SCGIS Annual Conference: Conservation for Action

Join us for our 27th SCGIS Annual Conference, which will be held September 4-6, 2024 at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia USA!

The Call for Abstracts is now closed.

Register Now to attend the 2024 International Conference! Early Bird Registration has been extended to June 30, 2024.

Conference Theme and Keynote

We are here for a reason.  We are drawn to the geospatial sciences not just because they are a powerful technical tool.  We apply these tools with purpose and with passion.  Some of our work contributes to the basic science of how ecological systems work.  Other applied science and cartography are designed to help us achieve specific conservation goals—designating land or marine conservation areas, creating conservation easements, implementing community restoration projects, or putting policies in place that will shape conservation opportunities nationwide or internationally.  We do Conservation for Action.

Achieving conservation actions is a challenge on many levels from having the right data and technology to the diverse stakeholders and the politics.  Timelines can be long.  How can we make our work most effective?  Can we help bridge the gap between science and policy?  What is our most effective role in partnerships with other stakeholders?  What are examples of geospatial conservation work that is done well?  You are invited to share your work on this and other conservation GIS topics at the 2024 SCGIS Annual International Conference.

Join us for 3 full days featuring one day of technical workshops, field trip excursions, and a special opening ceremony celebration on Sept 4 and a variety of presentation sessions and hosted networking events on Sept 5-6!

In addition, we are excited to present this year’s keynote speaker who will share her experiences and perspectives on Conservation for Action: Breece Robertson combines geospatial technology and storytelling to inspire, activate, educate, and engage people to protect our planet. She is a noteworthy leader in the conservation and restoration field with over two decades of experience. She created and led the GIS, research and planning unit at The Trust for Public Land for 18 years where she implemented strategic initiatives like ParkScore®, ParkServe®, Climate Smart Cities and Greenprinting. She also held roles with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and One Tree Planted to expand the use of geospatial technologies and earth observations for environmental justice, monitoring and evaluation. In 2006, she was awarded the Esri Special Achievement in GIS award and in 2012, the “Making a Difference” award. She authored a book called “Protecting the Places We Love” published in April 2021 by Esri Press. Breece serves on the National Park Service Advisory Board, the National Recreation and Park Association Board of Trustees and the National Geospatial Advisory Committee. When she’s not protecting places, she’s exploring and enjoying them with her partner and two adventurous pups.

Become an Official Conference Sponsor!

Learn more about becoming an official sponsor of the Conference this year. 

Registration, Lodging and Meal Costs

The following conference registration rates are available (Early Bird Registration ends on June 30, 2024):

Additionally, the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) has a fixed rate for accommodations + meals while staying at the venue which is $206 USD per night. Please visit our Lodging and Transportation page and the NCTC website for more information.

Pre-registration is required for all presenters. On-site registration is available upon request. Sign up for an SCGIS membership before you register to get the discounted member rate!

Refund Policy

Planning a conference is difficult! Especially when you can't be sure on how many people to expect. Because of this, we have to implement a refund policy.  If you cancel your registration more than 3 months before the conference, a full refund will be issued, minus a 10% processing fee to cover our costs. If you cancel within 1-3 months of the conference, a 50% refund will be issued.

Unfortunately, we cannot issue a refund within 1 month of the conference.  At this point, we have planned for your attendance and cannot afford to make any last minute changes. Nevertheless, we realize that life sometimes has unforeseen circumstances, so please reach out to us by email, in case you need assistance.

Thanks for your understanding!

Call for Volunteers 

The SCGIS Annual International Conference is organized by an incredible team of volunteers. We would like to invite you to volunteer while attending the conference and help us to make another great conference. Please consider this invitation with care and reach out to us at [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you at the conference and learning about your work!

For questions, please contact [email protected].

Register Now to attend the 2024 International Conference! Early Bird Registration ends on June 30, 2024.