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San Juan Mining and Reclamation Conference
September 22, 2021 - September 24, 2021
Headwaters Alliance, with partner organizations, are delighted to invite you to join us September 22-24, 2021 in Telluride for Merging of Arts, Humanities, and Mining. Telluride is home to numerous arts and humanities ventures and nonprofits. These communities, as well as the larger Telluride community, view mine reclamation work and modern mining practices with varying levels of acceptance. Register here!
Building upon 2020’s theme “Adaptive Capacity in Uncertain Times,” next year’s conference will be an exploration of changing approaches to mining and reclamation work with a focus on efforts to incorporate the arts and humanities into the design and execution of projects. This may include everything from community input on project design, incorporating art installations into reclamation work, preserving historic structures for modern uses, and nontraditional funding opportunities.
Modern mining began in the San Juan Mountains nearly 150 years ago. Reclamation plans for active mines have been required for forty years, and remediation of abandoned and inactive historic mines in the San Juan Mountains has been ongoing for over 25 years. Much has been learned about mining and reclamation, and changes have occurred over the decades. Now may be a good time to contemplate what those changes are or could be, and given what we’ve learned, consider different approaches towards mining and reclamation.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE:
The primary goals of this annual conference are to educate the public and other stakeholders on the science and policy of mining, mine lands remediation, and water quality as it relates to non-point source pollution, improving mining practices, and addressing water quality impairments through workshops, field tours, and presentations. Each year the conference is hosted in a different San Juan community to highlight the host area’s mining heritage and successes in conducing mine remediation and water quality improvement projects.
The SJMRC is collaborative effort by Mountain Studies Institute, Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership, San Miguel Watershed Coalition, Headwaters Alliance and Beer2Clear.