Our friends at the Siuslaw Watershed Council will be hosting the 3rd Annual Ocean Issues Community Forum on March 31st from 6-9pm at the Florence Events Center. The focus of this event will be an update on the Marine Reserves process, as well as an overview and update on the Territorial Sea Plan amendments for the siting of Alternative Energy in the Ocean. The forum will feature presentations from respected experts on these issues, with a moderated panel discussion after the presentations. For more info, click on the link below to view the event flyer, and pass the word on to friends and family! At the January general Council meeting, the leadership board of the Council decided through a consensus process to officially include the nearshore marine waters from Heceta Head down to the Siltcoos River as part of it's geographic area of interest and in doing so making an important land-sea connection. This step is a first for a watershed council in Oregon, and elevates the importance of community based stewardship discussions on various coastal-ocean-watershed issues. The Council plans to continue to spend the majority of their time focusing on terrestrial watershed issues, but will also continue nearshore water quality monitoring, involvement on the Cape Perpetua marine reserve community team, and hosting the annual Ocean Issues Forum. For more info on the Siuslaw Watershed Council and their programs, visit: www.siuslaw.org