The 2018 Center for Great Plains Studies symposium will examine tourism and conservation on the Great Plains in Kearney at the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska Nebraska on April 18-20, 2018.
For those who have experienced it, the Great Plains’ rolling grasslands, charismatic wildlife, and boundless scenery fill the heart with wonder. The Plains are filled with fascinating biodiversity and wonderful opportunities for exploration while also harboring critically endangered habitats. The people who live and work on the Plains have created diverse cultures and communities. We argue that conservation that works with, instead of against, business, landowners, and communities is a way forward in preserving our rural communities and dwindling wild places. For many locations around the globe, nature-based tourism has provided a way to enrich human communities while protecting cultural heritage and natural areas. It’s already happening in the Great Plains here and there, as events like the Sandhill crane migration gain popularity and efforts like the American Prairie Reserve gain footing. The Center’s ongoing ecotourism project seeks to explore, promote, and strengthen these operations.
This conference will explore how tourism on private lands can be a force for conservation in the Great Plains as well as empower landowners and build thriving rural communities. It will feature sessions for business leaders, ranchers, conservationists, community partners, and governmental organizations as well as wider-ranging discussions about how to preserve and sustain the stunning bounty of Great Plains ecology. We invite proposals for paper presentations, roundtable discussions, workshops, chain-reaction panels, lightning-round sessions, or other formats. Topics include but are not limited to: Social implications of nature tourism (health, values, stewardship); Economic impacts; History of nature tourism; Scientific value of nature tourism; Case studies / reports; Conservation on public and/or private lands.
Proposals must be received electronically using the form at go.unl.edu/2018-ecotourism by Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.