VMN Continuing Education Webinar: Heated Topics, Warm Approaches: Navigating Tough Conversations About Natural Resources

Location

Virtual Event

Date

October 7, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

About

This one-hour webinar is part of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program Continuing Education Webinar Series. Although the subject matter is geared toward VMN volunteers, anyone is welcome to attend.

Description: Learn practical, research-based communication strategies for navigating controversial natural resource conversations, from deer management to climate change to feral cats, with confidence. We will explore how "warmth," conveyed through active listening, empathy, curiosity, and open dialogue, can build trust, reduce defensiveness, and keep conversations productive, even when people disagree.

Presenter: Ginger Orton is an assistant professor and Extension specialist of natural resources science communication in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. Her research and outreach focus on the adoption of climate-smart land management practices with an emphasis on audience analysis, evidence-based outreach, and fostering trust between scientists and decision makers.  

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and local governments, and is an equal opportunity employer. For the full non-discrimination statement, please visit ext.vt.edu/accessibility.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact the event organizer(s) by responding to the confirmation email you receive after registering at least 10 business days prior to the event.