22nd Annual Androscoggiin River Watershed Conference

We have some great sessions that will be of interest to anyone who has an interest in the Androscoggin and the watershed. Outdoor recreation enthusiasts, outfitters, tourism service providers, land trusts, and municipal officials will find sessions of interest.

Sessions include History (fluvial geomorphology) and Ecology of our Streams and Rivers, Expanding Recreational Uses of the Androscoggin, Other Recreational Happenings in the Watershed, A Look at “Maine Stream Viewer,” Collecting Data with Tablets and Smart Phones for use with GIS, Climate Change – Impacts and Opportunities, Learn about ARWC projects: Fish Passage Inventory in New Hampshire, Fish Passage Projects in Maine, Androscoggin River Trail Updates and Interactive Map and Guide, Potential Mapping and Itinerary Initiative for Other Water Access Sites, Annual Source to Sea.

Annual Androscoggin River Watershed Conference
Thursday, May 3, 2018
(8:15 to 2:45)
Summit Hotel, Sunday River Resort
We have some great sessions that will be of interest to anyone who has an interest in the Androscoggin and the watershed.  Outdoor recreation enthusiasts, outfitters, tourism service providers, land trusts, and municipal officials will find sessions of interest.
7:45 – 8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 Opening Remarks: 
8:45 – 10:00 Concurrent Sessions
Session A:  History (fluvial geomorphology) and Ecology of our Streams and Rivers.  The session will take a look at how our rivers and even small streams have been impacted by people over the past 100+ years and what that means to us now.  It will also review the ecology of our cold water streams with emphasis on Brook Trout.  Dr. John Field, Field Geology Services and Merry Gallagher, Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Session B:  Expanding Recreational Uses of the Androscoggin.  Speakers will provide an overview of the growth of recreational opportunities on the Androscoggin River from Lake Umbagog to Merrymeeting Bay.  Mark Peabody, Mahoosuc Outdoors; Shelley Kruszewski, Androscoggin Land Trust; LLBean representative invited.
10:00 – 10:30 Break
10:30 – 11:45 Concurrent Sessions
Session C:  Using Technology for Environmental Improvement.  The session will look at the “Maine Stream Viewer,” a dynamic program that provides watershed information as well as a developing inventory of fish passage issues. The session will also provide an overview of how citizen scientists can collect meaningful data with Tablets and Smart Phones for use with GIS.
Session D:  Exploring Recreational Opportunities in the Watershed.  This session will present some of the exciting recreational and environmental education happening in the watershed.  Lee Dasler will tell us about the many programs that the Western Foothills Land Trust is presenting at Roberts Farm in Norway.  Kirk Siegel will provide an overview of their new effort at Valentine Farm as well as other recreational activities.  Gabe Perkins from Mahoosuc Pathways will review efforts to develop a town forest and also review their other pathways and hiking trails.
11: 55 – 12:05 Water Flows and Safety on the River.  Brookfield, invited.
12:05 – 1:15  Lunch, Annual Meeting and ARWC highlights
New Hampshire Fish Passage Projects – Exciting projects to that will inventory fish passage barriers in the New Hampshire portion of the watershed
Maine Fish Passage Projects – Dam removal and culvert replacement projects
Androscoggin River Trail Happenings – new sites, new mapping and guide info
Source to Sea – highlights of 2017 and 2018 schedule
Cooperative Project with Northern Forest Canoe Trail
 
1:15 – 2:30 Climate Change – Impacts, Opportunities, and Responses.  Speakers will provide insight on two major impacts of climate change on the region: Wildlife Ecology and Built Infrastructure.  Learn how climate is impacting the natural environment including impacts on fish and wildlife and also how climate change is impacting our homes, roads, dams and other structures.  Discuss what we can do locally to mitigate the impacts where possible and prepare for them.
 
Registration:  $50 – Full time students $40
 Includes continental breakfast and lunch
REGISTRATION INFORMATION NEEDED
Name:  ____________________________________________________
Affiliation if any:  ____________________________________________
Address:  __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
E-mail:  ____________________________________________________
Registration, includes Tadpole level Membership ($50):               $________
Student: ($40) Name of School ________________________     $________
Donation to assist the ARWC with programs:                                $________
Other membership level:                                                                $________
Total enclosed:                                                                             $_________
 
I would like to join the Androscoggin River Watershed Council at a higher level to help support programs including trout habitat restoration, river trail coordination/stewardship, water quality monitoring and the Source to the Sea.
__Eagle - $500.00
__Osprey - $250.00
__Loon - $100.00
__Trout (Voting Member) - $60.00
__Turtle (Individual or family) - $25.00
__Tadpole (associate) - $10.00
Make Checks payable to ARWC.
Mail registration form (one for each person, please) to:
ARWC  P.O. Box 1541, Bethel, ME 04217