Ramapo River Watershed Conference 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2014

Contact:
Geoff Welch
(845) 712-5220
geoffwelch@gmail.com

Ramapo River Watershed Conference April 18 at Ramapo College

Mahwah, NJ – The 19th annual Ramapo River Watershed Conference will be held Friday, April 18, at Ramapo College of New Jersey from 10 am – 5 pm in the Trustees Pavilion, 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 a variety of speakers on environmental topics pertaining to the Ramapo Valley region in New York and New Jersey.

The event is free but registration is requested at geoffwelch@gmail.com or (845) 712-5220.

This year’s conference will include presentations on watershed events since last Spring. These include: Update on the Ford Motor Company Paint Sludge Remediation in Torne Valley, Environmental Justice Impacts of the Ringwood Superfund Remediation of Ford Paint Sludge, Land Use and Stream Management Strategies for Reducing Flood Risks and Protecting Water Quality, The Blue Acres Program in New Jersey, USGS Gaging Station Program in the Ramapo River Watershed, and a number of other topics.

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

10:00 – Ramapough Indian Blessing: Vincent Mann, Sub Chief; Opening Remarks: Ramapo College Professor Howard Horowitz and Geoff Welch, Chairman of the Ramapo River Committee.

10:15 - Land Use and Stream Management Strategies for Reducing Flood Risks and Protecting Water Quality: Julie Moore, Water Resources Group Leader, Stone Environmental, Montpelier, Vermont

10:55 – The Blue Acres Program in New Jersey: Brandee Chapman, NJDEP

11:20 - The Darlington Schoolhouse Project: Ed Goodell, Executive Director, NY/NJ Trail Conference

11:50 - USGS Gaging Station Program in the Ramapo River Watershed: Chris L. Gazoorian - Hydrologist USGS NY Water Science Center, Troy, NY

 12:20 pm – 1:30 pm     LUNCH

1:30 pm -  A Snake, a Skink, and Me: a New Alchemical Vision for the Ramapo Watershed:  Kevin Dann, Independent Historian

 2:00  - Update on the Ford Motor Company Paint Sludge Remediation in Torne Valley and Planting of a Ramapough Indian Medicine Garden: Walter “Chuck” Stead, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator / Adjunct Professor, Ramapo College; Vincent Mann, Ramapough Sub Chief 

2:30 - Environmental Justice Impacts of the Ringwood Superfund Remediation: RISE, The 2014 Environmental Assessment Course, Michael Edelstein, Ramapo College Professor                           

3:00 - The First Marked Nature Trail in the Country, Established on a Tributary of the Ramapo River in Tuxedo in 1925 by The Museum of Natural History: Sue Scher, Professor of Social Work Emeritus, Ramapo College

3:30 - Down and Dirty Suburban Environmental Action, Moving Forward in Creating Ecologically Sustainable Suburban Communities: Eric J. Fuchs-Stengel, Executive Director, MEVO (Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization, Inc.)

4:00 - The Ramapo River Near Hillburn, A Wordmap by Howard Horowitz, Ramapo College

4:20 - 5:00 -  Reception