Embracing Integrated Conservation:
Inspiring Action and Innovation.
Hilton Garden Inn
Columbia MO – October 29 & 30
Registration for the 8th annual Missouri Conservation Partners Roundtable is now open!
We are excited to be together in-person this year, October 29-30 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Columbia. Our theme is “Embracing Integrated Conservation: Inspiring Action and Innovation.”
Integrated conservation intentionally incorporates natural resources and people’s values, recognizing this integration is vital to long-term conservation success. This year’s theme will delve into how we inspire the multitude of conservation voices to come together for innovative actions supporting conservation in Missouri.
The overarching purpose of the Missouri Conservation Partners Roundtable is to establish and strengthen new and existing partnerships through information sharing and listening. We have a great slate of plenary speakers and breakout sessions.
Please register by October 10.
Free to attend.
As we continue to grow and evolve in our conservation journey, this year’s theme will be focused on sharing that conservation story, including how we can expand our conservation community, proactively tackle conservation challenges, and collaborate with new and existing partners to positively impact conservation in Missouri.
Title
Tuesday - October 29th
Welcome and Opening Remarks: Jason Sumners, Director, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Keynote Address: Tony Wasley, President, Wildlife Management Institute
Plenary Speaker Panel (moderated by Jason Sumners)
- Dr. Maya Moody, Pediatrician
- Tovar Cerulli, Author of The Mindful Carnivore
- Karl Malcom, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources, US Forest Service
10:30 am – 1:00 pm Registration Open
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Welcome/Keynote
2:15 pm – 2:30 pm Break
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm Plenary Speaker Panel
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm MDC Roundtable Reception
Title
Wednesday - October 30th
7:30 am – 9:00 am Registration Open
7:30 am – 8:30 am Breakfast Buffet
8:30 am – 9:45 am Breakout Sessions
9:45 am – 10:15 am Break/Time to Visit
10:15 am – 11:30 am Breakout Sessions
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Lunch
12:45 pm – 2:00 pm Breakout Sessions
2:00 pm – 2:15 pm Break/Time to Visit
2:15 pm – 3:00 pm Closing Session
Title
Breakout Sessions - 2024 Partners Roundtable
8:30 am – 9:45 am
A River Runs Through It: An Introduction the Missouri Stream Connectivity Partnership
Infrastructure on or over water is an important necessity to physically connect people. Poorly built and maintained infrastructure poses serious safety risks to vehicle traffic and the surrounding communities. Additionally, when this infrastructure fails, it severs connections for emergency vehicles, school buses, and impacts general traffic flow. Infrastructure construction and maintenance can also have a serious impact on the health and function of the streams and rivers it crosses. Aquatic habitats can become fragmented, and fish and wildlife can be isolated or eliminated from their native ranges. In this workshop we will explore how the Missouri Stream Connectivity Partnership is working to address and improve this infrastructure for both the safety and reliability for human use and to reduce the environmental impact and increase the habitat connectivity for our aquatic ecosystems.
Creating Conservation Havens: Recreational Sites with a Purpose
Discover the future of recreational land management in this innovative session that explores how diverse ecosystems can thrive alongside human activity. Our focus will be on three unique examples: a golf course that utilizes native pollinators to enhance the landscape and biodiversity, an old mine preserved as a vital hibernaculum for endangered bats, and a trout fishing park that integrates native species to sustain the environment. These case studies demonstrate how creative approaches to land use can benefit both wildlife and recreational enthusiasts.
Join us as we delve into the practical strategies and collaborative efforts behind these success stories. Learn how integrating sustainable practices not only preserves vital habitats but also enhances the recreational experience. This session will provide valuable insights for land managers, city planners, and conservationists seeking to balance ecological health with community enjoyment.
Bridging Differences: The Power and Potential of Collaborative Conservation
A century ago, Aldo Leopold envisioned conservation as “one integral whole.” He understood that long-term conservation success would depend on “harmonious cooperation” among conservationists of all kinds. This session will focus on the differences and divisions we experience in conservation today and, more importantly, on how we can bridge those differences and what becomes possible when we find and forge common purpose and mutual trust. The session will blend presentation, storytelling, and interactive exploration to inspire us for the shared work and journey ahead.
Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership (MFHEP): A Story of Human Dimension Success with National Recognition
Researchers from USDA-APHIS-WS-National Wildlife Research Center interviewed 37 individuals from 15 agencies and organizations in Missouri in 2023 to understand the key factors that facilitated progress in the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership’s efforts to eliminate feral hogs in the state. This presentation gives an overview of the factors identified, including intangibles such as adaptation, accountability, and specialization. The presentation also highlights how integration of an Incident Command System (ICS) into the Partnership yielded synergies.
Choose your own Adventure: Statewide Planning and Funding for Outdoor Recreation
Join us for an engaging session dedicated to shaping the future of outdoor recreation in Missouri. Participants will gain insights into ongoing statewide recreation planning efforts and be able to contribute their perspectives and ideas. This workshop will also provide valuable information on current recreation funding sources available through Missouri State Parks (Missouri Department of Natural Resources) and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Whether you're a community leader, outdoor enthusiast, or organization looking to enhance recreational opportunities, this workshop is your chance to play a vital role in connecting people with nature and ensuring a vibrant future for outdoor activities in our state.
Empowering Young Conservation Advocates: Best Practices Exchange
Participants of this workshop can expect to share best practices with others and find solutions toward reaching and engaging with young adults through our collective conservation efforts. All attendees will leave this session feeling more equipped to engage this demographic with key strategies, actionable steps, and a new potential network of professionals.
12:45 pm – 2:00 pm
A Beginner’s Guide to Land Conservation Strategies
Many people have a love and passion for the outdoors and want to leave the planet in a better condition for the folks that come behind them. This is especially true for land managers and outdoor enthusiasts that have a hand in managing the landscape. In many cases, land managers have the passion and drive to do something good for nature, but they lack the knowledge and understanding of how to go about improving what they manage.
This breakout session brings together biologists and land managers from several different agencies and land management groups from across the state. This group will discuss their role and experience working with partners to improve the landscape.
Growing a Sustainable Future: Regenerative Agriculture and Its Benefits for Missouri's Land and Wildlife
If we know one thing, we know that nothing is constant. Weather patterns and financial restraints are requiring producers to utilize innovative practices to be both profitable while ensuring resource availability for future generations. Regenerative agriculture works to build a more integrated approach to farming methods that make them more resilient to their operations and ensure our natural resources are protected. The objective of this workshop is to give attendees an understanding of what regenerative agriculture is and why it is important in Missouri. Attendees will hear a well-rounded approach to regenerative agriculture as it relates to production agriculture, wildlife resources, and diversification of commodities to incorporate an ecosystem approach to land management.
From Vision to Reality: Implementing a One Health Landscape in Boone County
One Health is the intersection of human, wildlife, and environmental well-being made sustainable through education and social enhancement. A roadmap is being developed and implemented through partners that will bring the concept to life right here in Boone County, MO. A panel of partners will share an overview and status of the project, then facilitate a discussion to identify potential gaps, gather feedback on implementation, and expand partnership opportunities.
Title
Jason Sumners, Director, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Jason Sumners serves as the 10th Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation. During his tenure at MDC, Jason has been instrumental in developing the agency’s strategic and operational direction, served as Deputy Director, Chief of Wildlife and Science Branches, led the state’s white-tailed deer management program, took part in Missouri’s elk reintroduction efforts, developed a private lands deer management program, and led the Department’s effort to develop and implement a chronic wasting disease (CWD) management and surveillance strategy. Jason received a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri and a Master of Science in Biology from Mississippi State University. He is a fellow of the National Conservation Leadership Institute, professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club, active member of several regional and national conservation related committees and has been recognized by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for his leadership in science-based approaches to wildlife conservation
Title
Tony Wasley – President, Wildlife Management Institute
Tony Wasley is the President of the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), a nonprofit conservation organization that has advanced wildlife science since 1911. Prior to his selection to lead WMI, Tony had a 26-year career with the Nevada Department of Wildlife where he served as Director for 10 years during which time he was elected President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (2021) and President of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (2015).
Tony was appointed to the Departments of Interior and Agriculture Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council in 2022, served as chairman of the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, and held numerous other national, regional, and local conservation related leadership positions. Tony’s career has included time spent as a Biodiversity Coordinator, habitat biologist, game biologist, deer program lead, and agency head. Tony has bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences and wildlife management and a master’s degree in ecology. His free time is mostly spent outdoors hiking, biking, fishing, birdwatching, hunting, or otherwise simply enjoying nature.
Title
Dr. Maya Moody – Pediatrician
Dr. Maya Moody is a community pediatrician in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a Missouri native, graduating with her B.S. In Biology with honors from Truman State University in 2005. She attended A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine as a Still's School and graduated in 2009. Dr. Moody completed an osteopathic traditional rotating internship at Capital Region Medical Center in 2010 and then went on to complete her pediatric residency at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Moody has been a nature and outdoor enthusiast since her childhood, personally experiencing the healing aspects of nature and connection with the outdoors. Dr. Moody actively integrates health and nature in her pediatric primary care practice and is member of the Nature and Health special interest group of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Title
Tovar Cerulli – Author, The Mindful Carnivore
Tovar Cerulli helps people understand each other. A listener, thinker, writer, and speaker, he has spent nearly two decades bridging disparate views of natural resources policy and management, finding common ground, and cultivating mutual respect and broadened support for conservation. He specializes in helping stakeholders gain insight into one another’s perspectives, discover shared values, and find points of actionable alignment.
A vegan-turned-hunter, Tovar believes in Aldo Leopold’s vision of conservation as “one integral whole,” and is author of The Mindful Carnivore, which has earned praise from hunters, ecologists, and vegetarians alike.
Tovar has delivered keynote talks on sensitive conservation topics for diverse audiences at state, national, and international conferences. He has consulted, presented, and provided technical assistance for many conservation agencies and organizations, including the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the United States Geological Service, the Western Water Applications Office, and the Wildlife Management Institute.
He holds a Ph.D. in communication from UMass-Amherst.
Title
Karl Malcolm, PhD – Assistant Director, Renewable Resources, US Forest Service
Karl Malcolm is a wildlife ecologist, conservation professional, public servant, and, along with his family, an avid participant in nature. He grew up in rural northern Michigan, where his formative experiences included lugging buckets full of maple sap, working in a local lumber mill, long days as a farm laborer, and sunrises as first mate on a Lake Michigan salmon boat. Karl has served for the U.S. Forest Service in positions at local, regional, and national levels, and taught internationally on conservation, fish and wildlife management, and wilderness stewardship. Karl’s writing, photography, and public appearances have been featured in a variety of outlets including Natural History Magazine, The Backcountry Journal, Bugle Magazine, The Pope and Young Ethic, The Black Range Naturalist, Trout Magazine, MeatEater, and Animal Planet.
Karl resides with his wife, daughter, and son in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, and serves as the assistant regional director of Renewable Resources for the Eastern Region of the U.S. Forest Service.