2010 Conference

On September 23 and 24, 2010, the Roundtable will launch its first in a series of annual conferences on the Crown of the Continent.  The conference, Remarkable Beyond Borders:  Shaping the Future of the Crown of the Continent is at once a celebration of the people, places, and history of the Crown of the Continent and an exploration of the region's future.  Over the course of two days, we will examine what it means to live and work in the Crown of the Continent.  We will celebrate the efforts of people and organizations to preserve the culture, heritage, communities, and landscape of the region now and for future generations.  We will assess the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.  And we will begin building the relationships and knowledge to shape the future of the Crown of the Continent.

The idea of this conference emerged at the 2009 Summer Retreat of the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent.  As we shared the idea with others, it became apparent that there was broad appeal and interest in the idea.  It was also clear that to explore the Crown's diverse landscapes and communities in a meaningful way would require a series of conferences at locations throughout the Crown.  As such, the hope and vision for this conference is that it will be the first in a series of four conferences over the course of the next four years.  The idea is to host one conference in each of the four quadrants of the Crown, the quadrants formed by the Continental Divide as the North-South axis and the U.S.-Canadian Border as the East-West axis.

What You Will Do

• Take part in a dynamic two-day event that includes keynote addresses, panel presentations, break-out sessions, artistic performances, cultural and tourism displays, regional cuisine, recreational opportunities, and more;
• Meet people from throughout the region and share ideas about what it means to think and act as a region;
• Explore similarities and differences with others -- from the places you live and work to your thoughts about the future of the Crown of the Continent;
• Share your own work and discover others' through poster sessions, breakout discussions, informal presentations, and dialogue during breaks; and
• Relax and enjoy the beauty of the Crown of the Continent in autumn!

What You Will Learn

• Perspectives on the history, culture, and heritage of the Crown of the Continent;
• Success stories, strategies, and tools for working at the sub-regional scale;
• Options and strategies for working together at the large landscape scale;
• Challenges facing the Crown (e.g. adapting to a changing climate, addressing water supply and quality concerns, sustaining local economies, etc.); and
• Opportunities for the Crown (e.g. ideas for local, sub-regional, and Crown-wide collaboration; information about how the Crown might position itself for new federal (U.S.) conservation initiatives, etc.).
  

Who Should Attend

Anyone interested in the past, present, and future of the Crown of the Continent region should attend! 

Participants will include local, state, provincial, tribal, and federal government officials and staff; civic and not-for-profit leaders; farmers and ranchers; energy and resource developers; business owners; university staff and students; tourism officials; historians; cultural authorities; and others.