The human population of North America has exceeded 460 million and could easily reach three quarters of a billion by 2060. ?Given the ever-increasing demands that society places on natural resources and land use for food production, water, energy, transportation infrastructure and housing, the expanding populace will present unparalleled challenges to present and future conservation. These challenges will be the topic of a special session, "Adapting Conservation to Demographic and Social Changes in the 21st Century," at the 77^th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference next month in Atlanta, Georgia.

The inevitable rise in North America's human population will likely bring profound social and cultural changes. As human demographics across the continent become increasingly urbanized and disconnected from the natural world, the future populace can be expected to have even less understanding of, and support for, the ecological processes essential to maintaining healthy environments for people and wildlife.

Habitat conversion and fragmentation, human-wildlife conflicts and the impacts of anthropogenic climate change are just a few of the many issues that must be addressed in order to sustain North America's wildlife legacy and the benefit it provides to our society and economy. The conservation community is at a critical point in time. We must collectively develop an understanding of how the human population in North America will change over the coming decades and identify ways to remain both relevant and effective.

This special session will provide an in-depth analysis of how the human population is projected to change and will explore options that federal and state agencies, wildlife professionals, and non-government partners must consider to keep pace with the needs of future generations and the natural resources they will impact. The session, scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon will be co-chaired by Chris Smith of the Wildlife Management Institute and Dr. Tara Teel of the Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Department at Colorado State University.

Session speakers will present information on projected human demographic and social changes in Canada, Mexico and the United States. In addition, they will offer insights into the effect these changes will have on conservation in the coming decades.

Following opening presentations, a distinguished panel of speakers will offer their thoughts on how the current elements of the conservation institution must adapt. This expert panel will include leadership perspectives from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, The Wildlife Society, Ducks Unlimited, and Pure Fishing. Panel members will also provide examples to illustrate why collaboration across the conservation community is essential to the success of future natural resource management.

Learn more about the?77^th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.