Rights-of-Way as Habitat: Updates and Announcements

Iris Caldwell sent a number of announcements to share for the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group.  Read on:

• We are feeling right at home at our NEW WEBSITE! It contains all of the same great information as before but now presented more beautifully and on an easier-to-navigate platform. Plus, we’ve added an events calendar, relocated our webinar recordings to this site, and added a placeholder for the geospatial database web interface. Registered users can still access past meeting proceedings, the discussion board, and a new working group directory. We’ll continue making updates and keep you posted.

Here is a quick reference guide to the new website. If you don’t have a user account, create one here. It takes less than 5 minutes!

• The next Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group meeting will take place on October 25, 2018 at the University of Illinois-Chicago. You’re also invited to participate in task force working sessions the day before and day after. Find more information on the event page, including sponsorship opportunities and hotel recommendations (book soon!). Registration and a more detailed agenda will be available shortly.

• The CCAA Task Force has made breathtaking progress over the last several months on the development of a nationwide monarch butterfly Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) for energy and transportation lands. We are on track to complete the draft agreement by November 2018, though we are still looking for partners and input to help us shape and refine the key elements.

We will provide an overview and update on the monarch CCAA via webinar on September 20, 2018 at 10am CDT. Please join us to learn more. Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1358791156361592835.

If you would like more information or would like to get involved in the task force before then, please contact me at iriscald@uic.edu.

• It’s a busy time! Here’s a snapshot of other relevant events around the corner:

o   The Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center’s 32^nd Annual Roadside Conference is on September 12 – 14, 2018 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. More information here.

o   The Wildlife Habitat Council’s webinar How to Build a Successful Conservation Program is on September 13, 2018 at 1pm EDT. More information here.

o   The 11^th Eastern Native Grass Symposium is on September 17 – 19, 2018 in Erie, Pennsylvania. More information here.

o   The Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management (12^th International Symposium) is on September 23 – 26, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. More information here.

o   The 18^th Annual North American Pollinator Protection Campaign International Conference is on October 16 – 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. More information here.

o   The 20^th Railroad Environmental Conference is on October 23 – 24, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. More information here.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Thanks,

Iris

Iris Caldwell, P.E.
Program Manager – Sustainable Landscapes

Energy Resources Center
The University of Illinois at Chicago

1309 S Halsted Street, MC 156
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 355-1483
iriscald@uic.edu