The inaugural Salazar Center International Symposium on Conservation Impact established a forum to track, incent, recognize, and reward progress on conservation challenges across North America. It convened 200+ thought leaders from the arenas of conservation policy, practice, and research around the theme of landscape connectivity. Attendees represented 10 different city, county, state, and national agencies; 40 non-profit organizations and universities; and 19 funders from 15 states, Canada, and Mexico. Together, we explored opportunities to connect and collaborate across urban and rural, public and private, and wild and working lands; how landscape-scale conservation is critical to environmental and human health; and what opportunities and challenges exist surrounding their conservation and stewardship.

The Center also launched its first competitive prize for conservation impact at the symposium. The prize is one way in which the Salazar Center is pursuing bold new incentives to advance impactful, community-based conservation partnerships that support conservation at scale.

Speakers included:

• Mark Anderson, The Nature Conservancy
• Luis Benitez, VF Corporation
• Loren BirdRattler, Blackfeet Nation
• Eli Enns, The IISAAK Olam Foundation
• Dr. Exequiel Ezcurra, University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States
• Chancellor Tony Frank, CSU System
• President Joyce McConnell, CSU
• Cristina Mormorunni, Wildlife Conservation Society
• Ruth Musgrave, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators
• Governor Jared Polis, State of Colorado
• Former Secretary Ken Salazar, US Department of the Interior
• Gary Tabor, Center for Large Landscape Conservation
• Terry Tatsey, Blackfeet Nation
• Leigh Whelpton, Conservation Finance Network
• Alison Woodley, CPAWS