Catalyze. Connect. Transform.
Local Habitat, Fire, Water Resilience for Thriving Communities
2026 LCW Annual Conference
Rush Creek Lodge, Yosemite National Park
November 10-13, 2026
2026 LCW Conference Overview
The 2026 LCW Annual Conference convenes water leaders, community voices, and policy advocates from across California's major water regions for three days of field learning, strategic dialogue, and movement building. Set against the Central Sierra backdrop of Rush Creek Lodge at Yosemite National Park, this gathering advances local, land, water, community solutions during a pivotal 2026–2028 window.
2026 Registration
Registration is Full! We’d still love for you to come. Please contact our Workshop Events Coordinator to join the waitlist. Meg@h2oprogressive.com
2026 Agenda
Looking for the full event schedule? Log in to the Whova app or web portal to explore the complete interactive agenda, speaker profiles, and session details!
Open Call for Common Ground Poster Session & Marketplace
Sign-Up Below to Display a Poster or Sell Goods at The Common Ground Poster Session & Marketplace
Example of this year’s pre-conference workshops can be viewed below
Note: additional activities may be added
2026 Pre-Conference Workshops (Nov 6-9)
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The Good Fire Cultural Burn is an immersive, multi-day experience focused on traditional ecological knowledge, cultural burning practices, and returning good fire to the landscape.
Dates: Nov 6th - 8th, 2026
Facilitator: Chairman Ron Goode, North Fork Mono Tribe
Location: Red Tail Ranch - 22307 Ferretti Rd, Groveland, CA 95321
What to Bring: Sturdy boots, a hat, safety eyewear, a reusable water bottle, and earplugs (if sensitive to chainsaws or heavy equipment).
What to Wear: Stick to 100% natural fibers (cotton, wool, denim, or leather). For safety reasons, do not wear synthetic materials like spandex, polyester, or anything easily flammable.
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Learn the connection between hydrating and fixing hydrology in your own backyard, meadow or erosion gully by stuffing gullies with local materials. Learn technical dos/don’ts basic principals. Note: this hands on clinic will be held in the same meadow complex as the Good Fire Cultural Burn (Workshop #1). Staff from the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center will offer an introductory workshop on the principles and practices of their Fuels to Flows Campaign, which advances climate-smart, nature-based restoration solutions at the nexus of fire and water.
Dates: Nov 9th, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM
Facilitators: Brock Dolman, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC); Kevin Swift, Swiftwater Designs; Kate Lundquist, The Water Institute; Karen Pope
Location: Red Tail Ranch - 22307 Ferretti Rd, Groveland, CA 95321
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Beavers don't just adapt to change, they design for it. Join facilitator Anne LaForti for an interactive exploration of biomimicry principles and what these keystone species can teach us about resilient design.
Dates: Nov 9th, 2026
Time: 3:30 PM
Facilitator: Anne LaForti, Biomimicry 3.8, LCW Steering Committee
Location: Rush Creek Lodge Yosemite - 34001 Highway 120, Groveland, California, United States, 95321
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We will reflect on how nature connection can help us re-remember our ancestral knowledge and reconnect to our own inner wisdom.
Dates: Nov 9th, 2026
Time: 3:30 PM
Facilitator: Daniel Webster, Yosemite Conservancy
Location: Rush Creek Lodge Yosemite - 34001 Highway 120, Groveland, California, United States, 95321
Book Your Stay
Lodging Notice: Rush Creek Lodge and Evergreen Lodge are officially sold out for Thursday night, November 12.
If you require accommodations for the main conference dates (November 10–13), we recommend booking at the Yosemite Westgate Lodge. Firefall Ranch is another nearby option, though please note it is at a higher price point.
Rush Creek Lodge Code: 1109LCWRCL26 Must be booked over the phone (209) 379-2373
Evergreen Lodge Code: 1126EGLLCW Must be booked over the phone (209) 379-2373
LCW Group Rates
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Our spacious Lodge King Rooms feature a king bed, stylish sitting area with queen sofa bed, desk and a private balcony with forest and/or sunset views. These roomy mini-suites, with their open floor plan, comfortable sitting area and lovely views, are our most popular with couples and individual travelers.
King bed, Sofabed
400 sq ft
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Our spacious Lodge Double Queen Rooms feature two queen beds, stylish sitting area, desk and a private balcony with forest and/or sunset views. These roomy mini-suites, with multiple beds, efficient design, comfortable sitting area and lovely views, are ideal for small families or companions travelers.
Two Queen Beds
400 sq ft
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Our spacious Lodge Suites feature a bedroom with king bed, separate living room with queen sofa bed and cast iron gas fireplace and an expansive private balcony with forest and/or sunset views. These luxurious suites are a wonderful upgrade for couples and small families seeking more space and greater privacy.
King bed, sofabed
525 sq ft
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Our Two Bedroom Villas (King, Double Twin) feature a master with king bed, large sitting area with sofa bed and cast iron gas fireplace, second bedroom with two twin beds and a private balcony with sunset views. Our villas allow parents to put their kids to bed, hang out in the living room or private balcony and sleep in their own bedroom.
King, 2 Twins, Sofabed
600 sq ft
2026 LCW Carpooling
Let’s lower our footprint! We would like to help facilitate carpooling for those traveling from the same regions. If you’d like to be a driver or a passenger, please fill out this poll by Friday, 10/30.
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You can enter your group code at the bottom of the first main page of the Whova Registration Portal. Look for the Discount Code field near the bottom of the page and enter your code to apply your group rate.
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No. Pre-Conference Workshops & Activities (November 6–9) are not included with general conference registration.
Important: In order to select Pre-Conference workshops, you must select the Pre-Conference ticket separately during checkout in Whova so we can accurately track headcount for workshop sessions.
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The cost of registration does not reflect the true cost of hosting this conference - venue, meals, programming, logistics, name tags, travel, staff, and more - and of course scholarships for folks to attend who otherwise could not.
True Cost Registration is what it actually costs, per person in attendance, to put on LCW this year. As a non-profit, we rely on donors and sponsors to make LCW possible - foundations, partners, and generous donors who believe in the importance of this work. It is one of our priorities to keep registration as accessible as possible, and provide support to the leaders who want to attend but face significant financial barriers to do so.
By paying the True Cost of registration, you help us make it possible for more folks to attend who otherwise wouldn't be able to, and you support the building of this critical movement at this critical juncture.
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No. Hotel accommodations are separate from conference registration (including True Cost tickets) and must be booked directly with Rush Creek Lodge or Evergreen Lodge.
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If you get an error when applying code 1109LCWRCL26 online, make sure you follow these specific steps on the booking page:
Check Your Selected Dates: The group code is valid strictly for stay dates between November 9 and November 13. If you select dates outside of this window (such as pre-conference dates before Nov 9), an error will occur. (Note: The code will adjust properly if you check out earlier than Nov 13, as long as your stay falls within the window).
Select the Correct Code Type: Click on "Special Codes or Rates" > select "Group Code" > enter 1109LCWRCL26. Do not choose Promo Code.
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Lodging Notice: Rush Creek Lodge and Evergreen Lodge are officially sold out for Thursday night, November 12.
If you require accommodations for the main conference dates (November 10–13), we recommend booking at the Yosemite Westgate Lodge. Firefall Ranch is another nearby option, though please note it is at a higher price point.
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If you need assistance with hotel booking or conference registration, you can reach out via email to meg@h2oprogressive.com.
If you have already booked and have hotel specific questions, contact Rush Creek Lodge reservations directly at (209) 379-2373.
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LCW is building a movement, and movements need people. Our dream is a gathering where everyone who wants to attend, can, regardless of their ability to pay. If you are in a position to make that possible, we'd love to talk: an endowment, DAF allocations, or other vehicles for long-term, consistent support would allow this movement to soar. Contact: nashelley@h2oprogressive.com
