NWAEP Lunch & Learn
Working to Keep Washington's Wild Places Protected Under the New Presidential Administration and Congress
Tuesday, March 28 at Noon
This Lunch & Learn is being hosted in collaboration with our friends at Sustainable Path.
Please join us for this highly relevant discussion on working to keep Washington's wild places protected under the new Presidential administration and Congress presented by the Executive Director at Washington Wild, Tom Uniack.
The natural beauty of Washington’s wild lands and waters is one of the reasons so many of us choose to live, work and play in the Pacific Northwest. It goes beyond so much more than that though—intact and vibrant ecosystems, wildlife habitat, old-growth forests, and clean water are safeguarded with the highest level of protection available when a Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River bill passes through Congress.
Since 1979, Washington Wild has led state-wide efforts to develop Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River designation campaigns, helping to protect nearly 3 million acres as Wilderness. That protection takes years of grass roots coalition building, working with communities, and bringing together stakeholders to drive wild lands and waters bill through Congress.
The Wilderness Legacy that we have worked incredibly hard to protect will be threatened over the next four years by the New Administration and Congress. We expect renewed Congressional attacks on environmental laws and efforts to weaken conservation policies and protections for national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.
Join us to learn more about the ins and outs of wild lands and waters protections, the value of protecting these places here in Washington, and what to expect during the new Administration and Congress:
- Overview of Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Protections
- Stages of a wild lands campaign from the coalition building to introducing a legislative bill
- Watershed protection through Wild & Scenic River designations
- Key success stories and future campaigns
- Anticipated Congressional attacks to public lands over the next four years
Tom Uniack
Executive Director
Tom joined Washington Wild in 2003 after graduating from the Master’s program at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. For 13 years he served as Washington Wild’s Conservation Director and in early 2016 was named Executive Director. His leadership role within a core group of both local and regional Wilderness advocates has significantly advanced the protection and restoration of Washington’s wild land and waters. This notably includes successful passage of the Wild Sky Wilderness Act (2008) and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions Act (2014). Prior to grad school, Tom was with Defenders of Wildlife for seven years in Washington, D.C. where he worked on a range of issues from Arctic wilderness to preserving Florida black bears.
Special thanks to Candace Masson at Washington Wild, and member of NWAEP, for helping coordinate this special event.
