Outdoor recreation is a gateway to the natural world — and, often, to environmental stewardship. (The more time you spend outside, the more you might want to protect it.) But the study of “recreation ecology” shows those pursuits can also have lasting impacts on wildlife, vegetation and soils. How can land managers mitigate the effects and still maintain backcountry access to the wild places people love?
About the Speakers
Katy Nelson is the wilderness and trails program manager for the U.S. Forest Service Aspen-Sopris Ranger District, which includes thousands of acres of designated wilderness and hundreds of miles of trails.
Noah Creany, PhD, is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) postdoctoral fellow with the U.S. Forest Service. Creany has studied both recreation management and ecology and has also done service work in the field of conservation.
Brittany Parker is a chapter leader of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, whitewater paddler and member of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Sportsperson's Roundtable. She is also the conservation project manager for Eagle County Open Space and Natural Resources.
Alex Hager is a reporter for the public radio station KUNC, covering critical issues about the Colorado River and water in the West. Hager is also an alum of Aspen Public Radio.
