PATUXENT RIVER CONFERENCE

The Patuxent River Conference (PAXCON) is the premier forum uniting scientists, environmental educators, natural resource managers, and anyone passionate about the health and future of the Patuxent River. To know and understand the Patuxent River is to take one more step towards its protection. The 2025 Patuxent River Conference's theme: Our River, Our Livelihood, is centered in exploring the status, stressors, and use of the many River resources, as well as their protection for future generations. Join us as experts, thought leaders, and passionate individuals converge to share their insights, ideas, and stories. This event promises a dynamic lineup of presenters. Attendees can interact with presenters, exchange ideas, and connect with participants who share a common goal: a healthier Patuxent Watershed.

Registration:

Registration fee includes full access to the conference sessions, coffee, refreshments, and lunch.

Click to Register

Fee: $35

Location:

Patuxent Research Refuge
National Wildlife Visitor Center
10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop,
Laurel, Maryland 20708

*Parking may be limited, please carpool if possible

Schedule At-A-Glance

8:30am Doors Open (Registration/Coffee)
9:00am Conference Welcome and Remarks by Jennifer Greiner, Patuxent Research Refuge Manager
9:10am Keynote Speaker: Denice H. Wardrop, Executive Director, Chesapeake Research Consortium.
10:00am Morning Speaker Session
12:15pm Lunch/ Artistic Interpretation
1:15pm Moderated Panel
2:30pm Poster Session/ Light refreshments
3:30pm End of Conference

Keynote Speaker

Denice H. Wardrop

Denice Heller Wardrop was one of the first Systems Engineers to graduate from the University of Virginia, which she followed with an MS in Environmental Sciences from the same institution. She practiced as a consulting environmental engineer for over a decade before moving to State College PA, embracing football as well as basketball, and finishing a PhD in Ecology at Penn State. In addition to her role as Executive Director of the Chesapeake Research Consortium, she is a Research Professor of Geography and Ecology. Her discovery areas are wetlands of all kinds and landscape ecology, and she works a great deal on how human activities impact the ability of natural systems to provide ecosystem services. Her favorite teaching activity involves escorting multi-disciplinary teams of students to Peru, and helping them unpack the UN Sustainable Development Goals to find a focus to their work. She serves on science committees that advise both the Chesapeake Bay and Everglades restoration efforts, and passionately supports humans and aquatic systems finding ways to bring out the best in each other.

Conference Presenters

Fisheries

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Water Resource

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Wetlands

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Agriculture and the River

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Thank You to Our Current & Previous Conference Partners & Sponsors!

The financial, materials, and in-kind staff support from these conference sponsors & partners are vital in making the conference a success. Sponsorship of PAXCON is not an endorsement of any company, service or product by the Steering Committee, its members or their represented organizations.