The second-annual ManOMin Watershed Conference is coming up April 7-8, and organizers are hoping a streamlined format will spur more of the general public to attend this year.
There will be about one-third fewer presentations than last year, and organizer Rebecca Dodd of the Rainy River First Nation Watershed Program is certain the topics will be informative yet easy to understand.
“If you come in not knowing what a watershed is, you could still learn a lot,” she remarked. “We know that scientific jargon can make or break a presentation.”
The first day of the conference, which is being held at Rainy River Community College in International Falls, will be a natural resource co-ordination program, focusing on monitoring efforts in the Rainy River basin.
“Basically, it’s about who’s monitoring what in the watershed,” noted Dodd.
This program, which will run from noon to 5 p.m., is geared towards resource management professionals but members of the public are welcome to attend.
But the second day promises to be more diversified, said Dodd, including a presentation on the ecology of the bald eagle by the Raptor Centre at the University of Minnesota.
“I think that the eagle one will be popular for the fact a lot of people don’t know eagles can be used as an ‘umbrella species’ to test how a system, like the watershed program, is working,” she noted.
Other seminars throughout the day, which runs from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., include:
•how to protect your land from wildfire, and using fire as a landscaping tool;
•water levels–fish habitat requirements and energy needs; •erosion control–how to protect your farms, cottages, or other shoreline properties from erosion;
•optional septic systems for your riverfront home, cottage, or resort; and
•how is your drinking water treated–E. coli and other water-borne pathogens.
“The main purpose of the ManOMin Watershed Conference is two-fold: instilling understanding of our interactions and connectedness with the land and water; and encouraging co-operation by opening the lines of communication across the border,” noted Dodd.
Although registration forms and pamphlets were printed, received, and then mailed out behind schedule, Dodd said organizers are hoping to see responses come in over the next two weeks.
“We’re shooting for 250 guests. But we’d like to see the registration as soon as possible to get a good idea of how many people we’ll have,” she mentioned.
Those interested in attending can contact Dodd at 482-2479. The registration fee is $20 before March 31 and $30 afterwards. A student rate also is available for $15.
The cost includes access to all seminars during the two days, as well as snacks and lunches.
The conference is co-hosted by Rainy River First Nation, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Koochiching County, and Environment Canada.
But the conference was organized by a committee including representatives from a dozen groups, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Town of Fort Frances.
Fort Frances Times
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