Panel Workshop: Policy, Program and Political Challenges to Protecting and Restoring Riparian Habitat and Waterways

This panel workshop will discuss and explore recent/current developments in public policy and programs that facilitate smart and effective investments in riparian conservation and restoration as well as the policy, programmatic, political and legal challenges making this difficult. It’ll look at the interplay between groundwater and surface water management, regional assessments for riparian conservation, science vs. policy in riparian conservation, hurdles to funding riparian conservation/restoration projects, policy and legal/enforcement gaps in riparian protection. The panel will especially look at challenges in relation to urban or urbanizing areas of the State.