Tourism, Recreation and Land Use Planning to Address Climate and Fire Risk Mitigation
September 2, 2025; 10 a.m. (Mountain)
In this webinar we will explore with Leave No Trace, ways in which tourism and recreation can support sustainable land use practices as we address increased Fire Risk in our Native Communities.
Brice Esplin – Director of Sustainable Tourism, Leave No Trace
Brice develops a community-wide approach to environmental education by aligning stakeholders with tailored Leave No Trace messaging through long-term mutually beneficial relationships. His dual degrees in Psychology and Communications ensure that Leave No Trace has a deep understanding of human behavior and can work with high-profile tourist destinations to develop comprehensive education campaigns. Brice is a technology nerd and is always employing digital systems that improve organizational efficiency and add a level of expertise to partnerships. Brice has worked with hundreds of destinations and parks across the globe implementing Leave No Trace education. This includes comprehensive audits of signage, website, and social media presence, staff training procedures, and building partner or supporter programs. Some notable recent contributions include a comprehensive signage update in Arches National Park, guided a social media campaign called “Don’t Hurt The Dirt” with John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, and a multi-year research project on the effectiveness of the community-wide Oak Creek Caretaker campaign in Sedona, Arizona.
Matt Schneider – Manager of Sustainable Partnerships, Leave No Trace
Matt works with our sustainable tourism partners to develop education and messaging that align the interests of visitors, local communities, and the environment. With a PhD in ethics from the University of Georgia and over twenty years of experience in education and the outdoor industry, including three years as a Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer, he takes a collaborative approach to fostering healthy ecosystems and vibrant cultures. When he’s not working, you can find Matt riding his mountain bike near his home in western North Carolina.
Hannah Peterson – Program Development Director, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA)
Hannah Peterson is the Program Development Director for AIANTA, bringing to the role extensive experience in fundraising and program development. In her role as Program Development Director, Hannah works to advance the mission of AIANTA through strategic fundraising and program development. Hannah spent more than five years with J Murphy & Associates working as a consultant and grant writer and two years as grants manager for Urban Homeworks, Inc. For more than nine years, she worked as a paralegal working on business litigation, intellectual properties, worker’s compensation and insurance. She was raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and received a degree in English from the University of Washington, Seattle and a Master of Public Administration from Hamline University, Minnesota.