Saturday, October 7, 2023

6:00 ‐ 9:00pm at Floral Hall in Forest Park, Everett

Please join us for a special event in support of birds and wildlife. This year’s Feast will include a delicious dinner catered by Ryan’s REZ-ipes (view menu here) and distinguished University of Washington professor Dr. Todd Wildermuth as our featured speaker for the evening.

As our chapter celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we wanted to highlight another milestone of the conservation world: the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Our chapter began in the years of major environmental awakening and legislation, including the ESA (1973), Clean Water Act (1972), Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act (1972), Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972), Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1976), and others.

We are extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Todd Wildermuth as our featured speaker, who will share his insights on the Endangered Species Act after 50 years.

The ESA at 50: What We Protect, How We Do It, And Why It Matters

It is hard to imagine a world without the Endangered Species Act. Mostly, it is hard to imagine a world in which we do not need something to do what the ESA does. It is difficult to think of a single time or place where human activity is so generous, so aware, so possessed of a sound land ethic that we do not need at least one law reminding us that we do not have the right to extinguish entire other forms of life.

But after 50 years of experience, it is also hard to imagine a world without what the ESA is. So accustomed have we become to its key terms -- among them, "threatened," "endangered," "listed," "species," "critical habitat," and "recovery" -- that they feel inherent and permanent. They also sometimes feel like magic: mere words on a page, they have literally changed the world. These terms, backed by the full force of the United States government, have served us all well in many ways. We should rightly be grateful for their work.

And yet we know that all is not well. The law, for all of its real power, has not reversed the tide for most listed species. Climate change will compound this trend in ways -- few of them good -- that might surprise us yet. With good cause, we might wonder if the ESA has reached a kind of midlife crisis.

At 50, it is time to take stock and reassess. How did the ESA start, and where did it come from? How did it emerge at all? What is the source of its magic, its ability to transform words into real and positive action? And, perhaps most important of all: What do we need to do to keep it vigorous and strong well into a healthy old age?

Featured Speaker: Dr. Todd A. Wildermuth

Todd A. Wildermuth is the Director of the UW Environmental Law Program, and the founding Policy Director for the UW Regulatory Environmental Law & Policy Clinic. The clinic assists public interest organizations seeking to improve conservation policy, advance better agency governance, and promote environmental justice.

Todd has also taught in the UW College of the Environment on topics including environmental planning and permitting, endangered species, climate change communication, and ocean and coastal law. He is a co-author of a wildlife law textbook that is used widely in both law schools and wildlife management programs.

Todd has been appointed twice by the Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to the state's Wildlife Diversity Advisory Council (WDAC), which advises the department on management of non-game wildlife. He has previously served as WDAC Vice Chair and Chair, and presently leads a committee that is recommending changes to the state's endangered species program.

Todd is originally from Chicago, with time spent living in Michigan, Minnesota, and Utah before arriving in Washington and joining the law school in 2011. Todd received a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois. He now lives in Seattle with his spouse (also a professor of environmental law) and his two teenage children.

Dinner

This year’s Feast will include a catered dinner by Ryan’s REZ-ipes.

Registration

Tickets are $75.00 per person

If you’re able, we hope you’ll consider supporting our event by registering at a sponsorship level. All proceeds from the Feast will help ensure we can continue to fulfill our mission.

Space is limited, reserve your tickets today!

Thank you to our event sponsors!