PAST WEBINAR:
REFRAMING CONSERVATION AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER AND STIMULUS TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

Date: August 13th, 2020 - 12-1 pm (MDT)
Hosted by: University of Wyoming's Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources

Conservation has often been framed as in conflict with economic activities. Throughout the West, communities economically dependent on timber, oil and gas, mining, and agriculture often oppose federal conservation designations and other conservation actions. Yet, conserved lands are increasingly recognized as natural assets that produce significant economic benefits through the suite of ecosystem services they generate. Conservation can also help revitalize rural economies through investments in natural solutions to climate change (e.g., carbon forestry), labor for ecological restoration, and public lands designations and associated infrastructure that are a draw for visitors and new residents. This webinar will reframe conservation through an economic lens and discuss the role of conservation in stimulating investment and diversifying local economies. Appreciating the economic contributions of conservation can help expand conservation constituencies, guide policy reforms, and inform investments to address economic declines in rural communities in the West.

Webinar Panelists: 

  • Ray Rasker, Executive Director of Headwaters Economics 

  • Brent Davies, Vice President, Forests and Ecosystem Services, Ecotrust

  • Erik Glenn, Executive Director of the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust and President of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts

Moderator:

  • Drew Bennett, MacMillan Professor of Practice, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and Ruckelshaus Institute, University of Wyoming

Ray Rasker: Ray enjoys working with people in rural communities who are passionate about their place. He grew up in Mexico City in a Dutch household and came to the U.S. as a student. After obtaining B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Washington and Master’s in Agriculture from Colorado State University, he went on to study economics, earning a Ph.D. from the College of Forestry, Oregon State University. Ray has worked as a wildlife biologist and in the dairy industry. Ray’s multicultural background and diverse education and experiences allow him to appreciate many different viewpoints. He has written widely on rural development and the role of environmental quality in economic prosperity, and is well known in policy circles in the U.S. and Canada.

Brent Davies: Brent oversees the management of the Forests, Watershed Restoration, and Ecosystem Services initiatives for Ecotrust. Brent has spent the last two decades working with tribes, local and regional nonprofits, private landowners, businesses, and government agencies to develop and implement innovative conservation and economic development strategies. Some of her recent work focuses on implementing the goals of the Whole Watershed Restoration Initiative, evaluating the production of ecosystem services in the greater Portland area, and developing a conservation prioritization tool for the Pacific Northwest. She is also co-leading the development of a user-friendly, web-based forest management tool that will help landowners and natural resource managers visualize how changes in management practices affect the production of timber and other ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, and how these changes can affect revenue. Brent received a Master of Science degree from the University of Washington’s College of Forest Resources and plays an active role in the management of her family forestland.

Erik Glenn: Erik is the Executive Director of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT). As Executive Director, Erik oversees the operations of the land trust and works closely with the Board of Directors and staff to ensure that there is consistent alignment with the mission and strategic plan. Erik has facilitated more than sixty conservation easement transactions since 2008 and secured more than $10M in grants for the purchase of conservation easements throughout the state. Erik holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University, a Master of Resource Law Studies from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and an Executive MBA from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. Erik also serves on the Board of Directors of Keep it Colorado, is the President of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts and is a Trustee of the Western Stock Show Association.

Drew Bennett: Drew Bennett is the Whitney MacMillan Professor of Practice of Private Lands Stewardship in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. Drew's work focuses on strategies to balance agricultural production and the conservation of wildlife and other natural resources on private lands in the American West. He holds a PhD in Geography from Oregon State University and an MBA from the University of Denver.