Northeast Mid-Atlantic Partnership for Forests & Water November Forum

The time has come – Registration is open! The second in-person Northeast Mid-Atlantic Partnership for Forests & Water Forum will take place November 20^th – 21^st, 2024 at South Central Connecticut Regional Water in Hamden, Connecticut.

The Partnership and workshop planning team are excited to be able to convene this two-day forum. Once again, we will bring together forestry and drinking water professionals from Maine to West Virginia. The goal is to create a collaborative network that leverages resources to manage, restore, and conserve forests and protect water resources.

Update 10/10/2024: We are excited to share a preliminary agenda to provide additional information on the forum planning, our fantastic speakers, and to help anyone who needs an agenda to submit a travel request. The agenda is still under development and subject to change. Additional details will be added as speakers are confirmed.

Note: If you need a more detailed agenda to request travel, please let us know and we will get that to you. We recognize that some people need 60 days notice to request out- of-state travel.

If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Arayas at the Cadmus Group, Ashley.Arayas@cadmusgroup.com or Kira Jacobs, 617-918-1817 or jacobs.kira@epa.gov

Don’t forget to check out our NEW website! www.northeastmidtatlanticpartnershipforforestsandwater.com

High-level Agenda

Wednesday, November 20^th

12pm – 5pm: Field Trip meeting at South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority Lake Whitney Water Plant – a shuttle for the watershed tour will be provided by RWA’s “Water Wagon” 🚌💧

5pm – 7pm: Group Dinner and Networking

Thursday, November 21^st

9am – 5pm: All-day Forum at Lake Whitney Water Plant South Central CT Regional Water, Lake Whitney Water Plant, 900 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06517

• Morning sessions will include:
  • A Water Utility’s Perspective on the Connection between Forests & Water
  • A Special Keynote Presentation by Robert Bonnie, Undersecretary, Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), USDA
  • Partnership Updates
  • Success Stories from Partners in Multiple States
• Afternoon sessions will include:
  • Water Utility Panel Discussion
  • Watershed Forestry Panel Discussion
  • A Deep Dive into “Demystifying Federal Funding”
  • State Breakout Sessions – Planning Next Steps at the State Level to Catalyze Future Projects

Here are some important things to know:

1. Cost: There is no cost to attend the forum. Attendees will be responsible for covering their own for dinner on Wednesday evening. Our hosts at South Central Connecticut Regional Water have graciously offered to cover other costs including the venue, field trip transportation, and food during the all-day forum.
2. Lodging: There is no “hotel block” reserved for the meeting. However, attendees are encouraged to reserve rooms at any of the nearby hotels around New Haven. If you qualify for the Government Rate, be sure to inquire when booking. Here are a few suggestions:
   • Hotel Marcel – 500 Sargent Dr, New Haven, CT 06511 (recommended by our local hosts!)
   • Graduate New Haven – 1151 Chapel St, New Haven, CT 06511
   • Omni Hotel at Yale – 155 Temple St, New Haven, CT 06510
   • Residence Inn (Hamden) – 2312 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518
3. Getting to the Forum:
   • Attendees can take the Amtrak Northeast Regional Train to New Haven, and we can assist with getting you to the Lake Whitney Water Plant as many attendees will have cars. We recommend taking public transit or carpooling when possible!
   • Whether you’re coming from north, south, east, or west – the Lake Whitney Water Plant is conveniently located within a 20-minute drive of I-95 and I-91 in south central Connecticut.
   • If you are coming from further away there are two airports in the vicinity. Tweed New Haven Airport is a regional airport near the forum, but flights in and out are limited. Bradley International Airport is about a 50-minute drive from Hamden, CT.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

We have obtained CEUS for Connecticut foresters through Connecticut DEEP. If your state has a similar credit program and you are interested in trying to get CEUs approved for your state, please reach out to Ashley Arayas at ashley.arayas@cadmusgroup.com.

Register Now

A big THANK YOU to our host, South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. We have a terrific planning team putting this event together and welcome your input so please reach out if you have any questions or suggestions. We hope you will join us in Connecticut to continue this important and exciting work!

Link to register: https://form.jotform.com/242535663644057