George Wright Society :: Parks, Protected Areas Cultural Sites

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The George Wright Society champions stewardship of parks, protected & conserved areas, cultural sites, and other kinds of place-based conservation by connecting people, places, knowledge, and ideas. By uniting people from many different backgrounds around a common passion for protecting Earth’s natural and cultural heritage, we create the collaboration needed to meet today’s greatest conservation challenges.

INNOVATING ACROSS BOUNDARIES FOR
Parks • Cultural Sites
Protected / Conserved Areas

University of Montana, Missoula • October 20–23, 2025

Plan to join us as we launch a new series of annual workshops exploring the latest in place-based conservation!

Registration now open — register early and save!

Program ready to view — still accepting proposals for Posters

GWS ParkForum 2025 1-min Intro

GWS ParkForum 2025 1-min Intro

Play Video

Check out the latest issue of our open-access journal, Parks Stewardship Forum

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INSPIRED BY GEORGE MELÉNDEZ WRIGHT

The first-ever biography of our namesake — the visionary who revolutionized management of America‘s national parks

“Emory’s enumeration of Wright’s accomplishments—including a survey of wildlife in Western parks, the first of its kind—is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Highly recommended for nature lovers and park enthusiasts.” LIBRARY JOURNAL

Watch our virtual chat
with author Jerry Emory!

Parkwire, GWS’s daily global digest

of park news • Follow on FB

Latest top headlines • 20 May 2025

AI is beginning to significantly change how conservation biology is being done. https://buff.ly/hmrqcVr

A new study finds that some 3,500 animal species could go extinct because of climate change. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5309262-biodiversity-loss-jumps-due-climate/

Trump's plans to "drill, baby, drill" on federal land may run into reluctance to bid from O&G companies — especially at lease offerings near NPs and other PAs. https://buff.ly/ApyWaLZ

One of Mozambique's largest PAs, the Niassa Reserve, has been attacked several times in recent weeks by militants associated with the Islamic State. https://buff.ly/2Lwip4L

Changes to China's officially sanctioned medicines list are expected to help ease pressures on pangolins, the world's most trafficked mammal. https://buff.ly/NtnGZdf

DOI released a heavily redacted set of documents related to its overall plans, drawing scorn from environmental activists. https://buff.ly/OF2BiIB

Scientists have proposed a new theory of how Yosemite Valley was formed: by an ancient volcano and a disappearing river, both of which have long since eroded away. https://buff.ly/RoxwFCb

A federal judge has temporarily halted Trump's plans for mass layoffs across federal agencies. https://buff.ly/sxbithd

In another lawsuit, 15 Democratic-led states are fighting Trump's "energy emergency" declaration, arguing that it is a thinly veiled attempt to bypass environmental laws and the National Historic Preservation Act. https://buff.ly/45dJp9K

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