PATU Holds Successful Keystone Coldwater Conference
The Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU) held their 10th Keystone Coldwater Conference on Friday and Saturday, February 24 and 25 at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College. This year’s conference, titled “Responsible Land Use: Protecting Habitat and Native Species” focused on providing attendees with current information about development and ways to protect our coldwater streams. Sessions focused on the potential environmental impacts with development and how grassroots groups can be involved to ensure that our coldwater ecosystems are protected.
The conference was attended by over 200 people from Conservation Districts, watershed associations, TU Chapters, conservation agencies and universities.
The conference featured keynote presentations by Steve Williams from the Wildlife Management Institute and from Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Scott Stranko. Twelve breakout sessions rounded out the morning and afternoon, with presentations from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, PA Land Trust Association, Alliance for Chesapeake Bay, PA Fish and Boat Commission, PA Sea Grant, PA Department of Environmental Protection, GreenSpace Alliance and Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads Studies. Presenters discussed development, stormwater management, riparian buffers, land use protection, aquatic invasive species, open space preservation, pervious surfaces, and best management practices (BMPs). All presentations are posted below.
PATU would like to thank this years sponsors;
- Coldwater Heritage Partnership
- Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and natural Resources
- Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation
- Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
- PA Environment Digest; Crisci Associates
- The Donald & Sylvia Robinson Foundation
- Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
- National Trout Unlimited
- Whetzel Family Charitable Trust
- Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads Studies
PATU is a non-profit organization working to conserve and enhance Pennsylvania’s coldwater resources. PATU organizes this conference every two years. The 2014 conference will be held on at the Ramada Inn in State College. For additional information about the program content, please contact Samantha Kutskel, skutskel@coldwaterheritage.org or (814) 359-5233.