Mark E. Rey, who served as undersecretary for natural resources and environment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2001 to 2008, and oversaw the Forest Service and Natural  Resources Conservation Service will give a lecture and join a panel discussion at OSU-Cascades on Thursday, Mar. 5.  Former under secretary Rey will present "The Rise of Cooperative Conservation:  the Fourth Chapter in the American Conservation Experience" and contribute to a panel discussion on the topic of private markets for ecosystem services in Central Oregon.   

In his presentation, Rey will trace the trajectory of the American conservation experience and describe the growth and significance of cooperative conservation.  He will describe how the nature and tone of the public discourse on environmental policy is often stuck in time and out of proportion to the common ground upon which progress is being made.  He will examine how this discourse may delay the recognition of, and solutions to emerging environmental problems.

Following the presentation, a panel of local conservation experts, moderated by Dr. Lisa Gaines, Associate Director of the OSU Institute for Natural Resources, will explore the growth of private markets for ecosystem services and how such markets can create a new revenue stream to support conservation work in Central Oregon.

Prior to his role as undersecretary, Rey served as a staff member with the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and was the lead staff person for the committee's work on national forest policy and Forest Service administration.  Prior to his positions in public service, Rey worked with the American Forest and Paper Association, the American Forest Resource Alliance, the National Forest Products Association, and for the American Paper Institute/National Forest Products Association. Rey is a native of Canton, Ohio. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management, a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry, and a Master of Science degree in natural resources policy and administration, all from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The event takes place at OSU-Cascades in Cascades Hall, Room 117 and includes a networking session beginning at 8:00am.  Rey’s presentation will begin at 8:45am, followed by the panel discussion. 

Reservations are required for the event; to R.S.V.P. please call 541-322-3152 or send an e-mail to info@osucascades.edu.