2024 Winter Partnership Meeting

Twice annually, the Partnership holds a meeting in which all partners and interested parties are invited to come together and build relationships and collaborations. This event includes breakfast snacks and coffee. New for this meeting, we are hosting a second event jointly with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Landscape Conservation Team to explore GIS data and mapping tools that can be useful to you! Register for one OR both events.


Sponsored in part by:

 


About the Event

PART 1: South Mountain Partnership Winter Meeting

This winter we will be starting 2024 hearing some critical updates from partners as well as celebrating the release of the State of the Region Project and digging right into our implementation plan. This meeting is packed with key opportunities such as;

– Learn about the current projects of our host county, this meeting we will be digging into Adam’s County Heritage Plan and their Broadband Internet collaboration.
– Be the first to hear evolving plans for the Michaux District’s new Resource Management Center
– Roll up your sleeves with us as we get ready to act on all that we’ve learned from our year long research on the State of the Region!
– Connect or reconnect with the Partnership, learning more about initiatives and on-going projects
– Build and strengthen our network of people and organizations working throughout the region
– Hear from local officials and spark conversation and collaboration across political and sectoral boundaries
– Engage 50+ partners in on-going work throughout the region
– Involve partners in defining the direction of the Partnership

PART 2: Appalachian Trail Conservancy PA Landscape Mapping

This free lunch and learn will help you gain more insight into GIS data and a new mapping tool available to you and your work, while also providing ATC with key stakeholder feedback.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) developed a GIS tool – referred to as the A.T. Landscape Aggregated Spatial Information Tool (ATLAS IT) – to help encourage local land protection within the A.T. Landscape. The tool’s initial development was prompted by a partner, inspired by another’s tool, and created in service to our Pennsylvania partners and its A.T. Landscape. The Pennsylvania ATLAS IT is a decision support tool designed to help local stakeholders quickly and easily identify trustworthy data representing conservation values within the A.T. Landscape. This tool strives to empower the practitioner or decision-maker by providing information that is clear, accessible, and useful when evaluating a property’s conservation value.

ATC is excited to learn what you, as local residents and on-the-ground organizations, would like to see incorporated into this tool and the ways that you can see yourself using. ATC wants the tool to be helpful for you and looks forward to improving the tool to meet your needs and to better reflect your conservation values.


Event Details

DATE:

Friday, January 26, 2024

TIME:

8:30 am to 11:00am and 11:30-1:00PM EDT
Informal networking, coffee, and light snacks begin at 8:00 am

LOCATION:

Gettysburg College Dining Hall Atrium
300 N Washington St, Gettysburg PA 17325

COSTS:

SMP Winter Meeting- $7.00
Guided Lunch Walk- Free
ATC Lunch and Learn on GIS Mapping in PA- Free

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

Tuesday, January 18, 2024 or until 80 person registrant cap has been reached

Agenda

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Networking and Breakfast Snacks
Informal networking, coffee, and light snacks begin at 8:00 am

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM

Welcome
Adams County Commissioners invited

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM

News from the Forest
Need-to-know updates about the new Resource Management Center, habitat resiliency project, and more will be shared by the Michaux Forest District Team.
Speaker:  Roy Brubaker

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Adams County Planning News – Heritage Plan and Broadband Project
Existing conditions and public feedback are being used to preserve, protect, and promote historic and cultural resources in the Adams County Heritage Plan. Also, learn how Adams and Franklin counties are partnering to increase quality of life and business success with broadband access.
Speakers: Jenna Smith, Rob Thaeler

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM

BREAK

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM

“State of the Region” Project Update
Celebrate with us! The Report Card, mapping, and final report are complete. We’ll briefly review the project and dig into next steps like spreading the word and recommended actions and projects.

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM

Break and Informal Walk “Get to Know Gettysburg College”

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Lunch and GIS Interactive Mapping Demonstration: Conservation Decision Support Tool
How does your work relate to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s/Appalachian National Scenic Trail’s conservation values and how can you leverage this for benefit? The GIS Pennsylvania ATLAS IT is a decision support tool designed to allow you to quickly and easily identify trustworthy data in PA’s A.T. Landscape. This tool empowers the decision-maker by providing information that is clear, accessible, and useful when evaluating a property’s conservation value.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Mapping Breakout Groups
Dig into the GIS Pennsylvania ATLAS IT decision support tool through interactive breakout groups. Your feedback is critical to making this evolving tool more useful and approachable.

 

Registration is now closed