Conference Goals
1. Showcase and encourage successful local and state governmental strategies for promoting and growing the outdoor recreation industry.
2. Provide new ideas and success stories to outfitters and members of the hospitality industry for promoting the outdoor recreation industry and protected public lands.
3. Promote and enhance the support and stewardship of protected public lands to policy makers in order to create jobs and grow the outdoor recreation economy.
4. Collaboratively explore new ways to increase well-paying job opportunities and economic development for rural and gateway communities most proximate to protected public lands.
October 2nd, 2019
Celebration of Wild & Scenic Rivers Act Anniversary
October 3rd, 2019
8:00 AM – Conference Begins, Breakfast Served
8:30 AM – Welcome Remarks
Speaker
- Jeff Steinborn, Southern New Mexico Director for New Mexico Wild
- Mayor of Silver City Ken Ladner
8:45 – 9:15 AM – Opening Remarks
Speakers
- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
- US Senator Martin Heinrich
- Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard
9:15 – 10:15 AM – State Outdoor Recreation Resources
Moderator
- Dave Simon, Director of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department
Speakers
- Axie Navas, Director of the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division
- Stephanie Garcia Richard, New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands, State Land Office
- Sarah Cottrell Propst, Secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department
- Jen Schroer, Secretary of New Mexico Tourism Department
10:30 – 11:30 AM – Outdoor Marketing Toolkit
Moderator
- Jeff Steinborn, Southern New Mexico Director for New Mexico Wild
Speakers
- Amy Camp, Cycle Forward
- Kevney Dugan, CEO of Visit Bend
- Dave Stanton, TALWEG, NM True creator, started “Eco- NM” under Bill Richardson
- James Glover, Owner of Once a Day Marketing
Noon to 1 PM – Keynote
Speakers
- Dr. Kathy Whiteman, Director of Outdoor Program at Western New Mexico University
- Dr. Margaret Walls, Measuring Local Economic Impacts from Protected Public Lands and Waters
- Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small
1:15 – 2:30 PM – Eco and Wildlife Tourism
Moderator
- Garrett VeneKlasen, Outreach Coordinator for New Mexico Wild
Speakers
- Michael Dax, New Mexico Representative of Defenders of Wildlife
- David Barfield, Activities Manager for Ted Turner Expeditions
- Norman Maktima, Fly Fishing Guide & Member of San Felipe Pueblo
- Taylor Phillips, Owner of Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures
2:45 – 3:30 PM– Sustainability and Minimizing Impact on the Land
Moderator
- Toby Bloom, National Program Manager for Travel, Tourism, and Interpretation for the Forest Service
Speakers
- Brian Vallo, Governor of the Pueblo of Acoma
- Dana Watts, Exectuive Director for Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
- Robert “Bob” Ratcliffe, Division Chief for Conservation, Recreation and Community Assistance Programs for the National Park Service
3:45 – 4:45 PM – Outdoor Recreation Business Successes
Moderator
- Jen Schroer, Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Tourism
Speakers
- Steve Harris, Owner of Far Flung Adventures
- Martyn Pearson, Owner of Gila Hike and Bike
- David Crider, Owner of Southwest Expeditions
- David Weinstein, Outdoor Industry Association
3:45 – 4:45 PM – Equitable Access and Opportunity to the Outdoors
Moderator
- Keegan King, Policy and Legislation Bureau Chief for the New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs
Speakers
- José G. González, Founder and Director Emeritus of Latino Outdoors
- Grecia Nuñez, Public Lands Fellow for New Mexico Wild
- Joseph Brophy Toledo, Youth Leader Specialist, Traditional Leader, Herbalist, Spiritual leader, Storyteller, and a Member of the Pueblo of Jemez
- Carlos Herrera, River Source & Member of Cochiti Pueblo
5:00 – 5:30 PM – Buses to Hotels / Reception
5:30 – 8 PM – Reception at the San Vicente Creek River Walk Park
- Welcome by Silver City Town Councilor, Guadalupe Cano
- Remarks by Lt. Gov. Howie Morales
October 4th, 2019
8 AM – Breakfast Service Begins
8:15 AM – Welcome Remarks
Speaker
- US Senator Tom Udall (video remarks)
- Grant County Commission Chair Chris Ponce
8:30 – 9:30 AM – Federal Land Management Partnerships with Gateway Communities
Moderator
- Francisco Valenzuela, Director of Recreation Heritage and Wilderness in Region 3 for the Forest Service
Speakers
- Angela West, National Director Tourism & Community Service for the Bureau of Land Management
- Toby Bloom, National Program Manager for Travel, Tourism, and Interpretation for the Forest Service
- Robert “Bob” Ratcliffe, Division Chief for Conservation, Recreation and Community Assistance Programs for the National Park Service
9:45 – 10:45 AM – Opportunities, Challenges, and Benefits of Trails
Moderator
- Amy Camp, Owner of Cycle Forward
Speakers
- Teresa Martinez, Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition
- Julie Judkins, Director of Education and Outreach at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
- Matt Nelson, Executive Director of the Arizona Trail Association
- Christy Tafoya, Director of New Mexico State Parks
Noon
- All Tours Leave from the Grant County Conference Center except for the Mountain Bike Ride (Meets at Dragonfly Trail Head) and Plane Tours of the Gila (Meets at the Grant County Airport)