(Washington, D.C.) – This week, the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports is pleased to bring the second of two previews highlighting some exciting sessions on the agenda for the Virtual R3 Forum, occurring on August 26-27, 2020. The goal of the Virtual R3 Forum is to offer professionals some key insights to help them adapt their plans for the upcoming months and help maintain momentum in national efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate (R3) participants in outdoor activities.
Today we highlight three panels occurring Thursday, August 27. The first, “Retaining a Community,” will showcase increased efforts to retain hunters, target shooters, anglers, and other outdoor recreationists. For decades we have mainly focused on recruiting participants. However, now, as COVID has increased participation across many outdoor recreation activities, we shift our focus to retaining participants in these activities. This panel conversation will highlight different elements of community and discuss how a strategy to build an inclusive community could lead to long-term retention of not just new participants, but all outdoor recreationists. This panel will feature the following speakers:
Howard Vincent – President and CEO of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever
Marcia Brownlee –Artemis Program Manager – National Wildlife Federation
Adrian Angulo – Hispanic Outreach Manager – Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Another session, “Next Steps in Mentoring,” will offer attendees some insights into brand new research on the topic of mentoring. Hunting and other outdoor recreation are often taught from one person to another through a mentoring relationship. Research conducted by the Wildlife Management Institute and Southwick Associates has taken a deep dive into the topic of mentoring. Event attendees will learn valuable insights on the subject that they may apply directly to their mentoring R3 efforts this fall.
Finally, a session titled “Technological Advancements in R3,” will feature a panel of technology partners as they showcase their latest innovations in R3, some of which were a direct result of COVID-19. This session will be an open discussion as partners showcase their new technologies designed to increase and retain participation.
After these sessions, the final day of the Virtual R3 Forum will conclude with a Happy Hour and offer another chance for colleagues to network and discuss the day’s presentations.
Registration for the Virtual R3 Forum is free and open to any professional or volunteer dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and reactivating participants in outdoor activities. For more registration information, to view the Virtual R3 Forum’s agenda, or to prepare the technology for the event, please visit https://cahss.org/r3forum/.
About the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports
Purpose: Ensure support for and active participation in hunting and the shooting sports for future generations.
Vision: America where hunting and the shooting sports are an integral part of mainstream culture and where hunters and shooters are widely recognized as premiere conservation contributors.
Mission: Facilitate the promotion and growth of hunting and the shooting sports and the education of the public on the contributions that hunters and shooters make towards wildlife conservation.
