17th Annual Androscoggin River Watershed Conference
May 23, 2012
Hilton Garden Inn
Auburn, Maine
Please join the ARWC, AVCOG, Bates, Bowdoin, and USM for a day of sharing information on the ongoing efforts to improve the environment and economy of the Androscoggin River Watershed from Umbagog to Merrymeeting Bay.
Conference Format: Morning sessions will have a panel to discuss various aspects of the topic and will also provide an opportunity for all participants to discuss the topics and how they relate to the session topic. Afternoon sessions will be open facilitated forums. Participants will identify the topics for afternoon workgroups during the discussions in the morning sessions, during breaks and at lunchtime. The purpose of the afternoon sessions is to foster collaborations, determine potential networks, progress towards project implementation, and further discuss major issues.
8:25 – 9:30 Opening and Plenary Session
Welcome, Androscoggin River Watershed Council Annual Meeting Opens, and Overview of Activities on River: The opening session will include a brief opening of the ARWC Annual Meeting. It will quickly move into a presentation on EPA’s historical archive of the Androscoggin River, a review of the Bates/Bowdoin/USM collaboration on the Androscoggin and Kennebec Rivers and a brief presentation of events and projects along the Androscoggin.
9:35 – 10:45 Concurrent Sessions
Trails, Conservation, and Connections The session will discuss existing and potential interrelationships between urban areas, downtowns, villages, trails, open spaces and conservation lands. It will consider the Androscoggin as a binding thread joining the valley region and discuss additional opportunities.
Brook Trout - The Why and How of Conservation and Restoration This session will review the habitat needs of our outstanding native eastern brook trout population and discuss conservation and habitat restoration efforts.
The River and Its Uses The session will discuss the various uses that the river currently supports and potential future uses.
11:00 – 12:10 Concurrent Sessions
Economic Development - Untapped Opportunities The session will cover the potential future economic benefits of the Androscoggin River from a variety of perspectives: experiential tourism, downtown development, repurposing mills, building Quality of Place as an economic engine.
Fisheries - Umbagog to Merrymeeting Bay The session will discuss the various fisheries from the cold water species to the significant bass fishery to the the potential for anadromous fisheries.
Events - Bringing the River to Life At the fall forum on the Androscoggin, several sessions reviewed existing events and developed many ideas for additional events. This session will review a few of the key events on the river, solicit discussion of other events, and discuss the development of new events.
12:10 – 1:35 Looking to the Future: Communities of the Androscoggin
A panel will discuss the potential of the Androscoggin River and its watershed as a recreational and economic engine for the region. The group will provide insight on what it takes to be a world class experiential tourism area, discuss a recent recreational plan completed for the New England Governor’s Conference, and inform us about the federal America’s Great Outdoors initiative and what it could mean for the Androscoggin region.
1:45 – 2:15 Afternoon Forums on participant selected topics
2:20 – 2:50 Afternoon Forums continue as needed with participant selected topics
2:50 – 3:00 Close ARWC Annual Meeting and announce board election results
Registration fee is $30, which includes lunch. Please register by clicking the link to the left.
