TRACK DESCRIPTIONS

CONNECT 2025 will focus on five (5) tracks:

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1. ADMIN & LEADERSHIP

2. EDUCATION & OUTREACH

3. UPLANDS & FOREST

4. WATER & RIPARIAN

5. WORKING LANDS

 

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.

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

• Each presentation should be no more than 50 minutes long and should include a Q&A.

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ADMIN & LEADERSHIP
Effective leadership and robust administrative practices are critical to an organization’s success, providing the structure and vision that drive teams and initiatives forward. This track is designed for leaders, managers, and anyone interested in enhancing their leadership skills. Sessions will cover a range of management and leadership-focused topics, such as building strong Board relations, leading through change, developing and implementing impactful organizational policies, managing grant and fiscal compliance, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

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EDUCATION & OUTREACH TRACK
Whether you're promoting conservation services to a general audience, presenting research to peers, or providing technical assistance to a client, impactful outreach is essential to our organizations. The Education and Outreach track highlights tools and techniques to help you improve communication and community engagement. Serving diverse cooperators and fostering effective collaborations is core to our work. Learn how to capture attention, motivate action, and achieve your goals. Take this opportunity to connect, collaborate, and share.

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UPLANDS & FORESTS
This track will highlight innovative and successful methods of managing and restoring upland and forest habitats, including rangeland, for multiple uses. Abstracts could focus on a variety of topics, including:

• Water supplies and upland watershed health

• Wildfire prevention, mitigation, and recovery

• Adapting restoration and conservation practices to a changing climate

• Managing habitat for threatened and endangered species

• Invasive weed management, such as invasive grass control and seeding

• Permanent land protection and management

• Recreation

• Diverse partnerships and collaboratives

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WATER & RIPARIAN CONSERVATION
Seeking innovative presentations focused on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of water and riparian resources.

Topics may include:

• Riparian, watershed, instream, and wetland conservation strategies, including recreation access

• The role of beavers and riparian vegetation in groundwater recharge, stream health, and habitat creation

• Fish and wildlife resilience in changing water climates and riparian habitats

• Monitoring and addressing water quality and quantity challenges, pollutants of concern, and potential solutions

• Climate adaptation in water management, focusing on riparian buffers and recreation resilience

• Water allocation, scarcity, and planning for population growth, urban/rural demands, and recreational use

• Impacts of land-use changes on riparian corridors, recreation areas, and innovative modeling approaches

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WORKING LANDS

The Working Lands track seeks abstracts which highlight innovative approaches to conservation in production agriculture. More specifically, we are interested in practices/actions that target livestock or crop management, soil health, and wildlife habitat enhancement and/or restoration on farms.  

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