NAWM

Thank you for joining us for the 2024 Joint Meeting of MAWWG and NEBAWWG! The meeting was a great chance for participants to learn about new or updated programs, projects, regulations, data sources & policies; exchange knowledge and experiences on wetland programs, strategies, methods & tools; and network, collaborate, and build partnerships across states/regions. We had over 60 attendees from across the region attend in person, with several more participants online.

Dates: November 12-14, 2024 
Location: Hotel Northampton, Northampton, MA

Host Organizations: 

• National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM)
• NEIWPCC
  

Agenda provided as a PDF or below with links to presentation slides. See also Resources.

Resources

MAWWG-NEBAWWG Webpage

NAWM's Wetlands: Changing the Narrative Campaign

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and Refuge Map

City of Northampton Pine Grove Restoration Site

 
Contact Information

Portia Osborne
Assistant Director
National Association of Wetland Managers
(207) 892-3399; portia@nawm.org

Thank you to our Generous Sponsors! 

Egret Sponsor

To address the effects of a changing climate, The Pew Charitable Trusts considers multiple policy areas to help lawmakers safeguard their constituents and communities. Pew experts produce research, identify best practices, work alongside state and local leaders to create resilience plans and policies, safeguard habitats that help slow climate change, and target resources to vulnerable communities.

 

Loon Sponsors

At Westervelt Ecological Services (WES), we are dedicated to providing mitigation and conservation solutions across the United States. Established in 2006, WES has conserved over 30,000 acres of habitat for the benefit of over 50 federally or state protected plants and animals. To reach our conservation goals, WES collaborates with private landowners, businesses, nonprofits including land trust organizations, and government entities.

Society of Wetland Scientists and the SWS Pacific Northwest Chapter
Information coming soon.

Kingfisher Sponsors

Cattails Environmental provides quality and timely environmental consulting services related to the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act, and works primarily in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas with occasional forays into surrounding states.

Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. To date, DU has conserved more than 18 million acres.

If you would like to become a Sponsor of our Annual Meeting, please see information here.

Return to main meeting webpage.

				CONTACT INFORMATION
				Agenda 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; laura@nawm.org

 Return to Main Meeting Information

							CONTACT INFORMATION
							Agenda 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; laura@nawm.org

NAWM’s Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination (STFC) Meeting, was being held at the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA on April 8-10, 2025 with field trips on Friday, April 11.

The theme for this meeting was Building an Evergreen Future with Wetlands and had a particular focus on cross-boundary issues, restoration, mitigation, adaptation, geospatial approaches, and more. The purpose of this annual meeting was to support state and Tribal wetland program managers, and other wetland professionals as they respond to challenges in the coming year.

							CONTACT INFORMATION
							Program Information  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; laura@nawm.org

Wetlands: Changing the Narrative Campaign

A multi-year, multi-media campaign to share stories about why wetlands are important through the voices of everyday Americans. 

In Wetlands: Changing the Narrative, we’re shining a light on the people who are reshaping our  relationship with the natural world. Hunters, anglers, ranchers, and small family farmers all depend on healthy wetlands for their way of life. From the most remote bison wallow in the Great Plains to the edges of the Everglades and beyond we’ll discover seemingly ordinary people making extraordinary impacts on their local wetlands through a mix of landowner stewardship, science, engineering, and sheer determination. Their stories, insights, and passion will be the conduit through which the wondrous natural history of our wetland heritage is presented to our viewers. Stories like these in Tennessee contain powerful messages that speak to the values of those who call Tennessee home. Read Press Release

Wetlands: Changing the Narrative View our Campaign Trailer Wetlands: Changing the Narrative

Please click only once on each video recording to view in the window. Terry Hamby Changing the Narrative - The Tennessee Stories Terry Hamby: duck hunter, landowner Zac Fox Changing the Narrative - The Tennessee Stories Zac Fox: businessman, brewer John McEwen Changing the Narrative - The Tennessee Stories John and Bill McEwen: anglers, landowners Kristen Cecala Changing the Narrative - The Tennessee Stories Kristen Cecala: educator, scientist

The Team

Some of the creative partners NAWM has engaged so far include:

Wide Awake Films (Kansas City, MO): For more than 20 years the team at Wide Awake has produced award winning films for television, museums, streaming, and commercial clients. Their clients run the gamut, including PBS, John Deere, The National Park Service, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Platte Basin Timelapse (Lincoln, Nebraska): Since 2011 PBT has used film and multimedia to bring the stories of our nation’s waterways to a wider audience. Known for their timelapse nature photography and keen understanding of river systems and watersheds, PBT stands ready to lend their expertise to whichever watery habitat we choose to film. 

We invite you to join us for NAWM’s Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting, to be held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) from June 17-20, 2024. This year’s theme is “Filling the Gaps & Embracing Change.” The purpose of this annual meeting is to support state and Tribal wetland program managers, and other wetland professionals as they respond to challenges in the coming year.
 

DATES June 17-20, 2024 LOCATION National Conservation Training Center 698 Conservation Way Shepherdstown, WV 25443 Phone: 877-706-6282 or 304-876-7900 AGENDA  Final Draft Agenda (Updated 5/7/24 / PDF) ABSTRACTS  Call for Abstracts is now closed.       SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Sponsor this Great Event! (PDF)    SPONSORSHIP PROSPECTUS Friday, May 24, 202 Sponsorship Deadline   CALL FOR RAFFLE ITEMS We are accepting Raffle donations. Please contact: Dawn Smith (dawn@nawm.org) for more information. Deadline to submit a raffle item is Friday, May 31st.    REGISTRATION    Standard Registration Rates    March 4 - May 31 GO TO RATES  Late Registration Rate  REGISTER HERE  Late Registration Rates June 1 - June 7

This Year's Keynote Speaker Brenda Mallory Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality   WELCOME TO OUR SPONSORS:

SCHOLARSHIPS

State/Tribal Scholarship is now closed.

A limited number of scholarships are available to U.S. state and Tribal agency staff to assist those in need to cover travel, lodging and/or registration costs to attend NAWM's Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting. Our intent is to support as many people as possible with the limited amount of funding that we have. If you are able to cover some of your expenses, that will enable more of our colleagues to attend.

Scholarships may be provided to those who are eligible for up to a maximum of $1,000 in expenses. Please note that scholarships are provided as reimbursements for expenses paid - receipts are required for reimbursement. Registration expenses will be waived (versus reimbursed) and will be considered as part of the total scholarship expense amount approved.

Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Competition is now closed.

The Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Award was created in 2020 to honor the legacy of the late Dr. Jon A. Kusler, Esq., NAWM’s founder and one of the most influential thinkers of our time regarding wetland and floodplain science, policy, and law. Jon paved the way for wetland and floodplain protection around the world, challenging us to think beyond the norm – to find new and innovative ways to solve some of our most pressing environmental issues. This competitive award funds all expenses* for one or more U.S.-based students to attend the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination (STFC) Meeting and is open to any student with a declared major in wetland (or other aquatic resource) science, policy, law, or a related field in either the undergraduate or graduate level. 
 

FIELD TRIP THE FIELD TRIP IS FULL; PLEASE JOIN THE WAIT LIST WHEN REGISTERING

Thursday, June 20, 2023 – 1:30pm – 4:30pm.

Altona Marsh Visit

West Virginia DEP and TNC will lead us on a tour of the Altona marsh complex.

The marsh complex is composed of 6 different aquatic resource types including a marl fen and marsh composed or rare plant populations. TNC in conjunction with WVDNR is currently managing the location for spotted turtles and rare plant population habitat. During the site visit you will have the opportunity to observe various wetland/aquatic resource types including a marl hardstem bulrush fen, marl marsh, goldenrod wet meadow, swamp/marsh mosaic, silver maple swamp and beaver influenced open water area. We plan to have an NRCS soil scientist at the site to discuss marl/peat soil types and formation. The location will also provide an opportunity for attendees to discuss beaver establishment best practices, invasive species control, and the balance between species and conflicting habitat requirements. We hope that you will be able to join NAWM and WVDEP for this opportunity to visit this unique West Virginia wetlands complex.

We plan to carpool from NCTC to visit this site. Lunch will be served in the dining hall prior to the field visit.

The visit will involve hiking and wet locations so please bring appropriate footwear along with water, bug repellent, sunscreen, and any other items you may need for the field. If you have any special needs or specific concerns, please let us know.

See Registration Rates above for Field Trip cost.

LODGING INFORMATION / RATES 

The National Conservation Training Center (NCTC)
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
Phone: 877-706-6282 or 304-876-7900

ROOM RATE

Single Room Rate is $201 per person per night (includes $20 per night sustainability fee and meal plan). Participants who lodge on-site must participate in the NCTC Meal Plan that begins with dinner on the day of check-in and ends with lunch on the day of check-out. Credit for missed meals is not given. Please call NCTC for reservations and mention that you are part of the NAWM room block. Please note, NCTC does not have any rooms available for the night of Friday, June 21.

Deadline for room reservations is Friday, May 17, 2024. After this date please call NCTC for room availability.

COMMUTER INFORMATION

Guests who lodge off-site or commute should check in at the front desk upon arrival. For meals: you may elect to take meals a la carte or purchase a lunch pass. Cost for meals: Breakfast: $17.00; Lunch: $18.00; Dinner: $34.00. Meal plan is $74.00. Credit for missed meals is not given. Late arrivals and early departures may be accommodated with advance notice. More information on meal plans can be found here.

LOCATION INFORMATION 

The National Conservation Training Center, or frequently referred to as NCTC, is located just 60 miles or just over 1 hour outside the Washington DC metropolitan beltway. They are part of the Shepherdstown, West Virginia community also known for the nearby state university just down the road. They are located closest to the Washington Dulles International Airport, but many customers also use Baltimore/Washington International and Reagan National (DC) Airport. 

SHUTTLE SERVICE

Shuttle Service is only available for arrivals from Dulles Airport to NCTC. The cost is $100 per person for one way or round trip. You may reserve a time for the shuttle when making your room reservation by calling the Hotel Reservations office at 304-876-7900 no later than 14 days prior to the start of the event. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.

Shuttle Schedule from Dulles to NCTC for Sunday, June 16:

Depart Dulles 1:00 p.m. ET - Arrive NCTC: 3:00 p.m. ET
Depart Dulles 4:00 p.m. ET - Arrive NCTC: 6:00 p.m. ET
Depart Dulles: 7:00 p.m. ET - Arrive NCTC: 9:00 p.m. ET

Shuttle Schedule from NCTC to Dulles for Friday, June 21:

Depart NCTC: 1:30 pm. ET - Arrive Dulles: 3:30 p.m. ET
Depart NCTC: 4:30 p.m. ET - Arrive Dulles: 6:30 p.m. ET

More detailed Shuttle Information can be found here.

Shuttle Cancellation Policy: All participants, including FWS and partner employees must cancel their shuttle reservations no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the event. Otherwise, you will be charged the full shuttle cost. Note: Rates are subject to change.

CARPOOL

Carpool Sign Up. Add your name as a driver or join a carpool.

MAPS

Google Maps: Mapping websites have a difficult time locating NCTC using their mailing address. However, Google Maps will show you how to get to the NCTC entrance via 100 Col Shepherd Rd, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, USA.

NCTC FACILITY

About NCTC

General Information: Phone, Hours, Dining, Day Care, Service, Gym

NCTC: Points of Interest, USFWS Conservation Library, USFWS Conservation Museum and Archives, Vallen Comrades Memorial Wall, Elm Grove Overlook, Butterfly Garden

Facility Activities: Birding, Fishing, Hunting, Hiking, Running, and Photography

							CONTACT INFORMATION
							Agenda 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; laura@nawm.org

This Year's Keynote Speaker

Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality 

Brenda Mallory is the 12th Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the first African American to serve in this position. As Chair, she advises the President on environmental and natural resources policies that improve, preserve, and protect public health and the environment for America’s communities. She is focused particularly on addressing the environmental justice and climate challenges the nation faces while advancing opportunities for job growth and economic development. Chair Mallory has decades of experience in both the private and public sector, including spending nearly 20 years at the Environmental Protection Agency and CEQ, serving in a number of senior roles. In Chair Mallory’s first stint at CEQ as the General Counsel, she helped shape many of President Obama’s signature environmental and natural resource policy successes.

Now, as Chair, she is advancing President Biden’s ambitious climate and environmental justice agenda. Chair Mallory was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Yale with a double major in history and sociology and then from Columbia Law School as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

Read Brenda Mallory's full bio here.

							CONTACT INFORMATION
							Agenda 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; laura@nawm.org

MEETING MATERIALS

Agenda  Agenda with Presentations - (Updated 7/10/24) (To open the presentations, enter the password provided in your thank you email sent on 7/3/24.) Speakers/Participants  Speaker Biographies   Abstracts  Evaluation Form Photos 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.  NAWM Publications Case Studies of Local Coastal Wetland Protections (2024)   Strategies and an Action Plan for Protecting and Restoring Wetland and Floodplain Functions (2023)   Urban Wetlands Protection and Restoration Guide (2021)   Healthy Wetlands, Healthy Watersheds: Leveraging State Wetland Restoration and Protection Programs to Improve Watershed Health (2019)    Wetland Restoration: Contemporary Issues & Lessons Learned (2017)   ASWM Wetland Communications Case Studies Project Report (2017)   Government Liability and Climate Change: Selected Issues for Wetland and Floodplain Managers (2016)   Ecosystem Service Valuation for Wetland Restoration: What It Is, How To Do It, and Best Practice Recommendations (2014)      NAWM Resources  NAWM Online Trainings NAWM Webinars Wetlands One-Stop Mapping Wetlands and Climate Change Watersheds Beaver-Related Restoration State Wetland Programs Tribal Wetland Programs Local Wetland Programs Federal Wetland Programs Clean Water Act Return to the Main meeting webpage.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

							CONTACT INFORMATION
							Agenda 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; laura@nawm.org

Predicting and Mapping the effects of the Sackett Decision

Held Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET

View Recorded Webinar

The 2023 Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA is the most recent change to the scope of the Clean Water Act through its shrinking of federal jurisdiction over streams and wetlands. In the decision's wake, several states, organizations, and researchers have been developing predictive geospatial tools to map future possibilities for the extent of "Waters of the United States". This webinar featured presentations of ongoing prediction efforts in two states, Wisconsin and New Mexico, as well as a recently published national model to support future policy and regulatory frameworks.

INTRODUCTION

• Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers [PRESENTATION PDF]

PRESENTERS

• Joe Shapiro, University of California, Berkeley [PRESENTATION PDF]
• Tom Bernthal, Wisconsin's Green Fire [PRESENTATION PDF]
• Andy Robertson, GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota [PRESENTATION PDF]

ABSTRACTS

Joe Shapiro, University of California, Berkeley
We assess which waters the Clean Water Act protects and how Supreme Court and White House rules change this regulation. We train a deep learning model using aerial imagery and geophysical data to predict 150,000 jurisdictional determinations from the Army Corps of Engineers, each deciding regulation for one water resource. Under a 2006 Supreme Court ruling, the Clean Water Act protects two-thirds of US streams and more than half of wetlands; under a 2020 White House rule, it protects less than half of streams and a fourth of wetlands, implying deregulation of 690,000 stream miles, 35 million wetland acres, and 30% of waters around drinking-water sources. Our framework can support permitting, policy design, and use of machine learning in regulatory implementation problems.

Andy Robertson, GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
New Mexico, one of the largest semi-arid states in the US is highly dependent on surface hydrology. From drinking water and cultural ceremonies to acequia farming and outdoor recreation, clean water supports all aspects of life in New Mexico. Water is a precious resource everywhere, but its importance is magnified in New Mexico’s arid climate.

The 2023 Supreme Court in Sackett v. EPA has the potential to remove federal Clean Water Act protections for many New Mexico waters. This presentation discussed efforts to quantify this potentially catastrophic impact and highlight the practical and political uncertainties which make such analyses challenging.

BIOS

Joseph S. Shapiro is Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, in Agricultural & Resource Economics and the Department of Economics. He also serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Political Economy, Co-Editor of the Journal of Public Economics, Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and Research Associate at the Energy Institute at Haas. His research agenda focuses on three general questions: (1) How do globalization and the environment interact? (2) What have been the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity impacts of environmental and energy policies over the last half century, particularly for water, air, and climate pollution? (3) How important are the investments that people make to protect themselves against air pollution and climate change? Shapiro has received an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, Kiel Institute Excellence in Global Affairs Award, and Marshall Scholarship. Shapiro holds a Ph.D. in economics from MIT, Masters degrees from Oxford and LSE, and a BA from Stanford. 

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

Part 1: Introduction: Ian Grosfelt, National Association of Wetland Managers
Presenter: Joe Shapiro, University of California, Berkeley

Part 2: Presenter: Tom Bernthal, Wisconsin's Green Fire

Part 2: Presenter: Tom Bernthal, Wisconsin's Green Fire

Part 3: Presenter: Andy Robertson, GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota; and Questions & Answers

Part 3: Presenter: Andy Robertson, GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of MN
Questions & Answers

View Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars

 PDF List of Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinar Recordings
  
View Upcoming Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars