Project WILD Coordinators and Facilitators are cordially invited to join us for our 38th annual meeting as we learn, collaborate, and strengthen our conservation education network.

August 3-5, 2021 | 12:30-4:30pm EDT, with optional networking socials taking place before and/or after the conference each day.

Registration
Registration is now open! Click on the PheedLoop event website here and navigate to the "Register" tab.

Coordinator Registration (Tuesday-Thursday): $40
Facilitator Registration (Tuesday & Wednesday): $30

Keynote Speakers

• Atiya Wells, Backyard Basecamp
• Dennis Liu, E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation
• Hiroshi Kawahara, Project WILD Japan

Meeting at a Glance
View the preliminary conference schedule.

Awards Ceremony
Join us as we celebrate coordinators' and facilitators' outstanding work in service of the Project WILD program. Each year tens of thousands of educators across the country receive a WILD curriculum & activity guide at a training where they engage in teacher-tested, hands-on activities. These educators in turn engage students in learning about nature, wildlife, natural resources, and the challenges and opportunities that come with managing those resources - all while meeting educational standards. Project WILD Coordinators and their facilitators together make upwards of 1,000 of these trainings happen annually. We look forward to acknolwedging and commending their hard work and impact towards building a more conservation-literate citizenry.

Business Meeting
At our annual business meeting, AFWA's Project WILD staff will provide an overview of the past year, including online initiatives, guide sales, new partnerships, curriculum updates, and more.

Stipends
Stipend funds raised at the 2019 conference auction are available for coordinators who need financial assistance to attend the virtual conference. Email your request to have a reduced or waived registration fee to projectwild@fishwildlife.org by June 23.

Book Club
We will reconvene our conference book club this year! Pick from one of the following readings to join the conversation:

• “What Do We Do About John James Audubon?” by J. Drew Lanham
• Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors by Carolyn Finney
• World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Don't forget -- you can support Project WILD by purchasing your book via Amazon Smile!

Auction
It might not be the same as our in-person auction, but that won't stop us from having fun and raising some scholarship money! Add and check out auction items using this Google slide deck:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SSRiW52DaVoEJGhfW_fNdi13_gUCRUqvNDb7XR9hW80/edit?usp=sharing 

The silent auction will close at 5:00pm EDT on Wednesday, 8/4. Bid early and often here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EVeYZRIhHKlR2la_ELS5pbaAZi7xfP7s0ReRejVolug/edit?usp=sharing 

A few select items will be live auctioned on Wednesday. Come ready to get your bid in and secure your favorite item(s)! 

Your donated items help raise funds to bring coordinators to the conference each year. WILD swag, outdoor gear, nature-themed artwork and jewerly, favorite food and beverages from your state, field guides, and books are favorites! You could also offer to host a fellow coordinator for some outdoor recreation and bonding time in your neck of the woods. Whose item will win the highest bid? Who will win "Chuckie the Chicken," the coveted avian visitor and avid WILD supporter? Get ready to place your bets!

GooseChase Scavenger Hunt
Take a break from your computer screen and join our GooseChase scavenger hunt! Keep your eyes peeled for these classic signs of wildlife. Can't find any wildlife? You'll have the opportunity to pretend... for extra points! The top three folks to complete the savenger hunt missions will win a prize! Download the Goose Chase app and enter game code QMJPX8; the password is WILDbunch. We are loving seeing your posts come through! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​