<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">National Summit for Gateway Communities<br>EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION THRU OCT. 15. LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE.<br><br></div><div dir="ltr">Date/location: Dec. 11-13<br>National Conservation training Center<br>698 Conservation Way<br>Shepherdstown, WV 25443<br><br></div><div dir="ltr">What will you learn?<br>This three-day summit -- December 11-13, 2018 in Shepherdstown, WV -- will bring together gateway communities, their partners and experts from conservation, community and economic development, recreation and tourism, planning, and other creative fields to highlight success stories and lessons learned while engaging in robust discussions that lead to specific actions for invigorating the future of gateway and rural communities.<br><br>Who Should Attend?<br>Gateway community leaders from across the country, local, state, federal public land managers, and professionals in conservation, community and economic development, recreation and tourism, planning, philanthropy, and other fields associated with the success of gateway communities.<br><br>What are gateway communities?<br>Communities that border publicly owned lands such as national and state parks and forests and that often struggle to balance the need for economic growth with the desire to protect their natural ecosystems, landscapes and cultural heritage.<br><br></div><div dir="ltr">NOTE: This group has also worked with the Appalachian Regional Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts to develop the APPALACHIAN GATEWAY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE. Since 2007, The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Leadership Network, with generous support from the <a href="https://www.arc.gov/index.asp" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Appalachian Regional Commission
(ARC)</a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt"> and </span><a href="https://www.arts.gov/" target="_blank" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">National Endowment
for the Arts (NEA)</a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt">, </span>has led the Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative (AGCI) to expand tourism, the arts and other economic development opportunities for Appalachia's gateway communities. In May of 2017, seven teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia attended a regional workshop in Ringgold, GA. They each crafted an action plan that focused on the unique Appalachian assets that make their community an appealing place to live, work and recreate. Read the case studies below to learn how three gateway communities from<span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt"> </span><a href="https://www.arc.gov/noindex/newsroom/events/2017_App_Gateway_Communities/LewisCountyCaseStudy.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Lewis
County, Kentucky</a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt">, </span><a href="https://www.arc.gov/noindex/newsroom/events/2017_App_Gateway_Communities/NicholasCountyCaseStudy.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Nicholas
County, West Virginia</a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt">, </span><a href="https://www.arc.gov/noindex/newsroom/events/2017_App_Gateway_Communities/OhioHillCountryCaseStudy.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Ohio
Hill Country, Ohio</a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt"> , <a href="https://www.conservationfund.org/images/programs/files/GATEWAY_RECOMMENDATIONS_REPORT_for_Muscle_Shoals_NHA.pdf">Muscle Shoals, Alabama</a>, and <a href="https://www.conservationfund.org/images/programs/files/Haysi_VA_-_Gateway_Recommendations_Report_-_8-11.pdf">Hays, Virginia</a>, </span>have strengthened their development efforts through these regional workshops.<br><br>What topics will be covered?<br>Download the<span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt"> </span><a href="https://www.conservationfund.org/images/cln_events-resources/Summit_-_Promo_Agenda_Draft_10-4-18.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Draft
Agenda</a></div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">
Program Features:<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> - Models for economic vitality</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> - Trends, opportunities, and impacts associated with tourism and</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> asset-based economic development</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> - Strategies for capacity building</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> - Success stories, challenges, and possibilities from public land</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> partners and community leaders</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.6667px"> - Networking and action discussions focused towards the future</span></font></p><br>Speakers:<br> - Vicki Christiansen, Acting Chief, US Forest Service<br> - Anthony Duncan, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)<br> - Ted Eubanks, Fermata, Inc.<br> - Mark Falzone, Scenic America<br> - Carrie Hamblen, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce<br> - Nikki Haskett, Acting Assistant Director, BLM National Conservation<br> Lands and Community Partnerships<br> - John Horsley, Consultant and Former Executive Director, American<br> Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)<br> - Ed McMahon, Urban Land Institute<br> - Abbi Peters, PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship<br> - Linda Walker, Chief, NPS Visitor Services and Communications<br> - Angelina Yost, Program Lead, USFWS Urban Wildlife Conservation Program<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt"> </span><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt">Fees: Early-bird registration ($300) is open until <u>October 15th</u> after which time the fee will increase to $425. <br><br>SUMMIT SCHOLARSHIP<br>Limited scholarship assistance is available to representatives of non‐profit organizations and local governments. Requests must be received by October 15th. <a href="https://www.conservationfund.org/images/cln_events-resources/GC_Scholarship_Info.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Read
more about scholarships</a><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt">SHARE FAIR DISPLAY TABLES<br>Are you interested in sharing information and resources during the<br>Summit? <a href="https://www.conservationfund.org/images/cln_events-resources/GC_Share_Fair_Info.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9.5pt;color:blue">Read
more about display tables</a><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">
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Details & Registration: <a href="https://www.conservationfund.org/our-work/conservation-leadership-network/upcoming-courses/1793-national-summit-for-gateway-communities">https://www.conservationfund.org/our-work/conservation-leadership-network/upcoming-courses/1793-national-summit-for-gateway-communities</a>
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This event is being offered by The Conservation Fund in partnership with Scenic America, and sponsored by Appalachian Regional Commission and Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). </div></div></div>