Wilderness Risk Management Conference To Host 28th Conference Online from October 18 – 22, 2021

July 2, 2021

Lander, Wyo—July 1, 2021—NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), in partnership with Outward Bound USA and the Student Conservation Association (SCA), announced that the annual Wilderness Risk Management will return as an all-online event after the success of the 2020 online conference. Scheduled for October 18-22, registration is now open.

As our common experiences of the last year illustrate, risk management and the ability to share learning and experience are critical ways to have better outcomes across outdoor and experiential learning organizations. To that end, this year’s conference is built around on-demand content and live Q&A sessions, creating more structured opportunities for conversation. In addition, the conference will build on the previous success of affinity spaces, and themes of equity and inclusion run through many of the featured content.

WRMC Steering Committee Chair Mike Pigg says “The 2021 WRMC will be an outstanding opportunity to engage with peers and industry leaders on topics important to attendees. Much of the conference content will be dictated by questions from those in attendance. This year’s event is about connecting as a community and leveraging what we have learned over the past year to improve wilderness risk management and our industry.”

The conference is known for creating networking opportunities with industry leaders and influencing risk management standards for wilderness education. With the online setting creating greater access, the WRMC hopes to continue being an expansive offering to a global audience. Pricing has been adjusted to reflect the difficult economic year many in the industry are facing and an adjusted speaker format creates more opportunity for interaction with participants.

With dozens of workshops on the agenda as well as additional pre-conference workshops, including the 3rd Annual Adventure Risk Symposium, attendees can expect a comprehensive range of topics. These will span administrative risk management training and psychological first aid for youth to holistic crisis management and an emphasis on conversation and networking.

Emily Hall from Canadian National Cadets and Junior Rangers attended the online WRMC in 2020. She’s already registered for this year’s conference: “The WRMC, even in a virtual environment, is packed with approachable people with so much experience and expertise with the only goal to make the work we do better for the people we deliver it to. I always take so much away from these conferences and have developed some great friendships while doing it!”

The inaugural conference took place in September 1994, and soon afterward, Outward Bound and SCA joined as partners in hosting the annual event. Since its inception, the WRMC has offered a forum for learning and sharing common practices in wilderness risk management, helping to establish an industry-wide culture of open dialogue.

In its 28-year history, the WRMC has brought together representatives from over 1,000 organizations representing outdoor and adventure education providers, guide services, conservations corps, field science researchers, university programs, secondary schools, and summer camps. This fall, the expectation is to continue that growth and collaboration.

About the WRMC

The Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) unites hundreds of organizations annually to educate wilderness practitioners on practical risk management skills. Hosted by NOLS, in collaboration with legacy partners Outward Bound and the Student Conservation Association, its core objective is to offer an outstanding educational experience that helps mitigate the risks inherent in exploring, working, teaching, and recreating in wild places. To learn more, visit www.nols.edu/wrmc

About NOLS

NOLS is the world’s leading wilderness school. A nonprofit based in Lander, WY, the school provides students the opportunity to step forward—whether on an expedition, wilderness medicine or custom course. Students of all ages graduate from their courses prepared to step forward and lead their communities in a changing world. Graduates have a lifelong desire for leadership, commitment to continued skills development, and ongoing education. Since 1965, NOLS has embraced and explored the unknown through outdoor and classroom-based experiences.  To learn more about NOLS, call 800.710.6657 or visit www.nols.edu.

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