April 2024 Edition | Volume 78, Issue 4
Published since 1946
Old Wine in New Bottles
Welcome to the April edition of the Outdoor News Bulletin. The most significant thing about the April ONB is that it signifies the North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference is in our immediate past. This year’s convening was the 89th annual event in WMI’s 113-year existence and presented another unique opportunity to build new relationships and strengthen already established ones. Conference week included record attendance, meaningful engagement, and abundant opportunities. The halls and meeting rooms were abuzz with positive energy and enthusiasm all week. We enjoyed great and valuable support from our partner sponsors and had a diverse slate of trade booths sharing insights, tools, and other valuable resources.
The plenary session, entitled Old Wine in New Bottles, explored the need for a broader conservation vision. The speakers explored the value of borrowing from our conservation predecessors’ successes, while recognizing the sociocultural uniqueness of today—and contemplated the critical elements of process in doing so. I suspect the notion of a broader conservation vision is a notion that will feature prominently as the conservation institution explores solutions and strategies to advance conservation in our current world. WMI is working to determine how best to make a recording of the plenary available and will share details in the ONB about when and where that occurs.
We all have busy schedules and a myriad of demands on our seemingly ever-decreasing availability. Bringing together the diverse interests, backgrounds, skill sets, and jurisdictional authorities that attend the North American is what makes the North American one of the best and most productive professional conservation meetings in the world. It is our goal to not only see it grow but to also become even more valuable to participants.
If you were not able to join us in Grand Rapids this year, I have good news for you. Next year’s conference in Louisville, Kentucky, is only 11 months away and will take place March 8 – 14. Whether as an attendee, sponsor, trade booth, or all of the above, I hope you will be able to join us.