The University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute is hosting a series of seminars discussing the role that hunting and fishing play in conservation. The series, known as “Biodiversity Chats: Stewarding Wyoming’s Landscapes through Hunting and Fishing,” begins at noon on Febuary 10th. The discussions will be held every Wednesday through March 10th. The five discussions will be aired via Zoom and Facebook. Likewise, the videos will be posted to the Wyoming Biodiversity Institute website for later viewing. Mason Lee, the project coordinator, said that the seminar was originally planned as an in-person event last spring. However, when the pandemic hit the Institue was forced to reschedule the seminar. After some thought, they decided to launch it as a virtual format.
A secondary aim of this seminar is to highlight minority groups in hunting and fishing. This will focus on women, racial minorities, and people with disabilities in the outdoors.
Breakdown of the Classes
On Febuary 10th the class will be called Hunting, Fishing and Biodiversity. It will include speeches from a fish researcher, an ungulate researcher, a wildlife manager, and a hunting guide. These speakers will discuss how biodiversity research, hunting, and angling benefit each other. As a result, viewers will leave the class with a greater understanding of how hunting and fishing help conservation efforts.
On Febuary 17th the seminar will focus on Underrepresented Groups in Hunting and Fishing. This portion of the discussion will discuss trends within the hunting populace. Likewise, panelists will discuss their involvement in hunting and fishing while being a part of an “Underrepresented Group.”
During the Febuary 24th discussion, Access to Hunting and Fishing, panelists will discuss difficulties accessing hunting and fishing. This class will look into issues involving access for people with disabilities, the laws controlling access, and Native American access to off-reservation hunting.
On March 3rd, the seminar will introduce Stories and Art to Honor Hunting and Fishing. During this class, the seminar will look at the ways artists and writers capture their hunting and angling experiences. Likewise, it will discuss the way they share their outdoor experiences with others.
The final class will be a discussion with author Keith McCafferty. Throughout the class, McCafferty will share his experiences working as an editor for Field and Stream Magazine. Likewise, he will discuss his fictional writing and how hunting and fishing play a role in his stories.
Each class will include trivia questions and giveaways. Registration is required to participate in the seminar. Interested parties show go to www.wyomingbiodiversity.org
So, what are your thoughts about the University of Wyoming hosting a hunting seminar? Do you plan to attend the classes? Let us know in the comments!
