Salazar Center for North American Conservation
A Unit of the Office of Engagement and Extension
Bridging research, policy and practice for conservation innovation
The Salazar Center works to advance the health and connectivity of the natural systems and human communities of North America—be they urban or rural; working or wildlands; public or private. Its efforts center on bridging gaps between academic research, community practice, and policy development to support climate adaptation and resilience, protect biodiversity, and support long-term human health. Flagship programs include an annual international symposium on conservation impact and a series of incentive prizes designed to spur conservation innovation.
What We Do
- Convene an annual international symposium, held to date in 2019, 2020, and 2021, to explore topics such as large landscape connectivity, healthy urban environments, and Indigenous conservation leadership
- Offer annual Conservation Impact incentive prizes, such as the Connectivity Challenge and the Thriving Cities Challenge, to fund multidisciplinary innovation across the continent
- Share best-in-class examples and case studies of best practices, through publications such as a report produced with the Network for Landscape Conservation, webinar series, and partnerships
- Engaging as broad and diverse a constituency as possible to identify aligned interests, and amplifying stakeholders often left out of conservation work in the past, particularly BIPOC voices
