Previewing the 2024 Choose Clean Water Conference
After many months of build-up, we’re excited to finally gather in Ellicott City next week for the 2024 Choose Clean Water Conference! Like past conferences, we have a fantastic agenda in store, full of informative sessions, workshops, and field trips. There’s also plenty of time for networking and a bit of fun worked in as well including Chesapeake Jeopardy making a return!
This year we also are thrilled to introduce a handful of new pieces—
Conference Kickoff
For our 2019 and 2023 conferences, we partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to host “ForumPlus”–an afternoon seminar exploring an emerging issue throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Focusing on microplastics and solar siting, respectively, these seminars were well-received and set a great tone for the conference. As we near the 2025 deadline to have clean water protections in place as part of the Bay restoration effort, this year we’re tweaking our format and hosting a seminar diving into what lies beyond 2025. A highly interactive session, this event is the premier opportunity to provide feedback on the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership’s plan to recalibrate the collective cleanup effort. Following the seminar, stick around and connect with fellow clean water advocates over drinks at a networking reception. Join us at the kickoff!
Make Your Bid for Some Great Outdoor Gear!
For the first time ever, the Coalition is hosting an online silent auction to help raise funds to support our work to provide increased advocacy and communications capacity to our members. Help support our work by bidding on one of these amazing packages, donated by Johnson Outdoors. We will announce all winners on May 22, the final day of the Conference.
Our Little Oasis
For the first time, the conference is gathering at a resort. Feel free to walk the beautiful grounds of Turf Valley and schedule a massage at their spa or a tee-time on their Audubon-certified golf course!
Get Friendly!
With the conference already sold out on Tuesday, this is the most people we have attending since our 2019 conference in Baltimore. Please welcome your fellow conference attendees at breakfast and lunch tables, as we’ll have a packed house.
Wear the Flair!
When you grab your lanyard at the registration desk, take a moment to show some of your personality and grab some flair!
A New Era
Hitting on our conference theme A New Era for Clean Water, many of our sessions and workshops (not to mention the Conference Kickoff!) will explore the future of the Bay restoration effort beyond 2025. If you didn’t attend our recent webinar series exploring the history of the cleanup or you want a refresher, check out the series on the Coalition’s YouTube channel.
Looking Inward
In response to positive feedback from past conferences on content covering personal and organizational professional development, we have several sessions and workshops that explore growth opportunities for individuals and organizations to equip attendees to thrive in their work for clean water.
While we’re sold out for Tuesday, May 21, you can still join us at the conference with the following options:
Option 1: Monday Only-Conference Kickoff Registration. Cost: $25.
Option 2: Tuesday evening reception and dinner. Cost: $60.
Option 3: Wednesday-Only Registration (Wednesday conference sessions and the option to include the Conference Kickoff). Cost: $165.
We can’t wait to see you in Ellicott City! If you have any questions on the conference, contact me at RobinsonAQ@nwf.org.
Drew Robinson is the Choose Clean Water Coalition’s Communications Director