Outreach Update
Outreach Update…by Kasey Hovik
Lots is going on with Umpqua Watersheds’ Outreach Programs. In January, we started our monthly “Watershed Wednesdays,” held on the last Wednesday of each month in the Old Soul Pizza annex. We hope it would allow us to get together with our members and update them on our projects and issues we are working on. It also allows us to get feedback, answer questions, get to know new members, and catch up with old friends. We couldn’t be happier about how our first two Watershed Wednesdays have gone and look forward to this monthly gathering throughout the year.
On March 1-3, UW tabled at the 42nd annual Public Information Environmental Law Conference at the University of Oregon. The Conference attracts activists, advocates, attorneys, scientists, government officials, and concerned citizens together to share information and strategies that will more effectively further environmental and social justice goals.
Several of us attended the conference and learned a lot from the many panel presentations. We also had the opportunity to meet many of our colleagues in the Pacific Northwest Climate Alliance (PNWCA). https://www.forestclimatealliance.org/ We work closely with the PNWCA, mostly through Zoom meetings. PIELC allows us to get together and talk about the issues and projects we are working on together. 
On April 8-9, several of us will attend the Oregon Nonprofit Leaders Conference. The Oregon Nonprofit Leaders Conference brings together as many as 350 nonprofit leaders for educational and networking sessions on current, relevant, and inspiring topics facing nonprofits today. We will also be tabling at the event to provide information about our organization and programs.
We will have the Umpqua Watersheds Annual Banquet on June 2nd, 3-7 PM, behind our building in the Umpqua Outback space. Paul Englelmeyer will be our keynote speaker. Paul gave a wonderful presentation in January at the Roseburg Library at an event sponsored by the Umpqua Audubon Society. He has been involved in many conservation and restoration projects for many years. He will discuss “Land-Sea Conservation Issues and Strategies,” covering marine reserves, salmon conservation efforts, the Endangered Species Act-listed marbled murrelet, and restoring beaver to our watersheds.
