As Director of Conservation at Utah's Hogle Zoo, I manage the Zoo's on- and off-site conservation partnerships and initiatives.  After visiting Churchill in 2012 as a participant, I looked for ways to engage staff in a campaign to connect them conceptually with polar bears' dependence on sea ice and our choices with food, transportation, and other climate change contributors.  I also  became a part of PBI's team to design and facilitate the subsequent three Climate Alliance workshops.

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Climate Alliance helps participants understand and appreciate first-hand the landscape and issues challenging the future of polar bears.  Through this program, PBI, zoos, and aquariums are building capacity to not only make their operations more sustainable, but also to be leaders in their community.  It has been exciting to see how zoos and aquariums, working with field partners, can develop innovative strategies to advance polar bear conservation.

 

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