NAWM
The National Association of Wetland Managers is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1983 to promote and enhance protection and management of wetland resources, to promote application of sound science to wetland management efforts and to provide training and education for our members and the public. Membership is open to anyone who is involved with wetland resources.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding a virtual national workshop focused on the Enhancing State and Tribal Programs (ESTP) initiative. Wetland program staff from EPA, tribes/nations, states, territories, local governments, and non-profit/academic partners are invited to attend. The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) will be providing technical and facilitation support. The workshop will include updates from EPA on the ESTP initiative, Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs), and technical support, and will showcase wetland programs and projects from across the country.
The ESTP Virtual National Workshop will be held September 1-3, 2026. Virtual sessions via Microsoft Teams will run 1pm-5pm ET / 10am-2pm PT each day.
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open! Please note that you must register separately for each day:
ABSTRACTS
We welcome you to submit an abstract to be considered as a presenter for the virtual workshop. Abstracts can be submitted until Friday, July 3, 2026. Abstract guidelines and submission form are available here.
For More Information
If you have questions, please contact Portia Osborne with NAWM at portia@nawm.org.
In Preparation for Next-Generation Wetland Mapping and Monitoring with NISAR
Held Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
INTRODUCTION
- Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers [PRESENTATION PDF]
PRESENTER
Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, Michigan Technological University [PRESENTATION PDF]
ABSTRACT
The recently launched NASA-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) NISAR mission provides unprecedented opportunities for systematic wetland monitoring through 6-12 day repeat coverage (with ascending and descending modes). NISAR collects dual-frequency L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observations globally and quadrature polarization over select areas, including the midwestern US (much of the Great Lakes). This presentation highlighted the added capability of NISAR for global wetland mapping and monitoring. Imagery from the new satellite was shown, but the big release of data will not be until July 2026. Therefore, recent wetland research using the airborne version of NISAR, L- and S-band ASAR, acquired over Great Lakes coastal wetlands was presented. In this research we assessed multi-frequency polarimetric data from ASAR’s L- and S-bands as well as C-band from Radarsat-2. Using these quadrature polarized data, we demonstrated the capabilities and limitations of each wavelength for mapping wetland inundation beneath varying vegetation structures and biomass conditions. Comparisons among frequencies show differing sensitivities to flooded vegetation, canopy structure, and scattering mechanisms, improving our understanding of how wavelength and polarization influence inundation detection in complex wetland environments. For this often cloud covered region, we also assessed wetland type mapping using the single date of fully polarimetric L- and S-band ASAR data, and high classification accuracies were achieved across diverse wetland classes. In addition, we evalutated SAR retrieval algorithms for wetland vegetation biomass. The longer wavelength of L-band provides greater vegetation penetration capability to detect inundation and estimate biomass, thus it is highly complementary to both C-band (e.g. Sentinel-1) and optical-IR data (e.g. Sentinel-2 and Landsat) for monitoring wetlands.
BIO
Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, PhD is Chief Research Scientist and Sensing the Natural Environment Practice Area Lead at Michigan Tech Research Institute. She is Adjunct Associate Professor in Michigan Technological University’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences. Laura has extensive experience in ecological research and remote sensing with a focus on wetlands and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). She uses SAR alone or with other sensors to detect cryptic vernal pools, map wetland ecosystem types and to monitor inundation and soil moisture patterns. Her team has mapped wetlands across regions from the tropics to the boreal-arctic, including mountain peatland systems. Her research has had a strong focus on the Great Lakes coastal wetlands as well as boreal peatlands. Laura is particularly passionate about peatlands, which she has been researching for over twenty years and in 2021 she served as a coordinating lead author for the United Nations' Global Peatland Assessment. Bourgeau-Chavez holds a Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science from the University of Michigan in Natural Resources and Forest Ecology, respectively, and a PhD in Forest Ecology and Remote Sensing from the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B. Her dissertation was on using synthetic aperture radar satellite data to monitor fuel moisture in boreal ecosystems for fire danger assessment. As an adjunct associate professor at Michigan Tech, Bourgeau-Chavez serves on PhD and MS committees and gives occasional lectures on remote sensing of wetlands.
Recording will be posted soon.
Understanding the Wetland Data Ecosystem: Different Approaches and Outcomes
Held Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT
INTRODUCTION
- Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers [PRESENTATION PDF]
PRESENTERS
- Megan Lang, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory [PRESENTATION PDF]
- Andy Robertson, St. Mary's University of Minnesota GeoSpatial Services [PRESENTATION PDF]
- Robb MacLeod, Ducks Unlimited [PRESENTATION PDF]
- Meghan Halabisky, University of Washington
ABSTRACT
Understanding the Wetland Data Ecosystem: Different Approaches and Outcomes
Wetland geospatial data are increasingly important in light of current and future challenges around water quality, natural disaster mitigation, food and water security, conservation planning, and more. A wide-array of geospatial products can be used to support decision-making around wetlands –– from those that highlight where wetlands might be to those that identify specific wetland types and boundaries. These products are created for distinct geographies using varying wetland definitions and approaches. As a result, they map different areas and have contrasting levels of detail and accuracy. Through four unique perspectives, this webinar outlines the basic differences and relationships between wetland geospatial datasets, highlighting how they can be leveraged to best address user requirements.
BIOS
Megan Lang is Chief Scientist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Program and Project Lead for the Wetlands Status and Trends study. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland Department of Geographical Sciences and serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Wetlands. Dr. Lang has been working to improve the assessment of aquatic ecosystems through field and remote sensing studies for over two decades. Before working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she led the U.S. Department of Agricultural Mid-Atlantic Regional Wetland Conservation Effects Assessment Project
Robb Macleod is the National GIS Coordinator for Ducks Unlimited. He has been working for Ducks Unlimited in the GIS and Remote Sensing field for over 25 years. His current duties include coordinating all of the geospatial activities for Ducks Unlimited. Robb has been active in mapping wetlands in the Great Lakes for over 19 years with previous experience mapping wetlands and land cover in Alaska.
Andy Robertson is currently Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In this role, Andy is responsible for oversight and management of all GeoSpatial Services projects, activities and staff. GeoSpatial Services is engaged in a wide variety of projects across the Lower 48 and Alaska including: Catholic Church properties data driven decision support, wetland inventory and functional assessment, national hydrography dataset updates; stakeholder consultation; and natural resource condition assessments. Andy has been a key partner of the USFWS, working for over 20 years to update legacy National Wetland Inventory data across the nation. He earned a Forest Technology Diploma from Sault College of Applied Technology in Ontario, Canada, a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Waterloo and completed postgraduate work in forest management at the University of Toronto. He is a board member for the National Association of Wetland Managers, steering committee member for the NAWM Wetland Mapping Consortium, Member of the American Rivers Functioning Floodplain Alliance, President-Elect of the Society of Wetland Scientists North Central Chapter and past chair of the Alaska Wetlands Technical Working Group.
Meghan Halabisky is a co-founder of TealWaters and a Research Scientist at the University of Washington, specializing in remote sensing and geospatial analysis for wetland conservation. She holds a PhD in Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis from the University of Washington, where her research focuses on understanding wetland dynamics in the face of climate change and enhancing conservation strategies through cutting-edge spatial tools. She leads the NASA Carbon Monitoring System Science Team WetCarbon working group and serves as a Senior Science Advisor for Digital Earth Africa, working to support countries to develop national wetland inventories. Dr. Halabisky works closely with tribal governments, policymakers, and natural resource managers to promote equitable, nature-based solutions.
Please click only once on the video recording to view in this window.
Introduction: Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers;
Presenters: Megan Lang, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory; Andy Robertson, St. Mary's University of Minnesota GeoSpatial Services; Robb MacLeod, Ducks Unlimited; and Megha Halabisky, University of Washington
View Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars
PDF List of Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinar Recordings
View Upcoming Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars
Members receive weekly issues of Insider’s Edition and bimonthly issues of Wetland News per year. If you are a member already, you may read the latest issue of Insider’s Edition and Wetland News (NAWM’s membership newsletter) by logging in to your Members' Portal. NAWM membership benefits information.
NAWM is looking for photos of our members working in the field—whether inside or outside, regulation or restoration, monitoring & assessment—or mapping & management of wetland resources. We would like to feature photos of wetland professionals doing a wide range of activities in the field of wetland science, policy and management. Please email these photos to Laura at laura@nawm.org for use on the NAWM website and/or in our membership newsletter, Wetland News.
The NAWM membership includes state, tribal, federal, and local wetland managers, regulators, researchers, field scientists, academics, private consultants, and more. These wetlanders work across the United States in a wide variety of wetlands and related aquatic resources. To celebrate the important work that NAWM members are doing, each month NAWM shines the Member Spotlight on one member to learn more about the good work they are doing to protect and restore our wetland resources, how they came to work in wetlands, and how being a member of the Association benefits their work. If you would like to nominate a member for a future Member Spotlight, please reach out to Portia Osborne, NAWM Executive Director, at portia@nawm.org. View Member Spotlight Archive.
Tonie Mitchum
Tonie Mitchum works for the City of Albany, Georgia, as a Planner II and was a 2025 recipient of the
Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Award.
What is one of your biggest professional accomplishments?
My biggest professional accomplishment so far is becoming a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM). Although the test was difficult, it was great to see that my studying paid off and I get to make an impact in the community that keeps people and properties safe, and I directly benefit from my work because I live in the 100-yr floodplain. As a person with an environmental science background who enjoys policy, this type of work is right up my alley! Floodplains and wetlands go hand in hand.
What is your favorite type of wetland? Why?
My favorite type of wetland is either a blackwater swamp or bottomland hardwoods. It is cool to live in Georgia where we have the largest blackwater swamp in North America which is the Okefenokee (also one of the seven natural wonders of Georgia). It is a certified dark sky park, and I love to camp there! The second largest swamp in Georgia, the Chickasawhatchee, is right outside of my city. I enjoy being able to go out and explore these areas and take in all the beautiful biodiversity. It gives me a greater appreciation for where I live and what I do.
How long have you been a member of NAWM? How have you participated in NAWM?
I have been a member of NAWM since 2024! I try to attend as many webinars as I can (and soon plan to take the hydric soils course), I have attended an annual meeting and participate in the NAWM outreach and communications committee.
What is your favorite benefit of being a member of NAWM?
I love being able to learn new things and bring it back to the office to share with my colleagues and just people in my day-to-day life. It is also great being able to connect with such awesome people who share similar professional and personal interests with me!
What is your favorite NAWM memory?
My favorite NAWM memory is having the wonderful opportunity to be selected as Kusler Scholar and attending the 2025 State/Tribal/Federal Coordination meeting in Stevenson, Washington. It was my first time in the Pacific Northwest, and I was in awe at the landscape! The presentations given at the conference were amazing and the lesson of being resilient like salmon is something that still sticks with me today. I can’t wait to head to Shepherdstown in April!
If you would like to nominate a member for a future Member Spotlight, please reach out to Portia Osborne, NAWM Executive Director, at portia@nawm.org.
View Member Spotlight Archive.
The EPA Region 6 Enhancing State and Tribal Program Meeting was held as a fully virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from 9am – 12:30pm mountain time each day. The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) provided logistical and facilitation support to EPA Region 6 for this meeting.
The target audience was state, Tribal, federal, regional and municipal wetland and aquatic resource program staff and managers that are interested in wetland and aquatic resource management, restoration, conservation, and protection. EPA Region 6 includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and 66 Tribal Nations.
Presentations included: projects funded through EPA Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG); briefing on the EPA WPDG new Notice of Funding Opportunity for Region 6.
- Presentations have been added.
If you have questions, please contact Ian Grosfelt, Environmental Analysis at ian@nawm.org.
Mid-Atlantic Wetlands Workgroup 2025 Annual Meeting:
Sharing Research, Best Practices and Lessons Learned in
Wetland Management
Thank you for joining us for the Mid-Atlantic Wetlands Workgroup’s (MAWWG) 2025 meeting to spur new projects, partnerships, and collaborative efforts to strengthen management of aquatic resources across the region.
Dates
September 23-25, 2-25
Location
Canaan Valley Resort State Park; Davis, WV
Host Organizations
The National Association of Wetland Managers
MAWWG Purpose:
The Mid-Atlantic Wetland Workgroup (MAWWG) facilitates a community of practice among scientists and regulators to improve the quality and quantity of wetlands and inform resource management, including sharing strategies to monitor, assess, conserve and restore tidal and non-tidal wetlands in a scientifically sound and implementable manner with a focus on state, tribal and federal programs.
Agenda
Agenda provided below with links to presentation slides. See Resources below.
| TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD | |
| Day 1 Morning | |
| 8:30am – 10:15am | Introductions and Icebreaker |
| 10:15am – 10:30am | BREAK |
| 10:30am – 12:00pm | Challenges and Brainstorming |
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| Day 1 Afternoon | |
| 1:00pm – 2:30pm | State/Tribal Share-Outs |
| 2:30pm – 2:45pm | BREAK |
| 2:45pm – 4:15pm |
Innovative Tools and Techniques
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| 4:15pm – 4:45pm | Day 1 Debrief |
| WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH | |
| Day 2 Morning | |
| 8:30am – 8:45am | Recap and Announcements |
| 8:45am – 10:15am |
State Share-Outs
|
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| 10:15am – 10:30am | BREAK | |||
| 10:30am – 12:00pm |
Connecting Research to Policy
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| Day 2 Afternoon | ||
| 12:00pm – 4:15pm | Field Visit The group visited several sites in Blackwater Falls State Park including a WVWRAM Assessed wetland and an exemplary peatland. We also stopped at the Freeland Boardwalk Trail in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. |
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| 4:15pm – 4:45pm | Day 2 Debrief | |
| THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH | ||
| Day 3 Morning | ||
| 8:30am – 8:45am | Recap and Announcements | |
| 8:45am – 10:15am | Vernal Pools | |
|
Vernal Pool Surface Water Connectivity in the Headwaters of Central Pennsylvania: Taylor Blackman, Pennsylvania State University Volunteer Vernal Pool Monitoring in West Virginia: Callie Sams, West Virginia DEP Maine Special Area Management Program: Aram Calhoun, University of Maine Partnerships to support vernal pool management, restoration and monitoring in Pennsylvania: Betsy Leppo, Western |
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| 10:15am – 10:30am | BREAK | |
| 10:30am – 12:00pm |
Citizen Science and Outreach
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Effects of road salt on nitrogen removal by freshwater urban wetlands
Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy
Contact Information
Agenda
Ian Grosfelt
Environmental Analyst
National Association of Wetland Managers
(207) 892-3399; ian@nawm.org
Marla Stelk, Executive Director
National Association of Wetland Managers
(207) 892-3399; marla@nawm.org
General Information
Laura Burchill, Office Manager
National Association of Wetland Managers
500 Washington Avenue, Suite 201
Portland, ME 04103
(207) 892-3399; Fax: (207) 894-7992
laura@nawm.org
The 2025 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Wetland Program Virtual Meeting was held on October 14-15, 2025. The online sessions was an opportunity for Tribes and States in Region 5 who are engaged in wetlands protection issues and current and past Wetland Program Development Grant (WPDG) recipients to share wetland program updates and showcase recent WPDG projects. The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) provided logistical and facilitation support.
Agenda and Speakers
Presentations
Day 1 (October 14, 2025)
EPA’s Enhanced State and Tribal Program Overview, Nicki DeWeese, EPA Region 5
National Wetlands Conditions Assessment Update, Mari Nord, EPA Region 5
Regional Monitoring Network in R5, Katie Quesnell, EPA Region 5
Eye of the Beholder: Perception of Natural Beauty of Wisconsin Wetlands, Ben Beardmore, Wisconsin DNR
Evaluation of Alternate Wetland Assessment Methods in Ohio, Jeff Boyles, Ohio EPA
Establishing Wetlands as an Agricultural Management Practice in Wisconsin, Erin O’Brien, Wisconsin Wetlands Association
Day 2 (October 15, 2025)
Region 5 Tribal Wetlands Working Group Updates, Mike Jones, Stockbridge-Munsee Community
Improving Wetland and Stream Connectivity, John Saltanovitz, Michigan EGLE
Mercury Concentrations in Peatland vs. Non-Peatland Tributaries of Red Lake, Tyler Orgon, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
Weaving Wetland Knowledge at SMSC: Using Cultural Inputs and Geospatial Tools for Improved Stewardship, Ferin Davis Anderson, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
Wisconsin Mitigation Guidelines Update, Chelsey Lundeen, Wisconsin DNR
Using Desktop Resources to Complete the New WI/MN Wetland Functional Assessment Method, Sally Jarosz, WI DNR, and Ken Powell, MN BWSR
For More Information
If you have questions, please contact Portia Osborne with NAWM at portia@nawm.org.
New Tools for Efficient and Effective Desktop Wetland Delineation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Held Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. EST
INTRODUCTION
- Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers [Presentation - PDF]
PRESENTERS
- Mike Evans, Chesapeake Conservancy [Presentation - PDF]
- Jes Skillman, Ducks Unlimited, Great Lakes/Atlantic Region [Presentation- PDF]
- Evelyn Magner, Ducks Unlimited [Presentation- PDF]
BIOS
Michael Evans is Deputy Director with the Conservation Innovation Center and leads research that improves conservation policy, decision-making, and implementation. He is responsible for developing the Chesapeake Conservancy's use of data science and technology, including the application of deep learning and remote sensing data to better understand land-use dynamics. He earned a Ph.D. in natural resource management from the University of Connecticut where his research helped state agencies understand how the space use and movements of black bears change across gradients of human landscape modification.
Jes Skillman has over 12 years' experience in Conservation GIS at Ducks Unlimited. She currently manages and coordinates the Geospatial Department of Duck’s Unlimited’s Great Lakes / Atlantic office. In this role, Ms. Skillman works closely with partners, the DU Conservation Team, and the DU GIS team to develop baseline data, priority area mapping tools, and web applications that align with conservation goals. Ms. Skillman has a BA in Ecology from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Conservation Biology from the University of Michigan.
Evelyn Magner has experience as a GIS professional in conservation non-profits, including 4 years of National Wetland Inventory mapping. Prior to joining Ducks Unlimited, Evelyn worked with various nonprofits, supporting their conservation efforts with the creation of maps and web applications for communication and planning purposes. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies and geography and a Master of Science in applied ecology.
Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.
Part 1: Introduction: Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers; Presenter: Mike Evans, Chesapeake Conservancy
Leveraging Related Federal Mapping Programs to Enhance NWI Data Cost Efficiency and Interoperability
Held Wednesday, September 10, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. EDT
INTRODUCTION
- Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers [Presentation - PDF]
PRESENTERS
- Megan Lang, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory
- Andy Robertson, St. Mary's University of Minnesota Geospatial Services [Presentation - PDF]
BIOS
Megan Lang is Chief Scientist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Program and Project Lead for the Wetlands Status and Trends study. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland Department of Geographical Sciences and serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Wetlands. Dr. Lang has been working to improve the assessment of aquatic ecosystems through field and remote sensing studies for over two decades. Before working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she led the U.S. Department of Agricultural Mid-Atlantic Regional Wetland Conservation Effects Assessment Project.
Andy Robertson is currently Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In this role, Andy is responsible for oversight and management of all GeoSpatial Services projects, activities and staff. GeoSpatial Services is engaged in a wide variety of projects across the Lower 48 and Alaska including: wetland inventory; National Hydrography Dataset updates; spatial data development; and natural resource condition assessments. GeoSpatial Services has been a key partner of the USFWS and has been working for over 18 years to update legacy National Wetland Inventory data across the nation. Andy is a steering committee member for the NAWM Wetland Mapping Consortium, a NAWM Board Member and is past-chair of the Alaska GeoSpatial Council Wetland Technical Working Group.
Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.
Part 1: Introduction: Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers; Presenters: Megan Lang, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory and Andy Robertson, St. Mary's University of Minnesota Geospatial Services
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory
Held Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT
In this webinar, they reflected on the past and future of the NWI Program as they heard from data users across the nation. Presenters highlighted the importance of wetlands geospatial data in supporting sound decision-making, from guiding species conservation to enabling strategic development. The audience was welcome to share their own stories. They celebrated the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory!
INTRODUCTION
- Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers [Presentation - PDF]
PRESENTERS
- Megan Lang, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Presentation - PDF]
- Jes Skillman, Ducks Unlimited [Presentation - PDF]
- Andy Robertson, St. Mary's University of Minnesota Geospatial Services [Presentation - PDF]
- Alex Moya, The Pew Charitable Trusts [Presentation - PDF]
- Mike Wissner, The Pew Charitable Trusts
- Phil Thiel, Dewberry [Presentation - PDF]
- Hillary Palmer, Dewberry
- Mark Biddle, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control [Presentation - PDF]
- Frank Nelson, Missouri Department of Conservation [Presentation - PDF]
- Rachel Sullivan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Presentation - PDF]
Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.
Part 1: Introduction: Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers; Presenter: Megan Lang, National Wetlands Inventory Program
Piloting Next-Generation Wetland Mapping in Alberta with Advanced Artificial Intelligence Methodologies
Held Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT
INTRODUCTION [Presentation - PDF]
Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers
PRESENTERS [Presentation - PDF]
- Lyle Boychuk, Ducks Unlimited Canada
- Rebecca Edwards, Ducks Unlimited Canada
ABSTRACT
This presentation provided an overview of a collaborative project, delivered by the Government of Alberta, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, aimed at piloting and refining state-of-the-art wetland mapping methodologies specific to Alberta’s boreal, parkland, and grassland region. Wetlands across Alberta, which act as nature’s water filters, biodiversity hot spots and carbon storehouses, are facing significant changes due to climate change and human disturbance, therefore, spatial inventorying of wetlands is critical and required to support legislation and policy development surrounding the management and monitoring of these sensitive ecosystems.
In 2014, the Government of Alberta (GOA) released a provincial wetland inventory, the Alberta Merged Wetland Inventory (AMWI). However, the AMWI is derived from various image sources, across a range of dates, while using different methodologies, resulting in variations in quality and accuracy. In 2020, the Government of Alberta published standards for addressing wetland inventory updates across the province, including requirements for minimum mapping units, classification accuracy, and classification detail; thus, an updated wetland inventory is imperative to ensuring a consistent and accurate wetland inventory covering Alberta. Recent advancements in remote sensing methods and Earth observation data present encouraging avenues for meeting these standards. In response to this, the project team developed, advanced, and evaluated several methodologies across four pilot areas targeted at achieving the provincial benchmarks. These methodologies leveraged multiple artificial intelligence (AI) technologies (e.g., machine and deep learning), Earth observation datasets, recent airborne LiDAR acquisitions, and airborne and field verified wetland surveys. The resulting inventories successfully tested and advanced AI methodology. Three of the pilot areas (excluding parkland) met the provincial mapping standards (greater than 70% accuracy) at various thematic levels, ranging from general wetland detection to wetland class and form. Machine learning outperformed deep learning in the form classification due to its ability to classify minority classes where, with more training data, deep learning will continue to get more accurate results. Lastly, LiDAR was critical for identifying isolated depressions in the Prairies and had significant impact at the form level in the Boreal. These pilot inventories offer crucial insights into scaling these methods to a provincial level and provide valuable guidance for advancing wetland mapping and monitoring efforts across Alberta.
BIOS
Lyle Boychuk is the Manager of GIS and Inventory Programs; Prairie Region for Ducks Unlimited Canada Lyle has been working in geomatics for 27 years and is currently in his 23rd year of service with DUC. He manages a team of specialists responsible for building GIS applications in support of conservation programs and managing the delivery Canadian Wetland Inventory (CWI) projects across Prairie Canada. His professional interests include the use of remote sensing to characterize Prairie Wetlands, the application of terrain data for quantifying wetland hydrology; and the use of UAV technology to support conservation program delivery.
Rebecca (Becky) Edwards is the lead remote sensing specialist for DUC’s National Boreal Program. She completed her MSc in Geography specializing in remote sensing from Queen’s University focusing on vegetation change in the Arctic. Becky has been working with DUC for over 7 years with experience in wetland remote sensing, time series analysis, northern landscapes, and wetland ecology. She has led and supported many large-scale wetland inventory products across the Boreal to support the Canadian Wetland Inventory (CWI) and continues to advance novel wetland classification methodologies.
Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.
Part 1: Introduction: Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers; Presenters: Lyle Boychuk, Ducks Unlimited Canada and Rebecca Edwards, Ducks unlimited Canada
View Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars
PDF List of Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinar Recordings
View Upcoming Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars
PHOTOS
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MEETING MATERIALS
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Agenda with Presentations (Updated 5/14/25) Speaker Material Speakers, if you would like to send links for materials, webpages, etc. (describing your work) to share with other meeting participants, please email them to Sharon at sharon@nawm.org. Wetlands: Changing the Narrative Campaign/Videos NAWM Publications NAWM Resources
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Thank You to Our Meeting Sponsors
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The 2025 EPA Region 9 Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) Virtual Meeting was held on June 17 and 18, 2025. The online sessions provided general information and updates on WPDGs and the upcoming 2025 WPDG Notice of Funding Opportunity and showcased several current/previous WPDG projects. The meeting was open to attendees from EPA Region 9, including tribes, states, and non-profit/academic partners. The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) provided technical and facilitation support.
Agenda (6/17/25)
Day 1 (Tuesday, June 17, 2025)
Wetland Program Development Grants Overview – Sarvy Mahdavi, U.S. EPA Region 9
Wetland Program Plans Overview – Yvonne Vallette, U.S. EPA Region 10
Quality Assurance and Quality Control – Dana Michels, U.S. EPA Region 9
National Wetlands Inventory Overview – Lauren Healey, National Wetlands Inventory (NWI)
Installation of Pre-Planted Pallets via Helicopter to Restore Inaccessible Reed Canarygrass-Dominated Wetlands – Michelle Bahnick, Tulalip Tribes of Washington
Inventory and Assessment Efforts of Nevada’s Wetland Program – Chantal Iosso, Nevada Division of Natural Heritage
Lummi Nation Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank – Jamie Mattson and Jeff Solomon, Lummi Natural Resources Department
Overview of NAWM Trainings and Projects – Portia Osborne and Ian Grosfelt, NAWM
Day 2 (Wednesday, June 18, 2025)
Developing Hawaiʻi’s First Protection and Restoration Strategy for Wetlands – Maya Goodoni and Devon Aguiar, Hawaiʻi Coral Reef Initiative, Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawai‘i
Developing a Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring Program for the Southern California Bight – David Gillett, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
Russian River Regional Monitoring Program: Comprehensive Basemap of Surface Waters and Riparian Areas – Cristina Grosso, San Francisco Estuary Institute
Sediment and Soil for Wetland Adaptation Project – Brenda Goeden, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
San Francisco Estuary Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program (WRMP): Bridging Data with Decision-Making for Adaptive Management – Sasha Harris-Lovett, San Francisco Estuary Partnership
Building Capacity for Assessing Wetland Recovery Efforts in Supporting Regional Wetland Health and Resiliency – Katie Nichols, CA State Coastal Conservancy
View Here (6/23/25)
View Here (6/23/25)
EPA Resources:
Wetlands Program Core Elements Framework
EPA-approved State and Tribal Wetland Program Plans
Region 9 Wetland Program Development Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity
EPA’s Quality Assurance Standard for QAPPs
NAWM Resources:
NAWM Webinars
NAWM Online Trainings
Wetlands One-Stop Mapping Webpage
Beaver-Related Restoration Webpage
Tribal Wetland Programs Webpage
Pacific Northwest Tribal Clean Water Act Training
Integrated Watershed Management Workshops
Wetlands: Changing the Narrative Campaign
MARSH Mentorship Program
NWI Resources:
GIS Analytical Tools and Other Resources
Contribute Data to the National Wetlands Inventory | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Mapping Standard Compliant Data - Supplement (version 2)
2019 Wetlands Status and Trends Report
2019 Coastal Watersheds Wetlands Status and Trends
National Wetlands Inventory Use Highlights
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the National Wetlands Inventory
Wetland Educational Resources
American Wetlands Month
Additional Resources:
Oxbow Wetland Pallet Project Video
HWPP Protection and Restoration Strategies StoryMaps
California Estuary Monitoring Workgroup (CEMW)
If you have questions, please reach out to Portia Osborne, NAWM Assistant Director, at portia@nawm.org or (207) 892-3399.
Publications
The Association conducts research and publishes reports, guidebooks, news articles, brochures, white papers, and summaries of findings of symposia and workshops. These are available electronically to all interested individuals and organizations.