Monday June 28, 2010 - WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH POLICY

Using old photos today:

7:00 am: Breakfast

8:00 – 10:15 am: The Role of Government and Policy in Wildlife and Ecosystem Health

Presenter: Dean Goeldner, Congressional Agriculture Committee Staffer

Based on many years working as a veterinarian in both the legislative and executive branches of the United States government, and in the Governmental Affairs Office of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Goeldner talked about how lawmaking works, and how and when veterinarians play a critical role.

10:30 – 12:00 pm: Scientific Citizenship - Translating Research into Action

Presenter: Patricia Conrad, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Conrad, a veterinary parasitologist, is committed as a scientist to make sure her research is relevant to human, animal and ecosystem health, providing much-needed information for decision-makers. She has taken this commitment one step further by seeking special training in communicating science. She shared her thoughts and experiences.

12:00 pm: Lunch

1:00 – 2:45 pm: Citizenship – Exercising Environmental Rights under the Law

Presenter: Thomas Dawson, Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Dawson shed light on some of the country’s most powerful environmental laws, discussed their limitations, and was frank about the motivations of the legal profession, corporate America, and conservationists in using courts of law to wage environmental battles. He inspired us all to exercise our rights as citizens to participate in the democratic process and use the law to achieve our goals. Dawson has taken an environmental case all the way to the Supreme Court!

3:00 – 4:30 pm: Civil Upheaval and War

Presenter: Mishkat Al-Moumin, Futrell Visiting Scholar, Environmental Law Institute

Al-Moumin, former Iraqi Minister of the Environment (who survived a suicide bombers attack on her life), described how poverty, violence, civil upheaval and war are causal of, and caused by, ecosystem degradation. Poverty, corruption, religious and tribal conflict, and limited access to resources can lead to cruel governance, spark civil unrest, and cause war. Such civil violence then exacerbates human pressures on the environment. Al-Moumin wrapped up with a case study on the “ecocide” of wetlands in southern Iraq. She was an incredible speaker with a very powerful story. I think that everyone learned a great deal from this lecture.

4:30 – 6:30: Group Project Part III work time

We split up the final portion of our group project.

7:00 pm: Dinner

Evening: How to effectively work with difficult people and resolve conflicts

Presenter: Kelly Williamson, White Oak Conservation Center and White Oak Plantation

The ability to communicate effectively affects every aspect of a person’s life. As well, interpersonal and intragroup conflict presents problems for many people, and the resulting stress often spills over into their lives outside of work. This session was geared towards students to help us recognize our effectiveness in communicating with others, and understand sources of, and common reactions to, conflict in the workplace.

Ohh and apparently Canadians call foosball Babyfoot...