AGENDA SNAPSHOT

FULL AGENDA

Plan your time at the One Water Gathering with the full schedule of conference programming, locations and activities below.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

1pm-4pm | Mobilizing Local Knowledge for Resilience Planning: A Community Roundtable
Alpena Community College | Van Lare Hall, Room 123

5pm-8pm | Conference Kickoff Social brought to you by Fischer Insurance
Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

All conference programming takes place at Alpena Community College.

8:30-9:30am | Registration & Continental Breakfast
Newport Center, Room 106

9:30am-9:45am | Conference Welcome
Granum Theatre

9:45am-10:15am | Keynote Address
The Water Between Us: Perspective, Place and Possibility
Christie Deloria, Tree Spirited Coaching
Granum Theatre

10:15am-10:30am | Break

10:30am-11:30am | Concurrent Breakout Sessions: Lake Huron Forever Planning, Projects and Sustaining the Work
Rooms 112, 114 and 116

11:30am-11:45am | Break

11:45am-12:45pm | Lake Huron Forever Partner & Community Leader Updates from Around the Lake
Granum Theatre

12:45pm-1:30pm | Lunch
Lumberjack Shack, Room 107

1:30pm-4:30pm | Field Trips
Various locations around Alpena

6:00pm-8:00pm | Happy Hour Wind Down & Great Lakes Trivia
Center Alley, Downtown Alpena

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

The Water Between Us: Perspective, Place and Possibility

Christie Deloria | Tree Spirited Coaching

The Great Lakes have shaped Christie Deloria’s life and work, teaching her about connection, perspective and the importance of seeing beyond the boundaries of any one place or organization. Through personal stories, reflection and an experiential invitation, Christie will encourage participants to consider what becomes possible when we widen our perspective, recognize the connections between us and see how the work we each do adds up to something larger.

After 30 years working in fish, wildlife and Great Lakes conservation, Christie founded Tree Spirited Coaching to continue supporting people who care deeply about their work, communities and the places they call home. Today, she draws on her conservation experience and lifelong relationship with the Great Lakes to help people navigate change, reconnect with what matters and move forward with greater clarity and intention.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON FIELD TRIPS

October in the Alpena area can be cool, so please dress for the weather and come prepared for changing conditions.

Beach Clean-Up: Two Nations, One Lake

Led by: Alyssa Bourassa and Meredith Watson (Lake Huron Coastal Centre) & Meag Schwartz (Great Lakes Great Responsibility)

See how plastic pollution travels from inland communities to the Great Lakes during this hands-on field trip with Ontario-based Lake Huron Coastal Centre and Michigan-based Great Lakes Great Responsibility. Participants will visit two clean-up sites, one inland and one along Lake Huron at Starlite Beach, to collect and document litter, contributing directly to plastic pollution data and research for Lake Huron. Along the way, compare Canadian and U.S. approaches to plastic pollution and explore how community science builds lasting stewardship – an important part of Lake Huron Forever’s work to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our shared waters.

Downtown Alpena Walkability Experience

Led by: Anne Gentry (Alpena Downtown Development Authority) & the Alpena Walkability Action Institute Team

Help shape a safer, more connected and walkable downtown Alpena. Led by Alpena Downtown Development Authority staff, this interactive walk audit will take participants along a proposed project route to experience downtown through the eyes of pedestrians and provide real-time feedback on safety, wayfinding, accessibility and connections to Lake Huron. Along the way, explore Alpena’s historic downtown and vibrant public murals while learning about demonstration projects designed to slow traffic, improve walkways and reconnect the heart of the community to the waterfront. Participants will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and help bring some of these ideas to life. Participants should be prepared to walk approximately 1–1.5 miles.

Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve: Protecting Land & Water

Led by: Samantha Nellis (Huron Pines)

See firsthand how land protection, active stewardship and research are strengthening the resilience of land and water in the Lake Huron region. A guided walk through Huron Pines’ Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve will highlight efforts to restore its globally rare limestone glade ecosystem, including a recent prescribed burn. Along the way, learn about a University of Michigan capstone project exploring barriers to coastal habitat conservation and opportunities for greater knowledge sharing. One of the student researchers will be on-site to share insights from the project and what the team is learning. Participants should be prepared to walk on uneven terrain.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure Walking Tour

Led by: Amy Nowakowski (Huron Pines) & Rachel Smolinski (Alpena City Manager)

See what community-driven planning looks like when local input becomes action on the ground. On this walking tour through Alpena, participants will travel from the shores of Lake Huron into the city’s central business district to explore green stormwater infrastructure projects designed to manage runoff and protect water quality. Learn how community input gathered through a 2023 visioning process helped prioritize and fund eight projects, demonstrating how thoughtful planning can lead to meaningful action and strengthen community resilience. Participants should be prepared to walk approximately 1–1.5 miles.