Scheduled Meetings and Information

2022

SEPTEMBER:

Plans for the MRBP’s upcoming coordination meeting are coming together. As was originally planned for October 2021, the September 13-14, 2022, meeting will be held at Reelfoot Lake State Park near Tiptonville in northwest Tennessee. Preliminary meeting details and information on the state park are provided below. An option for remote participation will be provided, however, in-person participation is encouraged to take full advantage of additional time for discussion with speakers and meeting attendees, networking, and building relationships with other AIS professionals around the basin. Please note the deadlines highlighted throughout the information below.

All MRBP members, whether you will be attending the meeting or not, are asked to provide a brief written update on significant ANS activities, accomplishments, and issues of concern since the previous MRBP meeting (March 2022).  Member updates are requested by August 31st and should be submitted to MRBP@MICRArivers.org. Member updates received by August 31st will be compiled and provided to all MRBP members prior to the meeting.

COVID-19 Precautions  

The MRBP’s September 2022 coordination meeting is being planned as an in-person meeting at Reelfoot Lake State Park near Tiptonville, Tennessee. The state park is in Lake County in the extreme northwest corner of the state. CDC COVIC-19 Community Levels for Lake County are available on the CDC’s COVID-19 by county webpage. We encourage everyone to take precautions to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 and to follow all appropriate federal, state, and local guidelines when attending the meeting in person. Attendees are encouraged to self-monitor for symptoms prior to and during the meeting, and to consider obtaining a COVID-19 test with a negative result within 3 days of your travel date prior to attending the meeting. Unless federal, state, or local guidance changes, there will be no requirements for attendees to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test 
    
In-person attendees will be encouraged to comfortably distance themselves during the meeting and masks should be worn in accordance with current CDC guidance. Hand sanitizing stations and masks will be provided in the meeting room.  
 

While we hope that most MRBP members will attend the meeting in-person, a virtual option will be provided for anyone that is unable or uncomfortable attending in-person. The MRBP Executive Committee is continuing to plan for an in-person meeting in September, however, the possibility remains for the meeting to be changed to virtual only depending on federal, state, or local policy and/or health restrictions in place at the time of the scheduled meeting. ​COVID-19 related meeting restrictions from the Department of Interior come into effect when 50+ participants are in attendance. Based on past MRBP meeting participation and registrations received for the September 2022 meeting, we anticipate <50 people will attend the upcoming meeting in person. Unless federal, state, or local guidance changes to require a virtual meeting, the MRBP will meet in-person September 13-14 with a virtual option for remote participation. 

MRBP and MICRA Meeting Details: 

Meeting Dates: September 13-15, 2022

Location: Ellington Hall Auditorium, Reelfoot Lake State Park, 2595 Hwy 21 E Tiptonville, TN 38079

Reelfoot Lake State Park:

The park’s ecosystem is unlike any other place in Tennessee. Reelfoot lake is a flooded forest noted for its history, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. The 15,000 acre lake was created by a series of violent earthquakes in 1811-1812 that caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a short period of time, creating Reelfoot Lake. Meeting attendees will have many opportunities for outdoor recreation. More information on the park is available at https://tnstateparks.com/parks/reelfoot-lake.

Agenda: An updated agenda for the MRBP meeting is here.  Agendas for the two MICRA meetings are in the works and will be shared closer to the meeting date.

Field Trip 

A 2-hour guided pontoon boat tour of Reelfoot Lake has been scheduled for Monday afternoon from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. The state park charges $21.95 per person for the tour and the fee will be collected on site. Seating for this tour is limited. Please be sure to register on the attached registration form if you are interested.

Evening Social 

Our host agency for the meetings, TWRA, will be organizing a fish fry at the state park on Tuesday evening. A fee (~$10) will be collected on site to help cover the cost of food and supplies. More details will be provided closer to the meeting date.

Registration: Please click here to register for the meeting by Friday, August 12th. Registration is not required and there is no registration fee to attend the meeting; however, your registration will help us to plan logistics for the meetings including the field trip and evening social. We understand that most attendees will need to obtain travel approval and your plans ae subject to change, but we ask that you register as soon as possible to indicate your tentative plans. Your registration information can be updated as necessary if your travel plans change. Please contact MRBP@MICRArivers.org if you would like to register for the meeting or need to make changes to your registration after August 12th.

Lodging: Meeting attendees will be responsible for making their own lodging arrangements. Many lodging options are available in and around the state park. The park has two campgrounds with RV and tent campsites. Reservations can be made through the park website https://tnstateparks.com/parks/reelfoot-lake. There are several small hotels located outside the state park and near the meeting facility. Additional options, including national hotel chains, are available in Union City, TN, approximately 30 minutes east of Reelfoot Lake State Park.

Transportation: Meeting attendees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. Reelfoot Lake State Park is approximately 2.25 hours north of Memphis International Airport; 3.25 hours west of Nashville International Airport; and 3.5 hours south of St. Louis International Airport.

Travel Support: MRBP guidelines for requesting travel assistance are here. Requests for travel assistance should be submitted to MRBP@MICRArivers.org by Friday, July 29th.

We look forward to seeing you at an MRBP meeting in 2022!

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force

Date:

Location:
Lodging:

More information is available on the ANS Task Force website

 

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