The Stegner Center’s 31st annual symposium “America’s Public Lands: At a Crossroads?” brought together 31 speakers and more than 500 in-person and online attendees. Keynote presentations included Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia and a ULaw alum, and Sally Jewell, former Secretary of the Interior. ULaw professor and founding director of the Stegner Center Bob Keiter delivered the symposium’s Stegner Lecture.
The symposium focused on the future of our public lands. From stark shifts in federal public lands law and policy to ongoing demographic and economic changes in the American West. The symposium highlighted on-going conflicts over recreation to wildfire and other growing threats, the way we use and protect public lands continues to rapidly evolve as the region does too.
The 31st annual Stegner Symposium brought together leading scholars, advocates, and constituents. Together, speakers highlighted the multiple—and competing—demands on public lands. In the end, despite extensive conflicts facing public lands, the symposium brought about a focus on how to preserve the places that are among our greatest heritage as Americans.
The symposium presentations have been posted on the College of Law YouTube channel and can be viewed free of charge online.