Name: Outdoor Classrooms In Transition; Navigating the Risks of a Changing Federal Landscape
Start: 2026-10-22T10:30:00-0700
End: 2026-10-22T12:00:00-0700

Main Conference: Tuesday October 20 - Thursday, October 22, 2026

Preconference: Monday October 19 - Tuesday, October 20, 2026

*Schedule subject to change.

Outdoor Classrooms In Transition; Navigating the Risks of a Changing Federal Landscape

Thursday October 22, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT

Clark

In the turbulent period since January 2025, agency management of the public lands and waters that serve as our outdoor classrooms has changed, and more changes are in the works. A few of these changes will create new opportunities for outdoor programs. However, most of these changes will shatter management norms that have existed on public lands for many years. In their place, the Administration will establish new norms that prioritize mining, logging, and energy development, and increase access for motorized vehicles. Inevitably, this shift will impact outdoor programs that take place on public lands, as extractive activities and motorized use become visible in areas where we have historically provided programming or conservation work. This session will update previous presentations on the agency policy changes currently underway and consider how these changes will impact the risk profile and program effectiveness of outdoor programming that makes use of nearby landscapes. After we have laid out the current state of public lands, we will shift into a discussion of how to apply risk management models to proactively assess these dynamic risks and allocate resources accordingly, and invite participants to apply these models to their own organizational situations and programs.

Speakers

Paul Sanford

Director of Equitable Access Policy, The Wilderness Society

Steve Smith

Founder and Lead Consultant, Experiential Consulting, LLC

Steve Smith has worked in the outdoor industry for over thirty years, including leadership roles in the field, in the office, in the board room, and in national conferences, specializing in risk management. Since founding Experiential Consulting in 2008, the team at EC has worked... Read More →

Thursday October 22, 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT
Clark 909 N Hayden Island Dr, Portland, OR 97217

Program Administration, Breakout Session

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2026 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Paul Sanford

Steve Smith

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2026 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Paul Sanford

Steve Smith

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