7th Annual Delaware River Forum Unites Conservation Organizations in Allentown
Coalition of 149 Organizations and Partners Collaborate on Delaware River Conservation
By Rita Yelda, Outreach & Communications Manager, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed
Villa Milagro Vineyards hosted a conservation-themed field trip as part of the 7th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum
The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, led by New Jersey Audubon and in partnership with National Wildlife Federation held the 7th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum in Allentown, Pennsylvania on October 16-17. About 250 people attended, bringing together conservation organizations and individuals spanning the Delaware River Watershed states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York, to collaborate and build skills. The Delaware River Watershed provides drinking water to 13.3 million people (about 4% of the U.S. population) in four states, including all 1.5 million Philadelphians.
"Each yeah the Delaware River Watershed Forum travels to another location within the watershed, and this year we’re pleased to have been able to host the event near the banks of the Lehigh River, one of the Delaware River’s largest tributaries. From the food on your tables to your morning shower, the watershed sustains the Lehigh Valley. The Forum offers a unique opportunity to accelerate restoration efforts to protect waterways through collaboration and skill-building,” said Sandra Meola, Director, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. “The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed brings conservation-minded organizations and individuals together not only at the annual Forum, but all year. We have 149 nonprofit organizations in four states as members, and together we advocate for the health and future of the watershed.”
The Forum focused on how to mobilize around important issues and policies that impact the watershed to ensure a healthy river for future generations. Topics included current on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects within the watershed; how to partner with farms to improve water quality; federal programs that fund conservation and restoration projects; and mechanisms for improving diversity, equity, and justice in the conservation movement.
“Our watershed plays such a crucial role in the daily lives of Pennsylvanians, and I am thrilled that Allentown has the opportunity to host the Delaware River Watershed Forum so folks can learn more about protecting this natural resource,” added Representative Susan Wild (PA-7). “Right here in the Greater Lehigh Valley, the Lehigh and Schuylkill Rivers, two of the Delaware River’s largest tributaries, help provide us clean drinking water and food on our tables. From these conversations led by experts and community activists, we can develop plans to address conservation needs and renew our commitment to preserving our planet for future generations to come.”
The Forum also created a platform to continue the discussion with organizations and regulators about the importance of funding the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, a grant program that creates funding for on-the-ground restoration and conservation projects. The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed and partners aim to increase funding for the Program from $6 million to $10 million in fiscal year 2020 to further progress in the watershed. This summer, the House Interior Appropriations Committee approved the $10 million amount, while the Senate Interior Appropriations bill announced in late September included $6.5 million.
"The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed has been an essential partner to develop the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program and create the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund. I’m so pleased to take part in the Delaware River Watershed Forum to celebrate all we’ve accomplished, and to identify more opportunities for collaboration to achieve a healthy Delaware River Basin,” added Wendi Weber, Northeast Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Some of the speakers and presenters at the 7th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum included Wendi Weber, Northeast Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Lorne Possinger, Eastern Region Manager, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Eric Stiles, President and CEO, New Jersey Audubon; and a keynote address by Chanté Coleman, Director of Equity and Justice, National Wildlife Federation.
Chanté Coleman, Director of Equity and Justice, National Wildlife Federation, gave the keynote speech
“The environmental movement is lacking in diversity, and diversity is a key to success. My keynote address at the Delaware River Watershed Forum focused on how to make the environmental movement more diverse by focusing on embedding equity throughout our organizations in order to become a more inclusive and just movement,” said Chanté Coleman, Director of Equity and Justice, National Wildlife Federation. “We do this by examining how we individually show up in the world and gaining an understanding of the root causes of disparities, as well as implementing specific practices at our organizations to ensure we are promoting justice, impartiality, and fairness. The success of our movement depends on whether we make this shift. It might be uncomfortable, but we must be willing to get uncomfortable in order to make meaningful and lasting change.”
The Delaware River Watershed also supports $25 billion in annual economic activity annually and provides 600,000 direct/indirect jobs in areas such as fishing, recreation, tourism, water/sewer construction, water utilities, and ports. The watershed is home to many fish and wildlife species, including endangered species like the Atlantic sturgeon and over 400 types of resident and migrant birds.