Outdoor access, impact mitigation, responsible recreation, conservation leadership, and youth engagement are the topics that will be under the microscope at this year’s SHIFT Festival.

Held each October in the spectacular valley of Jackson Hole, SHIFT is an annual festival that celebrates the future of conservation with food, film, speakers, workshops and outdoor adventure. From October 7-10, the 2015 Festival will feature an in-depth exploration of the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of conservation and outdoor recreation, with a goal of leveraging outdoor recreation for conservation gains.

“SHIFT is the only gathering of its kind that unites outdoor recreationalists, land managers and conservation advocates around the common goal of protecting North America’s public lands and waters,” says SHIFT Festival Director Christian Beckwith. This year’s event will feature two days of panels, small-group discussions and innovative awards that build on the intersection of five groups:

  • The Outdoor Industry
  • Outdoor Recreation Enthusiasts
  • Conservation Advocates
  • Public Land Managers
  • The Leadership of GEMS (Gateways to Environments of Major Significance)

With an emphasis on GEMS (communities like Jackson Hole that depend on the health of their environment for economic and cultural success) as laboratories for communities striving to live in balance with nature, leaders in conservation, wilderness advocacy, and outdoor recreation will help to explore the creation of stronger, more enduring, and more united coalitions in order to help usher in a new generations of conservation champions.

For a complete 2015 SHIFT schedule, click here.