CALL FOR PAPERS
Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference:
Flowing through change
OCTOBER 8-10, 2024 at the WESTIN in AVON COLORADO
The Sustaining Colorado Watersheds (SCW) conference has been held annually for the past 19 years to bring together knowledgeable and engaged community members, scientists, ecologists, water managers, educators, community leaders, young professionals, policymakers, and regulators to share knowledge, network, and discuss current issues facing Colorado’s watersheds. We are excited to present the theme for the 2024 conference: Flowing Through Change.
As always, the conference aims to explore innovative and inclusive approaches to watershed management that address the unique challenges we face in Colorado. This year’s Flowing Through Change theme emphasizes the relentless nature of change and the need for adaptation, as well as the challenges of bringing about desired change.
We look forward to hearing from you to help shape this year’s conference! We encourage you to consider whether you have something meaningful to share with conference attendees to help advance the conversation and our collective practice. Submissions are due by May 24, 2024, 11:59 pm MDT. The Conference Planning Committee will meet to discuss which submissions work best with this year's theme and will contact you by late June or early July to share whether or not your abstract has been accepted. We will prioritize presentations that connect to the conference theme and sub-themes, including:
How do we engage with communities to help bring about desired change or to respond to change…wildfires, floods, unexpected diversions, new regulations, changing social values?
What are examples of where you adapted to change? What are the barriers to change? What keeps you grounded when you are buffeted by change?
How do we change together? Changes in other sectors, such as , transportation, agriculture, and mining, can have unintended consequences.
Where do we find opportunities for multiple benefits in response to changing economic expectations?
What innovative partnerships have guided change? How have local watershed groups adapted to stay relevant? What business models are resilient to change?
What are impactful models to engage more cultures and communities to find advocates for programs that respond to, prepare for, or effect change? Who can we bring to our discussions to expand the possibilities?
Within the sub-themes, the agenda will include a range of topics from forest health to flood risk management, mine remediation to drought resiliency, streamflow protection to land use planning, river restoration to stormwater management, project permitting to water quality protection, and more. Submitting an abstract will help guide conference planning and inspire creativity in developing the agenda.
Please submit abstracts for presentations for, "Flowing Through Change" by May 24, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
Submissions should include:
1) Presentation title (15 words max)
2) Short overview of your presentation, including how it connects to this year’s conference theme and sub-themes (300 words max)
3) Format: Indicate if you prefer a 30-minute oral presentation, 60- 90 minute panel, or a poster presentation.*
*Note: Your submission may be selected for a format other than your stated preference.
Through presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will provide a platform for participants to learn about and share their experiences and ideas on how to sustain Colorado's watersheds for future generations. The conference will also provide opportunities to engage with experts in the field, collaborate on new initiatives, and explore innovative approaches to watershed management that move us confidently into the future.
The Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference is cooperatively hosted by the following partners:
