ABSTRACTS

Please note, the abstracts listed below are in alphabetical order by presenter.

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Mitigating Global Climate Change:  Which Kinds of Wetlands Help, Hurt, Have Minimal Effect?

Presenter/Author: Paul Adamus College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis, OR  97330 adamus7@comcast.net Interest is growing in deriving "carbon credits" from protection of North American wetlands, much as carbon accounting systems have been developed for forested and agricultural lands due to their ability to sequester carbon.  However, compared to those efforts, attempts to identify practical indicators of net carbon sequestration in wetlands have been limited. One reason is that forests are more widespread and are managed actively for other purposes, thus making convenient their use in crediting schemes.  Another reason is that wetlands are more complicated: some wetland types release more carbon into the atmosphere than they retain, and at different time periods.  Quantifying net exchanges of carbon in a wetland expensive and time-consuming.  Consequently, if wetlands are eventually to be used in carbon accounting, rates of peat formation and methane generation (for instance) must not only be measured, but rapidly observable indicators of these processes must be identified and organized as decision rules or scoring models.  Process measurements and indicator identification should occur in a series of sites that span the variability of North American wetlands, including variation from wetland management and watershed stressors. In the meantime, rapid tools (such as regional HGM methods) used in regulatory and conservation decisions should include carbon sequestration as a wetland function using a ”best available science” approach that draws from the limited technical literature and conceptual modeling.  I illustrate this using methods developed in Oregon, and describe several indicators that might, upon further consideration, be appropriate for wider inclusion in rapid assessment methods for wetlands.

Soil Carbon and Organic Matter in Mitigation Bank Wetlands Created in the Piedmont Region of Virginia

Presenter/Author: Changwoo Ahn Assistant Professor Department of Environmental Science and Policy George Mason University 4400 University Drive, MS5F2 Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 (703) 993-3978; Fax: (703) 993-1066; cahn@gmu.edu http://mason.gmu.edu/~espp/people/facultybios/ahn.html Wetland creation is a common practice for compensatory mitigation in the United States.  Some measures of vegetation have been used as a quick measure of mitigation success in most post-construction monitoring of created mitigation wetlands.  Soil properties are often least studied in that process. This study investigated soil properties of three created wetland mitigation banks with varying ages (1-8 years) in the northern Piedmont region of Virginia. Soil properties at these sites were compared to those in two natural wetlands in the same region. Soil attributes investigated included bulk density (Db), pH, soil organic matter (SOM) content, total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN). None of the created wetlands studied displayed significant difference in physicochemistry. SOM values slightly increased with age of the created wetland, but still significantly lower than that of natural wetlands. Bulk density showed a strong positive correlation with TC measurements in all wetlands. Our examination of the relationships between SOM by loss on ignition (LOI) and TC by a dry combustion analyzer revealed that the soils in both created and natural sites were mineral (< 20% SOM) and the majority (90%) of the LOI/TC values for these silt-loam wetland soils ranged from 2.0 to 3.5, fairly higher than the commonly applied 1.724 Van Bemmelen conversion factor. Easily measurable SOM may not be as an effective indicator as TC, which is, although lab intensive for the analysis, better related to Db that showed soil compaction typical of  most created wetlands that might limit vegetation growth.

A Framework for Building Climate Change Into Freshwater Conservation

Presenter*/Authors: Allison Aldous* The Nature Conservancy 821 SE 14th Avenue Portland, OR 97214 (503) 802-8142; Fax: (503) 802-8199; aaldous@tnc.org and John Matthews World Wildlife Fund Around the world, there are growing concerns that shifts in temperature and precipitation regimes due to climate change increasingly are threatening the water quality and quantity essential for wetland ecosystems and species. Adaptation strategies are essential to protect wetlands for the biodiversity they harbor and for their ecosystem service values. We propose a framework for incorporating expected impacts to the hydrologic regime and to water quality into the development of adaptation strategies, within an adaptive management context. This framework begins with identifying the wetland species and ecosystems of interest. The next step is to use global climate models coupled with models of hydrologic regime, evapotranspiration, and snowmelt, to evaluate impacts to the key hydrologic and water quality parameters that control the distribution and functioning of the species and ecosystems of interest. Once the climate threats analysis is complete, the next step is to develop specific adaptation strategies to address the highest priority threats. The growing body of adaptation strategies includes, for example, better timed water management for human needs, protecting snowpack through watershed management, and increased protection of groundwater recharge zones (including recharge wetlands). As with any adaptive management strategy, monitoring must be included within this framework, especially in light of the uncertainty surrounding modeled climate change projections and the as yet unknown responses of many wetland ecosystems to those impacts

Panel Discussion: Adapting Conservation Strategies to Climate Change

Moderator: Allison Aldous* The Nature Conservancy 821 SE 14th Avenue Portland, OR 97214 (503) 802-8142; Fax: (503) 802-8199; aaldous@tnc.org

Speakers from Climate Change Adaptation Sessions I-IV will participate in a panel discussion on planning for, lessons learned from, and options for adapting wetlands and other resources to climate change, as well as the optimal means for communicating these lessons to other professionals and the public.  Speakers will summarize vulnerability of different wetland types to climate change. They also will discuss how to incorporate anticipated changes in precipitation, temperature and other important climatic shifts in the implementation of wetland conservation strategies.  They will identify priority management actions, knowledge exchange tools, and management strategies that should be explored such as planning for changes in hydrology and habitat, species migration, and economic and livelihoods impacts.

Regionalized Water Budget Manual for Compensatory Wetland Mitigation Sites in New Jersey

Presenter/Author: Jill Aspinwall New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Land Use Regulation, Mitigation Unit P.O. Box 439 Trenton, NJ 08625 (609) 292-0060; Jill.Peach@dep.state.nj.us In New Jersey, successful wetland mitigation efforts are vital as wetlands are constantly under threat from competing land-use interests. Adequate hydrologic characterization of a mitigation site is crucial to its success since a wetland’s hydrological characteristics are the most important variables in the creation, restoration, enhancement, and maintenance of jurisdictional wetlands. A wetland’s water budget represents the balance of water inflows (precipitation, surface-water inflow, and ground-water inflow) and water outflows (evapotranspiration, surface-water outflow, and ground-water outflow) that make up a wetland’s hydrologic cycle; this balance of water inflows and outflows reflects a wetland’s change in storage. By assessing the importance and magnitude of the individual components, a water budget serves as a valuable tool in understanding the hydrologic processes of a given ecological system, and provides insight into the effects of future changes to the system. This manual presents information on specific data sources and methods useful for the evaluation of wetland hydrological characteristics in New Jersey, and is intended to increase the effectiveness of future mitigation efforts. The manual is a guide to facilitate the preparation of a water budget for compensatory wetland mitigation sites and provides information to help improve the effectiveness of compensatory freshwater wetland mitigation projects in the State of New Jersey. The focus of the manual is the evaluation of sites that may be selected to become wetlands in order to compensate for the destruction of natural freshwater wetlands.

Open Brainstorming Discussion on Identifying Environmental Thresholds for Use in Assessing Cumulative Impacts to Wetlands

Discussion Moderator: Jane Awl Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902-1401 (865) 632-6362; Fax: (865) 632-4582; djawl5@tva.gov Environmental thresholds have been established in many areas of the water sciences in order to support the assessment of cumulative impacts to water resources. However, such thresholds have rarely been applied in the assessment of wetlands. The introductory presentation will include a background explaining the concept of thresholds, how they are identified and used in resource assessment, legal issues, examples of thresholds applied in other water sciences, areas that have been suggested for establishment of wetland thresholds and examples of past work, and an outline of the format and goals of the brainstorming session. This will be followed by a structured discussion open to audience participation. Formulated questions will be posed to the session participants to guide the discussion. The questions for discussion include what are state and regional needs for establishing thresholds (including state wetlands legislation and jurisdictional issues), do participants have personal experiences or case studies where a threshold was applied or where having an established threshold for wetlands change would have been helpful, at what scales are thresholds most needed and why (from site specific methods to GIS level or regional scales), what are the potential benefits/values and pitfalls of establishing various types of thresholds for specific types of wetland change, how could existing wetland assessment methods and data (for example HGM and Rapid Assessment Methods) be utilized in the establishment of defensible thresholds, what are the current opportunities for applying wetland thresholds (e.g., for environmental consultants, in permitting, and at state and federal government levels), what bodies of research exist that could be built upon, in what areas is further research most needed. The goals of the session will be to share ideas and experience, support development a focus paper on the issue, create network connections among people interested in this issue. There has been discussion of organizing a workgroup on the issue, so identifying interest will be an objective as well.

Detection and Mapping of Rare and Sensitive Wetlands: Development of Rapid Field Identification Methods and GIS Models

Presenter*/Authors: Jane Awl*, Britta Dimick, and Pamela Jean Nabors Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902-1401 (865) 632-6362; Fax: (865) 632-4582; djawl5@tva.gov According to NatureServe’s 2005 report “Biodiversity Values of Geographically Isolated Wetlands in the United States” at least 279 of the at-risk vegetation associations in the US occur in isolated wetlands, and two-thirds (67%) of these have not been found in any other types of habitat. Such isolated wetlands may not receive protection under the Clean Water Act due to Supreme Court decisions. Climate change may further restrict the abundance, distribution, and condition of these wetlands, as well as increase their sensitivity to disturbance, and increase the ease of human encroachment. The loss and degradation of these wetlands is of particular concern in regions experiencing accelerating development pressure. Increasingly, rare and sensitive types of wetlands are turning up in the paths of new linear corridors for transportation and infrastructure. Effective management and conservation of rare and sensitive wetland types will require up-to-date geographic data on the locations and types of these features in the landscape. However, standard wetland mapping methods (such as used in the National Wetlands Inventory) frequently miss the small, forested, saturated (non-flooded), and slope wetlands where these rare and sensitive types of wetlands are likely to occur. One key problem is the lack of standard methods to identify these features remotely. A second problem has been the lack of field identification methods that would allow these features to be readily identified during ground surveys. Increasing the sample of known/documented locations for these features is needed to begin to identify remote sensing signatures and ancillary data that can be used in their detection. Methods used in the development of a new series of field keys to rare wetland communities in the interior Southeastern US will be presented, as well as the development and testing of GIS Models to narrow the area of potential occurrence of sensitive wetlands, and aid in the selection of alternative routes for new linear corridors.

FGDC Wetland Mapping Standard Implementation

Presenter*/Author**: Margarete Heber** U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wetlands Division, OWOW, OW 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC (202) 566-1189; Fax:  (202) 566-1375 Discussion Moderator: Jane Awl* Tennessee Valley Authority The FGDC draft National Wetlands Mapping Standard was proposed for Public Comment in August 2007.  The Comment period closed in November 2007.  The draft National Wetlands Mapping Standard has been revised as a result of comments and a Response to Comments document has been prepared.  The FGDC Wetland Subcommittee met on May 20 to vote on the standard and its readiness to move towards a final FGDC standard.  The contents of the standard will be discussed.

Planning and Policy Implications of Sea Level Rise in Oregon Estuaries

Presenter/Author: Robert J. Bailey Coastal Program Manager Oregon Coastal Management Program Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development 635 Capitol Street, NE, Suite 150 Salem, OR 97301 (503) 373-0050, Ext. 281; bob.bailey@state.or.us Projected increases in mean sea level on the Pacific Coast have implications for land use plans and policies in Oregon’s estuaries. Oregon’s estuary management framework is based on a relatively static delineation of estuarine habitats and uses and on the conditions and uses of adjacent shorelands. Increased tidal elevations will affect the extent of estuarine area and distribution of estuarine habitats with consequent effects on adjacent shoreland land uses. In addition, sand spits that currently define the seaward edge of estuaries may be flooded or breached resulting in dramatic changes to estuarine circulation. Current local estuary management plans and state and local land use policies will likely be rendered inadequate, ill-suited or irrelevant The author will explore potential policy and planning issues for estuary planning and management and speculate on needed actions to address these issues.

Urban Sprawl is a Threat to Wetlands: A Case Study Using Geo- IT Approach

Presenter*/Authors: M.S.Bhat*, Akhtar Alam, and N.A.Kuchay Department of Geography and Regional Development University of Kashmir India wani_akhtar@yahoo.com Wetlands are productive and dynamic systems of flora, fauna and biological diversity supporting millions of people by related ecosystem services. Regarded as "kidneys of the ecosystem” and important features of the landscape matrix, they are treasure houses of ecological diversity, and provide an essential environment for plant and animal species, in addition to governing significant ecological and hydrological functions. Permanent and seasonal changes within wetlands occur in response to a range of external factors, such as fluctuations in water source (river diversions, groundwater pumping), climate, land use and landcover (forest clearing, urban expansion) or other associated human activities. Measuring the extent of a wetland will assist in reporting on investments related to wetlands that are made under regional plans. About 50 % of the world’s wetlands have been lost in the last century (Narayanan, 1992). Srinagar city being famous through out the world for its water bodies such as Dal, Hokar Sar, Negin, Anchar, Shalbug etc. is no exception to this phenomenon of wetland degradation. These wetlands have suffered serious losses in terms of their areal extant during last few decades mainly as a result of unplanned urban sprawl. The significant increase in urban area has adverse effected the ecosystem of these wetlands. Multi-temporal monitoring of wetlands gives a complete understanding of structure and functionality of wetland ecosystem. Continuous monitoring of wetlands using Remote Sensing data and GIS tools is essential for their conservation and management.

Reshaping the Detroit River Shoreline: Lessons Learned from Freshwater Wetland Restoration in Southeast Michigan

Presenter/Author: Mary E. Bohling Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator, Southeast Michigan 640 Temple, 6th Floor Detroit, MI 48201-2558 (313) 833-3275, Fax: (313) 833-3298; bohling@msu.edu The Detroit River connects the upper and lower Great Lakes, forming a partial boundary between the United States and Canada. Waterfronts along the Detroit River have evolved greatly since the City of Detroit was founded more than 300 years ago. Historically, the Detroit River was a gathering place for wildlife, Native Americans, and European settlers. But over time, the river began to suffer from pollution and other negative impacts of industrialization. Home to nearly 6 million residents and flowing through one of the Nation’s most heavily industrialized areas; the river corridor has lost 97 percent of the coastal wetlands along the U.S. portion of the river. Many coastal wetlands were filled to allow for the construction of homes, businesses and other urban infrastructure, including break walls and other erosion control devises. Recently, there has been a concerted effort between MSU Extension, businesses, non-profit organizations, residents and federal, state, county and local officials to repair some of the damaged wetland habitat, restore public access to the waterfront and increase ecotourism opportunities. These waterfront-transforming partnerships have resulted in more than 25 softshore engineering projects along the Detroit River shoreline. Large rocks, called rip-rap, were removed and replaced with native coastal wetland vegetation to soften the land-water interface, thereby improving ecological features without compromising the engineered integrity of the shoreline. Along the way, several lessons have been learned leading to refined designs, plant selections and improved partnerships. These lessons will be emphasized to assist other decision makers who might undertake similar restoration efforts.

Re-Establishing a Riverine Wetlands: Using Integrated Pest Management to Control Reed Canary Grass and Reference Wetlands Design Criteria to Restore Structure, Functions, and Habitat Forming Process

Presenter/Author: Mason B. Bowles, PWS Senior Ecologist, Capital Projects Section Water and Land Resources Division King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks 201 S. Jackson, Suite 600 Seattle, WA 98104-8355 (206) 296-8736; mason.bowles@kingcounty.gov A multi-year approach was used to restore structure, functions, and habitat-forming processes to 5.5 acres of drained riverine wetlands in King County, Washington. Data from long-term studies of 19 reference wetlands were used to provide design guidelines for the project. Site preparation used an integrated pest management (IPM) treatment to suppress a monotypic stand of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) that presented a significant obstacle to the success of the project. This IPM treatment consisted of two years of biannual mowing and annual glyphosate herbicide applications. In September 2003 construction earthwork created 427 pools and hummocks to restore wetland topographic structure. In order to restore habitat for amphibians, increase invertebrate richness and general habitat functions 846 pieces of small and large woody debris were distributed across the site. Over 1,000 willow live stakes were installed in October 2003, and 1,840 trees and shrubs were installed in March 2004. After three years of project maintenance and monitoring the project has established 6.14 acres of riverine wetland with pools that are permanently inundated and hummocks that are seasonally saturated. Observed fish and amphibian species utilizing the site include three-spine stickleback, juvenile coho, Pacific chorus frogs and red-legged frogs. Bird use has increased with obligate wetland species including marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds, spotted sandpipers and green herons. The project has satisfied project performance standards for plant survival, cover, and species richness but not for reed canarygrass cover. This situation suggests that regulatory standards for reed canarygrass may be unattainable within the larger landscape context, and irrelevent to reestablishing wetland structure, functions and habitat-forming processes.

Vulnerability, Feedbacks, and Adaptations of Peatlands to Climate Change

Presenter/Author: Scott D. Bridgham Associate Professor Center for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies Program University of Oregon Eugene, OR  97403 (541) 346-1466; Fax: (541) 346-2364 bridgham@uoregon.edu Peatlands comprise about half of the total global wetland area and contain a vast soil carbon reservoir. They occur primarily at high latitudes where the greatest global warming is expected to occur, so they may be particularly vulnerable to climate change. Their soil carbon may also be potentially mineralized to carbon dioxide and methane, causing a strong positive feedback to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. I review the literature to derive historical and current climate forcings of North American and global peatlands. I also examine an experiment with nine different climate change scenarios in a Minnesota bog and fen that demonstrates strong climate effects on plant community composition and productivity, methane emissions, and soil carbon mass within only a few years. Lastly, I examine adaptation strategies for peatlands. My conclusions are that peatlands are highly vulnerable to climate change and may provide strong feedbacks in their emission of greenhouse gases. Active adaptation strategies, such as water table management, will be primarily of local importance because the vast majority of peatlands have limited access, are in areas of low human population density, and are unlikely to be actively managed.

Climate Adaptation in the Chihuahuan Desert

Presenter/Author: Mark Briggs Chihuahuan Desert Program World Wildlife Fund Las Cruces, NM (520) 548-4045; mkbriggs@msn.com The World Wildlife Fund and its partners are working on a variety of conservation initiatives in the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion to protect and restore this area’s biodiversity. For managers, scientists, conservationists, private stakeholders, and others working in this ecoregion, there is a conspicuous absence of links to climate experts, climate change data and models to understand historical frequency and occurrence of droughts and how drought frequency and occurrences could change in the future. In addition, it is only marginally understood how drought affects natural resource conditions, which natural resources should be priorities for monitoring, how to design and implement an effective monitoring program, and what kind of decision support tools will assist natural resource managers to offset drought impacts on natural resource conditions. These challenges are particularly troublesome in Chihuahuan Desert, where the climate is already highly variable and droughts are common. In response to these and other gaps of knowledge, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its partners are collaborating with a host of climate-focused institutions to (i) analyze historic drought and rainfall in the northern Chihuahuan Desert and how these parameters could change in the future; (ii) identify useful past drought analogs that can provide useful lessons regarding how natural resources are affected by drought; (iii) identify the natural resources that would be most vulnerable (or deemed most critical) to protect from the impacts of drought; (iv) discuss, review, and implement monitoring of priority areas that are considered most vulnerable to the impacts of drought; (v) develop a preliminary drought response strategy for mitigating the impacts of drought.

Global Climate Change and Ephemeral Pools of Northern Forests

Presenter/Author: Robert T. Brooks U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station University of Massachusetts 201 Holdsworth Natural Resources Center Amherst, MA 01003 rtbrooks@fs.fed.us Global, national, and regional assessments of the potential effects of Global Climate Change (GCC) have been recently released. Not one of these assessments has specifically addressed the critical issue of the potential impacts of GCC on ephemeral aquatic systems. I suggest that this is a major oversight as these waterbodies occur in various forms across the globe. In the northeastern United States, ephemeral (“vernal”) pools and non-perennial, headwater streams, are abundant and provide unique habitats critical to the maintenance of forest biodiversity. Since the hydrology of these aquatic systems is strongly affected by weather patterns (in the short-term) or climate (long-term), they are especially sensitive to climate change. In this presentation, I review the relationships between climate and the hydrology of vernal pools and the relationships between their hydrology and ecology. I then conclude with my assessment of the potential impacts of GCC on the hydrology of vernal pools and implications for their ecology.

Site-Scale Monitoring for Tidal Wetland Restoration and Conservation

Presenter/Author: Laura Brophy Principal, Green Point Consulting Corvallis, OR 97330 (541) 752-7671; Fax: (541) 738-0604 Laura@GreenPointConsulting.com www.GreenPointConsulting.com -------------------- Courtesy Faculty Marine Resource Management Program College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University brophyl@onid.orst.edu In our changing world, effective restoration and conservation require well-designed monitoring at varied scales. This presentation is focused on site-scale monitoring to evaluate restoration effectiveness and track conditions at a specific local site (in contrast to broader “status and trends” monitoring). Site-scale monitoring of tidal wetlands is vital to restoration design, project evaluation, and adaptive management. Well-planned site-scale monitoring from multiple sites also allows detection of long-term, system-wide changes such as climate change and sea level rise. We outline steps in developing a site-scale monitoring plan, including use of conceptual models, development of biological performance criteria and scientific hypotheses, and selection of monitoring parameters. Selection of monitoring parameters depends on project goals; we provide examples, highlight commonalities, and focus on monitoring issues and needs specific to tidal wetlands. Examples of important monitoring parameters include controlling factors that influence development of tidal wetland functions, such as tidal inundation regime, salinity, soil characteristics, and plant community structure and interspersion. We discuss special considerations for long-term monitoring projects as well as restoration projects on shorter timelines, where extended baseline monitoring may not be possible. References for more detailed information on monitoring methods are provided.

Restoring Coastal Wetlands in a Changing Climate

Presenter/Author: Donald R. Cahoon, Ph.D., PWS U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 10300 Baltimore Avenue, BARC-East, Building 308 Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 497-5523; Fax: (301) 497-5624; dcahoon@usgs.gov As sea level rise accelerates above historic rates, coastal wetlands will become increasingly vulnerable to submergence if wetland vertical development can not keep pace. The sustainability of coastal wetlands is determined not only by climate influenced sea-level rise but also by other climate change effects on the accumulation of mineral and organic matter that control wetland vertical development. Changes in river discharge from altered precipitation patterns could lead to changes in wetland flooding and sediment supply. Increases in air temperature and atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide could positively influence plant growth and wetland elevation. Increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes could positively or negatively influence wetland elevation trajectories, depending on the setting and storm characteristics. Thus the integrated effects of climate change on coastal wetlands goes beyond simply the impacts of sea-level rise. The success of tidal wetland restoration efforts depends on a fuller understanding of these integrated effects of climate change on wetland elevation dynamics. The key factors determining near-term success are wetland elevation relative to local sea level, and sediment supply. The key factors determining long-term success are tidal range, elevation, sediment supply, and geomorphic setting. These factors are highlighted with examples from successful wetland restoration efforts.

Regulating a Moving Target: Protecting Wetlands as the Climate Changes

Presenters/Authors: Laura Casey and Pesha Klein King County Department of Development and Environmental Services 900 Oakesdale Avenue Southwest Renton, WA 98057-5212 (206) 296-7158 laura.casey@kingcounty.gov; pesha.klein@kingcounty.gov King County, a local governmental jurisdiction with authority to protect wetlands through its Critical Areas Code, is at the leading edge in addressing climate change. Ron Sims, County Executive, has created an office to address the challenges presented by climate change. Recently the County has put forth a King County Global Warming Action Plan, the 2007 Climate Plan, and in conjunction with the UW Climate Impacts Group and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability had created “Preparing for Climate Change Guidebook” for local governments. Wetlands are particularly susceptible to a variety of effects from a changing climate. Wetlands have always been dynamic systems. Often regulations treat them as static, and do not recognize in advance that changes may occur over time. Wetland water levels may rise or fall. Areas of saturated soils may increase or decrease. Frequency and duration of inundation or saturation, and seasonality of hydrology may also change. As a result of changes in hydrology, the functions of individual wetlands may also change. The difference now is that these changes are occurring at a much faster pace along with alterations in the climate. These changes will be discussed in more detail. Local regulations must be designed with adaptive management in mind. Ideas will be discussed for creating land use regulations that will protect wetlands as climate change alters wetland hydrology.

What’s Next for Clean Water Act Jurisdiction?

Moderator: Jeanne Christie Association of State Wetland Managers 2 Basin Road Whindam, ME 04062 (207) 892-3399 Panelists: Jon Kusler Association of State Wetland Managers Jim Murphy National Wildlife Federation Jan Goldman-Carter National Wildlife Federation

The 4-1-4 Carabell/Rapanos decision in 2006 created uncertainty over the reach of the Clean Water Act both in the courts and on the ground. The lower courts have been divided over which opinion or opinions in the decision should be used to make jurisdictional determinations and Corps field staff have had difficulty applying new tests for jurisdictional decisions using guidance issued in 2007. In Congress Clean Water Act jurisdiction as well as the Clean Water Restoration Act has been discussed in committee hearings. In 2008 the Environmental Council of States passed two resolutions the first supporting incorporating the regulatory definition of waters of the U.S. into legislation and the second directed to strengthening the state’s role in implementing the Section 404 program. Panelists will discuss what is currently happening in the courts, challenges in the field and the outlook in Congress.

Oregon Wetland Explorer: Information Portal for Wetland Conservation and Management

Presenter*/Authors: John A. Christy*, Esther Lev and James S. Kagan Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center Institute for Natural Resources Oregon State University 1322 SE Morrison Street Portland, OR 97214-2423 (503) 731-3070, Ext.108; Fax: (503) 731-3070, Ext. 118 john.christy@oregonstate.edu http://www.oregonstate.edu/ornhic/ Oregon State University and The Wetlands Conservancy are building a wetland portal for the Oregon Explorer, a web-based digital library for information on the state's natural resources. In the past, wetland regulation, management, and conservation have been hampered by a lack of access to existing information and decision and technical support tools. The Oregon Wetland Explorer Portal integrates state and federal agency and non-profit efforts aimed at improving the conservation of wetlands at the state level while simplifying and accelerating wetland-related permitting. It will create a single source for information on wetlands by (a) assembling all existing information on the geography, ecology, and locations of Oregon's wetlands, (b) identifying opportunities for wetland restoration, enhancement, and conservation, and (c) streamlining the wetland permitting process to promote successful mitigation and restoration projects. It will meet the public’s need for information while providing web-based tools necessary for land use practitioners and decision-makers. The Oregon Wetland Explorer will improve the conservation of wetlands while promoting economic development and efficiency in government and conservation.

Controlling Phragmites in Great Lakes Wetlands: Development of a Public Outreach Program

Presenter/Author: Tracy Collin Land and Water Management Division Michigan Department of Environmental Quality P.O. Box 30458 Lansing, MI 48909-7958 (517) 241-4506; Fax (517) 373-6917 collint@michigan.gov Since 1998 Great Lakes water levels have fallen to near record low elevations. Exposed shorelines combined with ongoing human disturbances have created an ideal environment for the invasion of Phragmites australis (phragmites) along significant reaches of Great Lakes shoreline. As growth of phragmites has increased along Michigan’s coastline, public desire to eradicate the nuisance species has also grown, leading shoreline property owners to conduct unauthorized grading, mowing, disking, and raking activities in coastal wetlands. These activities destroy coastal wetland resources and exacerbate the spread of phragmites. Phragmites is widely established and it is unlikely complete eradication will be possible. Instead, agencies must focus on controlling and managing infestations using currently available resources. In Michigan, education and public outreach are important components of phragmites management, as over 80% of Michigan’s shoreline is privately owned. Recognizing this need, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) worked with a number of partners to develop a comprehensive phragmites control outreach program. This presentation will discuss the elements of our outreach program, which included a Michigan Department of Natural Resources study of phragmites control methods. The most effective methods were published in guidebooks for both professional land managers and less experienced landowners. Michigan also developed an expedited permit review process for phragmites control projects, and created a demonstration site to publicly exhibit control options. The MDEQ’s outreach strategy in areas where phragmites is not yet a dominant coastal wetland plant will also be discussed.

Why the Corps’ Permitting Process Must Assess Climate Change Through the Public Interest Review

Presenter/Author: Kim Diana Connolly Associate Professor University of South Carolina School of Law Main & Greene Streets Columbia, SC 29208 (803) 777-6880; connolly@sc.edu The United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has been issuing permits for activities in the nation’s waters since the century before last. In fact, many suggest that the Corps has its role in Clean Water Act permitting precisely because of this long history. Under all of its individual permitting programs (including The Clean Water Act and The Rivers and Harbors Act), the Corps applies a Public Interest Review process pursuant to 33 C.F.R. Part 320. This process has been identified by the White House as balancing “both the protection and utilization of important natural and other resources, including aquatic resources.” The regulation indicates that “[e]valuation of the probable impact which the proposed activity may have on the public interest requires a careful weighing of all those factors which become relevant in each particular case. The benefits which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments.” Accordingly, Corps personnel assess over twenty different factors in determining whether to issue a permit, including the catch-all concept of “the needs and welfare of the people.” The current state of climate change research, which demonstrates that climate change is occurring and impacting the nation’s waters, should thus result in inclusion of a detailed assessment of climate change implications before issuing any Corps permit.

Training Community Leaders to Speak to Their Peers About Climate Change and its Impacts to Wetlands

Presenter*/Authors: Juanita M. Constible*, Fowler, M., Lanctot, R., Wood, M. National Wildlife Federation 6160 Perkins Road, Suite 217 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 (225) 205-2804; ConstibleJ@nwf.org A "train the trainers" program can help agencies and non-profits equip community leaders to talk about complex policy issues with their peers and to mobilize them to take action. In 2007, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) launched a grassroots campaign to mobilize hunters and anglers to confront climate change. The cornerstone of the campaign is a program that trains community leaders to talk about local impacts of climate change on natural systems. Successful elements of the program include an interactive PowerPoint presentation, training on program content and presentation skills, and modules tailored to local issues. Further resources and tools for participants are provided on the campaign’s website. Participants commit to giving the presentation to two additional audiences. In early 2008, we modified the program for coastal Louisiana, which is experiencing the highest rate of coastal land loss in the United States. Although there are many causes, climate change and accompanying sea level rise pose an imminent threat to Louisiana’s wetlands. We are using the training program to engage community leaders in educating others about how large-scale coastal restoration initiatives can help their communities and surrounding ecosystems adapt to rising seas.

Comparisons Between a Proposed Natural Floodway and the FEMA Regulatory Floodway

Presenter/Author: Kevin G. Coulton, P.E., CFM Watershed Concepts 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, Suite 201 Portland, OR 97220 (971) 322-8043; kcoulton@watershedconcepts.com FEMA’s detailed flood insurance studies produce profiles and other information for the 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year floods. The 100-year (or 1%-annual-chance) flood is the most familiar product, in that it is the regulatory flood and becomes the basis for insurance rates, the mandatory flood insurance purchase requirement, and floodplain management regulations. While the 100-year floodplain and associated floodway are used for regulatory purposes, there has long been acknowledgment that the 10-year floodplain could also be of value for regulatory purposes. Before the “FEMA floodway” became the standard in the early 1970s, some communities used the 10-year floodplain as their “floodway” for regulatory purposes. This presentation will address ongoing research to investigate the relationships between the regulatory floodway and the 10-year floodplain by observing hydraulic, geomorphic, and wetland spatial relationships in selected stream reaches in the Pacific Northwest. Efforts were also made to identify the stage—and associated return period floodplain—at which flood storage is optimized in a channel-floodplain reach. This work is anticipated to result in information that would support the use of the 10-year floodplain, or a floodplain associated with frequent flood flows other than the 10-year, as a higher regulatory standard to reduce flood risk, protect the flood storage function of floodplains, and benefit ongoing efforts to protect aquatic and wetland habitats.

Planning for Sea-Level Rise on the National Wildlife Refuge System With the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model

Presenter/Author: Brian Czech Conservation Biologist U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System Division of Natural Resources and Conservation Planning Conservation Biology Program 4401 N. Fairfax Drive - MS 670 Arlington, VA 22203 (703) 358-2427; Brian_Czech@fws.gov Sea-level rise poses a major threat to the coastal wetlands of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It also complicates conservation planning efforts. Pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, each refuge is required to develop a 15-year Comprehensive Conservation Plan. Meanwhile, Secretarial Order 3226 (2001) requires the Refuge System to “consider and analyze potential climate change impacts when… developing multi-year management plans.” The Refuge System’s Conservation Biology Program has responded by engaging refuges, regional planners, the National Wetlands Inventory, states, federal agencies, non-governmental partners, and contractors in the use of the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM). SLAMM is a model with a GIS interface that provides scientifically-based projections of coastal habitats, especially wetlands. To run SLAMM, an applicator must procure and input spatially explicit data pertaining to historic relative sea-level rise, projected global eustatic sea-level rise, surface elevations, accretion, erosion (habitat-specific), and tidal range. Wetland maps from the National Wetlands Inventory are provided as a GIS layer. Output maps corresponding to various points in the future are reconfigured to reflect the effects of sea-level rise and the other variable inputs. The maps are accompanied by tables that provide corresponding habitat acreages. Although no model is sufficient to hold back the sea, SLAMM is helping the Refuge System adapt to sea-level rise by identifying areas of pronounced sea-level rise effects and, conversely, areas with potential for undergoing a transition to coastal wetlands in the future.

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Wetlands 2008
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