"South Dakota Climate Challenge Conference -
Strategies for the Future"

The South Dakota Climate Challenge Conference began with a stimulating keynote speaker, Larry Schweiger, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Wildlife Federation.

The keynote was followed by the congressional perspective, given by Lynn Tjeerdsma (Staff to Senator John Thune) and Matt Astleford (Staff to Senator Tim Johnson).

This was followed by a panel of top-notch scientists talking about the problems climate change will pose in selected topic areas [please see the "Agenda" and "Speakers" links on the left sidebar].

This was followed by a panel of speakers talking about solutions to these challenges.

The audience of more than 75 concerned citizens included Angie Harrison, Outreach Liaison, National FSA American Indian Credit Outreach Initiative.

Finally, a series of facilitated breakout sessions was designed to produce a set of the conferees’ highest priority recommendations in four areas:

• Energy
• Fish and Wildlife
• Agriculture, and
• Tribal Initiatives in South Dakota.

These recommendations are one product of the South Dakota conference and should be finished and posted here within a couple of weeks.

In the photo above, Sterling Miller, Senior WIldlife Biologist of the National Wildlife Federation, listens as Elizabeth Burleson, Professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law, shares the Energy breakout session's recommendations.

Documents:

• Breakout Session Reports

• Conference to focus on climate: Sioux Falls event to highlight global warming's effect on S.D. [By Ben Shouse, bshouse@argusleader.com, September 28, 2007]

• Climate meeting seeks solutions: Wind energy, more wetlands could help, attendees say. [By Peter Harriman, pharrima@argusleader.com, September 30, 2007]

Powerpoints:

• Please see Speakers page and then individual speakers for possible powerpoint presentation links.