CHNEP public conference support is available

The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is a partnership working to protect the natural environment of Florida from Venice to Bonita Springs to Winter Haven. The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) is the CHNEP’s 20-year plan to protect the environment.

The Charlotte Harbor Watershed Summit is an important step in the CHNEP process of bringing public and private stakeholders together to discuss current and emerging issues affecting the Charlotte Harbor watershed and is an opportunity to review progress since the first symposium/conference, which was held in 1997. The Summits have been held in 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011. The CHNEP Management Conference, based on survey results obtained from participants at the 2002 Summit, decided to hold a Watershed Summit every three years (2005, 2008, etc.) to focus on current and emerging issues affecting the Charlotte Harbor watershed and to hold public conferences on specific watersheds within the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed on years the Summit is not held (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, etc.). This was reconfirmed by participants at subsequent Summits. The next Summit will be held the winter of 2014.

The CHNEP has supported several public conferences. (Additional information about these conferences is available at www.CHNEP.org.)

2003: Caloosahatchee River, request submitted by Management Conference members

2004: Lemon Bay, request submitted by Management Conference members

2005: Cape Coral Canals, requested submitted by the City of Cape Coral

2006: Peace River, request submitted by the Lakes Education/Action Drive

2007: Estero Bay, requested submitted by the Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (funded in FY07 but conference was held in September 2009)

2008: Everglades, request submitted by the Everglades Coalition (funded with a public outreach grant)

The CHNEP currently has up to $2,000 available for public conferences that further the CCMP and that are held between February 15 and August 31, 2012. To request this financial support from the CHNEP, send your request so it is received by January 15, 2012, to:

Maran Hilgendorf, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

1926 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers FL 33901

or by email to mhilgendorf@swfrpc.org.

The CHNEP will send an email message to the applicant to confirm the application was received. If you send a request by email and you don't receive an emailed confirmation of receipt of the request, the email message was not received.

Each request must:

  1. Describe geographic area to be the focus of the public conference.

  2. Describe issues within that geographic area.

  3. Explain why a public conference may be an important tool in addressing these issues and helping to implement the CHNEP’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP.

  4. Describe organizations (cities, counties, associations, agencies, etc) that are willing to work as a partner on this public conference, including level of commitment and description of support to be provided (funds, in-kind services, promotion, etc.).

  5. Offer a post-conference follow-up plan to address suggestions and actions developed during the conference

  6. Offer suggested dates and locations for the conference. Please note that the conference must be held after a funding decision is made on February 15, 2012 but before August 31, 2012. All reports and reimbursement requests must be received by the CHNEP by August 31.

  7. Describe the amount of financial support, up to $2,000, requested of the CHNEP as well as any other support requested of the CHNEP. The CHNEP may fund multiple requests that request a total of $2,000.

All requests received will be considered by the CHNEP Citizens Advisory Committee at their meeting on February 15, 2012.

If you have any questions, call 239/338-2556 x 240. Thank you.