GWS ParkForum 2026: A Conservation Solutions Workshop

“It’s Time to Meet the Moment”

GWS ParkForum 2026 — A Conservation Solutions Workshop

University of Tennessee, Knoxville • October 19–22, 2026

Deadline for submissions: April 15, 2026 • Decisions on proposals: by May 22

To submit a proposal: https://www.georgewrightsociety.org/parkforum-2026-cfp-submit • Please read this Call for Proposals in full before submitting the webform

*******

It’s no secret that the conservation community is facing an extraordinary moment in history. A torrent of changes is making us rethink our expectations, our strategy, and even the basic assumptions that underlie our work.

In this moment, it is more important than ever for the parks community to come together to share insights, successes, problems, and experiences. To focus on finding and delivering solutions. To gather with colleagues who share a passion for stewardship—and are determined to work harder than ever to protect our natural and cultural heritage.

Does this sound like you? If so, please plan to join us at GWS ParkForum 2026, the US’s leading workshop on parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. Now through April 15, we are accepting proposals in a variety of formats to allow you to share your achievements, your challenges, and your solutions.

GWS ParkForum workshops are centered around four enduring Core Workshop Themes, which are highlighted in Plenary Sessions and in many of the Breakout Sessions. In the next section, we describe these Themes, and under each one you’ll find some suggested questions to help us think about how we can rise up and meet this moment in history.

Beyond this, the GWS ParkForum workshop is also designed to give participants the chance to share their work on any subject related to parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. We welcome perspectives from any area of the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The Call for Proposals continues with descriptions of all the format options we offer.

As this annual GWS ParkForum workshop series progresses, we will build on lessons learned from previous workshops to create a body of thinking that will be both inspirational and impactful in everyday practice.

Core Recurring ParkForum Workshop Themes

Responding to Climate Change threats and impacts on parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. Climate change — and the disastrous loss of biodiversity, which go hand in hand — is the defining challenge of our time, reshaping not only the planet’s ecological systems but also a wide array of cultural practices that depend upon a stable natural world. Parks, protected/conserved areas, and cultural sites must be in the forefront of demonstrating effective and practical climate mitigation measures.

In this moment, we might ask ourselves: How can the parks community make the issue of climate change resilient and adapt our strategies to challenging political times? Who out there is doing innovative work to keep things moving on climate, even now? Who has climate success stories to share?

Integrating Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation wherever possible. The GWS’s hallmark is bringing people from diverse backgrounds and skill sets together. In our experience, conservation outcomes — including landscape-scale conservation—are more effective and long-lasting if “nature” and “culture” are not in separate silos. While not every aspect of place-based conservation can be treated this way, there is much more scope to do so than commonly realized — and there is much to be learned from Indigenous approaches, which often make no distinction between “nature” and “culture.”

In this moment, we might ask ourselves: Placing cultural and natural resource preservation in separate silos has too often been the norm for the past century of conservation. That approach has yielded some generational wins and more than a few losses. What are the best practices we need to break down the artificial barriers that exist between groups that protect land and organizations that promote heritage? How do we embrace non-traditional allies and broaden our movement?

Ensuring that Social and Environmental Justice (more broadly, JEDI: justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) is part and parcel of place-based conservation. This is first and foremost a moral imperative to address past and continuing wrongs related to conservation activities. Beyond that, Social and Environmental Justice is a prerequisite for conservation success because it will gain the support of a much broader and more representative portion of the public.

In this moment, we might ask ourselves: The principles of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion are universal aspirations that should endure and will endure. What is it that conservation, preservation, academic institutions, and other allies are doing—and can do in the future—to maintain our commitment to effective, impactful, and reciprocal outreach and engagement to non-traditional allies and activists?

Exploring the broad and significant concept of the Economic Value that parks bring to communities on the local, regional, national, and international levels. This value manifests in the direct economic returns parks generate from tourism. Equally if not more important, though harder to quantify, is the value of the ecological or ecosystem services parks and other forms of place-based conservation provide for free. Economic value is important to stress because it is critical to people’s livelihoods, well-being, and the political context in which all parks operate.

In this moment, we might ask ourselves: What happens to the idea that parks and public lands make great economic neighbors and provide sustained economic benefits in the face of policy changes—including privatization proposals—and budget and staffing cuts?

Options for Sharing Your Achievements, Challenges, Insights, and Solutions

Organize a Core Theme Workshop Session, which is an interactive training session focused on one of the four Core Workshop Themes described above, sharing or pointing towards one or more conservation solutions. Core Workshop Sessions are 1.5 hours long. The format can be either a Hands-On Activity or a Presentation with Audience Interaction.

Organize an Information-Sharing Session, which can be on any topic related to parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. Information-Sharing Sessions are 1.5 hours long. Sessions that touch on one or more of the Core Workshop Themes (above) are encouraged, but not required. The format can be a set of Invited Papers (individual presentations organized by you, the session chair), Panel Discussion, Sharing Circle (a guided discussion that encourages everyone to participate), or Affinity Group Meeting (opportunities for groups who share a particular interest to get together and “talk shop”).

Present a Paper, which can be on any topic related to parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. If accepted, your Paper presentation will be assigned to a session of similar Contributed Papers by the Program Committee. Paper presentations are 15 minutes long; we strongly suggest no more than 12 PowerPoint slides total. There will be a consolidated Q&A period at the end of the session.

Participate in a Three-Minute Research (3MR) Competition for Emerging Researchers. Open to current students (undergraduate or graduate) and recent graduates, the 3MR is a friendly, supportive competition designed to help emerging researchers develop academic, presentation, and research communication skills — specifically, the ability to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. You’ll have three minutes and 1 PowerPoint slide to present the key points of your research following a standard format that we will provide. 3MR participants will also have the option of preparing a Poster to further communicate their project to GWS ParkForum attendees. Additionally, presenting in the 3MR does not preclude participants from also presenting different research as a 15-minute traditional, Paper presentation. A variety of awards will be given in different categories (including best presentation) to help emerging researchers develop their CVs … but everyone who participates will benefit! Any research related to parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation is welcome.

Present a Poster, which can be on any topic related to parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. If accepted, your Poster will be displayed throughout GWS ParkForum. There will also be a dedicated Poster Reception when you can stand by your Poster and interact with attendees. Poster specifications will be provided to you.

How do I submit a proposal?

Fill out the form at https://www.georgewrightsociety.org/parkforum-2026-cfp-submit. The deadline is April 15, 2026. You will be notified of the decision on your proposal by May 22.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Program Committee choose proposals?

Among the factors the Program Committee considers are a proposal’s relevance to the four Core Workshop Themes, and whether it shares or points toward a conservation solution; how the proposal contributes to the overall goal of featuring a broad range of disciplines and viewpoints in the Workshop program; and, in the case of Paper proposals, whether the proposal can cohesively fit into a session made up of other such proposals.

What kind of IT equipment can I expect? What about the Internet?

Basic IT equipment (laptop and PowerPoint projectors/screens, plus microphones where necessary) will be provided in all breakout meeting rooms. Internet connectivity is available throughout the meeting rooms.

I might not be able to attend in person — can I present remotely?

We are considering offering remote presentation options in a small number of designated sessions; there is a field on the Call for Proposals webform where you can let us know if you might be interested.

Are there post-Workshop publication opportunities?

Yes! The George Wright Society publishes Parks Stewardship Forum, an open-access interdisciplinary journal, in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley. The mission of the journal is to share impactful work across the spectrum of parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation. PSF aims to highlight diverse voices, including those of students and early-career professionals. There are options for non-peer-reviewed submissions, as well as full peer review. If you are interested, contact the editors at psf@georgewright.org for more details.

What about registration fees?

Please understand that these Workshops are not possible without the revenue obtained from registration fees. Therefore you (and anyone you invite to take part in a session, if you are proposing one) must register for the Workshop and pay the applicable registration fee. Discounted fees will be available to George Wright Society members (you can join GWS here) and to full-time students. We will announce the fee schedule in April 2026. Are you a professor? We offer a variety of Lab Paks — group registrations that allow you and several of your students to register jointly at a significant discount.