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2023 Riparian Symposium – Feb. 8-10, 2023

Down By the River: Managing for Resilient Riparian Corridors

February 8-10, 2023 

 Embassy Suites and San Marcos Convention
Center, San Marcos, Texas

****CONFERENCE ROOM BLOCK ENDS JANUARY 17! 

REGISTRATION

Registration fees are for the 3-day conference program Wednesday thru Friday, including 1 reception Thursday evening, 1 lunch and refreshments during multiple breaks.

  Late registration (January 7 – February 3): $225

 REGISTER HERE: https://tamu.estore.flywire.com/products/2023URS

Cancellations notified to Alexander.Neal@ag.tamu.edu before 5pm on January 6, 2022 will
receive a full refund. Cancellations received after this date will not receive a refund. Registration substitutions will be accepted until the start of the conference. Questions?Email Alexander.Neal@ag.tamu.edu or call 979.314.2351

 

RESERVE YOUR ROOM TODAY TO GET THE CONFERENCE RATE!

Conference Hotel Room Reservation Page


WEDNESDAY WORKSHOPS/TOURS

Reserve your spot for one of the Wednesday Workshop/Tours, they are limited 20 each and are filling up quickly!  

  • Blanco River Conservation Demonstration Site Tour
  • Habitat Conservation Plan Tour
  • **FULL Intensive Use, Restoration, and Protection: Optimizing Community Benefits in an Urban Riparian Area

 Wednesday Workshop and Tours Page Link

Photo and Artwork Submissions (Not Restricted to URS Participants)

A picture is worth a thousand words, so TRA is requesting stream and nature related photos and artwork to be viewed during the Symposium and posted afterwards on the TRA website (if permission is granted). Please submit a digital image for viewing on a large screen to texasriparian@gmail.com and make images a minimum of 800 x 600 pixels and a maximum of 1600 x 1200 with a maximum resolution of 150 dpi or around 1 – 1.5MB in size. Include the name of the piece, type of media, and a bio of the artist. Artwork will be shown online with conference materials. Watermarked images are fine.

 

Important Conference Links

Call for Abstracts

Down By The River: Managing for Resilient Riparian Corridors

CALL FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS: 2023 Urban Riparian Symposium
Down by the River: Managing for Resilient Riparian Corridors
February 8-10, 2023
Embassy Suites and San Marcos Convention Center, San Marcos, Texas

Abstracts are being sought for oral presentations, discussion topics (new format), and posters for the Urban Riparian Symposium on February 8-10, 2023.  The theme is Down by the River: Managing for Resilient Riparian Corridors. The Symposium will be held in-person only at the Embassy Suites and Convention Center in San Marcos, TX. Please submit abstracts using this electronic form (https://forms.gle/SpBAijR5wBYjccSx6) or email to texasriparian@gmail.com on or before November 15, 2022. Email Blake Alldredge balldredge@utrwd.com with any questions.

Session Topics:

Oral Presentations

Oral presentations will be 20 minutes in length (15-minute presentation, 5 minutes for questions). If your abstract is accepted, you will receive additional information regarding presentation logistics and guidelines. Please note that the length of each presentation is subject to change. If your presentation is part of a series of presentations, please notify us of the other presentations that it is paired with.

Fervent Riparian Open Discussion Opportunity (FRODO)

FRODOs are a new component being added this year.  The presenter will introduce an article or topic with a short (5-10 minute) introduction that includes some guidance for discussion.  The following 45-60 minute moderated discussion will be open to all. This is a great opportunity to present management problems, construction conundrums, half-baked ideas, ecologically rooted philosophy, or anything related to healthy riparian areas and streams.  This would also be a great forum to host a debate with two or more presenters proposing a variety of perspectives on a topic (wholeheartedly or for fun).

Poster Presentations

Poster presentations are strongly encouraged as they allow extended informal discussions and active participation of co-authors. There will be a dedicated poster session on Thursday, February 9 in addition to the posters being displayed throughout the conference.

 

Please submit your abstract with this form: https://forms.gle/SpBAijR5wBYjccSx6  or include the following in an attached Word document sent to texasriparian@gmail.com.

  • Primary Presenter/Contact (one person only)
  • Organization/Company
  • Address, Telephone number & Email address of Primary Contact
  • Poster, FRODO, or Oral Presentation (pre-recorded, live webinar, or audio only)
  • Category(s) from Call for Abstracts
  • Title of Presentation
  • Author(s) (as it would appear in a publication)
  • Abstract Text (300 word (Max)

Consider Sharing

  • How is your project or research unique within the urban context? Within your city? How has it been adapted during the pandemic?
  • What constraints, priorities, and opportunities are present in urban riparian systems that are not often part of traditional riparian projects?
  • Who benefited most from the restoration efforts?
  • What outreach was carried out?
  • Which stakeholders were most actively involved?
  • What strategies were (and were not) successful?
  • Would you do things differently next time, based on lessons learned?
  • What lessons can be taken from the city to the country and vice-versa?
  • What project are you most proud of?

All oral, FRODO, and poster presenters will be required to register for the symposium. Final costs are being determined and registration will open soon. 

Sponsorship information will also be available soon!

Stakeholder Facilitation – Working with Stakeholders to Move the Process Forward

Stakeholder Facilitation – Working with Stakeholders to Move the Process Forward – Dallas

Dates: June 6-7, 2022
June 6: 1-4 p.m.
June 7: 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Texas A&M AgriLife – Dallas Center
17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252

Agenda
Resource Materials

Registration:
Register Online 
Registration Form to pay by Check/PO

Cost: $50.00

Stakeholders form the backbone of effective natural resource programs. Learn tips on how to get off on the right foot and keep the energy going throughout your program. Topics include: Setting Up for Success by determining driving forces, stakeholder analysis, roles, and responsibilities; Getting Stakeholders to the Table by assessing concerns and needs and then matching needs to goals; Facilitation 101 starts with making meetings count, building an agreement, diffusing conflict, making decisions using a consensus-based approach, and Sustaining the Stakeholder Group.

Topics include:

  • Setting Up for Success by identifying driving forces, conducting a stakeholder analysis, determining roles and responsibilities;
  • Getting Stakeholders to the Table by assessing concerns and needs and then matching needs to goals;
  • Facilitation 101 starts with making meetings count, building an agreement, diffusing conflict, making decisions using a consensus-based approach, and;
  • Sustaining the Stakeholder Group, keeping the project rolling through motivating existing members and continuing to bring in new members.

Registration

To pay by purchase order or check, please fill out the registration form and send it with payment to Lucas Gregory, TWRI, 578 John Kimbrough, 2260 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, or email: LFGregory@ag.tamu.edu.

Register online at the TAMU Estore. More information is available at the website or by contacting Lucas Gregory.

Join our listserve and our monthly training newsletter!

This course is being provided through the Texas Watershed Planning Program, which is funded through a Clean Water Act nonpoint grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Texas Watershed Planning Program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.

Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Training – The Woodlands

March 24, 2022 (Add to calendar)
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Flyer
Agenda

Register for Workshop
RSVP by March 17, 2022
Cost: $50

Houston Advanced Research Center
8801 Gosling Rd,
The Woodlands, TX 77381

Information including the hydrologic cycle, basics to stream morphology, stream classification, stream instability, stream restoration, stabilization structure, vegetation, and monitoring and evaluation will be explained through classroom-style teaching in the morning session, and hands-on activities in the field at a nearby stream in the afternoon sessions. Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the training.

Registration is limited to the first 40 people due to space limitations. Participants are encouraged to wear masks inside the meeting facility. Cost is $50 and includes all training materials, a catered lunch, and a certificate of completion at the end of the course. Registration is required by March 17, 2022. Lunch will be provided but participants may bring their own. Dress is casual and comfortable; hip boots/waders are required for the hands-on field assessment, as we will be in the creek in the afternoon.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available:

  • Texas Nutrient Management Planning Specialists – 6 hours
  • Texas Floodplain Management Association – 6 CEUs
  • Certified Crop Advisor –- 7 CEUs (Nutrient Mgmt.: 1, Soil & Water: 2.5, IPM: 1, Sustainability: 2.5)
  • Texas Board of Architectural Examiners “Acceptable for HSW credit”
  • The program may also be used for CEUs for Professional Engineers.
  • Check with your Chapter for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener to see if it is approved for your area.

RSVP Now – Riparian & Stream Ecosystems Training in La Marque on Feb. 22

Riparian & Stream Ecosystems – La Marque

February 22, 2022 (Add to calendar)
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

RSVP by February 18, 2022 at noon – RSVP Link
On the RSVP form, select any “YES” option to receive a free lunch at this event.

4102-B Main Street (Carbide Park)
La Marque, Texas 77568

Flyer
Agenda

This workshop is being co-hosted by the Galveston Bay Coalition of Watersheds, Texas Community Watershed Partners, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Galveston County, Texas Riparian Association, and Texas Water Resources Institute. The training will focus on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones and the benefits and direct impacts from healthy riparian zones. The riparian education programs will cover an introduction to riparian principles, watershed processes, basic hydrology, erosion/deposition principles, and riparian vegetation, as well as potential causes of degradation and possible resulting impairment(s), and available local resources including technical assistance and tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation.

The Galveston Bay Coalition of Watersheds is currently implementing several plans to reduce bacteria concentrations and loading in the ​Bastrop, Dickinson, Highland, and Jarbo Bayou watersheds. The Galveston Bay Coalition of Watersheds is a group of stakeholders representing four watersheds in Brazoria and Galveston counties working collaboratively to improve water quality in Coalition watersheds. The riparian and stream workshop is an educational event supporting this effort.

These one-day trainings in watersheds across the state include both indoor classroom presentations and outdoor stream walks. Instructors are experts from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M Natural Resource Institute, TRA, and the Texas Water Resources Institute.

The goal is for participants to better understand and relate to riparian and watershed processes, the benefits that healthy riparian areas provide, and the tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation and improve water quality. At the conclusion of the training, participants will receive a certificate of completion and appropriate professional development hours/ continuing education hours.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available:

  • Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicators License – 3 CEUs
  • Texas Water Resources Institute  – 1 CEU
  • Texas Nutrient Management Planning Specialists – 6 hours
  • Texas Floodplain Management Association – 7 CECs
  • Texas Forestry Association – 6 hours
  • Society of American Foresters – 4 hours
  • Certified Crop Advisor- 7 CEUs (Nutrient Mgmt: 1, Soil & Water: 1.5, IPM: 1.5, Crop Mgmt: 2.5, Manure Mgmt: 0.5)
  • Texas Board of Architectural Examiners “Acceptable for HSW credit”
  • The program may also be used for CEUs for Professional Engineers.
  • Check with your Chapter for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener to see if it is approved for your area.

RSVP is required by February 18, 2022 by noon. The workshop is free because it is funded through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. RSVP online or by email to LFGregory@ag.tamu.edu. A catered lunch is available free of charge or participants may select to bring their own lunch.

Dress is casual and comfortable for the weather as we will be outside at the stream during the afternoon.

For more information or questions, please contact Lucas Gregory at 979-314-2361 or LFGregory@ag.tamu.edu

Please join our listserv or like us on Facebook for more information on future programs!

The riparian education program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of AgriLife Research,  AgriLife Extension and the College at Texas A&M University.

RSVP for Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Course on March 8, in Seguin for Geronimo & Alligator Creeks Watershed

Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Training – Geronimo & Alligator Creeks Watershed

March 8, 2022 (Add to calendar)
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

RSVP by March 1, 2022

1865 US Hwy 90 East
Seguin, Texas 78155

Flyer
Agenda

The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) will host a free Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. March 8 in Seguin for area residents interested in land and water stewardship in the Geronimo and Alligator creeks watershed.

The morning session will be at the Seguin Outdoor Learning Center, 1865 US Hwy 90 East in Seguin. The afternoon session will include a walk and presentations along Geronimo Creek.

“Riparian education programs like this encourage informed landowners and members of the public to be more inclined to use practices that improve the management of riparian and stream ecosystems,” Gregory said. “Proper management, protection and restoration of these vital areas directly influences water quality and quantity, plus stabilizes stream banks and improves fish and aquatic habitats and communities and more.”

The workshop is co-hosted by the Texas A&M Soil & Crop Sciences, the AgriLife Extension Service in Guadalupe County, Texas Riparian Association and TWRI.

The Geronimo and Alligator creeks watershed is the focus of watershed planning efforts by stakeholders. “Stakeholders recognize successful implementation of a watershed protection plan requires implementing a variety of management strategies, said Evgenia Spears, Geronimo and Alligator creeks watershed coordinator. “The riparian and stream workshop is an educational event supporting this effort.”

Lucas Gregory, TWRI associate director, College Station, said the workshop will focus on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones as well as the benefits and economic impacts from properly functioning riparian systems.

“Riparian areas – the green vegetated land area adjacent to the bank of a stream, creek, bayou, river or lake – are unique and important ecosystems that provide many benefits including habitat and forage,” Gregory said. “The goal of the workshop is for participants to better understand riparian and watershed processes, the benefits of healthy riparian areas and what resources are available to prevent degradation while improving water quality.”

Workshop presentations will be given by representatives of the Texas A&M Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas Water Resources Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, AgriLife Extension, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Riparian Association.

All attendees must RSVP by March 1, 2022. RSVP online or by email to  LFGregory@ag.tamu.edu. The program will include a lunchtime presentation, so a catered lunch is being offered for $15 or you may select to bring your own lunch. This fee also helps cover the coffee, tea, crackers and cookie snack breaks.

Gregory said they are able to offer the workshop without cost thanks to program funding provided through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Travis Franke, AgriLife Extension agent for Guadalupe County, said participants will receive a certificate of completion and appropriate continuing education unit certificates at the conclusion of the training.

The workshop offers many types of continuing education units, including three units — two general and one integrated pest management — for Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders. Foresters and professional loggers can receive six hours from the Texas Forestry Association and six hours from the Society of American Foresters. It offers seven credits from Texas Floodplain Management Association, seven hours for Certified Crop Advisors, seven hours from the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying and six hours for Texas Nutrient Management Planning specialists. The program may also be used for continuing education units for professional engineers.

The riparian education program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.

For more information, contact Gregory or visit http://texasriparian.org or go to Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TexasRiparianAssociation.

Please Join Our Riparian Listserv, Training Newsletter & Online Publications!

Through both the Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program and Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Program, TWRI has partnered with the Texas Riparian Association, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife and many other partners to provide and deliver educational programs about the nature and function of riparian zones and vegetation, their benefits, local technical resources and best management practices (BMPs) for protecting them. Through education, landowners and other citizens can improve their management of riparian and stream ecosystems, which will reduce nonpoint source pollution (NPS) and provide tremendous ecosystem service benefits and direct economic benefits to communities. The Listserv provides updates on trainings, conferences, grants, agency updates, research, job opportunities, and more! 

Texas Riparian Listserv

The Riparian Listserv was created to encourage the exchange of information on riparian issues among the citizens of Texas. You do not need to be a member of TRA to subscribe. Notices about recent riparian research, conferences, training, and activities are posted almost daily. The list is a moderated list and all submissions require administrative approval before being posted to the List.

We hope that members will advertise educational events, research, jobs, funding opportunities and projects.

Subscribe
To subscribe to the Riparian Listserv, click the Subscribe button and enter your contact information into the form online to subscribe. Please make sure to make the address a safe address to keep it out of your spam and clutter.

Subscribe and Follow us on Facebook!

Please Subscribe to Our Monthly Trainings Newsletter:

  
Natural Resources Training Courses Update

This newsletter provides periodic updates of upcoming trainings on riparian and stream restoration, watershed protection planning, and other natural resource issues. 

Read     Subscribe

Other TWRI Publications

txH2O

txH2O magazine features stories on current water resources research and outreach programs in Texas and priority water issues facing Texas. 

Read    Subscribe
 

Conservation Matters

Conservation Matters is an email newsletter covering the latest research and education news about land, water and wildlife in Texas and beyond state lines. 

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Please share this email with others who may be interested in joining!

Urban stream processes and restoration program set for April 23 in Pearland

By: AgriLife Today

Registration is $100 and includes all training materials, lunch and a certificate of completion at the end of the course. Attendees are encouraged to register early as the workshop is limited to 40 people.

The morning session will be at the John Hargrove Environmental Nature Center, 5800 Magnolia St. The afternoon session will be outdoors along Mary’s Creek, where participants will learn stream surveying techniques.

The Texas Water Resources Institute will present an urban riparian and stream restoration workshop April 23 in Pearland. (Texas Water Resources Institute photo by Ed Rhodes)

The workshop is being co-hosted by the Texas Community Watershed Partners, the City of Pearland, Houston Advanced Research Center, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Brazoria County and the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas.

Attendees must register by April 19 to Clare Entwistle, institute research associate, San Antonio,  at 210-277-0292, ext. 205, or clare.entwistle@ag.tamu.edu. Online registration is at http://bit.ly/2uwOTV0.

Dr. Fouad Jaber, AgriLife Extension program specialist in Dallas, said riparian and stream degradation is a major threat to water quality, in-stream habitat, terrestrial wildlife, aquatic species and overall stream health.

“Proper management, protection and restoration of these riparian areas will improve water quality, lower in-stream temperatures, improve aquatic habitat and ultimately improve macrobenthos and fish community integrity,” he said.

Jaber said the goal of the workshop is for participants to better understand urban stream functions and impacts of development on urban streams.

“The workshop will show attendees how to recognize healthy versus degraded stream systems, assess and classify a stream using the Bank Erosion Hazard Index and comprehend differences between natural and traditional restoration techniques,” he said.

Workshop presentations will be given by representatives of the Texas Water Resources Institute,  Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas Community Watershed Partnership and the Houston Advanced Research Center.

Entwistle said the institute is able to offer the workshop at a reduced cost thanks to program funding provided through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Information on continuing education units and credits is available at the online registration site.

For more information, contact Entwistle, visit http://texasriparian.org or go to Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TexasRiparianAssociation.

The urban riparian stream education program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.

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Contacts: Clare Entwistle, 210-277-0292, x205, clare.entwistle@ag.tamu.edu

Dr. Fouad Jaber, 972-952-9672, Fouad.Jaber@ag.tamu.edu

Find more stories, photos, videos and audio at http://today.agrilife.org

2019 Urban Riparian Symposium

Building Community Connections for Healthy Urban Streams 

Grapevine Convention Center Grapevine, Texas
February 27 – March 1, 2019

Early Conference Registration is Open! Register Online

Register Online for the afternoon Pre-Conference Workshops on 2/27/19.

Please register for the workshops online. Registration is limited, so reserve your spot early. 
1. Green Infrastructure/ Low Impact Development Workshop, 
Instructor: Dr. Fouad Jaber 
2. Riparian Bullseye Assessment Training, 
Instructors: Michael Jones and Stacey Haddad. 

Pre-conference workshops are on Wednesday, February 15, 2019. Both workshops are free to attend and will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Workshops will be held concurrently at different locations, so please make sure to look at the address for each workshop .

Conference Room Block at Comfort Inn Hotel Grapevine Ends 02/05/2019. King or Double Rooms $99/night and free parking. Reserve a room through this link for special  conference rate.

Submit Your Artwork

Artwork Submissions (Not Restricted to URS Participants)

A picture is worth a thousand words, so for the first year, TRA is requesting stream and nature related artwork submissions to be viewed during the symposium.  All artforms are welcome. This is a new feature so input for displaying this gallery are welcome. Please submit a digital image for viewing on a large screen to Staryn Wagner  and make images a minimum of 800 x 600 pixels and a maximum of 1600 x 1200 with a maximum resolution of 150 dpi or around 1 – 1.5MB in size. Include the name of the piece, type of media, and a bio of the artist.

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