Bloomington, IN — The Conservation Law Center (CLC) is proud to announce the launch of Talking Conservation, a dynamic public lecture series designed to illuminate the ideas, people, and legal frameworks shaping the future of land, water, wildlife, and healthy communities. Supported by the generous sponsorship of the Duke Energy Foundation, Talking Conservation aims to make complex environmental and conservation issues accessible, relevant, and actionable for community members, advocates, students, and professionals alike.
This free and open-to-the-public series brings together attorneys, scientists, policymakers, community leaders, and storytellers to engage in thoughtful, forward-looking discussions rooted in real-world conservation challenges and opportunities. While grounded in the landscapes and legal contexts of Indiana, the series connects to broader regional and national conservation conversations.
2026 Lecture Schedule
The upcoming Talking Conservation lectures will cover a range of timely topics, from land conservation tools and federal policy impacts to the public trust doctrine in coastal stewardship:
The Legal Toolkit for Land Conservation
Speaker: Alex Sienkiewicz, JD, PhD, Executive Director, Sycamore Land Trust
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Upland Woodshop, Bloomington, IN
This session will explore practical legal strategies used in land conservation and stewardship, drawing on decades of leadership in habitat management and public lands work.
Connections and Consequences: Federal Environmental Policy and State-Level Impacts
Speaker: Janet McCabe, Environmental Policy Expert and Former U.S. EPA Deputy Administrator
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, IN
McCabe will discuss how federal environmental policies influence conservation outcomes at the state and community level.
Indiana’s Lake Michigan Shoreline and the Public Trust Doctrine in Action
Speaker: Paul Labovitz, Retired Superintendent, Indiana Dunes National Park
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: TBD, Bloomington, IN
This lecture will examine how legal doctrines such as the public trust shape access to and protection of Indiana’s Lake Michigan shoreline.
What Attendees Can Expect
Talking Conservation is designed for accessibility and engagement:
- Engaging speakers from diverse disciplines working at the intersection of law, science, and environmental conservation
- Accessible conversations with no prior technical background required
- Facilitated discussion including Q&A
- Community connection and opportunities to network for students, professionals, and advocates
For more information about this series, details about individual lectures, and links to RSVP, visit www.conservationlawcenter.org/talkingconservation.
About the Conservation Law Center
The Conservation Law Center is a Bloomington-based nonprofit law firm dedicated to advancing conservation through legal counsel, policy advocacy, and public legal education. CLC provides pro bono legal assistance to conservation organizations, works to strengthen conservation law and policy, and trains the next generation of environmental lawyers through clinical experiences.
