The 9th Annual Del-AWARE River Watershed Forum:
Building Inclusive Partnerships to Defend, Protect, and Restore a Great Water
The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, led by New Jersey Audubon and in partnership with National Wildlife Federation, held its 9th Annual Del-AWARE River Watershed Forum from September 29th-October 1st, 2021. The three-day hybrid event featured 24 virtual sessions, a virtual networking event, an in-person networking event, and field trips across the Watershed. Three hundred attendees from throughout the Delaware River Basin states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware were brought together to learn and connect.
The kick-off of the Forum was an exciting opportunity to showcase the commitment to the watershed, featuring passionate welcomes from Congressman Andy Kim and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, highlights of the new Delaware River Basin Congressional Caucus from Representative Delgado and Congressman Fitzpatrick, and a keynote address from Senator Casey featuring the Climate Conservation Corps program.
Representative Delgado emphasized the critical importance of the watershed, stating,
Representative Antonio Delgado
“There’s no doubt in my mind that one of our district’s crown jewels is the Delaware River, and it’s not just because of the River’s natural beauty, which by itself is enough…it is also a significant economic driver for our community. In total the Delaware River Basin generates $25 billion in annual economic activity and contributes $21 billion worth of ecosystem goods and services each year. It is critically important that we protect and restore Delaware River for the millions of folks in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. We must protect and restore Delaware River to support small businesses that depend on the river to strengthen our local economies. We must protect and restore the Delaware River to combat climate change and keep our drinking water clean.”
Senator Bob Casey
Senator Casey highlighted his work on the Civilian Conservation Corps, stating,
“(We’re) voting on a measure that will transform the lives of tens and tens of millions of Americans. Of course, one of the central features of that is the focus on combating climate change. This legislation would establish a Civilian Conservation Corps to create federal conservation jobs… (and) would ensure that CCC projects would reflect local conservation goals and economic conditions.”
After strong statements of support from our congressional partners, attendees were collectively energized for an enriching array of sessions. We continually work to evolve the Forum to reflect the needs of our region – it’s environment, community, and our members. This year’s event prioritized a strong Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) focus to move the needle on an inclusive watershed that provides equitable access to clean water, healthy land, and outdoor recreation to all.
Over the three days, Delaware River Watershed Forum attendees had the opportunity to join virtual sessions that included models for successful conservation and restoration projects; skill-building for engaging in advocacy and public policy; and mechanisms for improving diversity, equity, and justice in the conservation movement.
What has now become a staple of the Forum, Connecting the Dots Between Watershed-Wide Partnerships was a key opportunity for members to dig in to how we can frame our efforts, get more done, and secure more resources for the watershed by examining the 6 pillars of Biden’s 30x30 vision against the players we have in the watershed.
Dr. Karen Gaffney
The forum closed with a collective opportunity for DEIJ learning, featuring author of “Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox”, Dr. Karen Gaffney. In her presentation, “Unlearning False Racial Myths,” Dr. Gaffney taught participants about common misconceptions of race, the damaging results of these myths, and discussed how we can all apply an anti-racist mindset in our environmental work.
Other notable plenary sessions included “DRB Restoration Program: How A Partnership Armed With a Grant Program Is Accelerating Conservation” by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation staff Rachel Dawson, Wendi Weber, Mike Slattery, and Christina Ryder; as well as Government Expenditures to Protect and Improve Water Quality in the Delaware River Basin by Dan Van Abs and Karen O’Neill of Rutgers University, Nathan Boon of the William Penn Foundation, Meishka Mitchell of Camden Community Partnership, and Stephanie Dalke of the University of Maryland.
Thursday evening featured one of the first opportunities our members have had to connect in person in over a year. Hosted in the Courtyard of the Logan Hotel in Philadelphia, “Reminisce and Reconnect: A Coalition In-Person Networking Event” provided the opportunity to strengthen partnerships throughout the Coalition.
CDRW Staff at “Reminisce and Reconnect: A Coalition In-Person Networking Event”
Friday’s field trips, held throughout the Watershed, served as a way for members to connect, get out in the field, and learn about the many projects our partners are working on. At John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Ducks Unlimited hosted an hour tour, celebrating $750,000 in funding for their tidal marsh habitat restoration project. Philadelphia Councilman Curtis Jones attended the LandHealth Institute’s Native Plan Nursery tour, which highlighted their immersive environmental education and community-based land revitalization programming.
Forum attendees gather for the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip
Councilman Jones speaking to attendees of LandHealth Institute’s Native Plant Nursery Tour
We look forward to celebrating the 10th Annual Watershed Forum with all of you next year!
You can re-live the 9th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum by logging into the Attendee Hub to rewatch your favorite sessions or catch up on sessions you may have missed. If you weren’t registered for the Forum, make sure you check out the slides from Dr. Gaffney’s Unlearning False Racial Myths closing plenary session.