Who Should attend
Everyone who wants to see the Commonwealth's forests and parks achieve their potential as wonderful places to work, play and be restored, including:
• Parks and public lands advocates and activists;
• Youth groups and sports teams who use and enjoy local forests, parks and beaches;
• Legislators and elected officials seeking to better protect and preserve the public treasures in their communities;
• Public health advocates and activists;
• Recreational users of our state forests and parks;
• Youth environmental networks;
• Recreational businesses and tourism industry who rely on beautiful places across the commonwealth;
• Wildlife groups seeking to protect critical habitat.
• Foresters and other land management professionals
• Agency staff and advocates
Schedule at a Glance and program information
CONFERENCE AGENDA 8:00 am Registration, Exhibits and Refreshments
9:00 am Plenary
-Welcome-Kathy Abbott, The Trustees of Reservations
-Keynote-Undersecretary Phil Griffiths, Massachusetts Executive Office of
Energy and Environmental Affairs.
-Stories of Hope and Commitment
*Sentidra Joseph, Boston Environmental Ambassadors to the National Park Service
*Carlos Pemberthy, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing
*Commissioner Gina McCarthy, CT Department of Environmental Protection
10:00 am Break/Transition
10:15-11:45 am Workshop Session I: Identifying Key Issues
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00-2:00 pm Workshop Session II: Identifying Solutions and Actionable Next Steps
2:00 pm Break/Transition
2:15 pm Address- Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray
2:30 pm Taking Action
4:00 pm Celebration with Special Guests
Workshop Topics
Each workshop track has includes Session I and Session II. Session I will focus on information sharing and identification of issues to be resolved. Session II will involve identifying actionable solutions, next steps and people willing to work together to make progress. Each workshop will include trained facilitators and issue experts. Detailed descriptions to follow.
Working Together, Moving the Agenda Forward
-Conserving the Commons: Focusing our Open Space Protection Priorities
-Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships
-Healthy Open Space as a Driver for Economic Development
-Keeping it Civil: Balancing Interests, Expectations and Impacts
-Making Places Matter: Exercise, Events, Education and the Arts
-Planning for Resilience, Managing for Excellence
-Putting Our Money Where Our Parks Are
-Toward Equity and Environmental Justice: Parks and Open Space for All
Conference Cosponsors:
Alternatives for Community and Environment
Appalachian Mountain Club
Bay State Trail Riders
Berkshire Environment Action Team (BEAT)
Berkshire Natural Resources Council
Blackstone Valley Heritage Homecoming, Inc
Blue Hills Observatory
BostonDOG
Boston Natural Areas Network
Callahan Canine Owners Association
Chestnut Hill Reservoir Coalition
Cochituate State Park Advisory Committee
Community Preservation Coalition
Connecticut Valley Summit
Conservation and Recreation Campaign
Emerald Necklace Conservancy
Environment Massachusetts
Environmental League of Massachusetts
Essex Country Greenbelt Association
Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs Office of Public Private Partnerships
Forest and Parks Partnership
Forest Guild
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
Friends of Buttonwood Park
Friends of Fairsted
Friends of Mt. Misery
Friends of Public Gardens
Friends of Ringer Park
Friends of Rumney Marsh
Friends of Willard Brook State Forest
Greater Worcester Land Trust
Groundwork Lawrence
Kestrel Trust
Legislative Parks Caucus
Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Committee
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC)
Massachusetts AT Committee
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association
Massachusetts Sierra Club
MASSBIKE
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
National Park Service
Neponset River Watershed Association
New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA)
NewtonDogs
Religious Witness for the Earth
Sheffield Land Trust
SomeDogPark, Inc.
Somerville Dog Owners Group
The Nature Conservancy
The Orion Society
The Trustees of Reservations
Traildogs
Trust for Public Land
Urban Ecology Institute
Wachusett Greenways
WEST (Watchdogs for an Environmentally Safe Town)
Westport River Watershed Alliance
Environment Massachusetts is the new home of MASSPIRG's environmental work.
Directions:
WORCESTER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
1 SKYLINE DRIVE WORCESTER , MA 01605
From the North:
Take I-190 South to I-290 West to Exit #18. At the end of the ramp,
turn right onto Lincoln Street . Bear left at next traffic signal (staying on Lincoln Street ). At next traffic signal turn left onto Route 9 East – Belmont Street . Continue on Belmont St. to very top of hill. Turn left onto Skyline Drive at traffic signal just beyond the top of the hill. Take first right onto school property.
From the East: Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Auburn (Exit #10), then take
or West: I-290 East to Exit #17. At the end of the ramp turn right onto
Belmont Street . Proceed as in directions from the North.
From the South: Take I-395 North to I-290 East, then proceed as in directions from the east/west.
Registration
Registration for the conference includes continental breakfast, lunch, reception refreshments, and entry in to conference sessions. The cost to attend is $35. A limited number of scholarships are available. Please contact Cindy Delaney at cindy@delaneymeetingevent.com if you are interested in a scholarship, and include your name, organization, and why you are seeking a scholarship in the body of the email. Cancellations are non-refundable, but substitutions are allowed. Click HERE to register on-line.
