Join the Wisconsin Center for Wildlife and the College of Natural Resources for final presentation in this year's Speaker Series:

Educating and Inspiring the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders

March 28, 2019

4 p.m. with reception to follow at 5 p.m.
Room 170 Trainer Natural Resources Building

The changing face of the population of North America is a major challenge the natural resource community must meet. While the specter of mass retirements is upon us, the nature of young people is a very different demographic than it was 40 years ago.  At the same time, university natural resource management programs are facing major issues.  The challenge for the conservation community is to support programs and experiences that contribute to the growth and development of well-rounded, practical scientists and managers who can step up in this time of transition to a new generation.  This talk will explore the challenges and opportunities facing the conservation community as it evolves.

Christine Thomas has served as the Dean of the College of Natural Resources since 2005. In 2017, she was inducted in the College of Natural Resources Hall of Fame for her many years of dedication and service to conservation.

Appointed by Governor Doyle, she served on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board for 11 years, acting as Chair for three of those years. She has served on many boards and committees dedicated to conservation, including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the National Board of Ducks Unlimited, the Boone and Crocket Club Conservation Division, and the U.S. Interior and Agricultural Department’s Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council.

Dean Thomas has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career. Notably, she was named one of the 20 most influential conservationists in Wisconsin in the 20th Century by the Wisconsin Outdoor Journal in 1999.

Among her many accomplishments in the conservation community and within UW-Stevens Point, Dean Thomas helped found the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, an organization dedicated to teaching women of all ages outdoor skills, including hunting, fishing, outdoor survival skills, hiking, and more. This program is now offered in more than 40 states and in Canada.