Reflecting Our Community: 2020 Conference of the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program

Registration is now open! Be sure to join the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) and the Hudson River Foundation virtually on the week of November 9-13, 2020 for our annual conference.

Our conference this year is focused on fostering better community engagement, highlighting the efforts of community leaders and other partners that are striving for more inclusive and equitable management of the Estuary and our waterfronts. The conference week will include interactive sessions on fairer public access, community-led habitat restoration and water quality management, environmental justice, and advancing inclusiveness and diversity in the sciences and environmental professions.

The first day of the conference will explore:

• Challenges and triumphs in climate justice, in particular how frontline environmental justice communities are impacted by climate change and the current strategies in place to help address these impacts.
• How environmental stewards across the estuary are working to make sure their programs are shared with diverse audiences and ensuring everyone feels welcome into their spaces. 
• Current efforts to communicate water quality to residents, supporting the safe use of the waterfront and waterbodies, and challenging water quality uses to reflect on-water recreation by residents.
• The organizational culture and under-representation of People of Color in New Jersey Environmental Non-Profit and Government Agencies. (partner event co-sponsored by HEP)

Please remember this year our conference will be free and virtually hosted on the Whova platform. For a full agenda of our conference and to learn more about how you can register click here.