Registration Opens for 8th Biennial Grassroots Advocacy Conference
Boise, Idaho, is the hub for “Wild Weekend,” to be held October 24–27, 2019. The event, which draws hundreds of participants from across the country, includes the 8th Biennial Grassroots Advocacy Conference, the World Premiere of the 15th Annual Backcountry Film Festival, and SnowBall, a gala benefit for the national SnowSchool program.
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Boise, ID (August 7, 2019) — Winter Wildlands Alliance, host of the biennial Grassroots Advocacy Conference, has officially opened registration for the event. Held in Boise, Idaho, on October 24 to the 27, the theme of the conference is Growing Equity in Public Lands, featuring James Edward Mills, author of The Adventure Gap, as the keynote speaker.
Never in the long history of our public lands system has there been such a broad array of serious, systemic threats—political, philosophical, economic and environmental. These are lands we all own together. Lands we all care about and depend on. How can we work together, starting at the grassroots level, to confront these threats, improve our approaches to public land management, improve access for all people, and at the same time ensure the long-term sustainability of natural landscapes and ecosystems?
Join policy makers, athletes, grassroots activists, scientists, educators, mountain guides, local elected officials and other recreation and conservation stakeholders and activists from across the country for two full days of engaging workshops and discussions on issues important to public lands, winter and sustainable recreation. Get the latest developments in policy and planning issues, share grassroots successes and strategies, meet with public land managers, gain new advocacy tools and spend quality time with colleagues, partners, new friends and allies. Help us find a way forward.
Sessions to include: Planning the Future of Public Lands; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) on Public Lands; The Pros and Cons of the Outdoor Economy; Messaging the Sacred; Collaboration Case Studies; Climate Action; E-Recreation; Recreation and Wildlife; Experiential Education; and Finding Sustainable Funding for Public Lands.
The Grassroots Advocacy Conference is a bigger and expanded event that incorporates a “Wild Weekend” experience for attendees and locals. With the launch of the 15 Annual Backcountry Film Festival on Friday, October 25 and the annual SnowBall on the evening of October 26, the conference is a nexus for learning, entertainment, engagement, and networking opportunities around winter human-powered adventure and grassroots action in defense of public lands.
For more information and to register visit: winterwildlands.org/wildweekend
About Winter Wildlands Alliance
At the crossroads of conservation and recreation, Winter Wildlands Alliance is the national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered winter sports experience. We are proud to support more than 100 grassroots environmental organizations and backcountry partners, advocating for policies that preserve and protect wild winter refuge on public lands. Our SnowSchool program engages over 35,000 kids in science-based field trips and education across 70 sites nationwide. Our Backcountry Film Festival, premiering every November in Boise, Idaho, tours over 100 locations worldwide and raises over $180,000 for local mountain communities. To learn more or to join, visit: https://winterwildlands.org/
