Principal Oikos Ecology LLC Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, United States
Session Description: ESA recognizes that the field of ecology has much to offer in addressing pressing ecological problems at all scales, from infectious disease, to species conservation, to equitable access to nature, to global warming. Yet for the science of ecology to effectively inform such issues, stakeholders and decision makers need to appreciate the knowledge and skills professional ecologists have to offer. Additionally, ESA has a responsibility to better engage professional ecologists involved in this work, so they can more effectively bring the most apply ecological science to addressing the world's problems. However, ecologists working in the private sector (e.g., as consultants or environmental managers) or public sector land managers and conservation professionals are grossly under-represented at the ESA annual meeting compared to academic ecologists (whether in higher education or in government labs). This workshop will present the findings and recommendations of a Task Force convened for the purpose of increasing and improving engagement by "non-academic" ecologists in ESA programs, including offerings proposed for future ESA annual meetings. Workshop participants will be asked to provide feedback on these draft proposals. Breakout groups will be formed anto generate discussion and additional ideas to further this goal. Task Force members will report these findings back to the ESA meetings committee to inform future meetings. An anticipated result is a slate of session proposals for the 2023 meeting that will appeal to private sector and other "non-academic" ecologists.
