The Stegner Center’s 23rd Symposium, to be held March 15 to 16, 2018, will focus on “Public Lands in a Changing West.” With the nation approaching the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Public Land Law Review Commission report and with controversy continuing to embroil the federal public lands, this is an opportune time to examine the changes that have occurred during the past fifty years, the forces driving current controversies, and the opportunities to anticipate and resolve future conflicts.
After reviewing how public land law and policy is evolving in a changing West, the symposium will examine three signature issues—the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument designation, the multi-jurisdictional sage grouse initiative, and the Crown of the Continent initiative in northern Montana—to identify key lessons learned and viable strategies for resolving contentious issues. It will conclude with a panel discussion to identify future policy changes and reforms that could improve resource management across the public domain and also garner public support for these vitally important lands
The Wallace Stegner Lecture will be given by Professor John Leshy, University of California Hastings College of Law and former Department of the Interior Solicitor. The lecture is scheduled for March 14, 2018.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Jocelyn L. Aycrigg, Conservation Scientist, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences in the College of Natural Resources at the University of Idaho
- Bret C. Birdsong, Professor of Law, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Stephen Bloch, Legal Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
- Constance Brooks, C.E. Brooks & Associates, P.C.
- Nicole Croft, Executive Director, Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
- Robert B. Keiter, Director, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law Wallace Stegner Center; Wallace Stegner Professor of Law and University Distinguished Professor
- John D. Leshy, Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, University of California, Hastings College of the Law (Stegner Lecture)
- Matthew McKinney, Director, Center for Natural Resources & Environmental Policy, University of Montana
- Jeff Mow, Superintendent, Glacier National Park
- Ray Rasker, Ph.D., Executive Director, Headwaters Economics
- Lynn Scarlett, Co-chief External Affairs Officer, The Nature Conservancy
- Mary Sexton, Crown of the Continent Roundtable Leadership Team
- Todd C. Tucci, Senior Attorney, Advocates for the West
- Rebecca W. Watson, Shareholder, Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley, P.C.
- Melissa Weatherwax, Blackfeet Community College
- Charles Wilkinson, Distinguished Professor, Moses Lasky Professor of Law (Keynote)
For additional information or to register, please look online at the Stegner Center at www.law.utah.edu/stegner after the first of the year.