Are you attending the 77th Annual Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) Conference in Corpus Christi, TX this October? If so, you won’t want to miss the annual SECAS symposium:

Southeast Conservation Lands of the Future – Collective Action Towards a Sustainable Landscape

• Wednesday Oct. 18th
• 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

The SECAS partnership is working toward a vision of connected lands and waters that support thriving fish and wildlife populations and improved quality of life for people. To create a future that will sustain natural and cultural resources, people, and communities, solutions will need to benefit both nature and the economy. This half-day symposium will be held on the last day of the conference, Wednesday October 18th, from 8:00 am - 12 noon. It serves as an important convening step of a multi-tiered approach envisioned to engage diverse sectors of the economy in implementing this landscape vision.

Speakers will address questions such as:

• How do we engage a wide range of conservation professionals and technical experts to develop and buy into a model of collective action?
• How do we ensure a vitality of life for people, including underrepresented communities, while meeting the need of fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats?
• How can we better incorporate working lands in meeting both ecological and economic outcomes?
• Can we use the Southeast Conservation Blueprint for siting green energy projects that maintain a connected landscape of lands and waters?

The symposium will be moderated by previous fellows from Minorities in Natural Resource Conservation (MINRC).

Following the presentations, a panel discussion comprised of select presenters, SECAS Steering Committee Members, and MINRC fellows will discuss future directions for the SECAS partnership, focusing on long-term sustainability of the southeastern landscape. This panel discussion will set the stage for continued dialogue within the partnership to guide future strategic direction, identify opportunities for voluntary, landscape-scale collaboration, and address barriers for working across organizational boundaries.

SECAS staff hope to see you in Corpus Christi!