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Wild and Scenic Rivers Management

 

Workshop: An Introduction to the
 River Access Planning Guide
 

October 19-21, 2020 (rescheduled from March 31-April 2, 2020)

Simsbury, CT in the Farmington River Valley

COVID 19 Coronavirus Update [March 16, 2020] - We have postponed this workshop in response to the national emergency related to this pandemic and hope y'all who have signed up or who have planned to attend can reschedule us on your calendar for the new dates.  Please contact Risa Shimoda with questions at [email protected].

Each day will provide a mix of classroom and field visits to familiarize participants with the River Access Planning Guide process and case studies. 

Classroom Location: Simsbury Library, 725 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT 06070
 
Hosts: Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers
Upper Farmington Wild and Scenic River, Lower Farmington Wild and Scenic River, Farmington River Coordinating Committee, and Lower Farmington and Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic Committee
 
Sponsors
 National Park Foundation,  National Park Service
Instructors
Thomas O’Keefe, Jordan Secter

Registration is open!

Goals
This workshop is designed to introduce participants to the River Access Planning Guide (published by NPS, October 2019) to increase their capacity and knowledge in planning sustainable and effective river access facilities for boaters and other river users utilizing the Farmington River Valley river access for field site visits.


Training Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Utilize the 6-phase river access planning framework to guide a river access area design, implementation, and evaluation process,
  • Identify policies, regulatory proceedings, or management settings where the River Access Planning Guide may be implemented,
  • Establish the connection between system-wide planning analysis and site-scale design and how these factors work together, and
  • Communicate clearly the purposes of waterway access include not just a launch point for boats but a multiple-use area where the launch serves as a site amenity that may also be used for general day-use (e.g. picnics, water play, etc.), cultural practices, or other activities.
Who would benefit from participating in this training? 
  • Federal, state, and local administrators; river managers; and design practitioners interested in developing access to river resources for recreation as well as protection of natural and cultural resourcesNational Park Service staff and partners and community leaders who work with Wild and Scenic Rivers, river resource management and community river access project planning.
  • Recreation planners, river resource area managers, landscape architects and river access project technical specialists involved in or responsible for planning, design and management of river access facilities.
Workshop Agenda
The training will include presentations and interactive exercises showcasing the methodology of the River Access Planning Guide. The training will combine classroom time with instruction in the field. The Agenda-at-a-Glance here will be updated when new workshop dates are confirmed.
Registration
  • There is no charge to attend this training.
  • Travel costs are the responsibility of the participants.
  • Funding for this project is provided by a National Park Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service.
  • This pilot course is open to National Park Service staff and partners and community leaders who work with Wild and Scenic Rivers, river resource management and community river access project planning.  
  • If space allows, registration will be opened up to those working in other areas.

Lodging

Here's some information to assist you as you plan your trip to Connecticut:

For additional information and/or to add your name to a list of potentially interested participants, please contact Risa Shimoda, River Management Society at [email protected] or (301) 585-4677.

We look forward to seeing you in Simsbury and look forward to your participation in this course!

Register here. Registration will reopen once a new workshop timeframe is confirmed.