The core objective of the Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) is to offer an outstanding educational experience to help
adventure travel and
ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
companies, clubs, and organizations mitigate the risks inherent in exploring, working, teaching, and recreating in wild places.
The WRMC was founded in 1994 by a collaboration of organizations that had a stake in how risk is managed in
outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity refers to recreation done outside, most commonly in natural settings. The activities that encompass outdoor recreation vary depending on the physical environment they are being carried out in. These activitie ...
and
outdoor education. The founding group consisted of representatives from
NOLS,
Outward Bound USA
Outward Bound USA (OBUSA) is a non-profit organization providing experiential education in the United States through a network of regional schools, especially in wilderness settings. Outward Bound counts among its desired outcomes the development o ...
,
Wilderness Medical Society,
Exum Mountain Guides,
Association for Experiential Education
The Association for Experiential Education, or AEE, is a nonprofit, professional membership association that promotes experiential education. Currently based in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, it was founded in the early 1970s in Boone, North Car ...
,
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...
, National Safety Network,
American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club (AAC) is a non-profit member organization with more than 24,000 members. Its vision is to create "a united community of competent climbers and healthy climbing landscapes." The Club is housed in the American Mountaineerin ...
, and Outdoor Network.
Conference Topics
The WRMC covers a variety of topics that fall into a few major categories including: emergency planning and crisis response, field practices, legal considerations, program administration, and staff training and decision making. Additionally, the conference provides structured networking time to meet with other professionals working and managing field programs in the United States, Canada, and internationally.
Conference Locations
2019 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
2018 - Portland, Maine
2016 - Salt Lake City, Utah
2015 - Portland, Oregon
2014 - Atlanta, Georgia
2013 - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
2012 - Portland, Oregon
2011 - Boston, Massachusetts
2010 - Colorado Springs, Colorado
2009 - Durham, North Carolina
2008 - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
2007 - Banff, Alberta, Canada
2006 - Killington, Vermont
References
{{See also, List of 20th-century outdoor proponents and outdoor educators
Wilderness Risk Management Conference
Experiential learning
Outdoor education organizations
Risk management