversation.

Alignment for Action | SHIFTx

Snow King Grand Room

Inspired by the TED/TEDx model, a flexible platform will be developed to export the SHIFT coalition and its work to communities around the country, where it is more relevant and accessible. Supported by their sponsoring youth-engagement organizations as well as leaders in their communities, emerging leaders will serve as the catalyst for these satellite SHIFTs, known as “SHIFTx” and empowered to customize as necessary for meaningful, valuable impact.