Past Webinars
Small Changes, Big Impact for a More Accessible Outdoors
Hear from experts who will share criteria and considerations to incorporate into your planning, design and construction process to ensure your next outdoor recreation project is accessible. In this webinar, you will also learn how to evaluate current spaces and make modifications to be more welcoming to people with a variety of disabilities, as well as what inforamtion you can provide in your marketing materials so outdoorists can accuratetly prepare for their outing.
Presenters:
Lynne Dominy, Superintendent, Apostle Islands - National Park Service
Quinn Brett, Consultant, Dovetail Trails
Syren Nagakyrie, Founder, Disabled Hikers
Sarah Lisiecki, Education and Communications Manager, BCI Burke
Attracting Workers with Wisconsin’s Outdoors: A New Tool for Recruitment
Moderated by Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Mary Monroe Brown, the session provides insights on the current national landscape from the recent outdoor industry workforce assessment and career opportunities report. Learn how Wisconsin compares and how businesses and organizations can leverage the outdoors as part of their workforce attraction strategy. Then find out how to receive the Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation’s new talent recruitment publication, Live + Work Where You Play: Outside in Wisconsin, for your own recruitment efforts.
Presenters:
Chris Perkins, Senior Director, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
Sam Rikkers, COO, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Scott Forristall, CEO, St. Croix Rod
Mary Monroe Brown, Director, Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation
Creating Welcoming, Enjoyable Trails for All
Discover ways and resources to promote positive trail experiences. Hear from the national coalition behind Trails are Common Ground whose goal is to create a respectful, inclusive, safe, and enjoyable environment every time anyone steps, rides or rolls onto the trail. Then hear from local groups who weave trail etiquette and safety into their education and programs.
Presenters:
David Wiens, Executive Director, International Mountain Bicycling Association
Melanie Radzicki McManus, Hiker and Author, Thousand-Miler
Kricket Jewett, Trails Committee Chair, Wisconsin Horse Council
Alex Bub, Coach, Wisconsin Off Road Adventures
Christopher Kilgour, Founder, Color in the Outdoors
Brigit Brown, Natural Resources Program Manager, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Leveraging the Great American Outdoors Act and the Land & Water Conservation Fund
With the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act comes permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as dedicated funding to address backlogged projects on federal lands. Hear about backlogged federal projects moving ahead in Wisconsin, as well as successful past projects to expanded recreational opportunities and how to access this important source of funding. In addition, hear how national organizations are working with agencies across the country to capitalize on this opportunity for rural economic development and to address equity through these projects.
Presenters:
Jessica Wahl Turner, Executive Director, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
Hilary Markin, Director Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, United States Forest Service – Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
Laurel Harkness, Executive Director, Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals
Building Healthy, Resilient Communities Through Outdoor Recreation
Connect with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) team to understand opportunities that exist for small businesses, as well as resources available through the We’re All In campaign. Recognizing that Wisconsin’s rural landscape is integral to our state’s identity—both for the quality of life it affords its residents and for the escape it offers to visitors – the Office of Rural Prosperity was recently established within WEDC. Hear how it is working to maintain the vibrancy of Wisconsin’s rural economies, and how one community’s focus on outdoor recreation is enhancing their quality of life, increasing tourism and attracting businesses.
Presenters:
Missy Hughes, Secretary, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Kelliann Blazek, Director, Office of Rural Prosperity – Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Ben Popp, Executive Director, American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation
Promoting Economically Vital Outdoor Tourism
Outdoor recreation continues to be an economic driver of tourism in Wisconsin. Learn how the Office of Outdoor Recreation builds capacity for the Department of Tourism, how Travel Wisconsin positions Wisconsin through its marketing and public relations efforts, and discover cooperative programs that can benefit your businesses.
Presenters:
Sara Meaney, Secretary-designee, Wisconsin Department of Tourism
Shane Brossard, Director of Marketing & Advertising, Travel Wisconsin
Craig Trost, Communications Director, Travel Wisconsin