How does the State of Vermont protect important fish and wildlife habitats? What challenges does the state face in managing its wildlife and fish populations? Find out from Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter and other top leaders in the state during this fall semester’s special speaker series in the UVM Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.
Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife leaders, in partnership with the Rubenstein School, initiated a four-part series to share stories and insights about controversial fish and wildlife management issues facing the state. Each two-hour session, starting Thursday, September 15 at 6pm, sheds light on hot topics in Vermont through collaborative presentations, storytelling, dialogue, and more. Sessions provide students with exposure to the true climate of professional work on wildlife and fisheries issues in Vermont.
Key topics presented by wildlife and fisheries experts examine what a “mission of conservation” means to the future of Vermont and Vermonters; emerging issues in regulatory work such as field stories about Act 250, Section 248, and trans-agency collaboration; controversial wildlife management issues; and controversial issues in fish management. Commissioner Louis Porter will help to facilitate each of the four talks alongside a panel of other state experts in wildlife and fisheries.
“This speaker series has been organized through the hard work of our undergraduate and graduate students and the Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the School,” states Associate Professor Jed Murdoch who directs the undergraduate Wildlife and Fisheries Program. “It is a great opportunity to showcase the collaboration between the School and the State.”
These sessions are part of continued collaboration between the Rubenstein School and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), including its Department of Fish and Wildlife. For many years, the past three as part of the Rubenstein School Perennial Summer Internship Program, ANR has provided valuable internships in state departments for Rubenstein School students. Agency staff have served as community partners and mentors in service-learning courses such as NR 1 Natural History and Field Ecology and NR 206 Environmental Problem Solving and Impact Assessment, among others.
Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Fall Speaker Series Schedule
Each event runs from 6 to 8pm in the UVM Aiken Center Room 110.
Thursday, September 15: A Mission of Conservation: What does this work mean to the future of Vermont and Vermonters? With Commissioner Louis Porter, Eric Sorenson, Jens Hilke, and Kim Royar
Thursday, September 29: Emerging Issues in Regulatory Work: Can Act 250, Section 248, Trans-agency collaboration, etc. protect important fish and wildlife habitats in Vermont? With Commissioner Louis Porter, Kim Royar, John Austin, and Rich Kirn
Thursday, October 13: Controversial Wildlife Management Issues: Hunting and trapping – the challenges of managing wildlife populations.With Commissioner Louis Porter, ark Scott, Chris Bernier, and Kim Royar
Thursday, October 18: Controversial Fish Management Issues: Stocking, shooting, lamprey, and more.With Eric Palmer; series conclusion with Commissioner Louis Porter and Kim Royar