Conference program
Explore an abbreviated schedule for the 2021 Wetland Science Conference below. Details will be added weekly throughout the fall, and the full program will be posted by mid-December, 2020.
Tuesday February 16th
9:00–10:45 am Plenary Session
Sponsored by The Forest County Potawatomi Foundation
Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part I: Hydrology Fundamentals
9:15 Conference Keynote: Why watersheds matter: How tribes are leading the way in the Columbia River basin
Aja DeCoteau, Watershed Department Manager, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
9:45 Conference Keynote: How rivers and wetlands work—and work better together
Colin Thorne, Professor and Chair of Physical Geography, University of Nottingham UK
10:15 Live Q&A with Aja DeCoteau and Colin Thorne
Moderated by Tracy Hames
10:45–11:00 am Break
11:00 am–12:30 pm Plenary Session
Sponsored by The Brookby Foundation
Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part II: Restoration Considerations
Sponsored by The Brookby Foundation
11:00 Conference Keynote: Let the river do the work: How low-tech solutions and partnerships can help us get to scale
Joe Wheaton, Fluvial scientist & restoration practitioner, Utah State University & Anabranch Solutions
11:30 Conference Keynote: How history and processes influence watershed restoration
Dorothy J. Merritts, Professor of Geosciences and Chair of Environmental Studies, Franklin & Marshall College
12:00 Live Q&A with Joe Wheaton and Dorothy J. Merritts
Moderated by Kyle Magyera
1:30–4:30 pm Afternoon Sessions
1:30 – 2:15 Roundtable Conversation with Aja DeCoteau and Mike Kline
2:30 – 3:15 Roundtable Conversation with Colin Thorne and Dorothy Merritts
2:30 – 4:00 Workshop: Why diversity, equity, and inclusion are vital to conservation.
Instructor: Parker McMullen Bushman. *Pre-registration required. Register here.*
3:30 – 4:15 Roundtable Conversation with Joe Wheaton and Katie Jagt
6:30–7:30 pm Virtual Field Trip Film Festival
Featuring Wisconsin wetlands and highlighting concepts of hydrologic restoration. More details.
Wednesday February 17th
9:00–10:45 am Plenary Session
Sponsored by the Fund for Lake Michigan
Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part III: State programs and public/private solutions
9:15 Conference Keynote: How state programs can protect and restore rivers, wetlands, and watersheds
Mike Kline, River ecologist/geomorphologist, Fluvial Matters, LLC
9:45 Conference Keynote: How creative partnerships and locally-driven planning can build resilient watersheds
Katie Jagt, Senior water resources engineer, Watershed Science + Design
10:15 Live Q&A with Mike Kline and Katie Jagt
Moderated by Tracy Hames
10:45–11:00 am Break
11:00 am–12:30 pm Plenary Session
Sponsored by The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program
Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part IV: Fixing Wisconsin’s Water
11:00 What we’ve learned from Wisconsin natural resource agencies
Erin O’Brien, Policy Programs Director, Wisconsin Wetlands Association
12:30-1:00 pm Poster Session & Exhibitor Office Hours
Poster details
Badje: Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey
Ceballos*: Analysis of freshwater sponge spicules to identify wetland Spongilla species.
Charles*: Latitude, canopy cover, hydrology, and soil fertility determine plant species composition in restored wetlands
Connor: Improved access and restoration of the Honey Creek Headwaters, a Lake Michigan tributary
Ferry: Let’s collaborate to detect new invasive species
Ferry: Wetland Forest Habitat Type Classification System for Northern Wisconsin: A new tool for land managers
Gibson: Wetland mitigation sites 10 – 26 years post-construction: Floristic quality and soil organic carbon.
Granberg: Interactive ArcGIS StoryMaps highlighting State Natural Areas in Wisconsin
Hirsch*: Anuran occurrences in high and low water within the Lower Green Bay and Fox River AOC
Hughes*: Soil analysis: A comparison of wetland soil throughout the years at the Mequon Nature Preserve
Jaimes*: Assessing the impact of micro-environment on the color of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta)
Johnson: Plants on the edge: Status of rare wetland plants in the Apostle Islands
Kopka: Development of a stream quantification tool for Wisconsin and the St. Paul District stream mitigation procedures
Matula: Forested wetland restoration and management using scientific methodology to build resilience in this ecosystem
Palme: Restoration of a headwater stream in Central Wisconsin: Enhancing channel morphology in the LPR
Scherer: Aquatic invasive species prevention outreach to waterfowl hunters using video
Slemmons: Long-term wetland monitoring by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and the Great Lakes Domain
* denotes presenter is participating in the student presentation competition
1:00-5:00 pm Afternoon Sessions
1:00 – 3:00 Workshop
Wetland Soils
Session details
Instructors: Drew Fowler & Pat Trochlell
More information here.
*Pre-registration required. Register here.*
1:00 – 2:30 Roundtable Conversation
Wetland mitigation listening session: Recap and continuation
Session details
Facilitators: Tom Nedland, Leslie Day, and Kerryann Weaver
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
1:30 – 3:00 Roundtable Conversation
Starting or growing an ecological restoration business
Session details
Facilitator: Dan Collins
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
2:30 – 4:00 Roundtable Conversation
Natural flood management: Solutions for mitigating flood risk in the Lake Superior basin
Session Details
Facilitators: Kyle Magyera, Tom Hollenhorst, Faith Fitzpatrick, and Chris Collier
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
3:00 – 4:30 Roundtable Conversation
Diversity, equity, and inclusion in conservation
Session Details
Facilitator: Caitlin Williamson
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
3:00 – 5:00 Workshop
How to leverage multiple new technologies for more efficient wetland assessments, monitoring, and delineations
Session Details
Instructors: Jeremy Schewe, Gale Shea, Eric Parker, and Daniel Martin
More information here.
*Pre-registration required. Register here.*
6:30–7:30 pm WWA Annual Membership Meeting & Wetland Trivia Night
Hear highlights of WWA’s work from WWA’s work in 2020 and elect WWA board members. As always, this event will also have fun opportunities to connect with other attendees. All are welcome to attend (need not be a WWA member, although we’re grateful if you are!).
Thursday February 18th
9:00–9:45 am Plenary Session
Sponsored by the We Energies Foundation
9:00 Welcome
9:10 Plenary Address: Attempting to understand the disconnect between African Americans and the outdoors
Dudley Edmondson, Photographer, filmmaker, and author
9:45–10:00 am Break
10:00–11:00 am Concurrent Sessions
Wetland flora & plant communities
Moderator: Chris Loebach
Session Details
10:00 Loebach: Implementing the concept of alternative stable states to guide successful wetland restoration practices
10:15 O’Connor: Coarse-level metrics for prioritizing and monitoring restoration of sedge meadows and wet-mesic prairies
10:30 St John *: Combined effects of invasive cattail and European frogbit on invertebrates in a Lake Huron coastal marsh
10:45 Live Q&A with presenters
* denotes presenter is participating in the student presentation competition
Effective Wetland Conservation Partnerships
Moderator: Travis Schroeder
Session Details
10:00 O’Brien: The people, priorities, and practices behind the Little Plover River Watershed Enhancement Project
10:15 Brown: Partnering for wetlands: How a variety of mitigation project partners benefit both wetlands and communities
10:30 Joyce: Funding water quality improvements at Nahant Marsh: Thinking outside the box
10:45 Live Q&A with presenters
Sponsored Product Demo Session
Session Details
10:00 Windjue: An introduction to Extension Lakes and Wisconsin Water Week 2021
10:15 Schewe: How to complete wetland delineations and monitoring in half the time
10:30 Keener: Protecting endangered reptiles and habitats while creating site access for a transmission line rebuild
10:45 Kidd: Caring for wetlands: A partnership with NRCS, WWA, and private landowners
Note: These presentations will also be available on-demand so you can watch them any time!
11:00–11:30 am Poster Session & Exhibitor Office Hours
Poster details
Badje: Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey
Ceballos*: Analysis of freshwater sponge spicules to identify wetland Spongilla species.
Charles*: Latitude, canopy cover, hydrology, and soil fertility determine plant species composition in restored wetlands
Connor: Improved access and restoration of the Honey Creek Headwaters, a Lake Michigan tributary
Ferry: Let’s collaborate to detect new invasive species
Ferry: Wetland Forest Habitat Type Classification System for Northern Wisconsin: A new tool for land managers
Gibson: Wetland mitigation sites 10 – 26 years post-construction: Floristic quality and soil organic carbon.
Granberg: Interactive ArcGIS StoryMaps highlighting State Natural Areas in Wisconsin
Hirsch*: Anuran occurrences in high and low water within the Lower Green Bay and Fox River AOC
Hughes*: Soil analysis: A comparison of wetland soil throughout the years at the Mequon Nature Preserve
Jaimes*: Assessing the impact of micro-environment on the color of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta)
Johnson: Plants on the edge: Status of rare wetland plants in the Apostle Islands
Kopka: Development of a stream quantification tool for Wisconsin and the St. Paul District stream mitigation procedures
Matula: Forested wetland restoration and management using scientific methodology to build resilience in this ecosystem
Palme: Restoration of a headwater stream in Central Wisconsin: Enhancing channel morphology in the LPR
Scherer: Aquatic invasive species prevention outreach to waterfowl hunters using video
Slemmons: Long-term wetland monitoring by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and the Great Lakes Domain
* denotes presenter is participating in the student presentation competition
11:30 am–12:30 pm Concurrent Sessions
Wetlands and People
Moderator: Nicole Staskowski
Session Details
11:30 Beilfuss: New videos promote tribal wetland conservation leadership in Wisconsin
11:45 Tyner: Establishing a Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
12:00 Stamer: “If you build it, they will come!” The Field of Dreams Watershed and the Iowa River Restoration Toolbox
12:15 Live Q&A with presenters
Wetland Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes
Moderator: Nick Miller
Session Details
11:30 Kostel: It’s what you know: Using tools to advance the use of ag tile-treatment wetlands for nutrient loss reduction
11:45 McGuire: It’s who you know: Convincing farmers to use ag drainage tile-treatment wetlands to stop nutrient loss
12:00 Gaffield: A watershed approach to restoration at the Soik wetland mitigation site in Wisconsin’s Central Sands
12:15 Live Q&A with presenters
12:45–1:15 pm WWA Policy and Legislative Update
1:00–4:30 pm Afternoon Sessions
1:30 – 3:30 Workshop
Identification of Wisconsin’s aquatic plants
Session Details
Instructor: Paul Skawinski
More information here.
*Pre-registration required. Register here.*
1:30 – 4:30 Practitioners Working Group
Session Details
Facilitators: Eric Parker and Dan Salas
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
2:00 – 3:30 Roundtable Conversation
Conservation mapping tools: Wetland restoration potential and groundwater assessment
Session Details
Facilitators: Nick Miller, Joanne Kline, Tom Bernthal, Chris Smith, Sarah Gatzke, and Dave Hart
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
3:30 – 4:30 Roundtable Conversation
Wetland invasive species: Identification, prevention, and control
Session Details
Facilitators: Kelly Kearns, Jason Granberg, Jeanne Scherer, Jared Urban, and Maureen Ferry
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
3:30 – 4:30 Roundtable Conversation
Climate change and wetlands
Session Details
Facilitator: Alice Thompson
More information here.
No pre-registration required.
Friday, February 19th
9:00–9:35 am Lightning Round presentations
9:00 Welcome and introduction of lightning round
9:05 Sulman: Implementing climate adaptation in Lake Michigan basin wetlands: Challenges and opportunities
9:10 Salas: Incentivizing the private sector for 21st-century conservation in Wisconsin
9:15 Hollenhorst: Natural flood management: Planning and priorities for Lake Superior’s south shore wetlands
9:20 Wallrath: Red hailstone continues to invade Wisconsin: Identification, distribution update, and herbicide trial results
9:25 Q&A with presenters
9:35–9:45 am Break
9:45–10:45 am Concurrent Sessions
Effective wetland restoration & management techniques
Moderator: Gretchen Benjamin
Session Details
9:45 Struck: Ecosystem restoration along the Little Menomonee River
10:00 Gall: Stream de-channelization: Restoring hydrology and reducing runoff in an agricultural landscape
10:15 Livingston: Stabilizing banks and preventing erosion following construction using pre-vegetated blankets
10:30 Live Q&A with presenters
Wetland Wildlife I
Moderator: Sally Jarosz
Session Details
9:45 Paloski: Status of Wisconsin’s rare amphibians and reptiles
10:00 Casper: A new field guide to amphibian eggs and larvae of the Western Great Lakes
10:15 Schmidt *: Water drawdowns and survival of marsh bird nests at Emiquon Preserve, IL
10:30 Live Q&A with presenters
* denotes presenter is participating in the student presentation competition
10:45–11:00 am Break
11:00 am–12:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
Wetland soils, hydrology, and geomorphology
Moderator: Aaron Volkening
Session Details
11:00 Orlofske: Testing parasites as bioindicators at the Glacial Habitat Restoration Area
11:15 Ahearn: Isotopic tracers: A different perspective of surface and groundwater remediation
11:30 Park: More than blue lines: Improving the national hydrography dataset
11:45 Live Q&A with presenters
Wetland Wildlife II
Moderator: Paul Skawinski
Session Details
11:00 LaValley: Observations of avian use of wetland mitigation site in the Lake Superior clay plain
11:15 Maile: Minnesota’s small wetland program: year one in bringing wetland management to the prairie region of Minnesota
11:30 Live Q&A with presenters
12:00 pm Closing Plenary Session
Announcement of:
- Winners of the 2021 Wetland Science Conference Challenge
- Winners of the Student Presentation Competitions (oral and poster presentations)
- Most favored photos
1:30–4:30 pm Afternoon Sessions
1:00 – 2:30 Tribal Wetland Programs Working Group. Facilitated by: Randy Poelma.
1:30 – 3:00 Roundtable Conversation: Wisconsin’s Women and Wetlands. Facilitated by: Sally Jarosz and Nicole Staskowski.
3:00 – 4:00 Roundtable Conversation: The Mary Linton Wetland Poetry Session. Facilitated by: Alice Thompson, Tod Highsmith, and Mike Mossman.