The current COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically reshaping everything about how we live, work, recreate, and spend time with our families. At the Wyoming Outdoor Council, much of our work involves traveling to communities around the state and ensuring that you have the tools and information necessary to be an informed, engaged citizen and conservation advocate. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been challenging ourselves to think about how we can continue to do this work and we’re excited to offer the below new events and resources. We encourage you to stay tuned as we’ll be reaching out to you in new ways, too!
We’re also taking this opportunity to announce a new way that we’ll be talking about our community engagement work. From now on, you can find information about conservation leadership training, volunteer and internship opportunities, public events, citizen workshops, and more, under a brand new page we’re calling FIELD — Fostering Impact through Environmental Leadership Development.
Virtual community engagement events
This week, we’re holding our first-ever, all-online Beers & Bills! This Friday, join us at 3:30 p.m. for a “happy hour” Beers & Bills (it’s BYOB this time!) where we’ll recap the 2020 Wyoming Legislative Session, follow up on bills that we worked on throughout session, and answer your questions about what happened as well as what’s next.
We’ll continue hosting “drop-in” events and brown bag lunches, too — they’ll just be online! Keep your eyes on your inbox for special invites to roundtable, conversational events where we discuss some of the most pressing conservation issues in your community.
NEW! Live from the FIELD: Lessons for K-12 Wyoming students
Are you a parent looking for engaging educational content for your kid? Are you a student curious about conservation issues and science in the state? Join us for online lessons about topics ranging from mule deer to climate change to wildlife disease! We’re kicking things off next week with two lessons about mule deer with two Wyoming migration scientists, one for elementary schoolers and one for high schoolers. Visit our FIELD page for more information and to RSVP.
Conservation leadership training goes online!
In 2018, the Outdoor Council conducted our first 8-week conservation leadership training in Lander. In 2020, we will be offering this course again … now online, and open to a statewide audience! If you’re interested in learning the nuts and bolts of policymaking, developing a toolbox of organizing and advocacy skills, and getting field-tested advice from Wyoming organizers and leaders, watch your inbox for information on how to apply in the coming weeks. If you have questions in the meantime, drop me a line.
Remote public comment opportunities
While much of our normal lives has slowed or stopped, some important state and federal processes affecting our natural resources continue to move forward — meaning that it’s just as important as ever that you raise your voice for Wyoming conservation values. We’ll work to provide resources online and by mail to help you weigh-in to ensure that wildlife, public lands, and clean air and water in Wyoming receive the robust protections that Wyomingites favor. Make sure we have your contact information correct and up-to-date here!
Have an idea? A lesson for K-12 you’d like our help with or that your kids are interested in? A topic or issue you’d like us to address with some remote programming? Email me and let me know — we want to know how we can best help you!
While we’re all wrestling with the big changes that COVID-19 has brought to our lives, the Outdoor Council is committed to doing all that we can to bring resources to Wyoming communities. We’ll continue working daily to protect Wyoming conservation values. Thank you for standing alongside us through this uniquely challenging time — your support and membership makes our continued advocacy possible.