Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Inside this issue:
Association News Wetland Mapping401 Cert Best PracticesLLWW Mapping Descriptors
Vol. 22 No. 3
ASWM ~ Dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Nation’s wetlands
Association News by Jeanne Christie, Executive Director, ASWM
July 2012
WETLAND NEWS JoinVolunteerDonate
Board of Directors
David Davis, ChairAlan Quackenbush, Vice Chair
Cherie Hagen, Secretary/TreasurerCollis AdamsRichard Gitar Amy Lounds
Maryann McGrawErik Stockdale
fJeanne Christie, Executive Director
Jon Kusler, Esq. PhD., FounderPeg Bostwick, Senior Policy Analyst
In this Issue:
Association News Board ElectionsWetlandkeepers Initiative
It is summer and I am engaged in a new project: to become a Maine Master Naturalist. While I know a lot about wetlands policy, my ability to identify any but the most common species of flora and fauna is sadly lacking. This program will address that issue and so much more. Plant identification, insect collecting, soils, geography, astronomy…the list goes on and on and the class runs through next May. I now own two plant presses—one for home (large) and one for the field (small). Newcomb’s wildflower guide is ever at the ready. ibirds is downloaded on my iPad. I have ‘constellations’ on my iPhone. One of the first reading assignments is Ralph Tiner’s “Wetlands of Maine.” continued on p. 2
ASWM Board Elections 2012
ASWM board members are elected to serve two-year terms on the ASWM Board. Officers and at-large members are elected on alternate years. The officers are elected this year. Under the bylaws, the Nominating Committee provides a slate of candidates each year with one nominee for each of the positions to be filled. The nominating committee has forwarded the following slate of candidates for the Board: Dave Davis, Alan Quackenbush and Mark Biddle. Their bios are included in this newsletter. continued on p. 4
ASWM Supports Wetlandkeepers: Learn about the new Wetlandkeeper Initiative, launched in 2012
Who protects wetlands? As members of ASWM very well know, wetlandkeepers wear a variety of hats—from wetland scientists to environmental regulators. They work in state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations including academic and conservation entities, as well as private nongovernmental organizations and green businesses. continued on p. 6
2 Wetland NewsAssociation News, continued from p.1
Eager to assist, my husband called yesterday in search of my insect ‘kill jar’ because he had found this giant winged something. I went home, looked at the large and mysterious bug and eventually identified it as a dobsonfly. A fierce rainstorm earlier in the day probably chased it from the Presumpscot River ¼ mile away into our yard. A whole new world is appearing within the world I already knew. It’s great.
May your summer bring you unexpected and delightful adventures as well.
Jeanne Christie Executive Director
New Staff Member: At ASWM we are pleased to welcome Dawn Smith as a summer intern. Dawn is studying communications and new media at Southern Maine Community College. She is helping us expand our web services. She has begun processing and posting video records of some of our recent webinars. In addition she is helping us develop a discussion board so that it will be possible to hold online discussions on specific topics.
Additions to ASWM Webpages. We have been adding to the ASWM website this summer. In response to the abundance of conference calls and webinars, we have posted an online
schedule for upcoming conference calls and webinars under ‘ASWM’ on the drop-down menu at http://aswm.org/aswm/aswm-webinarscalls. We will be posting the schedules for three ASWM projects: Wetland Program Plans, Wetland Restoration Permitting and Stream Identification/Delineation/Mitigation. In addition there are links to the webinar pages for two other groups: the Wetland Mapping Consortium and the Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance. ASWM members are encouraged to join these groups. Both groups hold monthly webinars/calls on topics of interest. Finally we will be starting a new monthly webinar series for all of our members. A webinar on using the new Wetland Plant List online database is tentatively planned for August 28.
There is a new section for Wetland Program Plans under Wetland Programs on the drop-down menu. http://aswm.org/wetland-programs/wetland-program-plans ASWM is also collecting links to State and Tribal 401 Certifications of the 2012 Nationwide Permits on its website at: http://aswm.org/wetland-programs/401-certification/2339-states-401-certification-of-nationwide-permits-2012 In the coming months we will be reorganizing and expanding the portions of the website that deal with mitigation by adding a new section on stream mitigation.
Status of Clean Water Act Guidance: The Clean Water Act Guidance proposed in the Federal Register in April 2011, which was sent to the Office of Management and Budget for formal review early in 2012, has not been issued; there has been no announcement about the possible timing of publication of the guidance. However, with elections looming in November the nation is entering the period where both the Administration and Congress tend to become less active given concerns about how decisions may affect the coming elections. The proposed Clean Water Act guidance has received a lot of attention including the introduction of riders on various House and Senate bills over the past year in an attempt to prohibit the Corps and EPA from adopting and implementing the guidance. It is reasonable to expect that there will be no further action on Clean Water Act Guidance prior to the November elections. Whether it will be taken up again after the election is uncertain. For a copy of the proposed guidance and other relevant information go to http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm
Jean
ne C
hris
tie p
hoto
continued on p. 3
Wetland News 3Association News, cont’d from p.2
Leah
Ste
tson
pho
tos
Save the Date for Annual ASWM State/Tribal Federal Coordination Workshop March 19-21, 2013 The annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Workshop of the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) is scheduled for March 19-21, 2013 at the National Conservation Training Center near Shepherdstown, WV. This is an election year and the results of the 2012 elections at the federal and state level are likely to impact wetland programs. The workshop will be an opportunity to explore the potential implications of any shifts in national and state priorities.
At the same time, the basic requirements of wetland program development and administration will not change and ASWM is currently collecting ideas on these topics to cover during the workshop. If there are issues or subject matter that you would like to recommend for inclusion in the workshop, please contact Jeanne Christie at [email protected] or (207) 892-3399.
Update on EPA’s Sustainable Financing Project for State and Tribal Programs: The next phase of the EPA’s Sustainable Finance Project for State and Tribal Wetland Programs is for the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Environmental Finance Center (UNC EFC) and EPA to provide financial consulting at no charge to two state and one tribal wetland program. The consulting services are being provided to help the states/tribes establish major, lasting funding mechanisms for their programs. We hope these projects provide models for sustainable funding strategies that may provide ideas that other state/tribal programs could pursue as well. There may be a future opportunity for additional states or tribes to participate in this project. Below are
brief descriptions of each project and the help the UNC EFC and EPA will be providing.
Kansas -The UNC EFC will be working with the state of Kansas to explore the creation of a revolving loan program for wetland restoration and protection. The program will provide low interest loans to landowners to encourage preservation actions. The UNC EFC will assist with designing the loan program and identifying sources of seed funding.
Lummi Nation (Washington state) - The Lummi Nation recently became the first tribe in the country to obtain federal approval for a wetland and habitat mitigation bank. The UNC EFC will assist the Lummi Nation in expanding the bank by identifying sources of capital that will allow the tribe to purchase additional land for the bank and perform enhancement activities within the bank site, for which the tribe cannot use federal funding. Among other mechanisms and sources, the UNC EFC will investigate the potential for obtaining needed funding through bond issuances, ecotourism, partnerships with third parties, and other private funding sources.
Oregon - Local governments in Oregon are required by state statute and state administrative code to provide protection for wetlands, riparian areas, and other key watershed features. The UNC EFC is assisting the state of Oregon in creating models of how local governments can pay for this environmental protection, with a particular focus on small to medium sized communities. Options will include instituting some form of fee-based system for local jurisdictions, or implementing a more regional approach for consolidating fee administration and/or other types of funding mechanisms.
4 Wetland News
continued on next page
ASWM BOARD OFFICER ELECTIONS 2012-2014
ASWM board members are elected to serve two-year terms on the ASWM Board. Officers and at-large members are elected on alternate years. The officers are elected this year. Under the bylaws the Nominating Committee provides a slate of candidates each year with one nominee for each of the positions to be filled. The nominating committee has forwarded the following slate of candidates for the Board: Dave Davis, Alan Quackenbush and Mark Biddle. Each of the nominees has provided a biography, which is included below. ASWM will accept additional nominations through August 15, 2012. Nominees must be members in good standing of the Association. The by-laws require a simple majority of the board to be employees of state agencies. If there is more than one candidate for each office, elections will be held by electronic vote in August. If not, then the list of nominees submitted by the Nominating Committee will take office on September 1, 2012.
David Davis, Chair
Dave is the Director of the Office of Wetlands & Stream Protection at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. In this position, he is responsible for Virginia’s independent nontidal wetland regulatory program, non-regulatory wetland programs, and surface water investigation programs. He is DEQ’s lead technical expert on wetland science issues, drafts regulations and guidance on State wetland policy, serves as the liaison with federal agencies regarding 404/401 issues, and manages several federally-funded wetland grants. Dave
represents DEQ on several state and federal interagency wetland committees, taskforces, and work groups – statewide, nationally, and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Prior to joining DEQ in 2001, Dave was a partner in a wetland consulting firm in Richmond. He was appointed to the Virginia Board of Certified Soil Scientists and Wetland Professionals in 2002 by then-Governor Mark Warner, and was re-appointed to the Board in 2006 by then-Governor Tim Kaine. In 2012, Dave was appointed to the Certification Review Panel for the Society of Wetland Scientists’ Professional Certification Program.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Music minor) from The College of William & Mary and a Master of Environmental Studies degree in Environmental Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist and a Virginia Certified Professional Wetland Delineator. His professional affiliations include the Society of Wetland Scientists and the Association of State Wetland Managers.In his spare time, Dave plays bass trombone and tuba with several ensembles, including the Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra, the European Wind Ensemble of Richmond, and Die Elbe-Musikanten (a traditional Bavarian band). He is
also active with The College of William & Mary's mentoring and career counseling programs, and is an alumni advisor for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity. A native of Chincoteague Island, Virginia, Dave has resided in Richmond since 1990, and has a precocious 9-year old daughter, who recently said “I like going to [Richmond Flying Squirrels] baseball games because baseball is more civilized than other sports.”
Leah
Ste
tson
pho
to
Wetland News 5
Alan Quackenbush, Vice Chairman Originally from central New York, Alan had an early affinity for wetlands that were prevalent on the farm where he grew up. This interest was strengthened when he took a summer course at Colgate University in bog ecology during his high school years. He received a B.A. from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. After a two-year Peace Corps enlistment in Benin (West Africa), he worked in a number of social service positions. He changed course, decided to focus on his earlier interests, and earned a M.S. in botany from the University of Vermont.
While still enrolled in graduate school, he started his career with the Vermont DEC Water Quality Division. He has since worked in the Lakes and Ponds Section; the Biomonitoring and Aquatic Studies Section; and the Wetlands Management Section, where he has been for the last 17 years. He assumed his duties as supervisor of the Vermont Wetlands Program in May 2005 following the retirement of his predecessor, Carl Pagel, who had been the State Wetlands Coordinator for thirty years. Alan serves as Vice Chair on the board of the Association of State Wetland Managers; is a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists; is on EPA’s National Wetland Condition Assessment Workgroup and New England Wetland Workgroup for monitoring and assessment. He has presented at numerous workshops and symposia including research and special studies on wetlands. He lives in the Green Mountains, just a few miles from work, with his wife Audrey and his dog Sadie.
Mark Biddle, Secretary/Treasurer
A Delaware native, Mark is a lead wetland scientist with more than 23 years of experience working for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Currently, Mark is housed within the Watershed Assessment Section, Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program. Mark has a wide background to draw from including involvement in Delaware’s regulatory and permitting responsibilities for tidal wetlands, subaqueous lands, 401 water quality certification, and drafting legislation and regulations for non-tidal wetlands. More recently, Mark has kept busy working on the Delaware Wetlands Conservation Strategy, wetland restoration, compensatory mitigation and wetland banking, assessing restored wetlands for nutrient assimilation, serving as team leader for Delaware Whole Basin Management, and in various ecological and green infrastructure initiatives. Mark has
participated on statewide and regional planning groups and represents Delaware on national wetland mapping and mitigation issues. In the last 15 years, Mark has assisted in applying, receiving and either authoring or co-authoring 13 multi-year grants for wetland projects in Delaware involving comprehensive plans, mitigation banking, best management practices, mapping techniques, watershed restoration, wetland education, assessment and monitoring. Delaware Wetlands: Status and Changes from 1992 to 2007 is a recent report derived from a new statewide wetland mapping effort Mark completed in partnership with the National Wetlands Inventory.
Mark holds degrees in Natural Resource Management and Soil and Water Management and attended both Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. Residing in Dover, Delaware, Mark lives with his wife and two daughters. Mark enjoys his time with the family lab Gabby, and hopes that the future holds ample time for two of his other loves, hunting and fishing.
Board Elections, continued
6 Wetland News
Cultivating a Wetland Ethic ASWM Supports Wetlandkeepers
“Wetland professionals already know that, ‘If you want a comfortable job, don’t work in wetlands’ or stated otherwise, this way there be dragons. However, if you thrive on constant challenge, high learning curves, new discoveries and tortuous public policy, then a profession in the field of wetlands is where you belong. You are a Wetlandkeeper.” ~Jeanne Christie, Executive Director, ASWM
The Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) launched its Wetlandkeepers Initiative in early 2012, embarking on an ambitious capacity-building campaign to promote and enhance its ability to support wetlandkeepers nationwide and to advocate for sound wetland science in public policy. In recent years, the Association has depended on federal funding as a major source of support for its programs. Now—at the advent of a changing economic and environmental climate—it is more important than ever for ASWM to build capacity in its core program areas, which requires garnering support across sectors for new sources of funding.
The Association aims to raise $500,000 to build capacity in three core program areas: wetland programs, climate change and protecting watersheds. Established as a nonprofit organization in 1983, ASWM has played a leadership role among wetland professionals on state, federal, national and regional levels for nearly 30 years. ASWM fosters a wetland ethic and works collaboratively with a number of partners to achieve real goals in wetland science, natural resource protections and management, and public policy as it applies to local, state and federal wetland programs.
Leah
Ste
tson
pho
toJe
anne
Chr
istie
pho
tos
continued on next page
Wetland News 7
Promoting A Wetland Ethic
ASWM’s Board Chair, Dave Davis of Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection, commented on this new initiative in the 2011 Annual Report. He says, “The Association of State Wetland Managers is celebrating the
40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act by supporting and promoting the Wetlandkeepers campaign. Bridging the gap between wetland science and wetland policy, the Association’s Wetlandkeepers initiative cultivates and encourages a wetland ethic – much like Aldo Leopold’s concept of ‘land ethic’ – designed to protect wetlands in a watershed context, to support wetland managers in their conservation and management goals, and to identify adaptive strategies to mitigate the effects of sea level rise on wetland resources.” Read the full Note from the Board Chair.
Enhancing Protection and Management of Wetland Resources
As a part of broader watersheds, wetlands play the role of connecting our streams, rivers and lakes to farmlands, forests and the ocean. In the face of rapid population growth, it is essential to protect and manage valuable wetlands that enhance the well-being of human and natural communities. Who protects wetlands? Wetlandkeepers wear a variety of hats—from wetland scientists to environmental regulators. They work in local, tribal, state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations including academic and conservation entities, as well as nongovernmental organizations and green businesses. Read more about wetlandkeepers on the blog.
What is the Challenge Facing Us?
2012 is the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. It is ironic that wetlands are against the ropes. The pressures facing our nation’s wetlands include agricultural drainage, suburban sprawl, run-off from streets, encroachment to floodplains and coastal wetlands despite the broad scientific consensus on sea level rise and the role of wetlands in floodplains management. Current confusion over Clean Water Act jurisdiction and political pressure to lessen Farm Bill 2012 disincentives for destroying wetlands and reduced funding for wetlands conservation are further threats. (For more on the Farm Bill 2012 and wetlands issues, see The Compleat Wetlander post here.) State and federal debt has drawn attention away from state environmental agencies and the federal government has focused on funding other areas.
ASWM works closely with states, tribes, the federal government, local wetland programs and individuals to enhance communications with the public about the value of wetlands. The Association must build capacity to continue and strengthen its commitment to support wetland programs, protect watersheds and to identify ways to adapt to climate change—and its impending impacts on our wetlands and water resources.
Peg
Bost
wic
k ph
otos
continued on next page
8 Wetland News
There are many organizations working on environmental issues related to water resources—and some specifically support riverkeepers, baykeepers, etc. However, at the forefront of wetland science and policy developments, ASWM is uniquely positioned to support the wetlandkeepers included in its membership and beyond.
Building Capacity to Protect the Nation's Wetlands
To meet the challenges facing the nation’s wetlands, ASWM strategically lays the groundwork to support wetlandkeepers nationwide. The Association of State Wetland Managers fosters a wetland ethic—a legacy to benefit the wetlandkeepers of today as well as the wetlandkeepers of tomorrow, who protect wetlands for future generations. We bridge the gaps between science and policy, state and federal, local and large-scale wetland protections. Many organizations look to ASWM as a leader at the intersection between the think-tanks and the decision-makers, the on-the-ground regulators and wetland consultants. Funds raised by this campaign will allow ASWM to champion wetland programs and the unsung protectors of wetlands and water resources. This campaign represents ASWM's first large-scale and long-term fundraising effort to raise $500,000 for three core program areas, which will also support on-going services that we provide to wetlandkeepers. Some of ASWM’s unfunded services are explained here. To achieve success in this ambitious undertaking, the Association depends on donors and benefactors to provide exceptionally generous gifts. We need extraordinary support to build ASWM’s capacity to protect the nation’s wetlands.
Three Core Program Areas to Benefit from Wetlandkeepers Initiative
Enhancing Wetland Programs:
States are an active partner in wetlands protection and they look to ASWM to lead and convene states for peer-to-peer sharing of information to help wetlandkeepers do their jobs better. ASWM support for enhancing state wetland programs will rely on this capacity-building campaign to fund our currently unfunded services, such as responding to information requests, identifying opportunities to improve permitting efficiency, publishing its newsletters, making daily additions to its website and updating summaries of state wetland programs. ASWM bridges the gaps between federal and state/tribal partnerships, providing technical assistance to those who protect the nation's wetlands. In living out its leadership role, ASWM responds to critical developments
in public policy, proposed legislation or guidance by distributing information and analysis, spearheading coalitions and advocating for wetland programs, which face significant hurdles in today’s political and economic climate.
The Association helps wetlandkeepers looking for jobs by posting career opportunities on its Wetlands Job board. It provides a robust calendar of training and webcasts. ASWM trains wetlandkeepers via webinars and online materials.
Jean
ne C
hris
tie p
hoto
Jean
ne C
hris
tie p
hoto
continued on next page
Wetlandkeepers, continued
Wetland News 9
Under development is an online discussion forum to further support the webinar series underway for later in 2012. It is also exploring the creation of other training tools, such as short videos and modules on various topics, from delineation to the science of restoration.
ASWM supports the Wetland Mapping Consortium but it also hopes to develop further training in this area for wetlandkeepers, who are learning to utilize wetland mapping technology in their work. Last year, ASWM developed state-specific resources for those states seriously considering state assumption of the CWA Section 404 program. On-going assistance to these states on the subject of assumption, which is rising in demand this year, will depend on funding raised from this capacity-building campaign. Later this year ASWM will publish a similar set of materials to assist states in the development of Water Quality Standards for wetlands. Protecting Wetlands & Watersheds:
The role of wetlands within the greater context of watersheds includes flood prevention and floodplain management, streams and water quality standards for wetlands, and conservation of wetland habitat for endangered and threatened species. Funds raised from this campaign will strengthen ASWM's watershed-related program, including its work with the Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance (NFFA), and other partners working to protect watersheds from river to bay, headwater streams and other wetlands, along with conserving valuable habitat for birds and wildlife. ASWM recently kicked off a summer webinar series with an NFFA webinar: Why Wetland Managers Should Care about Floodplains. Wetlands & Climate Change:
Wetlandkeepers face new challenges in an era of climate change. ASWM's projects in this core program area focus on adaptation and climate change's potential impacts on wetlands and water resources. Funding from this campaign will be used to bolster its climate change program, specifically to expand its climate change website
and to continue its work to identify effective adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on wetlands, including sea level rise. ASWM built a series of state-specific summary webpages that describe climate change adaptation for wetlands and water resources in 2010. These web resources are dynamic, updated as information becomes available, most recently in spring 2012. While most climate change planning efforts and studies focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Association has been working on bringing about awareness and solutions for adaptation and wetlands issues for the past decade.
Jean
ne C
hris
tie p
hoto
Wetlandkeepers, continued
ASWM’s mission is at the epicenter of key areas of wetland science, policy and management. See recent projects.
Wetland News Staff
Jeanne Christie, Exec. Director, Photos
Sharon Weaver, Web Lay-out, Design
Laura Burchill, Lay-out, Proof-reader
Leah Stetson, Editor, Design
Copyright Association of State Wetland Managers July 2012 http://aswm.org
10 Wetland News
@StrangeWetlands
Strange Wetlands is working on a series of blog posts that address the many issues associated with restoring ecological connections--from fish ladders to dam removal. One of these blog posts is here:
http://www.aswm.org/wordpress/strange-wetlands-restoring-lost-ecological-connections-fish-ladders-and-dam-removal/ The editor invites members to contact us with stories about native fish/invasive species interactions, restoring sea run fish populations (especially species other than salmon, which have already been documented well), restoring eel grass habitat, or other examples that fit the broad topic of restoring ecological connections.
Two bald eagles & a heron at the Alewives run, Damariscotta, ME
Leah
Ste
tson
pho
to
Join the ASWM Facebook Group! ASWM has an active group on Facebook with photo albums from a wetland restoration workshop held in Cape Cod, May 2012. In addition, group members post announcements, links to interesting articles and share their news. It’s one of the best ways to connect with other wetlandkeepers on Facebook from around the country. Visit: http://www.facebook.com/groups/64764201791/photos/ Or sign into Facebook, search for “Association of State Wetland Managers,” and click on the Group listing for ASWM. You must have an account on Facebook in order to join the ASWM Facebook group. If Facebook is not your thing, that’s okay! ASWM is building an online discussion forum for members.
Jean
ne C
hris
tie p
hoto
