COSA Community,
Do you have open space, natural resource management, or conservation expertise you’d like to share? We are seeking presentations for the 2020 COSA conference, themed “Community Conservation: Keeping it Relevant.” This year’s conference will be heldSeptember 21-23, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1300 Westhaven Dr. in Vail, Colorado. We are proud to present this year’s keynote speakers, Nina Simon, Of/By/For All, and Lori Weigel, New Bridge Strategies. Nina will speak to the challenges and opportunities we all face as we work to make our open spaces welcome to diverse audiences. Lori will share recent research results on strategies for communicating about climate change and local environmental issues.
The deadline to submit your proposal is Friday, April 17, 2020.
In keeping with this year’s theme, we strongly encourage topics of relevance in 2020. How are we practicing community conservation and empowerment at the local, regional and state level? What innovative programs and conservation projects are keeping us relevant and shaping our future?
In addition, the following ideas for session topics were requested by attendees following last year’s conference. (The COSA Steering Committee wants to encourage you to submit all session topics you feel will be engaging and expand our collective knowledge):
· Inclusion trends on how people are utilizing public lands
· Carbon sequestration on public lands
· Urban open space and small program challenges and accomplishments
· Stewardship, restoration and trail projects
· Wildlife and natural resource management
· Leave no trace stewardship initiatives and how they can benefit your community
· Hot button issues for your programs
Think creatively! What are you and your partners doing that will inspire others? Workshops are 60-75 minutes. Expect roughly 20-40 people in attendance per session (overall conference attendance is expected to include around 300 people). Preference will be given to interactive presentations that invite dialogue, discussion, and constructive debate.
Please use the following link to submit session proposals: ColoradoOpenSpace.org/rfp
All proposals are due by close of business on Friday, April 17, 2020.