Deadline: 3-Feb-23
The Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology (CMI) is inviting applications for Responsible Recreation: Pathways, Practices and Possibilities.
Recreation and adventure tourism opportunities and activities are expanding globally, with the Columbia Mountains region being no exception. From hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, dirt biking, cross-country skiing, to motorized and non-motorized watercraft use, all activities can have an impact on wildlife and ecosystems.
However, empirical measures of impacts are often difficult to obtain, with unknown thresholds that ultimately affect the viability of wildlife populations and ecosystems. This limits policy development and impact management. Furthermore, the cumulative effect of multiple overlapping recreational and industrial activities on the landscape are seldom considered or addressed.
This two-day conference is timely as an increasing number of people are pursuing outdoor activities, and there is growing recognition of the limited information, tools, and resources for managing and monitoring the impacts of these pressures on wildlife and habitat. It will be an excellent opportunity for scientists, managers, business operators, students, and the interested public to network and learn about current thinking on increasing outdoor recreation activities and the effect on wildlife and ecosystems.
They welcome presentations, posters, workshops, and field trips that address the following themes:
- Current research and gaps in recreation ecology, an internationally evolving research field addressing the high demand for nature-based tourism and recreation, and its environmental impacts
- Best practices for limiting impacts to wildlife and ecosystems
- Assessments and perspectives on existing and potential management policies
- Challenges and opportunities in recreation and adventure tourism management
- Indigenous perspectives and experiences on caring for the land
- Success stories highlighting responsible recreation and adventure tourism
- Recreation ecology considerations in the context of climate change
- Other emerging research or discussions on the topic of recreation and ecosystems.
Who should attend this conference?
- CMI conferences attract people from a variety of disciplines and professions. This conference will inform scientists, ecologists, business and environmental managers, government decision-makers, and community members (i.e., ATV clubs, climbing associations, mountain biking groups, snowmobile associations, rod and gun clubs, etc.).
- Additionally, this conference will be of use to post-secondary students studying and monitoring ecological effects, higher level management, or best operational practices. The conference is an opportunity to learn and discuss best practices within the recreation and adventure tourism sectors.
For more information, visit CMI.