The best way to cultivate respect for and conservation of nature is for humans to be exposed to it, spending time in the outdoors.  As wildlife professionals we highly value the ethos of conservation and educating people about the importance of the natural world.  The ever-increasing population in Montana, especially since Covid-19, has resulted in more people on the landscape, including more hunters, shed hunters, anglers, recreationists, national park visitors, and motorized vehicles.  With all of this comes travel management issues, noxious weeds, human waste along trails and at campsites, littering, and conflicts among recreationists as well as between humans and wildlife.  Areas that received little human use are now being shared worldwide on social media and other platforms, making these places easier to find access to.  Hunting shows and videos draw attention to certain areas and create interest in hunting the showcased species.

While we want people to respect nature and have a connection to it, the more people there are on the ground, the higher the potential for wildlife to be displaced and habitat degraded.  It is a double-edged sword that we’re all a part of and a topic that provokes strong and opposing perspectives.  Some believe that more people should be in the outdoors, brought to primitive, largely unknown places, as a way to engage people in activities, politics, and education that will lead to more conservation.  On the other hand, some believe that bringing groups to areas and sharing locations and site information spreads like wildfire, quickly inundating areas with the issues listed above and more, to the detriment of wildlife and habitat.

How do we as wildlife professionals manage this intersection of nature and human responsibility?  It is my intent with this conference theme to bring together plenary speakers with different perspectives, policies, and objectives.  It is a passionate topic, and the conversation is not meant to be controversial, but openly and respectfully discussed.