Registration Open for the Field and Beyond: Managing Our Water - Western Lake Erie Basin 2015

Conference to address water quality issues and conservation efforts in Lake Erie

The Field and Beyond: Managing Our Water – Western Lake Erie Basin 2015 registration is open. Register soon to ensure a seat at the conference and on either the bus tour or Lake Erie tour and fishing trip with local charter captains!  

The conference is presented by the Nature Conservancy, in partnership with agricultural organizations from the tri-state area. The Ohio AgriBusiness Association is one of many sponsors for the event and encourages its members to attend.

This conference is meant to bring together elected and appointed drainage officials, drainage boards and staff. The conference begins the morning of Aug. 20 with coffee and light refreshments.

During the day speakers will present on an array of topics from science, innovative watershed ideas and edge-of-field and in-stream best management practices. The evening will end with a networking social, dinner and guest speaker, Jon Allan, Office of the Great Lakes.

On Aug. 21, the group will start with a continental breakfast and quickly break into groups. One group will walk along Lake Erie’s shore and enjoy a bus ride to see local restoration efforts by University of Toledo, The Nature Conservancy and United State Fish and Wildlife Service. The other group will board local charter boats and receive a tour of Lake Erie with charter captains and get some time in for fishing! (All who fish need at least a one-day fishing license from Ohio and is the responsibility of the registrant!)

The groups will rejoin by noon for lunch with invited speaker U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur. The afternoon will end with a few more group sessions about connectivity, why flood stages are rising, and a panel of area farmers, county surveyor and contract discussing why they chose to do what they did.

The event will end with a healthy discussion of where our watershed can go over time to help slow the flow, while reducing nutrients and sediments into the water during this time of large and more frequent rain events.

Registration fees are $75 per participant and an additional $100 to join the charter captain tour and fishing on Friday morning. CPDs certificates will be available.

Registration includes meals, breaks, bus tour and part of the social event. 

Details on the two-day agenda and a registration form are available online. Registration closes Aug. 1.

 A block of rooms have been reserved at the Maumee Bay Lodge, Oregon, Ohio. You may reserve your room by calling 1-800-282-7275 and asking for group name “TNC Drainage”. The rooms cost $99 plus tax for double rooms and are the responsibility of the registrant.

Event organized by The Nature Conservancy in partnership with:

• Indiana Association of County Surveyors

• Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners

• County Engineers Association of Ohio

• Agri-Drain Corporation

• Hardin County Surveyor’s Office

• Lenawee County Drain Commissioner’s Office

• Wells County Surveyor’s Office

• The Ohio State University 

Event Sponsors:

• The Nature Conservancy

• Alliance for the Great Lakes

• Agribusiness Council of Indiana

• Agri-Drain Corporation

• Conservation Action Project

• Indiana Soybean Alliance

• Indiana Corn Marketing Council

• Indiana Corn Growers Association

• Ohio AgriBusiness Association

• Ohio Farm Bureau Federation

• Ohio Soybean Council

• Michigan Corn Growers Association