Make plans to attend the virtual SEAFWA Annual Conference in two weeks – October 25-28, and in particular the special SECAS Symposium: Recent Progress – Future Directions on Tuesday, October 27 at 2 pm central.

The symposium will feature specific presentations on recent improvements to the products and tools of SECAS, including:

• recent updates to the Southeast Conservation Blueprint
• a viewer to explore underlying Blueprint indicator condition
• reporting feature to help summarize specifics of Blueprint priority areas
• implications of climate change on prescribed fire
• and much more

Additionally, the symposium will present emerging results and recommendations for the future direction of SECAS, including:

• how Southeastern decision makers view conservation challenges
• structure and function of the SECAS conservation partnership
• alignment with other regional conservation partnerships

Dedicated question and discussion periods will allow extensive exploration of topics and interaction with the presenters. See the symposium agenda below for presentation schedule, titles, and presenter affiliations. Plan to attend and participate! See you there.

The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS): Recent Progress - Future Directions

Tuesday, October 27, 2020; 2:00 – 5:00 pm central

2:00 – 2:20 Recent progress on the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS): Updated Blueprint, interactive viewer, and ecosystem trends report - Rua Mordecai, US Fish & Wildlife Service

2:20 – 2:40 Recent progress on the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS): Implications of future climate change for managing fire in the Southeast - John Kupfer, Univ. of South Carolina

2:40 – 3:00 Q & A and discussion

3:00 – 3:20 How decision makers view the shift of wildlife conservation challenges in the southeast United States - Kathryn Jewell, NC State University

3:20 – 4:00 Looking Backward and Looking Forward: Findings and recommendations from an evaluation of the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) partnership -Mallory Martin and Wylie Carr, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and Shawn Johnson, University of Montana

4:00 – 4:20 SECAS: A model of regional collaboration for better wildlife conservation outcomes - Greg Wathen, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

4:20 – 4:40 Q & A and discussion