Hot Topics Webinars

The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) offers a Hot Topics Webinar Series that focuses on timely issues and studies such as new and emerging wetland policy and law, innovative tools and technology and state-of-the-art practices. These webinars are advertised through our website, newsletters, social media and emails.

For more information and/or to join our email list for notices about upcoming events, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org.

If you haven’t used Go To Webinar before or you just need a refresher, please view our guide prior to the webinar here.

View Past Hot Topics Webinars Here

View a List of Past Hot Topics Webinar Recordings Here

National Wetland Condition Assessment: Federal and State Perspectives on the 3rd Collaborative Survey of Wetlands in the U.S.

Thursday, February 6, 2025 - 3:00-4:30 p.m. EST

PRESENTERS

Gregg Serenbetz, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Joanna Lemly, Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Mike Bourdaghs, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

ABSTRACT

The National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) is an EPA, State, and Tribal partnership to assess the condition of wetlands across the United States. Surveys are conducted every 5 years and use multiple indicators to evaluate biological, physical, and chemical wetland condition. EPA recently released a report with results from the third iteration of the NWCA, conducted in 2021. Key findings from this newest report, representing the condition of 81,694,381 acres of wetland area, include:

Less than half of wetland area was rated good, based on an analysis of plant communities.
Nonnative plants are a widespread concern.
Physical alterations to wetlands are the most widespread stressors measured.
Nutrient levels are elevated for some wetlands.
Microcystins, a type of cyanobacteria toxin, were present, but at very low levels, posing minimal recreational human health concerns.

Several states have conducted studies in conjunction with the NWCA to assess wetlands at statewide and regional scales. The Minnesota Wetland Condition Assessment (MWCA) broadly monitors wetland vegetation quality trends and compliments another state effort that monitors wetland quantity. Colorado sampled additional NWCA sites during the 2021 survey to evaluate wetland condition statewide.

Panelists will share federal and state perspectives on the NWCA 2021 survey and broadly discuss how the data is being used or combined with other wetland assessment efforts to further wetland resource management.

BIOS

Gregg Serenbetz is an Environmental Protection Specialist in U.S. EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds in Washington, DC. He began his career at EPA working on smart growth and coastal wetland initiatives before shifting to his current focus on wetland monitoring and assessment programs. He has been the project lead for the National Wetland Condition Assessment for the past 10 years.

Michael Bourdaghs is an environmental research scientist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency where he has led wetland monitoring program development and implementation for the past twenty plus years.

Long-Term Management at Mitigation Sites: Overview & Best Practices Part I

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - 3:00-4:30 p.m. EST

More information available soon.

Long-Term Management at Mitigation Sites: Overview & Best Practices Part II

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - 3:00-4:30 p.m. EST

More information available soon.