Agenda - 2026 Delaware River Watershed Forum

The two-day Forum agenda, as of September 10, is outlined below. For learning session descriptions and a list of speakers for each session, please scroll below the two-day agenda outline.

For individuals who have already registered for the Forum, you will receive details on how to access the attendee website and app on/around Tuesday, September 15. The attendee website and app will provide you with the most up-to-date agenda, our full list of speakers, and allow you to customize a personalized timeline for the Forum. Be sure to check out the website and app once those are live!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

8:30AM-9:15AM Continental Breakfast and Registration

9:30AM-10:30AM Opening Plenary Session

11:00AM-12:00PM Learning Sessions

Learning session titles shown below. For full descriptions and speakers, scroll below the two-day agenda on this page.

Tale of Two States: Improving Water Quality through MS4 Permits
11th Street Flood Resistance Park along the Brandywine River in Northeast Wilmington, Delaware
Magnifying the Resilience of Urban Pollinators Through Scaled Implementation
Recreational Access in Practice: Case Studies & Lessons Learned

12:00PM-1:00PM Networking Lunch

1:15-2:00PM Lightning Round Learning Sessions

Session titles shown below. For full descriptions and speakers, scroll below the two-day agenda on this page.

Preserving the Past & Protecting the Future of National Parks & Public Lands in the Delaware River Watershed
Charting the Course: Strategies for Inclusive Fishing and Boating Access
Hook, Line, and Reader: Writing and Photography for Public Audiences
Engaging Riverfront Property Owners in Wetlands Restoration on the Wild and Scenic Manumuskin River
How to Maximize Ecological Uplift of Your Project for Biodiversity

2:15PM-5:30PM Field Trips (See trip descriptions through the link. Trip selection is done during the registration process. A signed NWF waiver will be required for participation on all trips.)

6:00PM-9:00PM Networking Reception

*The reception will be held at Delaware Nature Society's Ashland Nature Center. Bus transportation will be offered to/from Clayton Hall and the Nature Center.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

8:30AM-9:15AM Continental Breakfast and Roundtables

9:30AM-10:30AM Learning Sessions

Session titles shown below. For full descriptions and speakers, scroll below the two-day agenda on this page.

Building a Statewide Coalition to Reduce Road Salt Pollution in Pennsylvania
Wetlands Policy & Post-Sackett Governance
Creating a Resilient Basin: An Update on DRBC’s Water Resources Resilience Plan
From Mandate to Maintenance: Making Green Stormwater Infrastructure Work in Practice
Advancing Recreational Access: Shared Challenges & Opportunities

11:00AM-12:15PM Learning Sessions

Session titles shown below. For full descriptions and speakers, scroll below the two-day agenda on this page.

PFAS & Emerging Contaminants: State & Basin Integration
The Art of Conservation: Engaging Communities Through Creativity
Engaging Communities through Environmental Education and Stewardship
From Findings to Action: The TTF Watershed Action Plan

12:30PM-1:30PM Networking Lunch

1:45PM-2:45PM Learning Sessions

Session titles shown below. For full descriptions and speakers, scroll below the two-day agenda on this page.

A Model for Partnership in the Upper Delaware Watershed
From Data to Decisions: Using Watershed-Scale Flood Modeling to Build Climate Resilience in White Clay Creek Watershed
Watershed Stewardship Workforce
Envisioning a Resilient Future in Eastwick, Philadelphia
Beyond Borders: A Multi-State Approach to Brook Trout Conservation in the Upper Delaware Watershed

3:00PM-4:15PM Closing Plenary Session

Tale of Two States: Improving Water Quality through MS4 Permits

TRACK Advancing Policy & Advocating for Basin Protections

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Municipalities and other MS4 permit holders impact the water quality to the many tributaries to the Delaware. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are using the MS4 permit to improve water quality to impaired streams and work towards achieving TMDL objectives. Pennsylvania integrated this into the Phase II Small NPDES MS4 permit back in 2013, which New Jersey added these requirements more recently, in their 2023 permit. This session will review how both States accomplish this goal and share lessons learned. Improving the planning process and evaluating the most effective BMPs to address these objectives will benefit water quality in the Delaware.

SPEAKERS

Beth Uhler, Program Director, Center for Watershed Protection

Mike Pisauro, Policy Director, The Watershed Institute

11th Street Flood Resistance Park along the Brandywine River in Northeast Wilmington, Delaware

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Planning, design, and mobilization of the proposed 11th Street Bridge Biodiversity Peace Garden, including living shoreline, reforestation, river access, wetland restoration, and wildlife meadow along the Brandywine River at the 11th Street Bridge (Northeast Blvd) and 14th Street intersection in Wilmington, Delaware. This river restoration project by the University of Delaware Water Resources Center (UDWRC) and Green Building United (GBU) with the City of Wilmington will provide relief for 5,000 residents from chronic flooding, hardship, heat stress, and pollution. The flood resistance park will employ a living shoreline, rain gardens, playing fields, riparian wetlands, and access to the Brandywine River for Northeast Wilmington residents. The elevation of the Flood Resistance Park will be raised to 16 feet to prevent overflow of the Brandywine River during the storm of record (Hurricane Ida, Sep 1-2, 2021) where the river rose to 11 feet above sea level and flooded the Northeast neighborhood over 50 city blocks. Planning/mobilization costs to complete hydraulic modeling and prepare design drawings include UDWRC research assistant salaries for civil engineering/landscape architecture students over spring 2026/Fall 2027 semesters, supplies/expenses to acquire native plants, plant pollinator meadow, rain gardens, wetlands and staff time to engage with the Northeast Wilmington community.

SPEAKERS

Gerald McAdams Kauffman, Director, University of Delaware Water Resources Center

Karen Igou, Delaware Program Manager, Green Building United

Tamika Brooks Collick, Chair, Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long Term Recovery Group, Inc. (ESBCLTRG),

Faith Moen, University of Delaware Landscape Architecture Graduate Student

Magnifying the Resilience of Urban Pollinators Through Scaled Implementation

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience

SESSION DESCRIPTION

This session will describe the model of pollinator projects Delaware Nature Society has implemented throughout Wilmington to build a climate-ready pollinator corridor. The goals are to discuss the mosaic of the 75 projects including residential spaces, school yards, parks, and a biorientation basin. As part of the discussion, we will present the challenges we encountered along the way, current sustainability obstacles, and lessons learned. Also to be discussed: Next steps of implementation, providing information around pollinator visits and native plant survivability, and building relationships, earning trust, and strengthening bonds in host neighborhoods through outreach, education and teamwork.

SPEAKERS

Kerry Wilson, Habitat Outreach Manager and Project Lead, Delaware Nature Society

Janique Hinson, Community Engagement specialist, My Neighbor's Keeper

Mark Nardone, Director of Advocacy, Delaware Nature Society

Recreational Access in Practice: Case Studies & Lessons Learned

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Explore real-world examples of efforts to expand and improve recreational access, featuring case studies from across the Delaware River Basin and beyond. Speakers and participants will examine what approaches have worked, what challenges have emerged, and how communities and partners have navigated issues such as planning, funding, stewardship, and equitable access.

SPEAKERS

Mark Zakutansky, Director of Conservation Policy Engagement, Appalachian Mountain Club

Jamē McCray, Managing Director, Alliance for Watershed Education

Preserving the Past & Protecting the Future of National Parks & Public Lands in the Delaware River Watershed

TRACK Advancing Policy & Advocating for Basin Protections

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Join the National Parks Conservation Association and the Appalachian Mountain Club as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by diving deep into two vital federal programs that protect and preserve natural, cultural, and historical resources across the watershed. Established in the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) of 2020, the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) provides funding for deferred maintenance projects in national parks and public lands, including improvements for visitor experience, access, and safety, as well as aging infrastructure and historic buildings. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), permanently authorized through GAOA, provides critical funding for land conservation and public access. Both programs are backed with bipartisan support, create jobs, and contribute to the economy. Their continuation is critical to protecting national parks and public lands into the future. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of the LRF and LWCF to the watershed, the threats and opportunities to these programs, as well as actions to take to support them. The session will begin with a fun and interactive 250th Anniversary-themed trivia-style game highlighting the watershed’s rich ecological and historical legacy.

SPEAKERS

Renee Reber, National Parks Conservation Association

Jayda Hayman, National Parks Conservation Association

Mark Zakutansk, Director of Conservation Policy Engagement, Appalachian Mountain Club

Charting the Course: Strategies for Inclusive Fishing and Boating Access

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) “Charting the Course - Strategies for Fishing and Boating Access and funding opportunities.”

This session aligns with the “Engaging Communities and Expanding Access” track, particularly through its focus on the community-led partnerships used by both PFBC and DCNR to enhance public access to fishing and boating opportunities throughout the region.

A recently completed Pennsylvania Fishing and Boating Access Strategy, which will be introduced to audience attendees. At its core, the Access Strategy is designed to serve as a practical toolkit for local governments, non-profit organizations, and community partners seeking to expand public access opportunities. In addition, the presentation will explore potential funding sources and partnership models that organizations may leverage to support the development of new fishing and boating access projects.

SPEAKERS

Mark Morrison, Statewide Public Access Program Manager, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Mark Sweppenheiser, Waterways Conservation Officer, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Mary Hundt, Rivers Program Specialist, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Hook, Line, and Reader: Writing and Photography for Public Audiences

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Writing for the public is different than writing a technical report, white paper, or a grant report. This type of writing uses less jargon, fewer charts and graphs, and more conversational narrative and engaging pictures. Speaking of photos, they play an important role in your work for all audiences. They show proof to funders and sponsors that you did the work you said you were going to do, and help you tell your story to potential donors. This session will explore how to write about your work for a more general audience, as well as practical photography tips to make your pictures shine a little brighter.

SPEAKERS

Kate Layton, Communications Manager, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

Engaging Riverfront Property Owners in Wetlands Restoration on the Wild and Scenic Manumuskin River

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Over the last seven years, CU Maurice River (CUMR) has engaged residential wetland owners, community scientists, and conservation partners in critical restoration initiatives along the federally designated Wild and Scenic Manumuskin River. Funded by the Restore America's Estuaries National Estuaries Program, CUMR partners with 32 waterfront landowners across more than 60 parcels to restore 55 acres of tidal wetlands severely degraded by invasive Phragmites australis. By providing community education, organizational leadership, and logistical coordination, CUMR empowers riverfront property owners to directly improve local ecological health. These collaborative working partnerships are vital to protecting the system's nationally recognized Outstanding Resource Values, which include exceptional biodiversity, New Jersey’s largest stand of wild rice, and rare, threatened, and endangered freshwater tidal wetland flora species.

SPEAKERS

Karla Rossini, Executive Director, CU Maurice River

How to Maximize Ecological Uplift of Your Project for Biodiversity

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience

SESSION DESCRIPTION

This session will focus on principles of ecological restoration and management and their application throughout the Delaware River watershed. Matt and Mike will present a review based on their decades of combined experience in the region, followed by a discussion session on practical considerations for implementing biodiversity and habitat uplift for species of concern. Participants will learn about key resources, resource management tradeoffs, and interdisciplinary insights necessary to maximize ecological uplift for biodiversity and species conservation across numerous project types, including green infrastructure, mitigation, and traditional habitat restoration.

SPEAKERS

Matt Sarver, CSE, CERP, Principal, Sarver Ecological

Mike McGraw, CSE, QAWB, Senior Project Manager and Wildlife Biologist, Princeton Hydro

Building a Statewide Coalition to Reduce Road Salt Pollution in Pennsylvania

TRACK Advancing Policy & Advocating for Basin Protections

SESSION DESCRIPTION

The session will actively engage participants through discussion, interactive demonstrations, and collaborative problem-solving. Attendees will participate in audience polling and small-group discussions focused on challenges and opportunities related to reducing road salt use in their own communities and organizations. Presenters will also incorporate hands-on educational activities used in public outreach events, including demonstrations that illustrate proper salt application rates and the environmental impacts of overuse.

Participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences, barriers, and successful practices, creating opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and networking. The session will conclude with an interactive discussion of practical next steps, and resources that attendees can adapt and apply within their own watersheds and communities.

SPEAKERS

Jennifer Latzgo, Director of Education and Engagement, Little Lehigh Watershed Stewards Pennsylvania Road Salt Action

Joe Debes, Education and Outreach Committee member, Chester Ridley Crum Watershed Association, Chlorides Team member, Pennsylvania Road Salt Action

Wetlands Policy & Post-Sackett Governance

TRACK Advancing Policy & Advocating for Basin Protections

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Session description coming soon.

SPEAKERS

State Senator and Environmental Committee Chair Stephanie Hansen

Emily Knearl, Policy Director, The Nature Conservancy

Mark Nardone, Director of Advocacy, Delaware Nature Society

Creating a Resilient Basin: An Update on DRBC’s Water Resources Resilience Plan

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience

SESSION DESCRIPTION

DRBC and partners will present an update on the Commission’s Water Resources Resilience Plan (WRRP). The presentation will provide an overview of the project status (Phase 1 was recently completed), describe the identified key assets and hazards, hear from Advisory Committee on Climate Change members and Our Shared Waters partners involved in shaping the plan, and share feedback from stakeholder participation to date.

Following the presentation, all participants will be invited to complete a survey in real time, and attendees will have the opportunity to join discussion groups for a facilitated session to share input on how they/their

communities/their stakeholders prioritize and connect with the key assets and hazards.

SPEAKERS

Sarah Beganskas, Manager of Water Quality Assessment, Delaware River Basin Commission

Beth Brown Director, External Affairs and Communications, Delaware River Basin Commission

From Mandate to Maintenance: Making Green Stormwater Infrastructure Work in Practice

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is now embedded in regulatory frameworks across the Delaware River Watershed, including MS4 permits and CSO Long Term Control Plans. However, while installation has accelerated, long-term maintenance remains a persistent and under-resourced challenge.

SPEAKERS

Molly Riley, Project Manager- Climate Adaptation, New Jersey Future

Luis Romero, Grounds Maintenance Supervisor, Green Stormwater Operations, Philadelphia Water Department

Advancing Recreational Access: Shared Challenges & Opportunities

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

A facilitated discussion focused on the key challenges and opportunities facing recreational access across the Delaware River Basin. Participants will explore common needs, potential strategies, and areas where partners can learn from one another and work across organizations and communities to strengthen access.

SPEAKERS

Jamē McCray, Managing Director, Alliance for Watershed Education

Meagan Birkenmaier, Director, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed

PFAS & Emerging Contaminants: State & Basin Integration

TRACK Advancing Policy & Advocating for Basin Protections

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Session description coming soon.

SPEAKERS

Brianne Callahan, Senior Research Manager, Water Center at Penn

Todd Keyser, Hydrologist 6, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Amanda Lacklen, Senior Environmental Scientist 5, Delaware Health and Social Services

Jeremy Conkle, Senior Chemist/Toxicologist, Delaware River Basin Commission

Matthew Amato, Senior Water Resource Scientist, Delaware River Basin Commission

Beth Brown Director, External Affairs and Communications, Delaware River Basin Commission

The Art of Conservation: Engaging Communities Through Creativity

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Spending time in nature has a way of helping us connect with the world around us. Art is an act of creation that allows communities to engage with and experience their natural world in meaningful ways. By bringing art and nature together, art can serve as a conduit for conservation and help organizations connect more effectively with communities. In this session, hear from artists and environmental educators about nature oriented art projects from across the Delaware River Watershed. Learn how art has been—and can be—used as a tool to help organizations advance their conservation missions, engage audiences, and promote a brighter future. The session will include a discussion of strategies for using art and nature in conservation work, along with a hands-on activity that will provide participants with a firsthand experience of how these approaches can work.

SPEAKERS

Eurhi Jones, Artist

Pricilla Rios, Artist

Kathy Klein, PDE Executive Director, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

Sean LaVergne, Assistant Director of Environmental Education, Tulpehaking Nature Center

Engaging Communities through Environmental Education and Stewardship

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

This interactive presentation will explore how environmental education can move participants from an initial connection with their local waterways toward continued learning, citizen/community science, and watershed stewardship. Drawing on PEEC’s work with regional schools and communities and Brandywine Conservancy’s family-centered Community Waterside Gathering events, presenters will demonstrate how hands-on science, storytelling, interdisciplinary activities, outdoor recreation, and established partnerships can create inclusive opportunities for engagement across ages, backgrounds, interests, and comfort levels.

The session will emphasize creating programs in partnership with communities as a collaborative endeavor. Presenters will discuss how partnerships with schools, parks, libraries, public health organizations, educators, and community service providers can help identify barriers and shape accessible, locally relevant experiences. Attendees will consider common elements across successful programs: hands-on learning, trusted partnerships, and meaningful opportunities for stewardship, alongside programs tailored to local needs.

Together, PEEC and BC will introduce a replicable framework for engaging diverse audiences through environmental education. A brief storytelling presentation will highlight the key components of each presenter’s work. From family-friendly events that engage communities to school-based programs co-developed with teachers and administrators to support classroom needs, fostering connections to concepts can be creatively designed to meet project goals. Attendees will then participate in hands-on activities that bring these approaches to life and offer ideas they can adapt to their own projects. Participants will leave with practical strategies and resources for creating engaging environmental education events and programs that foster lasting connections to environmental stewardship.

SPEAKERS

Julia Steiner, Public Engagement Coordinator, Brandywine Conservancy

Lisa Timbers, Associate Planner, Brandywine Conservancy

Amber Ameen, Director of Development, Pocono Environmental Education Center

Sinead Roche, Director of Education, Pocono Environmental Education Center

From Findings to Action: The TTF Watershed Action Plan

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience

SESSION DESCRIPTION

This session shares the development and early outcomes of the Tookany/Tacony–Frankford (TTF) Watershed Action Plan, a collaborative, community-informed framework designed to guide restoration, stormwater management, and long-term watershed resilience in a highly urbanized landscape. Developed in partnership with municipalities, community stakeholders, and technical experts, the plan integrates scientific analysis, policy alignment, and community engagement to prioritize implementation-ready projects.

Presenters will highlight how cross-sector collaboration, public engagement, and data-driven prioritization were combined to address complex watershed challenges such as flooding, water quality impairment, and legacy infrastructure.

SPEAKERS

Susan Harris, Cerulean, LLC

Ryan Neuman, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership

Wendi Wu, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership

Emma Denison, The Water Center at Penn

A Model for Partnership in the Upper Delaware Watershed

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

SESSION DESCRIPTION

The Upper Delaware River Network is a collaborative model for connecting organizations, agencies, municipalities, and community leaders around shared watershed priorities. The session will describe how the Network brings partners together to coordinate conservation efforts, strengthen communication, identify regional needs, and support projects that protect the health of the Upper Delaware River and its tributaries.

The presentation will also discuss plans to expand this work into Pennsylvania, creating new opportunities to deepen cross-state collaboration and strengthen watershed-wide coordination. Using the Network as a case study, the session will highlight how a locally grounded, regionally connected partnership can advance water quality protection, habitat restoration, community resilience, and stewardship across the Delaware River Watershed.

SPEAKERS

Molly Oliver, Executive Director, Friends of the Upper Delaware River

Heather Jacksy, Director Department of Planning, Sullivan County

Frank DeMayo, Supervisor, Town of Liberty

From Data to Decisions: Using Watershed-Scale Flood Modeling to Build Climate Resilience in White Clay Creek Watershed

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience

SESSION DESCRIPTION

As extreme precipitation events grow more frequent and intense, watershed organizations and municipalities face increasing pressure to understand, and act on, their flood risk. But how do you move from a hydrologic model to a management decision? This session explores that question through the lens of a flood study now underway on the White Clay Creek National Wild & Scenic River, a 108 square mile watershed straddling southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.

Researchers from Drexel University will walk participants through the study's hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling approach using PCSWMM, current validation results against real storm events, and the road ahead: scenario analysis, flood hotspot mapping, green stormwater infrastructure evaluation, and a user-friendly system dynamics model for non-technical stakeholders. A brief comparison with a parallel Drexel study on the more urbanized Darby-Cobbs watershed will illuminate how land use context shapes both flood risk and community engagement strategy. Shane Morgan of the White Clay Watershed Association and Sarah Bursky of the National

Park Service will then ground the science in practice — examining why WCWA commissioned the study, how federal Wild & Scenic River management will be informed by the study, and how the findings may shape management priorities across the watershed. Throughout the session, presenters will invite participants to apply what they've heard through structured small-group discussion to help attendees assess the relevance of this approach to their own watershed contexts. By integrating data-driven modeling with community insights, this approach translates science into actionable solutions, boosting watershed resilience, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and supporting adaptive planning in the Delaware River Watershed.

SPEAKERS

Ahmad Haseeb Payab, Research Scientist, Drexel University

Franco Montalto, Professor, Drexel University.

Sarah Bursky, White Clay Creek Wild & Scenic River Program, National Park Service,

Shane Morgan, Nonprofit Client & Program Coordinator, White Clay Watershed Association

From Recruitment to Action: Trained Volunteer Corps that Expand Stewardship and Capacity

TRACK Engaging Communities & Expanding Access

How do organizations transform interested community members into confident volunteer leaders who drive meaningful action and expand organizational capacity? This session explores two successful models for building and sustaining trained volunteer corps: the Friends of the Wissahickon Crew Leader Program and the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program. Participants will learn how each organization provides successful pathways for leadership, project development, and long-term engagement. Presenters will share the nuts and bolts of their volunteer management, communication, formal training programs, and collaborations, including hearing from one of the collaborative partners. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and strategies from the presenting organizations and fellow attendees that they can adapt to strengthen volunteer groups that meet their organizational needs and capacity.

Session description coming soon.

SPEAKERS

Meagan Hopkins-Doerr, Penn State Extension, Master Watershed Steward Coordinator

Zach Nemec, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Coastal Outreach Specialist

Shawn Green, Director of Field Stewardship, Friends of the Wissahickon

Varian Bosch, Field Operations Manager, Friends of the Wissahickon

John Mellor, Field Coordinator, Friends of the Wissahickon

Envisioning a Resilient Future in Eastwick, Philadelphia

TRACK Science, Restoration & Resilience / Engaging Communities

SESSION DESCRIPTION

The Eastwick neighborhood is situated in the furthest southwest section of Philadelphia, located at the confluence of Cobbs Creek and Darby Creek just before Darby Creek empties into the Delaware River and southwest of where the Schuylkill River meets the Delaware River. Eastwick was constructed on the Tinicum marsh and is home to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, the largest remaining tidal wetland in Pennsylvania at over 1,200 acres. Changes to the marsh over the decades have disrupted the natural flow of water and reduced Eastwick’s ability to handle floodwaters. Additionally, much of the Eastwick community was built during a failed Urban Renewal Project, under which only a fraction of promised housing and amenities were built, leaving swaths of vacant land and abandoned assets today.

Over recent decades, several partners, including the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Fish and Wildlife Services, the Philadelphia Water Department, Drexel University, and a number of environmental and community organizations have been studying the flooding challenges and how to address them. Today, these partners are collaborating on flood mitigation solutions that include nature-based solutions, housing and relocation options, stormwater improvements, and levees and berms.

This session will cover the flooding challenges in Eastwick and the suite of flood resilience measures partners are advancing to holistically address flooding under current and future climate conditions. Attendees will learn how building community trust shaped this process, what technical considerations are being evaluated to ensure long-term flood resilience, and how the projects will contribute to the ecological health of the Delaware River Watershed. Attendees will also have the opportunity to share how their communities are building resilience to flooding.

SPEAKERS

Korin Tangtrakul, Senior Manager of Place-based Initiatives, City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability

Kim Hachadoorian, Urban Conservation Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy

Lamar Gore, Refuge Manager, US Fish & Wildlife Services at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

Brenda Whitfield, Flood Mitigation Council of Eastwick Member, Eastwick United CDC

Beyond Borders: A Multi-State Approach to Brook Trout Conservation in the Upper Delaware Watershed

SESSION DESCRIPTION

Eastern brook trout don't recognize state lines — and neither should the conservation partnerships working to recover this iconic coldwater species. This session introduces the Upper Delaware Eastern Brook Trout Initiative, a first-of-its-kind collaboration bringing together state resource agencies, Trout Unlimited, the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, the Wildlife Management Institute, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and FRA Global Foundation to advance landscape-scale brook trout conservation across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

Presenters will share how the initiative overcame a significant administrative barrier — moving federal grant funding across state lines — by developing a replicable fiscal model that other multi-state conservation efforts can build on. Attendees will hear about the initiative's four priority HUC 10 watersheds — the Beaver Kill-Willowemoc Creek (NY), the Bushkill Creek (PA), and the Musconetcong River and Flatbrook River (NY)— selected for their exceptional brook trout habitat integrity, and the early restoration projects underway in each state, including aquatic organism passage improvements, riparian restoration, and wild trout management. The session will also touch on the initiative's developing approach to landscape-scale monitoring — building a shared data framework that allows partners to track brook trout population response across watershed boundaries over time.

This session is relevant to anyone working on freshwater conservation, multi-jurisdictional partnerships, or watershed restoration in the Delaware River basin and beyond.

SPEAKERS

Christina R. Ryder, Executive Director, FRA Global Foundation

Isabella Ramirez, Community Conservation Coordinator, FRA Global Foundation