"This conference is all about change," said Jim Greer, Director for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and host of the conference. "All fish and wildlife agencies are finding it's difficult to balance the needs of the traditional hunter and angler with new demands stemming from habitat loss, regulations, and increased public expectations. We need to be creative and use partnerships to solve complex problems."

Agency decision-makers will be joined by conservation groups and corporations to plan for long-term protection of fish, wildlife, and native habitats in 15 western states and three Canadian provinces.

The theme of the conference is "Fish and Wildlife Management in the New West – Tools for the Next Century." Sessions will focus on examples of how fish and wildlife agencies are failing and succeeding with their constituents, how agencies can alter the "culture" within the organization to be more effective, and how today's economic, environmental and political forces affect resource management. Other sessions will look at how agencies will look 15 years from now and how funding from the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, now being considered by the U.S. Congress, would alter programs.

The conference is held annually by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) and comes to Oregon once every 15 years. WAFWA was founded in 1922 to advance reforms in fish and wildlife management at state, national and international levels. The meetings promote the exchange of ideas and philosophies between administrators, commissioners, biologists, technicians, non-profit conservation organizations and corporations.

The formal conference begins Monday, July 10 and will last through Tuesday, July 11. It will be held at Three Sisters Convention Center at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, Oregon. A business meeting will be held July 12. On Sunday, July 9, committee meetings will occur in preparation for the business meeting.

Members of the public are welcome to attend all or part of the formal conference sessions. Registration begins Sunday at the convention center entrance and allows participation at all meals. The cost is $50 and includes two continental breakfasts and two lunches.

The schedule is:
Monday, July 10
8 - 9 am: Welcome - Jim Greer, Director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Olney Patt, Tribal Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Warms Springs Reservation.
9 - 10 am: "Crisis in Democracy," by Chris Gates, President of the National Civic League. Gates will analyze the current dialogue in government to improve the democratic process.
10:30 - 11:15 am: "Life in the New West: Human and Wild," by Dr. William Riebsame, Professor of Geography at the University of Colorado. Riebsame, who recently co-authored "Atlas of the New West," will discuss the realities of the new West and the issues confronting fish and wildlife agencies.
11:15 - 11:45 am: Discussion with speakers Gates and Riebsame.
11:45 am - 1:15 pm: Lunch with program by Ducks Unlimited about habitat conservation efforts in the Pacific Flyway.
1:15 - 1:45 pm:
"Regaining Public Trust," by Tony Faast, staff biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Viviane Simon-Brown, leadership educator for the Oregon State University Extension. They will expand on the premise that the land ethic espoused by Aldo Leopold forms the basis of respect that will ultimately lead to public trust in government.
1:45 - 2:15 pm: "The Oregon Plan — Where We've Come From and Where We're Going," by Jay Nicholas, Oregon Governor's Natural Resource Office and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He will discuss the Oregon Plan as a model for collaboration.
2:45 - 4:45 pm:
"Wildlife Agencies in 2015,"an interactive discussion.
Tuesday, July 11
8 - 8:30 am: "Native American Role in Fish and Wildlife Management in the Future," by Pat Durham of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society.
8:30 - 9:15 am:
"Agency Credibility and Reputation — Eight Steps to Success," by Judy Stokes, Chief of Public Affairs, New Hampshire Fish and Game, and Mary Jane Williamson, project manager for the National Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program.
9:45 - 11 am:
"Organizational Culture — Its Effect on Your Agency's Future," a discussion by Dana Dolsen, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Dr. Sally Angus-Guynn, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Jeffrey Ruch, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility; Rita Laitres, Colorado Division of Wildlife Resources.
11 - 11:45 am:
"You Wanna Do What? Informed Consent and Public Service in Fish and Wildlife Management," by Dan Witter, Missouri Department of Conservation.
11:45 - 1:15 pm: Lunch with program by PG&E on fish research and restoration in the Deschutes Basin.
1:15 - 4:45 pm: A series of presentations and discussions on the Conservation and Reinvestment Act.
4:45 - 5 pm: Wrap up.