June 21, 2022

The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) 77th International Annual Conference, to be held July 31-August 3, 2022, in Denver, Colorado, will feature the latest conservation ideas, technologies, and practices and foster dialogue around their scaling. 

This year’s conference theme, “Elevating Conservation to New Heights,” emphasizes the shared vision held by conservationists around the world to scale conservation work, repair ecosystems, and create resilient working lands. Regional sessions and tours will provide attendees with an opportunity to see the impacts of climate change, wildfire, wind erosion, rangelands, and other pressing challenges on the natural resources of the west and some of the projects and tools being used to address these impacts.

“The Soil and Water Conservation Society is looking forward to once again gathering together our global conservation community to discuss challenges and share solutions to sustain our soil and water resources,” says Clare Lindahl, CEO of SWCS. “We look forward to showcasing some of the latest projects and tools being used to conserve our natural resources in the west.” 

Award-winning author, David Montgomery, will deliver the keynote Pritchard Lecture, "A Case for Conservation: Civilization, Communication, and Climate." Montgomery is a MacArthur Fellow and professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington. He has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, and on a wide variety of TV and radio programs. Montgomery will share the journey of our world’s soils through the lens of his own journey as an advocate of their value and need for protection.

National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby will open up the Tuesday conference general session with a reflection on NRCS and SWCS’s shared past and future. He will provide an update on USDA priorities and will also share highlights from the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) report, which captures a decade of conservation trends across the nation and reflects the impacts of conservation practices and technologies.

Other notable speakers include:

  • Dr. Gene Kelly, Colorado State University – Dr. Kelly currently serves as a Professor of Pedology, Deputy Director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, and Associate Director for Research in the School of Global Environmental Sustainability. During his presentation, he will share some of the most recent, impactful research occurring in the state of Colorado.

  • Dr. LaKisha Odom, Scientific Program Director for Soil Health at the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) – Dr. Odom will highlight the work FFAR is supporting to bring conservation to scale in the face of climate change.  

  • Quint Redmond, Agriburbia – As co-creator of Agriburbia, Quint is blending agriculture and sustainable real estate development for the future of food, energy, and water and for the health of people. Learn about his ambitious goal to create and integrate 30 million high-quality, highly successful farmers in both urban, suburban, and rural environments.

In addition to hearing from leaders in conservation, conference attendees will have an opportunity to learn about current policies, practices, and research relating to climate change and climate-smart agriculture. Through workshops, sessions, symposia, tours, exhibits, and demonstrations, cutting-edge research and practice developments in soil health, water quality, and resource management will be shared.

The presenting sponsor of the 2022 conference is Syngenta.

To learn more about activities at the SWCS International Annual Conference or to register, visit swcs.org/22AC. Online registration is open through July 20, 2022.
 

For More Information:

Clare Lindahl, CEO
Soil and Water Conservation Society
swcs@swcs.org

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