WildlifeUnite 2021: Virtual Milwaukee
WildlifeUnite 2021 took place from June 8-12, 2021. The conference was held online, which protected participants from the COVID-19 pandemic while also creating the opportunity for even more people to take part. WildlifeUnite was hosted virtually from Milwaukee, cohosted by the National Wildlife Federation and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
Over the course of five days, conservation advocates had opportunities to share information, develop their skills, and set strategy to tackle the most pressing issues facing wildlife and people. In addition to engaging plenary sessions, participants enjoyed dozens of concurrent learning sessions. We also celebrated our conservation champions from the past year and enjoyed some great local music.
Acknowledgement of Milwaukee’s First People
The name Milwaukee comes from the Anishinaabe and/or Algonquin words for the “good land” or “gathering place”; the area has probably gone by many overlapping names, because it has been a place where people come together for thousands of years. In recent history, Milwaukee has been home to people of the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, Odawa, Fox, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sauk, and Oneida nations, and more. Today, more than 7,000 Milwaukee residents identify as Native – the largest concentration of Native people in Wisconsin – and the community includes people from across Wisconsin, the Midwest, and North America.
As we virtually gather in Milwaukee for WildlifeUnite, the National Wildlife Federation respectfully acknowledges and honors the ancestral owners and stewards of this place, who preceded – and survived – European colonization and live here today. We offer our respect to the elders, past, present and future, in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin’s Native nations.
Even as we honor the people of Milwaukee, we also note that participants in this online conference will be attending from many different lands across North America. We encourage everyone to learn more and recognize the Native people whose ground you stand upon.
About the National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation, America’s largest and most trusted conservation organization, works across the country to unite Americans from all walks of life to ensure that wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world. We’ve been on the front lines for wildlife since 1936, fighting for the conservation values that are woven into the fabric of our nation’s collective heritage.
The National Wildlife Federation is made up of 53 state and territory affiliates—autonomous, nonprofit organizations that lead state and local conservation efforts and collaborate to conduct grassroots activities on national issues. Our national organization also operates from offices across the country, including our headquarters in Reston, Virginia; a National Advocacy Center in Washington, D.C.; and seven regional centers. Collectively, National Wildlife Federation and our affiliates encompass more than 6.2 million members and supporters.