TRACK DESCRIPTIONS

CONNECT+ 2024 will focus on six (6) tracks. Each track includes relevant concepts identified by the conference planning committee with the recognition that they are not comprehensive and not intended to be exclusive. Abstracts should explicitly address the conference theme and how it relates to the field of conservation and tracks.

​

• Each Track may have up to eight (8) presentations.

• Each presentation should be no more than 50 minutes, which includes Q&A.

​

ORGANIZATIONAL ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, POLICY

Administrative programs and policies tend to fly below the radar compared to conservation programs, but no organization can function without them. They enable efficient, innovative, and equitable operations and proactively protect our organizations by minimizing risk. This track covers topics such as organizational policies, new legislation and the legislative process, Board recruitment and management, staff professional development, budgeting and accounting, securing and managing grants, operational efficiencies, business, or administrative technology (e.g., new tech, AI), and best practices for incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles and practices.

​

COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

This track highlights emerging methods for organizations to interface with communities and disseminate information effectively. Topics cover a range of communication and engagement practices that can be applied across organizations, benefiting leadership, field technicians, and outreach staff alike. Strengthening our ability to share, listen, and learn with diverse people and community groups improves confidence and transparency in conservation work. Join us for an interdisciplinary perspective that will elevate channels for connecting with others.

​

CONSERVATION IN UPLANDS

This track will highlight new, innovative, and successful methods to manage upland habitats about ecological and urban uses. Abstracts should focus on areas around water supplies, wildfire prevention and recovery, climate change adaptation, invasive grass control and seeding on rangelands, and recreation while providing examples of collaboration amongst diverse partners.   

 

WATER

The world of water is finite and yet essential to all life. Seeking innovative presentations on all conservation, restoration, and/or research projects about water conservation. Presentations may pertain to watershed, riparian, instream, or wetland management, impacts of beaver on groundwater recharge, fish and wildlife in a changing water climate, studies about water quality or quantity, water pollutants of concern and potential solutions, water allocation and scarcity, projected changes in climate change, climate-related adaptive management strategies, population increase/water refugee preparedness, rural or urban water use and pricing, water use in agriculture, innovative reservoir management, subbasin differences throughout Oregon, land use and land use change models, urban water use models, agricultural crop choice and water use, water rights modeling, modeling of scenarios. 

​

WEED & PEST MANAGEMENT

Presentations in this track will highlight new, innovative, and successful methods to manage weeds and pests of ecological, urban, or agricultural conservation. We seek contributions from land managers, agencies, community groups, researchers, and others involved in weed management for conservation. We seek presentations related to weed/pest management strategies that:

 

• Reduce the use of chemical applications,

• Use integrated pest management,

• Studies on short and/or long-term impacts of chemical application on the environment

• Use Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

• Showcase studies conducted to improve biodiversity or conservation outcomes.

• Innovative efforts that help balance the Invasive Species Continuum.

• Showcase how to best invest in biodiversity

• Species-specific innovative management strategies

• Watch List Species: New arrivers, potential spreaders, etc., to be informed on

​​

Additional presentations we are seeking may be related to:

​

• Education on pesticide applicator licensing in Oregon

• History &/or Chemistry of pesticides

• Chemical breakdown of pesticides in the environment

• General successful weed management strategies in conservation

• Additional pollutants that are of significant concern but might not specifically be a pesticide.

• Examples of multi-stakeholder and multi-partnered collaboration that lead to better conservation outcomes.

​

WORKING LANDS

Working lands seek to balance agricultural uses with conservation and restoration action.   
This track seeks abstracts that showcase sustainable agricultural practices and projects that restore, enhance, and/or conserve watershed health, soil health, and/or fish and wildlife habitat. Examples include improving and maintaining healthy soils, utilizing conservation easements, cover cropping, applying biochar, and fertilizing with fish oil or manure.  

​