67th Annual Conservation Forum

Join us at the historic Woman’s Club of Portsmouth for a morning celebrating successful efforts to restore and steward the waterways of Virginia. We are honored to present three experts and heroes working to protect Virginia’s rivers. The Garden Club of Virginia’s 2025 Conservation Awards also will be presented.

Meet our Forum Speakers

President and CEO of the James River Association (JRA)

Bill Street

Bill will share stories of the successful transformation of “America’s Founding River.” In his 20 years with the James River Association, Bill has seen how rivers serve as mirrors reflecting the health of the communities that surround them. As the level of pollution in the James River has diminished, the health and engagement of the community have increased. JRA’s four state-of-the-art learning centers ensure that future generations learn how to care for the river as they enjoy the bounty of its healthy ecosystem.

executive director of wetlands watch

Mary-Carson Stiff

Mary-Carson will share her organization’s atypical and varied strategies for adapting to the challenges of climate change and rising sea levels by protecting Virginia’s wetlands. As flood events increase across Virginia, it is essential that communities join together to protect Virginia’s wetlands so they can in turn protect us.

Executive director of the Elizabeth River Project

Lacy Shirey

The Elizabeth River Project has partnered with a broad set of stakeholders to restore this historic, urban river that has significant industrial neighbors. In fact, the Stanford Social Review cited the Elizabeth River Project as one of the country’s best examples of convincing disparate interests to work together on a community project. The project to restore Paradise Creek illustrates the value of bringing together over 50 stakeholders to restore this highly polluted waterway. 

The success of these three leaders will inspire participants with ideas and concrete examples for engaging their communities to create beautiful spaces while protecting the natural resources vital to their community.

After the program, participants are invited to a tour of the Elizabeth River Project Ryan Resilience Lab and enjoy a casual lunch. The Lab is approximately a 20-minute drive from the Woman’s Club of Portsmouth. Ticket price includes lunch with an assortment of sandwiches, salad, sides and desserts from the Starving Artist Cafe in Norfolk. Please note any dietary needs or restrictions in your registration. The lunch and tour are expected to last approximately one hour.

Thank you to our Forum sponsors:

About the Elizabeth River Project Ryan Resilience Lab
The Elizabeth River Project’s Ryan Resilience Lab in Norfolk is a globally significant resilience model that has been heralded by national media including The Today Show. This state-of-the-art building showcases how we can protect both the ecosystem and humans as sea levels rise, incorporating replicable, environmentally sustainable design and construction. The building features:

• Continuous rain gardens that filter stormwater runoff
• Solar panels and batteries that aim for net-zero energy consumption
• Floating entry pavilion that rises and falls with the tide
• Living shoreline of restored wetlands, oysters, and native plants
• River Room that hosts workshops, events, and exhibits
• Toilets that flush with 100 percent harvested rainwater

The Ryan Resilience Lab is also the key anchor for the Eco-District, a collaborative effort to transform the northern part of Norfolk’s Colley Avenue near Knitting Mill Creek into an innovation corridor that fosters economic development, social equity, and environmental stewardship.