Coosa Basin Conservation Summit

The Upper Coosa Basin Conservation Summit was held on Friday, October 25, 2019 and Saturday, October 26, 2019. Registration was required.

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Coosa Basin Working Group Topics

The summit was held at Kennesaw State University (KSU) - Kennesaw campus and was hosted by KSU and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Conservation Section.

The upper Coosa River basin is a hotspot for freshwater biodiversity and the focus of substantial research and conservation effort. Many stakeholders, including state and local governments, universities, private landowners, and nonprofit organizations are actively working in the basin. Partners joined throughout the Upper Coosa River Basin to learn about ongoing research, conservation efforts, and future strategies for the basin. Symposia and a student poster session was held Friday, October 25th and working groups met Saturday, October 26th.

Proposed working group topics were sent to Ani Popp.

Working Group Topic Proposals

 

Agenda Documents

Friday, October 25, 2019

  • 8:00 am — Registration/Sign-in
  • 9:00 am — Welcome and Introduction
  • 9:15 am — Session 1: Partners and Projects
  • 10:30 am — Break/Student Posters
  • 10:50 am — Session 2: Research
  • 12:00 pm — Lunch (on your own)
  • 1:30 pm — Session 3: Outreach and Habitat Restoration
  • 3:00 pm — Break/Student Posters
  • 3:20 pm — Session 4: Monitoring
  • Closing remarks

 

 

 

 


 

Saturday, October 26, 2019

 

  • 9:00 am - 12:00 pm — Working groups listed below (Breaks as needed)*

*All working groups were held in the Clendenin Building on Kennesaw Campsus
. Specific room location varies from group to group.

  • The Conasauga Basin working group focused on impacts, needs, and potential conservation actions in the Conasauga basin. We identified areas of the Conasauga that face the greatest impacts, discuss the efficacy and practicality of potential conservation actions, and have a more general discussion about trends in the basin. We also discussed historic and current objectives in the basin, and how to shift strategies to address changing needs. Additionally, a follow-up discussion was focused specifically on the Holly Creek watershed. The group discussed current monitoring efforts and also worked to identify potential data gaps and restoration projects moving forward.

    Facilitator: Stephen Bontekoe, Limestone Valley RC&D. This group is open to all attendees of the Coosa Summit.

  • The objective of the Amber Darter Recovery Implementation Strategy was to complete the recovery implementation strategy portion of the 2019 Recovery Plan for the Amber Darter (Percina antesella). The Recovery Implementation Strategy is a document that takes the criteria and actions for down- or delisting a species and breaks them into specific tasks. The RIS for the Amber Darter overlapped with several other species in the Upper Coosa.

    Facilitator: Robin Goodloe, USFWS.

  • The Education and Outreach in the Coosa Basin working group focused on mechanisms for disseminating Coosa Basin conservation information to the public in both formal and informal ways.  The central proposition for this group was that the public cannot value a resource if they are not aware of it.  Attendees who wished to participate in this working group were willing to discuss both traditional and nontraditional ways of reaching out to citizens who may not be aware of the unique nature of the flora and fauna found in the Coosa Basin.

    Facilitator: Bill Ensign, Kennesaw State University. This group was open to all attendees of the Coosa Summit.

  • The goal of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Conservation and Research within the Etowah group was to assess ways that terrestrial and aquatic conservation and research activity can link together for mutual benefit within the Etowah. Participants discussed historical and current research and conservation efforts. We reviewed existing partnerships and aimed to create new partnerships that furthered research and conservation across the landscape. It was open to all attendees.

    Facilitators: Heather Sutton and Matt Weand, Kennesaw State University. This group was open to all attendees of the Coosa Summit.