GLIN==> West Michigan Watershed Partners Forum September 11, 2008 ~ Registration Open

West Michigan Watershed Partners Forum

September 11, 2008 ~ Michillinda Lodge, 5207 Scenic Dr., Whitehall, Michigan

This one-day forum will review priorities and progress in protecting and restoring Michigan's Great Lakes watersheds in West Michigan. The workshop audience is the public, elected officials, conservation and watershed organization staff and members. Natural resource managers and watershed leaders will discuss the state of Lake Michigan and watersheds in Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon Counties. The purpose of the forum is to inform and engage local community and watershed leaders on Great Lakes restoration and protection priorities. A keynote address about Michigan’s environment will be provided by Director Steven Chester, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Registration Form and Agenda Attached

Agenda

9:00 a.m. Welcoming Remarks and Review of Workshop Purpose ~ Sandeep Dey, Executive Director, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission

9:10 a.m. Setting the Stage: The State of the Watersheds

● Michigan’s Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Initiative ~ Michigan United Conservation Clubs (Speaker, TBA)

● Lake Michigan and the Lakewide Management Plan ~ Restoration, Coordination and Communication throughout the Region ~ Dr. Janet Vail, Ph.D., GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute & Co-Chair, Lake Michigan Forum

● West Michigan Watershed Partners Inventory ~ Highlights of Natural Resource Programs and Stewardship in the Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon County Region ~ Kathy Evans, Program Manager, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission

10:00 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. Challenges and Opportunities for West Michigan Watersheds

This session will feature speakers from different disciplines who have participated with communities in watershed restoration and protection efforts.

• Non Point Source and the Evolution of Section 319 & the Restoration of Impaired Waters

~ Brenda Sayles and Bob Day, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)

● Sustainable Development and the Coastal Zone Management Program

~ Matt Smar, MDEQ Coastal Zone Management Program

● Habitat and Nearshore Land Use

~ Speaker, TBA

11:00 a.m. Keynote Address: Watersheds in Michigan ~ The State of the Great Lakes State

~ Director Steven Chester, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

11:30 a.m. Panel Discussion

A panel of participants will assemble for discussion, questions and answers

~ Moderator: TBA

12:00 Noon Lunch Speaker ~ Muskegon River Watershed: Working Collaboratively with Partners

~ Gary Noble, Executive Director, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA)

Gary will review successful natural resource partnership projects, and highlight how scientific research, state, federal and local community goals shape its program.

1:00 p.m. Highlights of Successful Natural Resource Improvement Projects in West Michigan Watersheds

~ White River Watershed, Nichol De Mol, GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute

~ Pere Marquette Watershed and other West Michigan Watersheds (Speaker/s TBA)

1:30 p.m. Public Input on Watershed Restoration and Protection Priorities Participants will: reflect on presentations; discuss restoration and protection priorities; and suggest ways to collaboratively improve West Michigan’s Great Lakes watersheds

2:15 p.m. Report Out

3:00 p.m. Wrap Up and Conclusions: Maintaining Effective Partnerships to Advance Great Lakes Restoration

3:15 p.m. Adjourn

~ Pre-Registration Required ~

A pre-registration fee of $15.00 is requested to cover meeting expenses.

Please use attached registration form.

For registration, please contact Syndi Copeland, WMSRDC Administrative Assistant at scopeland@wmsrdc.org or by phone at (231) 722-7878, Ext. 10.

For questions about the forum program, please contact Kathy Evans, WMSRDC Program Manager at kevans@wmsrdc.org or (231) 722-7878, Ext. 17