Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Since 2012, Green Lands Blue Waters conferences have filled a gap in agricultural events with its focus on the practitioner and applied researcher audience that has embraced perenniality as a framing concept for agricultural production at scale in the Upper Midwest United States. Conference host Green Lands Blue Waters (GLBW) has a long and successful track record of partnership with a variety of cross-sector stakeholders. Much of the planned 2025 conference content is a result of years of ongoing conversations and collaborations with partners, including, for example, long-term partnerships around continuous living cover (CLC) research, markets and value chains, technical assistance, and equipping the next generation of agricultural professionals. The value of this purposeful gathering is both in the rich community-based, research-driven content, as well as the intentional design for engagement towards wise, strategic action through cross-sector connections and collaborations to address environmental and social challenges of our dominant agricultural systems. The goal is a highly-crafted event that provides a variety of critical, timely educational and networking opportunities for agricultural practitioners to increase the implementation of CLC agriculture, grounded in equity and whole-systems thinking. Our hypothesis is that by balancing information delivery with engaged working time, and elevating collective impact through connections among diverse stakeholders around shared goals, greater CLC adoption is possible.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
100%
Goals / Objectives
Host the 2025 Green Lands Blue Waters conference around themes oflong-term partnerships around continuous living cover (CLC) research, markets and value chains, technical assistance, and equipping the next generation of agricultural professionals. The value of this purposeful gathering is both in the rich community-based, research-driven content, as well as the intentional design for engagement towards wise, strategic action through cross-sector connections and collaborations to address environmental and social challenges of our dominant agricultural systems. The goal is a highly-crafted event that provides a variety of critical, timely educational and networking opportunities for agricultural practitioners to increase the implementation of CLC agriculture, grounded in equity and whole-systems thinking. Our hypothesis is that by balancing information delivery with engaged working time, and elevating collective impact through connections among diverse stakeholders around shared goals, greater CLC adoption is possible.
Project Methods
Proposed programThe agenda below is a working draft based on overall framing and design led by GLBWstaff co-chairs with significant ongoing input from collaborators, including but not limitedto those listed on the organizing committee. GLBW staff are in regular, activecommunication with conference co-designers, session leads, and others. While aworking draft, this is representative of main themes and content.In addition to the agenda below, we are intentional about recognizing and planning toaccommodate the value that comes from the GLBW conference in the form ofnetworking and organic connections. Networking time will be built into the conference inspacious and flexible ways, including open space for emergent topics and ad hocnetworking, conversation, and collaboration. We take this seriously. Numerous impactfulpartnerships have quite literally been sparked at past GLBW conferences, and GLBWattendance and constructive dialogue supported by in-person networking time at othersimilar events has resulted in funded collaborations totaling millions of dollars andhundreds of partners nationally.Working Draft AgendaGreen Lands Blue Waters 2025 ConferenceMonday, April 7, 2025Pre-conference optional half-day sessions 1:00-4:30 pmThese potential sessions are actively in discussion with conference planningpartners. These would be open to all attendees via an opt-in additionalregistration at the time of full conference registration or depending on the natureof the gathering, invite only. One or two more may emerge.- CLC 101 In-Person Training for Technical Assistance Providers (openregistration, potential CEUs)- WI Grazing Academy- Grassland 2.0 Collaborative Landscape Design/planning tools training anddiscussion- Agroforestry Technical Assistance Working Group working meeting cohostedby the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, theAgroforestry Coalition, GLBW, and the Savanna Institute- Native Governance Center full afternoon training on Partnering with NativeNations in Good Ways- Wallace Center Regional Food Systems Planning Grant team meeting forexisting grant partners- Develop a shared strategy for advancing Value Chain Coordinationto incentivize regenerative, equitable agriculture in the Midwest- Silvopasture Compass Planning MeetingSoil Health and Interdependence Immersive Exhibition and ConferenceOpening Reception3:00-7:00 pm exhibition open, 5:00 pm GLBW Director welcome and receptionopensThe opening evening of the conference will include a welcome reception andarts-based exhibition for all conference attendees. As an immersive experience,the soil health and interdependence exhibition will open a few hours before thereception and attendees will be invited to attend and experience at their ownpace. GLBW's Director Erin Meier will gather attendees at 5:00 to welcomeeveryone to the conference, set intentions for the event, and thank collaboratorsand sponsors. The reception will continue as an open, networking time with foodand fellowship, and the exhibition will remain open into the evening.The Soil Health and Interdependence Immersive Exhibition will be co-designedand hosted by Dr. Akilah Martin. The exhibition builds off of a current project thatDr. Martin is co-leading with the Center for Humans and Nature, entitled 'Re-Rooting Kinship and Oneness.' The exhibition will be an opportunity to showcasethat work along with additional artists and to invite conference participants torespond and react to a prompt asked to professional artists and writers in theCenter for Humans and Nature project: "What can we learn from the soil aboutour fundamental interconnectedness?" The interactive, immersive exhibition willprovide pathways for participants to individually and collectively experiencemultiple levels of soil via planetary thinking, healing modalities, sensoryengagement, and a deepened connection rooted in noticing soil.Tuesday, April 8, 2025Draft agenda scheduleRegistration/ mingling/ light breakfast & coffee 8:00-8:30 amWelcome 8:30-9:00 am- GLBW Director Welcome- UW Welcome, grounding in place- Including GLBW 'Beyond Land Acknowledgement' framingKeynote/ morning speaker 9:00-10:00 amNetworking break/ posters 10:00-10:30 amBreakout sessions 10:30 am -12:00 pmBreak/ lunch/ lunch speaker 12:00-1:30 pmAfternoon plenary/ panels 1:30-3:00 pmBreakouts 3:15-5:00 pmNetworking break/ light reception/ posters 5:00-6:00 pmAffinity group dinners ~5:30 pm, loosely organized by GLBW, self-directed bygroup leadsDraft agenda themes and content detailWhile full agenda details remain in active development for the main full day ofplenary and breakout sessions at the time of this proposal writing. Keynotes,panelists, and sessions host have yet to be fully confirmed (though many areidentified, including from the list of participants below) and the following tracksand focus areas will be woven across the conference:*Farmers first - supporting today's farmers and creating opportunities fortomorrow's farmers*Equipping the next generation of agricultural professionals*Research foci - continuous living cover fundamentals, applied research,and transdisciplinary research*Systems levers for agricultural transformation: markets, policy, investment,narrative and cultural change*Diverse cropping systems, perspectives, and ways of knowing*Continuous living cover strategy specific sessions - agroforestry, perennialgrains, perennial forage and grazing, perennial biomass, cover crops andannuals in rotation*Cross-sector networks, partnerships, and collaborationAs a more detailed sampling of sessions related to the above themes, specific plenaryspeakers, panels, and breakout sessions are already planned on the following topics:*CLC value chain success stories featuring the Minnesota market developmentprogram, "Developing Markets for Continuous Living Cover Crops;"*Perennial crop research and monitoring as applied to climate finance andecosystem service markets;*Partnering with Native nations in a good way hosted by Native GovernanceCenter;*Policy engagement approaches across perennial Sustainable AgriculturalSystems Coordinated Agricultural Projects in the Midwest;*Traditional ecological knowledge - what it looks like in the Midwest and how itsresurgence is reshaping the field of agriculture and conservation;*New crops and cropping systems meet new markets through SustainableAviation Fuel;*Asking provocative questions - what is social science research telling us aboutthe social sustainability of agricultural transitions?;*Fresh perspectives on the future of agriculture from emerging leaders led by NextGen Ag mentees.Wednesday, April 9, 2025All attendee working sessions. Wednesday will be a half day of workingsessions; all attendees will be invited to attend the session(s) that feel mostrelevant to them. Targeted invites will be made by session leads ahead of theconference if there are particular attendees who would greatly enhance or benefitfrom particular topics. These sessions are currently envisioned as a mix ofchoices between one longer (full morning) session with a short break in themiddle or two sessions (early morning/ break/ late morning).Breakfast 8:00-9:00 amOpening Plenary - Welcome and Regrounding 9:00-9:30 pmWorking Sessions 9:30 am -12:30 pm with short break; or two sessions 9:30-10:45 pm, break, and 11:15 am -12:30 pm