Yolo Area Regional Network
presents an
Agriculture, Environment & Telecommunications Summit

Friday, May 15, 1998,
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The Heidrick Ag History Center
1962 Hays Lane, Woodland, CA 95776



INVITATION

Yolo Area Regional Network (YARN) invites you to participate in a special Agriculture, Environment and Telecommunications Summit, Friday, May 15, 1998, at the Heidrick Ag History Center, 1962 Hays Lane, Woodland, CA.

Yolo County's economy is primarily based on agriculture. In the emerging Information Age, rapid growth and complex change are effecting this and all other sectors of society. The Yolo Area Regional Network invites you to participate in a free public Summit to explore the ways in which new telecommunications systems and services can be deployed in this region to the mutual service and benefit of our changing agricultural and environmental interests and needs.

The Friday morning Summit, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm. will feature a facilitated public roundtable discussion, plus panels, and special informational presentations. Organizations are invited to set up and showcase their information and wares on display tables surrounding the meeting space.

Issues to be discussed include:

  1. How can the Internet be used and developed to provide improved access to ag. resources, best practices, new markets, strategies and economic opportunities?

  2. How can new telecommunications systems and services provide better information, education and decisionmaking capabilities about land use and natural resources management?

  3. What are cost effective, appropriate means for improved regional connectivity, access and training that can serve needed on the ground applications?

  4. What groups and organizations in this area are setting "smart" examples to be learned from, partnered with and supported?

  5. What are some strategic actions that YARN should take to better serve the agricultural and environmental interests and needs of this region?

Free box lunches will be served from 12:45 to 1:45 pm. The Lunch break will serve as an informal time for conversation, making contacts and information gathering.

Friday afternoon Breakout Workshops from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. will include practical subjects such as web page creation, an Internet/email tutorial, online applications, web marketing and GIS mapping; plus a special workshop on "WaterWorks", a new online public decision support program (addressing Yolo County/Cache-Putah watershed issues) being developed by Davis Community Network and numerous partner organizations and agencies. Public participation in the development of this project is needed for it to be of intended community benefit.

A Summit Raffle will provide lucky winners with valuable items such as: a free Internet account; free web page; Internet books; software; and other prizes.

Supporters and Co-sponsors of this YARN Summit to date include:

  • County of Yolo
  • Cities of Woodland, West Sacramento, and Davis
  • University of California at Davis
  • Davis Community Network
  • Yolo County Resource Conservation District
  • USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • USGS National Spatial Data Infrastructure Program
  • Corporation for Public Broadcasting
  • Army Corps' Hydrologic Engineering Center
  • ESRI, Inc.
  • Ceres Corporation/AgAccess Information Services
  • Davis Virtual Markets/Virtual Markets Enterprises
  • California Smart Communities Project

Yolo Area Regional Network is a newly forming non-profit organization, working to facilitate electronic information access and exchange, and to promote education, information and telecommunications services which promote improved quality of life in the Yolo County area. This public event is one in a series that include the 1997 Telecommunication Policy Summit; the planned October 23, 1998 Education, Libraries and Telecommunications Summit; and an Economic Development and Telecommunications Summit, to be scheduled soon.

For further information contact: Richard Lowenberg, rl@yarn.org

Yolo Area Regional Network
1623 5th St.
Davis, CA 95616
Phone: (530)750-1170
Fax: (530)756-2377
www.yarn.org

REGISTRATION:

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organization: ______________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

City: __________________________________ Zip Code __________________

Phone #: ________________________ FAX #: __________________________

Email: ___________________________________________________________

URL: ___________________________________________________________

Attendence: a.m.Session ________ Lunch ________ p.m.Session ___________

Request for Display Table @ $10 donation ______________________________


Contact us about equipment or set-up needs

RSVP by phone or email to: YARN 530-750-1170 rl@yarn.org