16th Annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference

By Graig Mihok

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2011
Contact:
Geoff Welch
(845) 712 5220
geoffwelch@gmail.com

16th Annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference at Ramapo College

Mahwah, NJ – The 16th annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference will be held Friday, April 29th, at Ramapo College of New Jersey from 10am – 4pm in Student Center Room 136, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, also known as Route 202. The event, presented by the Ramapo River Committee and the Institute for Environmental Studies at Ramapo College, will feature an array of speakers on environmental topics pertaining to the Ramapo Valley in New York and New Jersey.

This year’s presentation will include a Ramapo River Watershed tour in photos and HD video; Visioning and Management Plan for Bergen County Ramapo Mountain Parklands; historic film of the building of Sterling Forest Gardens; drinking water and pollution accountability issues; Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Trail Update; water pollution analysis in New Jersey; revisiting the environmental effects of Mahwah’s closed Ford automobile plant; flood issues in Pompton Lakes; expert local knowledge on Lower Ramapo River; the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda Program; Geographic and hydrologic peculiarities of the Ramapo Watershed; and an presentation of an artist’s nature studies in Torn Valley during the 1870’s.

There will be coffee and bagels at 9:30am before the event starts.

The event is free but registration is requested at geoffwelch@gmail.com.

10:00 - Remarks: Ramapo College President Peter Mercer, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef.

10:15 - "A New Ramapo River Watershed Tour 2011 in Photos and HD Video."

10:45 – Adam Strobel, Bergen County Planner, "Visioning and Management Plan for Bergen County Ramapo Mountain Parklands."

11:00 - Doc Bayne, Sterling Forest Historian: The Building of Sterling Forest Gardens: "Historic Film of Peat Wetlands Drained to Create Gardens."

11:30 - Rabbi Joel Mosbacher of Beth Haverim Shir Shalom Synagogue and co-founder of New Jersey Together; Joe Morris, lead Organizer of New Jersey Together: "Using The Tools of Citizens’ Organizing to Protect our Drinking Water and Hold Polluters Accountable."

12:00 Noon – 1:15 pm - LUNCH

1:15 PM - Janet Burnet, New York State Chair: "Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route - National Trail Update."

1:30 - Kevin Olsen, Passaic River Institute, Montclair State University: "Water Pollution Analysis in New Jersey, Employing the Cutting Edge Analytical Technology of 1876."

2:00 - Chuck Stead, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator / Adjunct Professor, Ramapo College: The Saltbox Environmental Research Center," Ford Toxic Legacy Continues."

2:30 - Carl Padula, Chairman Flood Advisory Board, Pompton Lakes, "Flood Problems in Pompton Lakes."

3:00 - E. Durling Merrill, Environmental Officer Pompton Lakes: "Local Knowledge Based on Extensive Field Experience on the Lower Ramapo River."

3:15 - Don Steinmetz, HEnRI, Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda Program: "From Forest to Faucet."

3:45 - Howard Horowitz, Ramapo College: "Geographic and Hydrologic Peculiarities of the Ramapo Watershed."

4:00 - Geoff Welch, Ramapo River Committee: "David Johnson, An Artist’s Nature Studies in Torne Valley During the 1870’s."

4:30 - Wine and Cheese Reception