You are invited to participate in the Virginia Forests and Drinking Water Partnership Meeting, starting with a field tour led by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority on  Wednesday afternoon June 12th , and all day workshop on Thursday June 13th at CitySpace in downtown Charlottesville, VA.

To learn more about the event, please refer to the  REGISTRATION PAGE HERE (clickable link)  and register as soon as possible before May 31st. Please see below and attached meeting program for additional information. Detailed agenda with speaker information coming soon. 

REASONS TO PARTICIPATE:

  • Learn about watershed funding and how to be successful
  • Learn how to expand your stakeholder base and engage new partners
  • Network and develop relationships with landowners, utilities, conservation groups, etc.
  • Learn about national, regional, and Virginia watershed efforts and models

MEETING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

  • Discuss priority watershed issues and programs
  • Generate support for watershed-specific projects that show proof of concept
  • Share how to create long term sustainable funding for watershed stewardship
  • Highlight benefits of land conservation/forestland conservation
  • Enhance landowner-utility partner engagement
  • Strengthen strategic partnerships and collaboration

FORUM AGENDA

  • Brief Reports on Drinking Water, Forestry, Land Conservation, and Watershed Health Issues:
  • Forestry/Landowner Perspectives & Watershed Connections
  • Utilities & Source Water Protection
  • Funding/Financing/Economics

We are pleased to provide this forum and site tour free of charge thanks to our forum sponsors:

  • Virginia Department of Forestry
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership
  • US Forest Service
  • US Endowment for Forestry and Communities
  • Texas A&M Forest Service

For more information please either contact Nahal Ipakchi at (360) 464-5114 or nahal.ipakchi@gmail.com, and/ or Ashley Arayas at (703)247-6155 or Ashley.Arayas@cadmusgroup.com.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the Forum!

Sincerely,

The Forum Planning Team:

  • Pauline Adams, US Forest Service
  • Ashley Arayas, The Cadmus Group
  • Renee Bourassa, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
  • Sherri Comerford, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Beth Garcia, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3
  • Nahal Ipakchi, Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water
  • Bonnie Mahl, Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
  • Mary Mahoney, Virginia Department of Health
  • Sylvia Malm, Source Water/Ground Water Protection Council
  • Judy Okay, Virginia Department of Forestry
  • Matt Poirot, Virginia Department of Forestry
  • Diana Saintignon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3
  • Stephen Schoenholtz, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech
  • Savannah Sharkey, Virginia Forestry Association