Acknowledgements 



y^ One of the most challenging ventures a public affairs officer with a 

 conservation agency can become involved with is that of sponsoring an 

 "issue-oriented" symposium that deals with matters of relevance to the 

 regional and national resource management arena. 



Some of the most challenging western resource issues today revolve 

 around energy impacts--especially as they affect air, water, land use, 

 social values and regional/national management policies. 



But perhaps the biggest challenges associated with the pressures 

 of development or change revolve around public participation and 

 communication. 



The goal of the Intermountain Outdoor Symposium was to bring 

 together key government leaders, industry spokesmen and journalists to 

 debate the pressing natural resource issues of our time, to encourage 

 open, free debate beyond the symposium and to seek ways for 

 journalists to do a better job of providing the information the public 

 will need to deal with the future in the West. 



Energy development issues, water issues, the Sagebrush Rebellion, 

 the media's advantages and shortcomings, the future of the noble 

 tradition of hunting, controversial animal damage control policies and a 

 wide variety of issues related to the western way-of-life fill the 

 following pages. These issues are the news that will be coming out of 

 the West in the next decade. 



I must take this opportunity to point out that this phenomenon, 

 the 1980 lOS, would never have happened as it did without the support 

 of our director. Dr. Robert F. Wambach. His dedication to conservaton 

 and public participation, to free, intellectual debate from all sides of an 

 issue plus his knowledge and expertise as a national conservation leader 

 were the backbone of the 1980 I OS. 



In addition to the support Dr. Wambach offered, the 1980 lOS 

 could never have materialized as a sideline to my regular professional 

 responsibilities to the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department without the 

 tireless dedication of Faye Moore, the chief secretary to my bureau and 

 the Conservation Education Division. 



Many air fares, room arrangements and the 400th change in the 

 agenda would never have materialized had she not given 100 percent in 

 addition to her regular duties. 



Steve Bayless, the administrator of he Conservation Education 

 Division, deserves special thanks for understanding the need for the 

 lOS and putting up with the demands it placed on me. 



I also would like to thank the bookkeepers who not only kept tabs 

 on the financial aspects of such an endeavor, but watch-dogged the 



