S.J. Quinney College of Law Moot Courtroom (Level 6)
In recent years, outdoor recreation has become a primary use of the public lands, creating myriad conflicts, challenges, and opportunities. A substantial portion of the public domain is managed for recreation in the form of national parks, national monuments, wilderness areas, and the like, drawing millions of visitors annually. Outdoor recreation is now big business, constituting two percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), which is more than agriculture, mining, or oil and gas development individually contribute to the nation’s GDP. Conflicts have grown more intense between recreation users (e.g. hikers, mountain bikers, and ATVers), and new environmental problems have surfaced in the form of soil erosion, water pollution, and wildlife displacement, while the land management agencies lack the necessary resources to effectively address these problems. The symposium will first examine the economic, social, and legal framework for recreation on the public lands, and then extract lessons from specific recreation problems in the Wasatch Mountains and the Moab area. A symposium highlight will be “A Conversation with the Secretary” between Sally Jewell, former Secretary of the Interior, and Robert Keiter of the University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law. Ms. Jewell will discuss her unique perspective on conservation and recreation, based on her experience as Secretary of the Interior and as former CEO of REI. Click here for the symposium brochure »

10 hours of CLE.

Early Bird registration ends March 11, 2019. Register online »

Attend in person or tune in online through a webinar. Both in-person and online attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions to the expert panelists. Online attendance for the webinar will require paid registration.

Online attendees in Utah will need to apply for self-study CLE credits. For CLE in other states, or for continuing education credits from other professional associations, attendees should apply directly to the associations.

Pricing:
$150 General Public, if received before March 11
$175 General Public, if received on March 11 or after

$125 Seniors (62+), University, Government, Nonprofit, if received before March 11
$150 Seniors (62+), University, Government, Nonprofit, if received on March 11 or after

$25 Students, if received before March 11
$50 Students, if received on March 11 or after

Symposium Agenda

Thursday, March 21, 2019

7:30 a.m. –  Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – Welcome & Introductions
Robert Keiter, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law

8:45 – 9:30 a.m. – An Introduction to Recreation on Public Lands
Rebecca Watson, former Dept. of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Lands and
Minerals Management

9:30 -10:15 a.m. – Understanding Recreation Economics
Ray Rasker, Headwaters Economics

10:15 – 10:45 a.m. – Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Perspectives on Outdoor Recreation
Stephen Lockhart, NatureBridge
Chris Keyes, Outside magazine
Vicki Varela, Utah Office of Tourism

12:15- 1:00 p.m. – Lunch

1:00-1:45 p.m. – Garrett Eaton, Return from Desolation (film)

1:45 – 3:15 p.m. – Recreation Challenges in Moab, Utah
Clif Koontz, Ride with Respect
Ashley Korenblat, Western Spirit Cycling
Emily Niehaus, Moab Mayor
John Steiger, former Dept. of the Interior Regional Solicitor

3:15-3:45 p.m. – Break

3:45-5:00 p.m. – A Conversation with the Secretary
Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior, 2013-17 (Keynote)
Robert Keiter, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law

Friday, March 22, 2019

8:00 –Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:15 a.m. – Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation on Public Lands
Whit Fosburgh, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

9:15 – 10:45 a.m. – Recreation Dilemmas on the Wasatch Front
Ralph Becker, Central Wasatch Commission
Carl Fisher, Save Our Canyons
Nathan Rafferty, Ski Utah
Dave Whittekiend, USDA Forest Service Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

10:45 – 11:15 a.m. – Break

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. –  Confronting the Recreation-Conservation Divide: A Dialogue (Stegner Lecture)
Louis Geltman, Outdoor Alliance
Ethan Linck, University of Washington Dept. of Biology

The King’s English Bookshop will be onsite selling books.

Principal Funding:

Harold Burton Foundation
Cultural Vision Fund

The Wallace Stegner Center’s annual symposium brings together legal scholars, thinkers, and practitioners from around the world to tackle pressing environmental issues. Recent symposia have focused on wildlife conservation, alternative energy, global climate change, and sustainability.

For questions about this event contact Kris (801) 585-3440.

Free parking is available at the Rice-Eccles Stadium. We encourage you to use public transportation to our events. Take TRAX University line to the Stadium stop and walk a half block north. For other public transit options use UTA’s Trip Planner. The law school is on the Red Route for the University’s free campus shuttles (College of Law stop).