CONVENTION PREPARATION
Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation hopes to encourage more women to take on leadership roles in conservation
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In keeping with its ongoing efforts to encourage more women to take on leadership roles in conservation, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation has invited researcher, falconer and hunter Maya Basdeo to deliver the keynote address kicking off its 96th annual convention.
During the opening ceremony of the three-day event, the University of Waterloo master’s degree student will share the findings of her national survey on how Canadian hunters are engaged in conservation. A board member of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Basdeo will also lead a workshop on how to get more women involved in conservation at a governance level. The convention takes place February 13 to 15 at Regina’s Delta Hotel.
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Creating a board of directors that more accurately reflects its membership is something the SWF has been working on for years now, says executive director Darrell Crabbe. Despite evidence more and more women are actively taking up fishing and hunting each year, he notes, the composition of wildlife association boards across the country remains predominantly male. The SWF’s membership is roughly 60 per cent men to 40 per cent women, for example, but the board members are still mostly men.
According to Crabbe, that’s the reason the SWF launched the Advancing Women in Conservation Summit in 2022, and in part why it invited Basdeo to address the convention. “We’re trying to make it more appealing for women to look at taking on those roles,” he says.
The conference’s second keynote presenter, meanwhile, will be the new CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Sean Southey. Based on his 30 years of working in various aspects of conservation, Southey will share his vision for the future of the CWF. “He’s a pretty exciting speaker,” Crabbe says.
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Along with the keynote presentations and a full slate of workshops and information sessions, the convention will also feature a fundraising event with live and silent auctions, and an awards ceremony during the annual President’s Banquet.
Learn more about the SWF’s programs at www.swf.sk.ca.