For decades, southern New England has witnessed increased development at the expense of farmland and other open landscapes.  To stem this tide, millions of  dollars have purchased easements on thousands of acres to prevent the loss of critical land, but there is never enough money.     As a result, motivated communities and organizations have developed innovative alternatives and enhancements to existing programs.

This conference will bring together leaders in open space and farmland protection to share their experiences and expertise.

AGENDA
 

8:30 a.m.	Registration
9:00 a.m.	Welcome	Shawn Finn, President Southern New England Chapter, Soil and Water Conservation Society
9:15 a.m.	Open Space Protection	Rich Hubbard Former Program Manager for the Agricultural Protection Restriction Program in Massachusetts
10:00 a.m.	Break	View Displays
10:30 a.m.	Preserving the Farms and Forests of Franklin County, Massachusetts	Mark Zenich  Franklin Land Trust
11:15 a.m.	Rhode Island’s South County Greenspace Project	Scott Millar RI Department of Environmental Management
12:30 p.m.	Questions and Answers
12:45 p.m.	Chapter Awards
1:00 p.m.	Lunch
2:00 p.m.	Chapter Business Meeting

Registration fee includes materials, refreshments and lunch.
Cost is $45 for SWCS Members / $55 for Non-Members / $25 for Students if paid by February 6.
Late registration after February 6 is $55 for SWCS Members / $65 for Non-Members / $35 for Students if paid by February 13.

Limited registration scholarships are available to students attending colleges or universities in southern New England.  For application information, please contact Jackie Pashnik at (401) 225-4117 or Shawn Finn at (413) 253-4391.  Deadline for application is Feb. 3, 2003.

A limited amount of display space will be available (free with paid registration).  If you are interested in setting up a tabletop display, please call Jackie Pashnik at (401) 225-4117.
 

Directions:
From the Mass Pike, take Exit 4 to I-91 north. From I-91, take Exit 17B to Route 141 west. Proceed two miles. Handicapped accessible.
From I-91 South: Take exit 17 to Route 141 West. (Go towards Easthampton). The Log Cabin is two miles on the left.

NAME:  _______________________________________________  PHONE:  _____________________________
ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Enclosed is a check payable to SNEC-SWCS for $______ for
 _________ SWCS members at $45 per person
_________ Non-Members at $55 per person or $100 per person includes 1 year SWCS Membership
 _________ Students at $25 per person
 

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM WITH YOUR PAYMENT TO: SNEC-SWCS, P.O. Box 7641, Cumberland, RI 02864 by FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2004.  SPACE IS LIMITED, SO MAIL YOUR REGISTRATION EARLY.

For more information, please call Shawn Finn at (413) 253-4391 or Jackie Pashnik at (401) 225-411.