PLEASE NOTE: We are currently at capacity for this event. Please check back to this website regularly—additional seats may become available. If you have questions, contact Kelley at kelley@vcnva.org.

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In preparation for the 2017 General Assembly session, Virginia Conservation Network and its Network Partners will convene for a day long Preview of what's in store for conservation in the Commonwealth. Volunteers, advocates, board members, and staff of Network Partners will discuss priority conservation topics and our approach to advancing policy in the legislative session.

Are you purchasing more than one ticket? After checkout, please send the full name(s) and contact information of the other attendee(s) to kelley@vcnva.org.

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Working Schedule:

9:30 a.m.  |  Sign-in/networking

10:00 a.m.  |  Welcome! led by Virginia Conservation Network's new Executive Director, Mary Rafferty

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.  |  Green Communities panel moderated by Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth

Transportation: Trip Pollard – Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center
Land Use: Dan Holmes – Director of State Policy, Piedmont Environmental Council
Land Conservation: Missy Neff Gould – Director of Legislative Affairs, The Nature Conservancy

11:30 – 12:15 p.m.  |  Redistricting lecture led by Brian Cannon, Executive Director of OneVirginia2021

Gerrymandering—a practice politicians use to manipulate elections by carving up our neighborhoods, communities, and precincts to ensure their own reelection—has been described as “the most insidious, invasive part of the political process.” Redrawing political lines is a powerful tool that determines who wins an election, controls the legislature, and ultimately which laws pass—including the conservation policies we support during session. Hear from Brian Cannon, Executive Director of OneVirginia2021, about how redistricting in Virginia impacts the politics of the state.

12:30 – 1:00 p.m.  |  Lunch

1:00 – 1:45 p.m.  |  Healthy Rivers panel moderated by Karen Forget, Executive Director of Lynnhaven River Now

Chesapeake Bay: Peggy Sanner – Virginia Assistant Director & Senior Attorney, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Toxics: Travis Blankenship – Government Affairs Manager, Virginia League of Conservation Voters

1:45 – 2:00 p.m.  |  Break

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.  |  Clean Energy panel moderated by Will Cleveland, Staff Attorney at Southern Environmental Law Center

Solar Power: Corrina Beall – Legislative & Political Director, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club
Pipelines: Kate Boyle – Director of Campaigns, Appalachian Voices
Virginia Coastal Protection Act: Stephanie Weber – Virginia State Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network

3:00 – 3:45 p.m.  |  Workgroup strategy sessions

This event marks six weeks until the start of the 2017 legislative session. Now is the time for Virginia’s conservation community to strategize and prepare for a strong conservation voice in the General Assembly. We will use this opportunity to discuss concrete actions colleagues and statewide advocates can take prior to session to get the most out of the General Assembly.

3:45 – 4:00 p.m.  |  Wrap up and next steps

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Interested in volunteering? Please contact Kelley at kelley@vcnva.org.