Name: Hannibal, Missouri | August 6-7, 2018
Start: 2018-08-06T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2018-08-07T23:59:59-05:00

45 people gathered at Mark Twain Brewing Company. Farm operators and managers, landowners, seed dealers, fisheries staff, watershed coordinators, visionary volunteers and organizers learned from each other and chose next wise steps for work in their own watersheds.

For two days in Hannibal, Missouri, 45 participants explored the question: What’s needed now to engage more farmers and landowners in actively caring about streams and water quality?

Participants did not listen to lectures, but shared their own diverse experiences and knowledge in a series of conversations. They leaned in to listen, ask questions and call on each other for perspective. Then with the help of a clear framework, they articulated real projects and next wise steps to achieve them.

In addition to learning, participants made connections with peers that help them stay with a complex challenge over time. After the workshops, many reach out to each other for conversation and insight, or remember people and stories that inform choices at home.

Why did they come? Why does this help? Two participants said: The secret key to all of this is getting a few people together, having a conversation and doing something about it. • People in conservation have expertise in one area. Farmers have expertise in another. We need to connect and learn from each other—we just didn’t know how. The Watershed Leaders Network is helping us learn, connect and work together.

We asked participants, “In one word, how would you describe the past two days?” They said: wisdom, evolution, inspiration, contacts, knowledge, education, network, potential, perspective, collaboration, conservation, focus, curiosity.