The Central Wasatch Commission has announced the program for the inaugural Central Wasatch Symposium Jan. 9-10, 2025, at Millcreek City Hall. The conference-style event will bring together the various interests and stakeholders in the Central Wasatch for two days of expert panels, interactive workshops and networking. During the Symposium, the Central Wasatch Commission will be engaging its own Board of Commissioners, Stakeholders Council, Youth Council, partner agencies and the public for presentations from leaders and experts working in each of the four interdependent systems of the Central Wasatch that the commission focuses on — economy (world-renowned ski resorts as well as small businesses), transportation (how people travel to and around the Central Wasatch), recreation (year-round biking, hiking, skiing, climbing, picnicking and other recreational opportunities in the Central Wasatch) and environment (the land, water, air, vegetation communities, and wildlife that underpin the other three systems) of the Central Wasatch, according to a press release.Keynote SpeakerTerry Tempest Williams is a renowned author and advocate for environmental and social justice, known for her lyrical prose and exploration of justice through environmental issues. Her acclaimed works, including Refuge and The Hour of Land, and her collaborations in art and conservation, have made her a vital voice for ecological consciousness, according to the commission.Williams’ contributions have earned her numerous honors, including the Sierra Club’s John Muir Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Currently writer-in-residence at Harvard Divinity School, she inspires change through her teaching, advocacy, and writing, the commission said.Following the keynote address, Symposium attendees can attend presentations, expert panels and breakout sessions covering the following topics:The Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area Act The Cottonwood Canyons Watershed Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Plan 101 Rock Climbing Across the Central Wasatch The Visitor Economy in Park City and Summit County Backcountry Skiing in the Central Wasatch An Introduction to the Biodiversity of the Central Wasatch Transportation Planning for the Central Wasatch The Unique Opportunities and Challenges of Leading a City Along the Central Wasatch Mountains The Current State and Future Outlook of the Ski Industry in the Cottonwood Canyons Forest Service NEPA and Public Participation Advancing Wildfire Mitigation and Defensible Space Initiatives in the Wasatch The History and Significance of Wilderness Designations within the Central Wasatch Mountains Avalanche Forecasting in the Central Wasatch Mountains A Crash Course in the State Legislative Process“The Central Wasatch Symposium will be an opportunity for the public to engage in all the work of the Central Wasatch Commission over the course of two days.” Central Wasatch Commission Chair and Mayor of Millcreek, Jeff Silvestrini, said, “It will spotlight the interdependence of the four systems of the Central Wasatch while bringing stakeholders and the public together for learning and networking. The Commission is especially pleased to welcome Terry Tempest Williams, a writer and poet with a specific connection to the Central Wasatch Mountains will provide the keynote address during this first annual event.”The post Central Wasatch Commission announces program for first annual Central Wasatch Symposium appeared first on Park Record.