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Klamath Basin Watershed Conference
Sustainable Watersheds Bring Sustainable Communities
November 7-9, 2006 Hilltop Holiday Inn Redding, California
Visit the "Post Conference" page to learn about conference outcomes, products, and updates
Basin-wide watershed conferences have been held in the Klamath River Watershed for nearly ten years. In 2001 and 2004, large-scale Watershed Conferences were successfully held in Arcata, CA and Klamath Falls, OR respectively to increase basin-wide collaboration by bringing together the different entities to discuss unresolved questions about what the problems and solutions are in the Klamath Basin. These conferences brought diverse communities together, focusing on what we know while encouraging change where possible, and acknowledged existing accomplishments and built upon them by encouraging broader awareness and participation from stakeholders throughout the basin.
Recent decisions surrounding the selective closure of commercial salmon fisheries off the Klamath coast and total in-river sportfish closure will have widespread impacts on economics throughout the basin that will, again, induce social complications amongst stakeholders. The key to aiding this long-term problem is to solve the water management conflicts in the Klamath River basin. The solutions are multi-faceted and long term and include numerous state and federal agencies, complicated economic interests, twelve sub-watersheds, ten counties, four tribes, two states and tens of thousands of vested stakeholders.
In an effort to continue planning for solutions, we plan to host the 2006 Klamath Basin Watershed Conference: on November 7-9, 2006 in Redding, California. The event, open to all stakeholders, will integrate what we know about our unique watershed and what we know about communication, conflict and sustainable communities with past knowledge presented at other conferences (2001 and 2004). Tribal and sub-basin committees will be invited to report and display needs, successes and creative approaches to restoration in their regions with the intent to collaborate with others in the watershed. Ultimately, participants will be coming together to create visions for resolving watershed issues that would facilitate restoration and sustainability of the river and all the communities involved from the ground up. The existence of a movement to sustainability would allow for external funding to penetrate the basin to help us work towards solutions.
The conference will consist of three themed sessions. These sessions will be: 1.) We Are One Basin, 2.) Progress in the Basin, and 3.) Moving Towards Sustainability. The anticipated 300 attendees will participate in group sessions, panel discussions and interactive activities led by a facilitator/moderator. Cultural and science displays with an integrated vision will be also exhibited.
The 2006 Klamath Basin Watershed Conference is needed to move forward with basin-wide solutions and will serve as the forum for positive change.
Many have been asking... Why is the Klamath Basin Watershed Conference in Redding, CA and out of the Klamath Basin? Some reasons the planning committee made this decision are given below.
- The 2001 Conference was in Arcata, CA and 2004 Conference was in Klamath Falls, OR. This meeting needed to be in the mid-basin to keep the balance.
- Yreka, CA and other small centrally located towns did not have the hotel and conference center facilities to hold the necessary amount of people or provide adequate meeting space.
- Redding, CA is easy to access from I-5.
- Redding, CA has an airport for politicians, dignitaries, and keynote speakers to easily fly in and out.
- Holiday Inn and Convention Center had conference and hotel rooms available for dates needed.
Many have also been asking... Why is the Klamath Basin Watershed Conference is November 7-9? Some reasons the planning committee made this decision are justified below.
November 7-9, 2006 was set to accomodate fishers (post salmon and pre crab) and farmers (post harvest). This time also avoids calving or planting. The weather is usually still good in early November, which makes travel easier with decreased chance of snow at the higher elevations in the basin. Also, a conference facility large enough to support the event was available for those dates only.
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