The Shallow Lakes Forum will be March 30, 2009 at the Oak Ridge Hotel and Conference Center in Chaska, Minnesota. The theme of this year’s forum is “Development and Implementation of Shallow Lake Management Plans.”

The Shallow Lakes Forum is a collaboration of public and private interest groups concerned about the current status and management of shallow waters in Minnesota. A group of interested stakeholders forged the Forum in 2003 and they have sponsored several forums since.

Awareness about shallow basin issues has been elevated. The Forum participants work within their ranks and collectively to promote management practices that avoid damaging the sensitive functions of shallow lakes and deepwater wetlands. The Forum participants also recognize human land use needs and desires.

Shallow lakes create difficult and often contentious management scenarios. The sixth Shallow Lakes Forum is designed to provide participants an opportunity to visit with professional planners, learn about planning processes that impact shallow lake systems and participate in presentations and panel discussions that highlight shallow lakes management in action.

The 2009 forum will be most useful to those responsible for developing and implementing management plans for shallow systems. Interested individuals will find this forum informative and insightful, particularly those developing plans, struggling to implement plans already underway and making policy decisions.

The Shallow Lakes Forum of Minnesota recognizes shallow lakes as fragile ecological resources posing unique management challenges. The Shallow Lakes Forum brings together diverse interests in collaborative settings to inform, educate and provoke positive discourse. The Shallow Lakes Forum encourages protection and management actions that recognize and balance the needs and interests of shallow lakes stakeholders, who include public and private interests, conservation and recreational interests, and human and wildlife interests.

Conference Early Registration (by 3/18/09) $50.00
Conference Late Registration (after 3/18/09) $75.00

Download the information form (PDF) or go to www.shallowlakes.info for more information.
You can also download the registration form (PDF) and agenda (PDF) for the meeting. 

Registration forms and fees should be mailed to:
Shallow Lakes Forum
c/o Minnesota River Board
184 Trafton Science Center South
Mankato, MN 56001

For additional information contact:
Shannon Fisher, Director
Water Resources Center & Minnesota River Board
184 Trafton Science Center South
Mankato, MN   56001
(507) 389-5492
shannon.fisher@mnsu.edu