The future of the Delaware River Watershed is being shaped right now by leaders across the Basin. On September 29 and 30, many of them came together in Newark, Delaware, for the 14th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum.

After last year’s one-day gathering, we returned to a two-day format this year. That extra time gave us more room for learning sessions, field trips, and plenary conversations, and the exchanges in between that are often just as valuable.

We welcomed many first-time attendees alongside familiar faces who have been part of this community for years. Across both days, there was a real willingness to participate, share ideas, and learn from one another.

That spirit connected closely to this year’s theme, Shaping the Future of Our Watershed. No single organization, community, or state can shape the future of the Delaware River Watershed alone It will depend on what we learn from one another and what we carry forward.

Opening the Forum

The Forum opened with perspectives from leaders working at different levels across the watershed.

Attendees heard from Collin O'Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation; Meagan Birkenmaier of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed; Erin Lewis of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; Sandra Cross and Will Duncan of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and George Irvine, Councilperson for the City of Newark's 5th District.

We were also grateful to hear a special message from U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester.

The people in the room reflected the range of partners it takes to care for a watershed that crosses communities and state lines.

Learning and Exchange

Learning sessions filled both days, with presenters and participants sharing ideas, asking questions, and bringing their own experiences into the conversation. Folks shared what they were seeing in their own communities and learned from others tackling similar issues in different parts of the watershed.

The Forum also featured a student poster session with four University of Delaware graduate students. Their research explored PFAS in Delaware waterways, the economic value of Philadelphia's rivers, brownfield redevelopment, and long-term water quality trends in Delaware streams.

Taking the Forum into the Field

Tuesday afternoon took the Forum beyond the conference setting. Five field trips offered a closer look at how conservation, resilience, stewardship, and community leadership are taking shape on the ground.

Attendees explored the White Clay Creek National Wild & Scenic River by bicycle, learning about the landscape, watershed history, tributaries, and ongoing dam removal work. Through Community Engagement with Sacred Grounds, participants learned about faith-based environmental stewardship and community involvement in caring for native landscapes.

At the Johnston Park Community Bioretention Basin, attendees saw how more than a decade of community visioning and planning contributed to a project designed to manage stormwater while creating additional environmental and neighborhood benefits.

Other trips focused closely on climate resilience. At the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art, participants explored how the impacts of Hurricane Ida have shaped flood adaptation and broader watershed resilience efforts. In Wilmington, Northeast Rising shared residents’ experiences with flooding and the community-led work that has followed around preparedness, education, and resilience.

From a bicycle ride along White Clay Creek to neighborhood-scale flood solutions in Wilmington, the trips showed just how varied watershed work can look from one community to the next. They also gave us a chance to see the people and places behind the issues we had been discussing.

An Evening at Ashland

Mike Slattery receives the award from Meagan Birkenmaier, Director of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed.

By Tuesday evening, the conversations had moved to Ashland Nature Center, where we gathered for dinner, recognized a longtime watershed champion, and eventually made a little room for dancing.

The Coalition honored Mike Slattery for his dedication to the Delaware River Watershed and his years of work as a champion for its protection.

As much as this year's Forum focused on where the watershed is headed, the evening also reminded us to recognize those who helped get us here. Much of what we build today rests on years of commitment from those who have continued to show up for the watershed.

And after the recognition and reflection, the evening took a lighter turn. A small dance floor started to form, and just like that, dancing made its Forum comeback.

Resilience Across the Watershed

The Forum closed with a conversation focused on how communities are preparing for climate impacts and building resilience at the local level.

Moderated by Gerald McAdams Kauffman of the University of Delaware Water Resources Center, the closing plenary featured Alison Quimby of the City of Wilmington; Austin McBrady of Rossi Group; Jeff Martindale of the City of Newark; and Jordana Cutajar, Resilience Planner IV with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Panelists shared perspectives on climate action, practical strategies, and the value of learning from one another across the Basin. The discussion echoed a theme throughout the Forum: an idea tested in one community can help inform the work happening somewhere else.

The conversation brought the Forum to a close with a reminder that the future of the watershed will be shaped, in part, by how we share what we learn and carry those lessons forward.

Looking Ahead

Two days in Newark made clear just how much knowledge, experience, and creativity exists across the watershed community. We heard different approaches to shared challenges, saw ideas being put into practice in the field, and left with plenty to keep thinking about.

This year also brought a few milestones worth celebrating, including our first sold-out registration and our highest level of sponsorship support to date. We are grateful to everyone who helped make that possible.

As the work moves back into our communities, organizations, and partnerships across the Basin, we invite attendees and partners to stay connected with the Coalition. Join our workgroups, follow our work, and continue building on the ideas and relationships that came from the Forum.

The Forum would not be possible without our partners and sponsors. We extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our 2026 Forum sponsors. Your support helped make two full days of programming, learning, and connection possible.

Thank you as well to our speakers, session presenters, students, field trip leaders, Planning Committee members, volunteers, partners, and everyone who joined us for the 14th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum.

The Forum gave us a lot to take home: new ideas, new connections, new perspectives, and maybe a few more questions than we arrived with.

Check out the 14th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum Press Release.

View the full photo and video gallery.

Photos provided by Holly Thompson, Maria Castro, Meagan Birkenmaier, Courtney Arches, and Martha Narvaez

Reflections from the 14th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum