2018 COSA Conference

Request For Session Proposals

Do you have open space, natural resource management, or conservation expertise that you’d like to share? We are seeking presentations for the 2018 COSA conference.

Water Session Topics

Keeping in line with this year’s theme – which centers on WATER – preference will be given to proposals that focus on the following open space topics:

1. Watershed Management – Land and water conservation projects; adaptive management; integrated watershed management through environmental and socio-economic interactions
2. Human impacts on water – Agriculture (use and diversion), Energy (dams, levees, oil & gas), Population Growth (consumption), Recreation
3. Restoration Projects – Fish and wildlife management; habitat enhancement through floodplain restoration; streambank and outfall/diversion restoration projects
4. Natural threats – drought, flooding, climate, habitat loss

Other Requested Session Topics

In addition to sessions surrounding WATER topics, 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):

• The future of open space with population growth; managing the influx of open space transient populations; urban open space project challenges and accomplishments
• Stewardship, restoration and trail projects; wildlife/natural resource management

Our field crews in attendance want to learn about practical hands on topics and what’s successful in your organization.

• Oil and Gas; both sides of the conversation; Social Media and Politics of Open Space
• GIS technology in land management; advanced acquisitions strategies; research and monitoring
• Generation WILD project updates; grant writing and management

Think creatively! What are you and your partners doing that will inspire others?

Session Details

Workshops are 75 minutes, and this year we have some 60 minutes slots available in length. Expect roughly 20-40 people in attendance per session (overall conference attendance is expected to top 300 people).  Preference will be given to interactive presentations that invite dialogue, discussion, and constructive debate.

How To Submit

Please submit your session proposal in the format described in the attached document by email with the subject line “2018 COSA Session Proposal” to rob.burdine@cityoflafayette.com.

• 2018 REQUEST FOR SESSION PROPOSALS

All proposals are due by close of business on Friday, April 20 2018.

Sponsors

Sponsor the 18^th Annual COSA Conference and reach 250+ open space professionals!

Learn More

2017 Conference

2017 Conference Materials

Conference Documents

• Attendance List
• Conference Brochure
• Conference Schedule
• Session Descriptions
• Field Trip Descriptions
• Presenter Bios

Session Presentation Files

• Acquisition Roundtable
• Approaches to Procurement and Project Management for Your Trail Project
• Bark! How JeffCo Deals With Dogs and Their Humans
• “BEING ecoLOGICAL"
• Creative Solutions for Managing Canada Geese in an Urban Environment File is over 50MB
• Culturally Modified Trees: Trees, Myths, Legends
• Dredges, Flumes, and Adits: How History Shapes Open Spaces
• Diversity of Recreation Opportunities
• E-bikes and Trails: Measuring Impact and Acceptance 
• Empirically Understanding Visitors
• Grant-Writing Workshop & Input Session
• Mine Scarred Lands to Open Space
• Predator, Prey, and People: Big Game Hunting on Jefferson County Open Space
• Self Defense for Park Visitors
• There Goes the Neighborhood! Water Quality Challenges
• Track Chairs: Making Our State Park Trails Accessible for All
• Turning Risk into Reward: Hazard Risk Reduction
• Young Trail Blazers