This award will facilitate interactive professionally facilitated workshops that eschew traditional lectures in favor of dynamic engagement

Participants will be exposed to new perspectives ask pertinent questions host meaningful conversations share stories of both challenges and successes reflect on their experiences and identify their own next steps. Our goal is to connect farmers landowners and collaborators who are committed to fostering sustainable farms streams and communities within the upper mississippi river basin. The fishers and farmers partnership FFP serves iowa illinois minnesota missouri and wisconsin and is one of 20 national fish habitat partnerships. FFP engages farmers landowners and their networks in fish habitat conservation and restoration on private lands within a predominantly agricultural 121.5 million acre basin. This funding enables activities such as establishing partnerships with local CO hosts securing commitments finalizing dates and obtaining in state funding contributions. Additionally IT supports the creation of a registration web page the design of promotional emails and the management of communication with local hosts as well as personal invitations. The funding also facilitates planning meetings with stakeholders the development of content and agendas and the provision of four days of leadership and support. Furthermore IT includes the management of contact lists the conduction of surveys and personal follow UPS.work during this funding period will focus on planning and facilitating the workshop with performance goals and expected outcomes centered around establishing strong personal relationships and a continuous sense of network connection. We aim to shift participants focus from problems to possibilities engaging the right stakeholders to ensure comprehensive involvement. The workshop will build participants capacity to share stories and best practices in their home regions equip them with practical skills and tools to effect change and provide strategies for handling difficult conversations. Additionally the program will be designed to support ongoing engagement and development of landowner and farmer leaders.beneficiaries include habitat for humanity of the greater LA crosse region FFP steering committee the FFP network and ultimately fish and mussel populations and habitat in the upper mississippi river basin.