Nearly 98 percent of the world's climate scientists believe global warming is real and is now affecting the natural world. Yet, while the effects of climate change may already be impacting the outdoor pursuits of sportsmen and women, these individuals have not been well informed on the potential cascading effects of climate change to ecological processes and their implications for sustainable hunting and fishing. While evidence strongly suggests that things are not as they used to be, there still exists a lack of consensus on how serious climate change may be to natural resources and what can be done about it. A special session at the 78th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference will explore how to effectively communicate the implications of climate change to traditional wildlife enthusiasts.

There is little debate among fish and wildlife managers that an informed sportsmen constituency is a key component to promoting management and legislative strategies that help fish and wildlife adapt to climate change while sustaining public hunting and fishing. Most fish and wildlife professionals seek ways to be more effective in discussing climate change with hunters and anglers and are in need of effective outreach techniques and messaging that both resonates with sportsmen and reduces potential conflict.

"Talking to Sportsmen and Women About Hunting and Fishing in a Changing Climate" is the topic of Special Session 4 at the 78th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Concurrent with three other special sessions, it will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

In this special session, Larry Schweiger (National Wildlife Federation) will emphasize the critical role sportsmen and women play in addressing climate change given that they witness the changes in our climate on a daily basis. Climate change is not simply a concept for them, but a harsh reality that is becoming more pronounced every year.

Mark Damian Duda (Responsive Management) will present the findings of multiple studies that assess sportsmen's opinions on and attitudes toward climate change, chart trends in sportsmen's attitudes and behaviors regarding climate change, and explore messages and themes that resonate among sportsmen.

Laura Richards will present a case study from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) outlining the agency's leadership of a conservation partners planning team to revise Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan to address potential impacts of climate change and other emerging and expanding stressors on Nevada's fish, wildlife and habitats.

Todd Tanner (Journalist and Conservation Hawks) will present insights into techniques and messaging fish and wildlife professionals in their efforts to educate people about climate change and its impacts on fish, wildlife and habitat

The content of this special session will provide attendees with information and examples of how to present climate change information to the sporting public while minimizing the threat of audience backlash. It is the intent of this session to help fish and wildlife professionals build the supportive constituency needed to back effective actions to help ameliorate the most adverse effects of climate change on fish and wildlife as well as hunting and fishing.

Learn more about the 78th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.