The Ashokan Watershed Conference is a celebration of the land and communities that make up the watershed that flows into the Ashokan reservoir. It is planned, facilitated and delivered by the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program. There is a new theme relevant to what is going on in the watershed each year it is hosted. Check out some of the themes and events that took place in previous years!
2024 Watershed Conference: Conservation Through Connection
From June through October 2024, we hosted 12 live events aimed at building deep bonds between people, Catskills streams, and the natural world. Participants fished for trout from the Esopus, gathered medicinal plants along Rochester Hollow, paddled the Little Beaver Kill, or practiced Qi Gong and river yoga on the Stony Clove, just to name a few.
Conservation through Connection aimed to show that streams are so much more than just water features on the landscape, only worthy of protection because they are natural “resources.” We tried to enable a view of streams as companions, and to provide opportunities for the relationship to be reciprocal – where people benefit from being in nature, and nature benefits from recruiting another ally in conservation.
Resources from the Conference
Continue your practice & learn new ones!
Several program guides provided us with resources so you can continue deepening your connection with nature and Catskill streams. Visit our YouTube page for instructional videos for River Yoga with Sara Beck (70,000+ views already), Streamside Mindfulness Meditation with Zen Mountain Monastery, and Streamside Qi Gong with Carol Chappell.
For anyone interested in the current science investigating the physical and emotional health benefits of spending time in nature, or the history and practice of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku), check out the reading list compiled by AWSMP with help from Dr. Don Rakow and Jane Dobson of Mind the Forest.
The 2024 AWC Program Schedule
Riparian Forest Bathing
Jane Dobson, founder of Mind the Forest, guided participants in Forest Bathing programs along the Rochester Hollow trail. Forest Bathing is more a saunter than hiking or exercise. Inspired by the Japanese practice Shinrin Yoku, this guided experience led us through a series of sensory experiences opening ourselves to the present moment and wonders of the natural world. This wellness practice continues to grow across the globe as science demonstrates the health benefits of spending even small amounts of time in the outdoors in a mindful way.
Jane founded Mind the Forest to bring to others her passion and belief that connection to nature is essential for wellbeing. At a time when the average American is estimated to spend 93% of their time indoors or in automobiles, mindful time in natural can help counterbalance the stresses of modern life. Jane is certified by both the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) and the Kripalu School of Outdoor Mindful Leadership, as well as a New York State Licensed Outdoor Guide, and Certified Yoga Instructor (RYT 200). Jane combines Forest Bathing and Mindfulness to guide outdoor experiences that expand our present-moment awareness to open us to nature’s healing properties.
Conference Kick Off Gathering
Blue Spaces, Healing Spaces was held at the Phoenicia Playhouse and was hosted by the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management program and Morton Memorial Library in Pine Hill. This gathering dove into the benefits of spending time near waterways featuring a talk by Dr. Don Rakow. Attendees can contribute to a mixed media art project by recording water memories, and mingle with neighbors during “connection hour” with light refreshments. Those who pre-register will be automatically entered into a raffle to win book bundles about the Catskills courtesy of Morton Memorial Library Pine Hill.
Medicinal Plant Walk
This half-day guided plant walk involved identifying various medicinal plants, trees, and ferns as they are found along the trail. Participants were invited to discuss what plants could benefit their personal health, or the health of family and friends. Herbs or roots were harvested for a cup of tea. This was a hands-on experience meant to connect people with the living landscape.
Walk guide Poppy Jones (Narragansett Nation) is grateful for his forest life. He grew up in the (Onteoras) Catskill mountains, fishing, hunting, and growing gardens, leading a life close to nature. Jones has over 15 years of experience in plant medicine and foraging. Jones connects with the forest by quietly listening to subtle communication through flora, fungi, trees, and ferns. Jones now teaches and mentors students, friends, and family in herbal medicine at resorts, camps, spiritual centers, foraging walks, reservations, and universities.
River Yoga
River Yoga classes, taught by Sara Beck, former owner of Catskills Yoga House, offered opportunities for stillness, dynamic movement, and deep relaxation. It was great for beginners and more established yoga practitioners alike, these classes wove together elements of vinyasa yoga, restorative yoga and contemplative yoga nidra. Inspired by the nearby Stony Clove Creek, River Yoga sessions wove in the element of water through focus on physical postures, breath awareness, and meditation/visualization that relate to the water elements of the body. The class took place both indoors and outside. In addition to the movement practice, participants spent time reflecting and connecting on the banks of the Stony Clove.
Sara Beck is a certified yoga teacher, breathwork facilitator, life coach, writer, and mother. Drawing on 25 years of deep study and practice in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Iyengar yoga as well as Buddhist and Tantric meditation, Sara teaches with a steady warmth and a welcoming manner. Her classes are rooted in conscious breathing and sequenced thoughtfully to support the body in gently opening and moving in a way that settles the nervous system, enlivens creativity, and ignites insight. It is her great desire to help her students turn inward, to unhook from outer distractions and stress and to tune into the unique wisdom within their own body/heart/mind. Sara has a MFA from The New School and has published essays and poetry in several literary magazines as well as the New York Times. She also publishes a weekly substack called Notes from the Heartland.
Stream Snorkeling for Youth & Families
This immersive activity was all about getting beneath the surface of our usual view of a river. Participants waded into the Esopus Creek and peaked beneath the surface to learn more about aquatic life and river processes. Snorkels, masks, and training in how to use them was be provided. Experienced stream educators and a lifeguard were on hand to guide the experience.
Matt Savatgy is the Youth Education Leader with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program. He has been introducing youth and families to the wonders of our environment for several decades. Matt began our snorkeling program in 2018 in order to fully immerse our event participants in the underwater world of streams.
Max Kelly is a watershed educator with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program. He is broadly interested in the stream ecology and believes the best way to learn about organisms is to see them in their natural environment. Snorkeling is one of the best ways to do that. Max has conducted snorkeling surveys of threatened and endangered fish in Georgia’s Conasauga River.
Streamside Qi Gong
We explored the ancient and current practice of Qi Gong (“Qi” is subtle breath or vital energy, and “Gong” cultivation through practice), which has the potential to improve physical and mental health and cultivate the spirit. A series of gentle movements, breath and sound that are practiced standing, help to balance the body’s vital energy and functions. The practice is appropriate for people of all ages and has been used in China for over four thousand years to promote health and longevity. In this session, we’ll embrace the element of water and learn to be flexible and resilient, like the flow of a stream itself.
Qi Gong instructor Carol Chappell, a Woodstock local, began studies of Massage, Tai Qi, and Qi Gong as well as West African Dance in 1976 and continues these fields of practice. Carol currently studies Qi Gong under 103-year-old Master Kwan Sai Hung and assists him in teaching a class in Woodstock. Carol writes, “All Qi Gong exercises relate to the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.”
Streamside Mindfulness Meditation
“Although we say that mountains belong to the country, actually they belong to those who love them.“
~ 13th century Zen Master Eihei Dogen
This was an informal streamside meditation, talk and discussion offered by teachers from Zen Mountain Monastery, a Buddhist community in Mount Tremper. It was appropriate for anyone who felt – or wanted to feel – a closer connection to the exquisite waters and land that is our Hudson Valley. When the mind finds its natural stillness, our experience of the everyday world around us becomes more intimate and alive. Simple instruction in meditation was offered, as well as time for questions and discussion.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi is the Head of the Mountains and Rivers Order and Abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery. Shugen entered full-time residential training in 1986 after studying mathematics and receiving a degree in classical music. He received dharma transmission from John Daido Loori, Roshi in 1997. His teachings on Zen, social justice and environmental stewardship have appeared in various Buddhist journals.
Danica Shoan Ankele is a Priest and Senior Monastic in the Mountains and Rivers Order. She has been in full time residential training since 2007, and is the Monastery’s Creative Director and Training Coordinator. Before coming to the Monastery, Shoan taught in an interdisciplinary arts program for high school seniors in Ulster County.
Bear Gokan Bonebakker is a senior monastic and a Dharma Holder. He first came to the Monastery in 1994, and has been in residence since 2007. Gokan is the Operations Director, helps coordinate the National Buddhist Prison Sangha, and enjoys working in the Monastery’s burgeoning orchard. He worked as a high school English teacher and carpenter before his life as a monk.
Little Beaver Kill Paddle & Portage
This was a peaceful flat-water paddle along a more natural stretch of the Little Beaver Kill in Mount Tremper as we learn about the Ashokan Watershed and the ecology of the stream from the vantage point of a canoe or kayak. Special emphasis was placed on the animal for which the stream is named, the American Beaver. Participants saw the handy work of nature’s engineers up close by observing their dams, canals, and lodges.
Matt Savatgy is the Youth Education Leader with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program. He has been introducing youth and families to the wonders of our environment for several decades. Matt began our paddling program in 2019 as a way for event participants to learn about our watershed and streams from beyond the shoreline.
Max Kelly is a watershed educator with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program. He is broadly interested in the stream ecology and believes the best way to learn about organisms is to see them in their natural environment. In College, Max completed an 8-day backcountry canoe trip in Canada’s Algonquin Park.
Guided Flyfishing Experiences
Participants spent half a day on the Esopus Creek learning the science, art, and spirituality of fly fishing from licensed guides and lifelong anglers. In the words of the lead guide, Todd Spire, “To the souls who will commune with me on the river…we will share in a ceremony. Of the art. Of admiration. Of being both small and mighty in the face of nature. We will share awe. Please join me for fly fishing in the Catskills. You will see, or hear, or learn, or touch something amazing. Probably all of those things…and likely a wild rainbow trout will make the list.”
Todd Spire is a lifelong fisherman who has been fly fishing on the Esopus Creek since 2008. In 2017 he founded Esopus Creel, a guiding company where he offers fly fishing instruction for beginners as well as advanced casting techniques to experienced anglers. He is a board member and former Secretary of the Ashokan-Pepacton Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Todd’s photography and writing have been featured in Eastern Fly Fishing Magazine, the Orvis Fly Fishing Photo Contest, and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Esopus Creel has been featured in The New York Times.
Thank you to our collaborators!
These people and organizations helped to make this summer such a success:
Morton Memorial Library, Pine Hill
Phoenicia Playhouse
Jane Dobson, Mind the Forest
Dr. Don Rakow
Harold Poppy Jones
Sara Beck, Catskill Yoga House
Dan Plummer, Catskill Yoga Studio
J. Rocco’s Steakhouse
Carol Chappell
Emerson Resort & Spa
Zen Mountain Monastery
Kenneth L. Wilson Campground
Todd Spire, Esopus Creel
We hope to see you at an upcoming AWSMP event!
2023 Watershed Conference: Learn Your Watershed
Ashokan Reservoir by Allison Lent.
2023 Watershed Conference
‘Learn Your Watershed’
July 28-29, 2023
The Ashokan Watershed Conference is the AWSMP’s biennial stream-focused environmental conference for local municipal officials and watershed landowners/families, with this year’s overarching theme of “Learn Your Watershed Land.”
At the 2023 conference we learned about the storied Ashokan watershed landscape and how landowners can best manage streams on their property – from when and how to modify stream margins and what permits are needed, to the geologic history and indigenous wisdom that continues to shape the modern landscape.
The program was divided into three components:
Friday, July 28 is Municipal Officials Day
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Emerson Resort & Spa, Mt. Tremper
Municipal officials working in the NYC Watershed attended this training on FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations and how they tie into building code requirements. The training was approved for Building Code and Certified Floodplain Manager continuing education credit. A certificate of completion was provided.
The instructor was Bill Nechaman, Certified Floodplain Manager and principal of Nechamen Consulting, LLC. Bill has 21 years experience with New York State’s floodplain management program (16 years as program director) and is a long-time volunteer with both the Association of State Floodplain Managers and a founder of the New York State Floodplain and Stormwater Manager’s Association.
View or download a copy of the program for Municipal Officials Day. See Bill Nechamen’s presentation slides below.
Presentations
Bill Nechamen, Nechamen Consulting
The NFIP and Building Codes: Development Standards for Floodplains
Saturday, July 29 is Landowners Day
Watershed landowners and residents were invited to attend and learn how to manage our unique streams that provide high quality water and enjoyment to millions of New Yorkers. We offered two sessions:
New Landowners Information Session + Lunch
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, NY
Have you recently moved to the Ashokan Reservoir watershed? This session was designed for you! Presentations covered how to “read” your stream, how stream buffers protect property and provide landscape beauty, the watershed’s history of flooding and how to make your property flood resilient, and a rundown on programs available for youth and families in the watershed.
View or download the full program for the New Landowners Information Session. See the speaker presentation slides below.
Presentations
Tim Koch, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, and
Adam Doan, Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District
An Introduction to the Wild Streams of the Ashokan Reservoir Watershed
Heidi Emrich, Ulster County Department of Environment
Know Your Flood Risk, Build Your Flood Resilience
Bobby Taylor, Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District
Benefits of Buffers and the Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative
Matt Savatgy, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
Connecting Youth with Nature in the Ashokan Watershed and Beyond
Jason Merwin, Catskill Watershed Corporation
Protection through Partnership
Landowners Forum + Nature Activities
1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Bearsville Theatre
Open to all landowners in the Ashokan Reservoir watershed we offered a series of short presentations and family friendly outdoor activities with local watershed experts. Presentation topics were about obtaining stream permits, how to identify beneficial and nuisance plants, the watershed’s geologic history, and stream names and locations. Author Evan Pritchard shared indigenous knowledge about the Ashokan watershed and surrounding area.
Multiple organizations distributed materials for landowners including the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program, Trout Unlimited, Cornell’s Master Forest Owners, Catskill Watershed Corporation, and more.
View or download the full program for the Landowners Forum. See speaker presentation slides below.
Presentations
John Thompson, Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership
Emerging Invasives in the Ashokan Watershed
Brian Drumm, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Stream & Wetland Permits: What Landowners Need to Know
Shane Stevens, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties, and Greg Clarke, MFO Volunteer
Introduction to the Cornell Master Forest Owner Program
Video: Exploring the Upper Esopus Creek Watershed
Aaron Bennett, Resident of Ashokan Watershed
40 Years of Flooding, and Counting: Experiences and Impacts on a Lifelong Resident
Dany Davis, New York City Department of Environmental Protection
A User’s Guide to the Geology of the Catskills
Evan Pritchard, Center for Algonquin Studies
Honoring the Great Circle of Life: Indigenous Teachings About the Esopus Watershed
2020 Watershed Weekend
Ashokan Watershed Weekend 2020
The Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program presented Ashokan Watershed Weekend over several weekends in 2020. Ashokan Reservoir Watershed residents learned more about the watershed’s creeks and streams, how they behave, and what we can do to benefit (and benefit from) streams. Generally, the Ashokan Watershed overlaps the towns of Shandaken, Olive, Woodstock, and Hurley in Ulster County, and Lexington and Hunter in Greene County.
Landowner Days: Living in the Watershed
On Wednesday, August 19 an online Zoom presentation of the programs and services available to landowners in the Ashokan Reservoir Watershed and the greater Catskill and Delaware portions of the New York City Drinking Water Supply Watershed. This program was geared for current or potential landowners and other interested individuals.
Landowners in the NYC Watershed have access to a wide variety of assistance programs that aren’t available in other areas of the state. During this helpful program, some of the partners who deliver NYC’s Watershed Protection Program discussed resources available to landowners who are managing streams, floodplains, wastewater, forests and agricultural lands, and who want to improve and protect their property while benefiting the environment. Landowners had the opportunity to ask questions about the programs and AWSMP presenters provided guidance on where to seek additional information.
Previous Watershed Weekend Events
In past Ashokan Watershed Weekend events, the public participated in webinars where they learned about the basics of stream science and the programs and services offered by the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program. There was also a guided hike up Kanape Brook where participants learned about stream geomorphology and the impact that North American Beavers have on streams.
On August 7, AWSMP hosted a “bike hike” along the Ashokan Rail Trail. AWSMP staff led the bike ride along the trail, teaching participants about the Ashokan Watershed, the Ashokan Reservoir and the New York City drinking water supply system. They also learned about the plants and animals along the trail and took a close look at Butternut Creek, and how it crosses the trail and empties into the reservoir.
2019 Ashokan Watershed Month
Ashokan Watershed Month 2019
In 2019, The Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program (AWSMP) designated September as Ashokan Watershed Month in order to celebrate the unique characteristics that make this watershed so special for those who live and visit here. In lieu of our one-day watershed conference, we put together a month full of events that were educational and fun for the entire family. Event descriptions can be found below.
Ashokan Watershed Adventure
Various locations throughout the Ashokan Watershed. Pick up a printed Ashokan Watershed Adventure Guide at the AWSMP office (3130 Route 28, Shokan, NY) or download a pdf version.
Let’s go on an Ashokan Watershed Adventure! AWSMP staff have traveled high and low throughout the watershed and designated 11 spots that we think everyone should see. We’re challenging you to visit as many of the sites as you can. Stop by our office or download an Ashokan Watershed Adventure Guide describing the various sites.
For more information, call the AWSMP office: 845-688-3047
En Plein Air Streamside Painting
Wednesday, September 4
Full Moon Resort
12 Valley View Road, Big Indian, NY
Participants joined artist Joyce Washor and learned how to use watercolors to paint a stream en plein air (French for “outdoors”). Joyce taught them how to best create a natural outdoor scene (a stream in this case) while AWSMP staff educated participants about the different stream features they will paint. Registered participants were provided with a set of art supplies. Cost: $10.
Alien Invaders Strike the Catskills!
Sunday, Sept. 8
Catskill Visitors Center
5096 Route 28, Mt. Tremper, NY
“Alien Invaders” was a talk about the invasive plants and forest pests that plague the Catskills with Cary Institute Forest Ecologist Gary Lovett and Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership Coordinator John Thompson. Cost: Free
Understanding Ashokan Reservoir Operations
Monday, September 9
AWSMP Office
3130 Route 28, Shokan, NY
Ever wonder how water makes the 92-mile journey from Ashokan Reservoir to New York City? This was your opportunity to find out! Adam Bosch of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection explained how NYC manages its water supply system and gave a detailed rundown of operations at Ashokan Reservoir. Participants learned how DEP currently operates its vast infrastructure and about the Ashokan Century Program, an approximately $1 billion program to refurbish and upgrade the infrastructure at Ashokan Reservoir starting in the mid-2020s. Cost: Free
Sunset Rail Pedal along the Esopus
Thursday, September 12
Rail Explorers Catskills Division
70 Lower High Street, Phoenicia, NY
AWSMP hosted a sunset railcar pedal with Rail Explorers along the Esopus Creek. Participants learned about the Esopus Creek and flood mitigation projects underway in the area. There were approximately 2 hours of pedaling and 4 stops during the event. Cost: Free
Watershed Paddle
Saturday, September 14
Kenneth Wilson Campground
859 Wittenberg Road, Mount Tremper, NY
This was a chance to hop inside a kayak or canoe for a paddle around the lake at Kenneth Wilson Campground and portions of the Little Beaver Kill, and learn about streams while on the water! All equipment was provided. Cost: Free!
Book Signing and Reading — Little One and the Water
Saturday, Sept.14
Golden Notebook
29 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY
Beloved local illustrator and author Will Lytle (Thorneater Comics) was on hand at the Golden Notebook to sign copies of his new children’s book featuring the Little Beaver Kill, a stream that runs near Woodstock. A child explores the stream starting at its outlet all the way to its source. The Little Beaver Kill was evaluated by the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program as one of the healthiest streams in the watershed. Will met with stream specialists in several meetings and walked its entire length to ensure the accuracy of its ecosystem, including the major flora and fauna, in his depictions. Will read portions of his book Little One and the Water. The book was produced as part of the Catskill Waters initiative, a community forum for sharing stories about water stewardship organized by Keiko Sono. Cost: Free
Paleoclimate of the Catskills
Wednesday, Sept. 18
Santa Fe Woodstock
1802 Route 28, Woodstock, NY
The climate is changing, but what was it like in the distant past and how can that inform what the future climate might be? Dr. Dorothy Peteet, Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University and NASA discussed the history of abrupt climate change and patterns of drought revealed by local landscapes. Can wetlands and streams capture and store carbon? We learned more about this important and timely topic. Cost: Free
Esopus Creek Fish and Fly Fishing Demonstration
Friday, Sept. 20
Catskills Visitor Center
5096 Route 28, Mount Tremper, NY
Did you know the Esopus Creek is considered the birthplace of American dry fly fishing? We learned about the Esopus Creek fishery from USGS biologist Scott George. Members from Trout Unlimited were available to instruct participants on how to tie a fly appropriate for the Esopus Creek and cast using a fly rod. For anyone interested in learning more about fish and fishing the Esopus Creek, this was the event to attend. Cost: Free
The Importance of Watershed Wetlands
Friday, Sept. 20
Ashokan Rail Trail
AWSMP Office, 3130 Route 28, Shokan, NY
Participants got an early look at the Ashokan Rail Trail with Ulster County staff while they learned about the importance of wetlands for clean water. DEP wetlands scientist Laurie Machung and Frank Parisio discussed how DEP is protecting wetlands near the Ashokan Reservoir. Several types of wetlands and Butternut Creek were visible from the rail trail. Cost: Free
Little Beaver Kill Book Signing and Video Release
Sunday, Sept. 22
Catskills Visitor Center
5096 Route 28, Mount Tremper, NY
Catskill Waters presented Little One and the Water, a children’s illustrated book, along with author Will Lytle (Thorneater Comics) and an accompanying video on Little Beaver Kill—the subject of the book. Thorneater Comics is known for his poignant black and white drawing style in a wide array of formats from comic strips in the Woodstock Times to murals in Kingston. As a part of Catskill Waters, a public outreach and educational initiative funded by the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program (AWSMP), he authored Little One and the Water based on the Little Beaver Kill, an actual stream that runs near Woodstock. The Little Beaver Kill was evaluated by AWSMP as one of the healthiest streams in the Ashokan watershed. Thorneater met with the stream specialists in several meetings and walked its entire length to ensure the accuracy of its ecosystem, including the major flora and fauna, in his depictions. A documentary of the Little Beaver Kill stream assessment will be screened, followed by Q&A. Limited copies of the book will be given away for free.
Also on display: Portraits and Stories, a series of paper silhouette profiles of the watershed residents, created by Jenny Lee Fowler. They will be displayed with matching audio recordings of the sitters’ stories.
No registration required. Cost: Free
Riparian Planting and Ashokan Watershed Month Closing Party
Saturday, September 28
Planting near Van Hoagland Road, Lake Hill, NY
Social Hour at Phoenicia Diner, 5681 Route 28, Phoenicia, NY
Volunteers helped us send-off Ashokan Watershed Month with a riparian buffer planting at a stream restoration site in beautiful Mink Hollow. A social hour at the Phoenicia Diner followed the planting. Cost: Free
Please contact the stream program office at 845-688-3047 if you have any questions.
2017 Watershed Conference: Building Sustainable Communities in a Changing Environment
Ashokan Watershed Conference 2017
April 29, 2017 at the Ashokan Center, Olivebridge, NY
MAIN CONFERENCE AGENDA
YOUTH CONFERENCE AGENDA
The 2017 conference focused on how to effectively manage and plan our communities in the face of a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment.
Conference Program
Morning Session
9:00-9:15 Opening Remarks
Opening remarks by David Warne, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Water Supply, NYC Department of Environmental Protection
9:15-10:15 Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Eastern New York
Keynote address by Dr. Kieran Donaghy of Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-12:00 Sustainable Economic Development Panel Discussion
Discussion with guest panelists from local municipal and non-profit organizations.
12:00-1:00 Lunch (cost included with registration)
1:00-2:30 Afternoon Session #1
Planning for Sustainable Communities Part 1*
Experienced attorneys and professors from Pace University’s Land Use Law Center: Sustainable economic development and tools at the disposal of land use planners to help guide planning decisions.
Sustainable Fisheries
Fisheries biologists from the USGS and NYSDEC: Current status of the fisheries in the Esopus Creek and how environmental change is impacting fisheries.
Demystifying the Ashokan Reservoir
DEP operations staff: What exactly goes on inside the buildings around the Ashokan Reservoir, and other Reservoir and watershed operations.
2:45-4:15 Afternoon Session #2
Planning for Sustainable Communities Part 2*
Part 2 of the presentation from earlier in the afternoon.
Invasive Species
Natural area managers from the Catskills and Adirondacks: What invasive pests and plants you should be aware of, management practices that prevent the spread of invasives, and how to respond if invasives are detected.
Managing for Sustainable Ecotourism
The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development: How communities can leverage their natural resources for sustainable economic development and the positive and negative impacts of ecotourism.
*Four hours of municipal continuing education credit awarded for conference attendance attending both morning and afternoon sessions titled “Planning for Sustainable Communities.”
Stream Explorers! Youth Conference
As part of the 2017 Conference, we also offered a co-occurring “Stream Explorers” youth conference (also on April 29, 2017 at the Ashokan Center). The “Stream Explorers” conference was designed for children ages 8-14 or grades 3-8. The youth conference featured hands-on outdoor activities taught by CCE educators during the morning, and an afternoon gorge hike adventure in the afternoon. Children attended for free.
Organizers
Ashokan Watershed Conferences are organized by the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program and a team of dedicated stakeholders. The conference is sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, the Ulster County Soil & Water Conservation District, and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.
For more information, contact the AWSMP office at (845) 688-3047.
Location
Ashokan Center
477 Beaverkill Road, Olivebridge, NY (Directions)
Nestled in the beautiful Catskill Mountains near the Ashokan reservoir, The Ashokan Center (above) has been helping to educate people in nature, history and the arts since 1967.
Who should attend?
- Streamside Landowners and Watershed Residents
- Students and Professionals
- Town & Village Municipal and Planning Boards
- Town Supervisors and Highway Superintendents
- Floodplain Administrators
2015 Watershed Conference: Back to the Future: Creating a New Watershed Legacy
Ashokan Watershed Conference 2015
The 6th Annual Ashokan Watershed Conference was held Saturday, April 11, 2015 at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY. See the conference program and speaker contacts.
The 2015 conference, Back to the Future: Creating a New Watershed Legacy, was about where we are today because of the past, and where we will be tomorrow because of the present.
Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District, and NYC Department of Environmental Protection.
Conference Videos
Building the Ashokan Reservoir
Understanding the Rivers Future Generations Will See
Invasive Species: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Emerald Ash Borer
We hope to see you at an upcoming AWSMP event!
Read about streams and stream management plans for the Ashokan Reservoir watershed.