Join our panelists as we:
- Break down the scientific framework behind 30×30.
- Discuss the important role state-level policies will have in achieving this national goal.
- Explain how you can take action with WRA in our work to protect wildlife corridors, stop unnecessary sprawl, and prevent the degradation of land, water, and air through smarter rules for oil and gas development.
Panelists
Adrian Angulo
Deputy Director
New Mexico Wildlife Federation
Angulo grew up fishing for cochito, pargo, and roncachito in Sonora, Mexico. A first-generation American citizen, he has a strong sense of civic duty and encourages his community to engage in the political process.
Angulo earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe. He got his start at the New Mexico State Legislature, where he worked with elected officials to protect our air, land, water, and wildlife in his various roles with the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Senate Finance Committee.
Interested in deepening his involvement in community leadership, Angulo began working in political campaigns, where he was tasked with fundraising, event management, Hispanic and Latino outreach, public relations, volunteer mobilization, and engaging diverse local and tribal communities and leaders to support progressive candidates and ballot measures.
In his new role at NMWF, he is excited to build a community of New Mexican conservationists, hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreationists who care about our public lands and increasing transparency in decision-making processes.
In his spare time, Angulo enjoys woodworking, biking, and hiking with his dog.
Katie Belgard
Government Affairs Director – Denver
Conservation Colorado
From New Hampshire, Katie has spent the last 10 years working in the labor movement in Boston. She joined the team in 2019 and is excited to bridge her experience in labor and social justice organizing with the environmental movement here in Colorado. Favorite spot in Colorado: Mountains outside of Redstone, preferably on horseback.
Andre Miller
Western Lands Policy Analyst
Western Resource Advocates
Andre advocates for land conservation by developing state-level policy to protect western landscapes. As part of his work for WRA’s Western Lands program, he provides strategic advice on conservation finance mechanisms to shape land management and ensure permanent protections to prevent biodiversity loss and mitigate climate effects. Andre works closely with stakeholders and western communities to protect wildlife and create sustainable local economies.
Moderator
Jason Swann
Western Lands Policy Fellow
Western Resource Advocates
WRAs a Western Lands Policy Analyst Fellow, Jason is focused on making sure westerners have equal access to land, wildlife, and water. Specifically, his area of expertise will include analyses on privatization of access/blocked access to public lands and water, equitable access to public open spaces, access to decision-making, and managing and limiting access in a fair manner for natural resource protection. He values protecting our public land legacy while working to fight politicians and special interests who would look to dismantle it.
Additional Resources:
The United States is losing nature at an alarming pace — a football field’s worth of natural lands is lost to human development every 30 seconds. Ecologists, led by E.O. Wilson, say that we must protect at least 50% of land and water for nature to prevent the majority of species from going extinct. This is WRA’s goal for the West — but we need to get moving now.
Scientists and advocates realize that the biggest challenge is mobilizing political will to protect half the planet. So we have set an interim goal of reaching 30% protection by 2030.
We cannot achieve the level of protection we need through national legislation alone. WRA knows that significant progress must be made at the state and local level, where we must start by protecting the most valuable and at-risk wildlife habitat.
Thank you to WRA’s sponsors
