Delaware River Forum Unites Conservation Organizations in Cape May
Coalition of 131 Organizations from NJ, PA, DE, and NY to Discuss Conservation of the Delaware River

WHAT: The 6^th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum

WHERE: The Grand Hotel (Penthouse Ballroom, 5^th Floor), 1045 Beach Ave, Cape May, NJ

WHEN: Tuesday, September 25^th from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Press can arrive anytime during this window.)

WHY: The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, led by New Jersey Audubon and in partnership with National Wildlife Federation, will be holding the 6^th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum in Cape May, NJ. About 250 people are expected to attend the two-day event, which will provide a platform to share information and learn about a variety of efforts underway to protect the Delaware River Watershed. Each year the Forum moves to another location within the basin, with last year’s Forum taking place in the Pocono Mountains.

The watershed is a vital four-state region that provides drinking water to over 15 million people (including New York City and Philadelphia), supports $25 billion in annual economic activity, and sustains valuable habitats for unique species like the Atlantic sturgeon and American horseshoe crab.

Speakers at the Forum will include Wendi Weber, Northeast Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Shawn Garvin, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; Debbie Mans, Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and keynote speaker Tim Palmer, the author and photographer of 26 books about rivers, the environment, and adventure travel.

The Forum brings together organizations and individuals spanning the four watershed states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York, allowing for collaboration and providing capacity-building and outreach tools for conservation. This year Forum attendees will celebrate March’s historical win when $5 million in dedicated federal funds was appropriated for the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, which will provide grants and technical assistance to on-the-ground projects that address issues facing the watershed. The Forum will also focus on how to mobilize around important issues and policies that impact the watershed to ensure a healthy river basin for future generations.

WHO: The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed is a network of 131 organizations that unites nongovernmental organizations working throughout the four states of the watershed to share information and coordinate efforts and advocacy to promote a healthy Delaware River Basin.

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