This year’s conference theme is “Bridging Connections: Learning from the Past, Investing in the Future.” We hope you find inspiration in these words. We are drawing connections between past, present and future. We inherit the systems and legacies of the past, for better or worse. We refer to past conditions and reference points as we look to the future we want to see. What do we maintain, what can we build from, and what do we have to “fix”?

We must continue to make investments in the future to build resiliency, while recognizing what we can and cannot control. We need to be mindful of the social connections in our work. Restoration, for instance, is based on our vision of how we want to experience the earth. When we’re considering infrastructure investments, how are we “bridging” toward new, innovative methods that mimic natural systems?

As always, within these sub-themes, the conference will cover a cross-section of topics ranging from forest health to flood risk management, stakeholder outreach to climate change, streamflow protection to land use planning, river restoration to stormwater management, project permitting to water quality protection.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• Conservation and restoration practitioners

• Water quality specialists

• Land use and water supply planners

• Elected officials and managers

• Watershed groups and coalitions

• Citizens engaged in watershed work