Thank you to everyone who attended the Alliance’s 19th Annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum, both in person and virtually! Held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), the watershed-wide event reached 480 restoration and protection practitioners to inspire and empower local action towards clean water. We shared successful tools and techniques, offered lessons and learnings from on-the-ground work, built capacities of local organizations, fostered partnerships, educated on new initiatives and emerging practices, networked with others, and celebrated our successes!

 

Views from the NCTC

a group of people smiling and talking in a lobby area

Forum attendees check in and prepare for the plenary to kick off the weekend.

A person on stage speaking to an auditorium of people

Steve Chase, National Conservation Training Center Director gives opening remarks during the plenary session.

small groups of people introducing themselves to each other

Newcomers and Forum veterans alike introduce themselves during our “Forum Buddies” crash course.

a person giving the peace sign while giving a presentation

Speaker, Dr. Wansoo Im gives a presentation on EJScreen, an environmental justice mapping tool.

A person sticking a post it note onto a white board

Attendees participate in a Synthesizing Novel Adaptations to Problems (SNAP) activity led by speakers, Annie Carew and Alexandra Fries.

are you present?

As part of the Chesapeake Collective, various inspirational signs were placed throughout campus, reminding us why we were all there. Chesapeake Collective is an intention, a space, and a creative platform for diverse voices to express their vision for a healthy Bay watershed.

A person holding their phone up to the night sky

Forum attendees search the night sky for signs of the Orionid meteor shower.

Three people shucking oysters under a canopy

For the seafood fans, nightime oysters are a staple at the Forum! Thank you to planning team members, Bryan Hoffman (Friends of the Rappahannock) and Jesse Iliff (Severn River Association), for organizing and facilitating oyster donations.

Trees with red and orange leaves

The fall foliage was also in full effect at the NCTC.

People smiling and holding up different leaves and tree identification books

Forum attendees and Alliance team members show off the leaves they were able to identify during the Techniques in Tree Identification workshop led by the Alliance’s Forest Team.

A whiteboard display with paper feathers on it

Attendees filled in a feather as part of another Chesapeake Collective display, “Rising as One.”

an overhead shot of a room full of people looking at poster displays

A bird’s eye view of the Watershed Forum poster session which provides an opportunity for individuals to share their work and research findings in a visual form with conference attendees.

A large group of people posing for a photo on a set of stairs

The Alliance team gives a huge thank you for a great weekend!

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Catch up on this Year’s Virtual Sessions

Every year, the Alliance live streams Watershed Forum sessions for those attending virtually. If you missed your chance to join us, catch up on our recorded sessions now!

Thank you to all who joined us, and we can’t wait to see you next year!