The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) is excited to announce registration is open for the combined hybrid (in-person/virtual) Statewide Watershed Conference on November 7-8 at the Wyndham Gardens Hotel and Conference Center in State College.

The Conference will begin with the Opening Plenary, at 1:00 p.m. Sunday November 7. It will be an interactive “storytelling” workshop presented by Dr. Bethany Wiggin, Founding Director, Penn Program in Environmental Humanities and Affiliated Faculty of the University of Pennsylvania.

The workshop will also include an opportunity for attendees to share their stories of ‘adaptability, resilience, and innovation” over the past two years.

After a short networking break, there will be concurrent breakout sessions in four tracks: Organizational Capacity; Aquatic Science, Monitoring and Data Use; Watershed Restoration Strategies and Partnerships; and Watershed Policy, Planning, and Strategies.

Concurrent tracks led by subject matter experts will offer an opportunity to attend presentations that best fit your organization’s needs and objectives for enhanced water resource protection, restoration, and outreach efforts.

Please join us Sunday evening for a dinner reception and a screening of an award-winning short film.

Monday, November 8 will begin with breakfast roundtables at 7:15 a.m., followed by an opening session featuring our Keynote Speaker, Penn State climate expert Dr. Michael Mann. Concurrent sessions will then continue until about 3:30 p.m., with a break for lunch. The conference will conclude with a brief gathering and wrap-up activity.

Check out the Draft Program at a Glance.

Early bird in person registration ends on Friday, October 8: Full conference tickets are only $90, single day tickets are $50. Virtual tickets are $30.

Just Added: Discounted conference registration, ($80) PLUS a 2022 Annual Membership for your watershed organization ($50). For $130 you can attend the entire conference and join or renew your organization’s Membership.

For more information about membership Click Here.

Live Webinars

New this year, three live one-hour webinars will be hosted by POWR at Noon and 6:00 p.m. on November 10 and at 6:00 p.m. on November 11.

Mark your calendars and join us to learn about topics such as engaging diverse and under-represented populations in urban watersheds, evaluating acid mine drainage stream restoration in Southwest PA, and ecological and human influences on nitrogen in our streams. 

Access to the webinars is exclusive to conference registrants-- those who attend in person and those who attend virtually. They will not be recorded.

Virtual audiences will have live access to the opening plenary, keynote presentation, and the three webinars.

Purchase your tickets here.

COVID-19 related health and safety policies and procedures will likely include masking, social distance requirements, proof of vaccination, and/or other precautions.

For all the details, visit the Statewide Watershed Conference webpage.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and help available to community-based watershed organizations, visit the PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers website.  Follow them on Facebook.

(PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor of this year’s Statewide Watershed Conference.)

[Posted: September 24, 2021]

9/27/2021