The award purpose is to equip the conservation workforce in the western U.S. With leadership skills, behaviors, and mindsets to enact durable landscape-scale conservation across multiple scales

Funds are requested to build the capacity of the western conservation leadership development program, which was created in 2020, to address a growing GAP in conservation leadership development programs by providing conservation agencies, organizations, and partners with adaptive and pragmatic training skills to make progress on western conservation challenges. The mission of the western conservation leadership development program is to build leadership capacity for a broad array of partners to implement landscape conservation for the future. The program addresses complex conservation challenges, such as the relevancy of conservation in the face of ecological and socio-political change declining native fish and wildlife species increasing habitat fragmentation and degradation the ability to find common ground and collaboration in the midst of polarization and conflict changing landscapes affected by wildfire, invasive species, and drought demographic shifts and changing wildlife value orientations the loss of connection to hunting and fishing heritage and, balancing outdoor recreation interests with stewardship of the resources. Funds will be used to support the flagship training, fundamentals of western conservation leadership: through the looking glass in FY2025-2026, engage representatives of the USFWS, and address agency priorities. Project beneficiaries include mid- and upper-level conservation staff from western state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, private landowners, tribal representatives, industry, and academic affiliates, as well as the agencies and organizations that they serve.deliverables include the design and delivery of an applied training course that brings leadership capacity to conservation staff seeking to support the USFWS and partner programs with efficiencies and broad public-private partnerships for large-scale conservation impact. Prior to launch of the course, senior agency officials within the USFWS will be interviewed to determine the top three conservation challenges that are key to address within the next two years. These challenges will serve as cases for the cohort s learning, practice, and demonstration of adaptive leadership, systems thinking, and cross-sector collaboration. A report will be created and summarize the project s results.expected outcomes include:1) a minimum of one USFWS staff member from regions 1,2,6,8, or 7 to engage in the upcoming training course.2) adaptive leadership and systems thinking applied to the conservation challenges identified by the USFWS within the next cohort.3) landscape-scale conservation efforts implemented with creativity, innovation, and experimentation.4) collaboration increased by a broad array of conservation professionals and program alumni working across multiple regions and states in the western U.S.the project will result in transformative impact for the approximately 30-35 training participants who attend and their agencies organizations, as well as continue to build the capacity of this novel program with new courses and opportunities to affect landscape-scale conservation for the future.