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

9:00–10:50 am Plenary Session

Sponsored by The Brookby Foundation

 

Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part I: Hydrology Fundamentals

9:00 Welcome and Opening Comments

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

10:50–11:00 am Break

11:00 am–12:30 pm Plenary Session

Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part II: Restoration Considerations

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

Afternoon

Roundtable conversations with symposium presenters

Evening

Virtual field trip film festival highlighting wetlands across Wisconsin

Wednesday February 17th

9:00–10:50 am Plenary Session

Sponsored by the Fund for Lake Michigan

Hydrologic Restoration Symposium Part III: State programs and public/private solutions

9:00 Welcome and Review of Day 1

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

10:50–11:00 am Break

11:00 am–12:30 pm Plenary Session

 

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

11:15 Wisconsin Agency Leaders Panel

Afternoon

Roundtable conversations, Tribal wetland programs working groups, and wetland soils workshop

Evening

WWA Annual membership meeting & social (virtual)

Thursday February 18th

9:00 – 10:00 am Plenary Session

Sponsored by the We Energies Foundation

9:10 Plenary Address: Attempting to understand the disconnect between African Americans and the outdoors
Dudley Edmondson, Photographer, filmmaker, and author

9:40 Live Q&A with Dudley Edmondson

10:00 am – 1:00 pm Concurrent Sessions, Poster Session & Exhibitor Office Hours

Afternoon

Roundtable conversations, Practitioners’ working group, and aquatic plant ID workshop

Friday, February 19th

9:00 – 10:00 am Lightning Round presentations

10:00 am – 1:00 pm Concurrent Sessions, Poster Session, Exhibitor Office Hours, and Announcement of Big Winners!

Winners of the 2021 Wetland Science Conference Challenge
Winners of the Student Presentation Competition
Most favored photos

Afternoon

Roundtable conversations and working groups