WWF Partner Symposium

In June we welcomed WWF Partners in Conservation, Legacy Circle members, and other committed supporters to the 2024 virtual Partner Symposium. Together we learned from WWF experts on the Northern Great Plains and Plastics teams about the role of partnerships—with communities, governments, corporations, and you—in advancing innovative efforts to eliminate plastic in nature and protect and restore bison and black-footed ferret populations in the world’s largest intact grassland.

Recordings from the event, along with the names of our expert speakers who shared their insights about how your partnership is helping to ensure a thriving future for people and nature, can be found below.

Martha Kauffman, Vice President, Northern Great Plains
Monica Rattling Hawk, Native Nations Liaison, Northern Great Plains Program
Kristy Bly, Black-Footed Ferret Restoration Manager, Northern Great Plains Program

Millions of plains bison once roamed the grasslands of North America. Then years of Western Expansion and US government policies nearly drove the species to extinction. In response to their tragic decline, conservationists and Indigenous peoples have been working for more than a century to bring the plains bison back from the brink of extinction. Since 2014, WWF has partnered with Native Nations throughout the Northern Great Plains in support of their efforts to conserve and restore grassland ecosystems and bring bison back to their traditional homelands.

WWF also leads recovery efforts for one of North America’s most endangered mammals, the black-footed ferret, by working alongside tribal communities and their wildlife programs, public land and wildlife agencies, other conservation organizations, and private landowners. Although great strides have been made to recover the black-footed ferret, habitat loss and disease remain their key threats.

To learn more about the work discussed during this session, please explore the following links:

• WWF’s Work in the Northern Great Plains
  Comprehensive overview of WWF’s work in the Northern Great Plains and our strategic approach to conservation in the world’s largest intact grasslands.
• Native Nations Lead the Way to Returning Bison to their Traditional Homelands
  A feature story about WWF’s partnerships with Native Nations and how those partnerships support and further bison recovery efforts in the Northern Great Plains.
• All about Plains Bison
  A WWF web page all about plains bison, their importance, the threats that endanger their future, and what WWF is doing to help restore bison to their ancestral homelands.
• Saving the Black-Footed Ferrets of North America
  A WWF Nature Breaking podcast episode all about ongoing efforts to save the black-footed ferret featuring WWF’s Kristy Bly and Tevin Messerly, a biologist with the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department.
• The Decades-Long Fight to Save America's Black-Footed Ferrets
  This episode of “Wild Hope” tells the story of how ferrets are making a wild comeback thanks to the collaborative efforts of scientists, conservationists, students from Aaniiih Nakoda College, and community members from Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana.

Erin Simon, Vice President and Head, Plastic Waste and Business
Jessica Lazarus, Activism and Outreach Manager, Online Marketing

Plastic waste is choking our planet—polluting the air, water, and soil both people and wildlife need to survive. Five years ago, WWF set an ambitious goal to eliminate plastic from entering ecosystems across the world through our “No Plastic in Nature” campaign. And thanks to the efforts of millions of people like you, and partnerships with corporations and policy makers, we’re on track to meet that goal.

To learn more about the work discussed during this session, please explore the following links:

• Policy Summit Post Read 2024
  In March 2024, WWF convened its second Plastic Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., bringing together 300 policymakers and other stakeholders to workshop efforts to reduce plastic pollution, accelerate coordinated action, and implement and scale successful initiatives. This document recaps the event and provides a brief summary for each of the twelve breakout sessions, reflecting on key themes, upcoming opportunities for action, and additional resources.
• WWF Lobby Day Activists’ Stories
  A collection of video stories from real WWF activists from across the United States who are advocating for practical solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. Hear about what motivates them to build a world with no plastics in nature.
• Erin’s April 2024 Nature Breaking Podcast
  Erin joined WWF’s Nature Breaking podcast ahead of attending INC-4 in Canada to bring listeners up to speed on the current state of the plastic crisis. She speaks to the actions that the US government could take to help and breaks down the latest on the UN treaty negotiations.
• The Blueprint Report Landing Page
  The Blueprint for Credible Action on Plastic Pollution is WWF’s latest toolkit for companies as they set priorities to achieve maximized, measurable impact on the journey towards circularity. Businesses with strategic plans in place to address plastic pollution can use the Blueprint to identify gaps in existing programs and pinpoint opportunities for expansion and collaboration.

If you have any additional questions about the information presented during the Partner Symposium, or are interested in getting more involved with WWF, please contact [email protected] or call 888-993-1100.