INDEX:

---EDITOR'S NOTE--

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

·	ASWM Joins the Society of Wetlands Scientist in Charleston June 5-10
·	Wetland and Riparian Area Legal Workshop:  IDENTIFYING "WATERS" OF THE U.S. AFTER SWANCC. October 18-19, 2005
·	INTEGRATED RESTORATION OF RIVERINE WETLANDS, STREAMS, RIPARIAN AREAS, AND FLOODPLAINS IN WATERSHED CONTEXTS.  November 15-16, 2005
·	President Bush's Wetlands Initiative On Track
·	2005 National Wetlands Awards Ceremony And Reception - May 18

---NATIONAL UPDATES---

·	May is American Wetlands Month: Only Four More Issues of Wetland Sights and Sounds - Sign Up Before It's Too Late!
·	EPA Celebrates American Wetlands Month in May
·	NRCS Data Show Significant Gains in Agricultural Wetland Acreage
·	Senate Confirms New EPA Chief
·	Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Feared Extinct, Isn't
·	Unprecedented Coalition Forms to Restore the Great Lakes
·	An Endangered Susquehanna Chesapeake Bay Tributary Tops List of Nation's Threatened Rivers
·	No Refuge Is an Island: Arctic Refuge Drilling Debate Misses The Big Picture
·	Officials Enact Colorado River Plan
·	ANALYSIS - Newcomers Want More 'Green' in Next US Farm Law

---LEGISLATIAVE NEWS---

·	Elected, Civic Leaders Announce Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
·	Invasive Species Legislation

---STATES NEWS---  

·	NY Governor Pataki Proposal Takes Small Wetlands Under State Wing
·	'Bulldozer' Wetlands Law Opposed By Ohio's EPA
·	FL: Bill Seeks Quick Wetlands Permits
·	Ducks Unlimited Pledges $10 Million to Restore Minnesota's Wetlands and Waterfowl
·	MD: Wildlife Officials Mute A Generation Of Swans
·	IN: An Area Nonprofit Group Will Buy 680 Acres North Of Fox Island County
·	Transfer of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Administrative Jurisdiction from NRCS to FWS
·	WI: Governor Doyle Announces $1.78 Million in Grants for Wisconsin's Coastal Communities
·	Enviros, Developers Agree to Conserve California Vernal Pools
·	CA: Torres Martinez Indians Host Groundbreaking Ceremony With U.S. EPA

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---

·	CA: Natural Resource Project Inventory (NRPI) Database - Deadline Approaching for Anniversary Brochure Consideration
·	Invasive Species Control Highlighted in PMC Document
·	[Webcast] Protecting Water Resources through Land Conservation: Funding Options for Local Governments
·	New Publication: Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees
·	[Report] Large-Scale Ecosystem Restoration: Lessons for Existing and  Emerging Initiatives
·	National Wetlands Research Center: Library Digital Collection [pdf]

---POTPOURRI---

·	Conservation Careers Diversity Outreach Directory: Looking for Submissions
·	Apply for Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
·	Kodak American Greenways Grants
·	Great Lakes Grants Available
·	State Fish And Wildlife Agencies To Share In More Than $530 Million

---EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES---

·	IA DNR Wetland Monitoring Assistant (1): late May - August 2005; Resumes Due MAY 5
·	Oregon Department Of State Lands Seeks Western Region Manager; Resumes Due MAY 6
·	Job Openings for 2 Branch Chiefs in EPA Wetlands Division - Closes May 6
·	Job Openings at New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission - Closes May 15
·	Field Ecologist/Technician Positions - Florida Everglades
·	Raleigh, NC Positions: Experienced Stream Designer And Environmental Specialist Sought
·	Cincinnati, OH: Mid-level Biologist

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---

For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit the ASWM calendar.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

This has been an insane week in the Brady-Connor household. Problems with the business led to a two-day crying jag [pregnancy hormones, anger, and frustration], followed by many more tears for the very recent loss of my grandmother and her funeral [sorrow].  However, in the same week we have managed to keep two tadpoles alive, my husband got a pay raise, and my daughter exuberantly played a kitten who lost her mitten in her kindergarten school play.  We just keep moving forward, accepting the bad times with the good and looking for opportunities to celebrate.  I'm beginning my sixth month of pregnancy and it is progressing very smoothly - we think it is a boy (as affirmed by the ultrasound technician.)  John Michael Christopher Connor will be his name.  A second middle name was added to accommodate my six-year-old daughter's desire to have naming rights - this seemed a nice compromise.

One celebration we missed: Earth Day 2005.  Read a great Earth Day commentary, by Keith Schneider [Great Lakes Bulletin News Service, 4/20/2005] online: "At 35, an Earth Day Surprise: Environmentalism's new leading edge is in the red states" http://www.mlui.org/growthmanagement/fullarticle.asp?fileid=16846.

To make up for missing Earth Day, we will put extra energy into celebrating American Wetlands Month this May.  We do have to get out more, and this is the perfect reason to walk local wetland trails and talk about what makes these areas particularly important.  I'm even considering flying to DC for the National Wetlands Awards ceremony - a great opportunity to learn more about the people effecting change in the U.S.  Details are below if you'd like more information about the ceremony and additional American Wetlands month activities.

Happy American Wetlands Month!

Jennifer Brady-Connor Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

ASWM Joins the Society of Wetlands Scientist in Charleston June 5-10

The South Atlantic Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) invites you to join them 5-10 June 2005 in Charleston, South Carolina for the 26th Annual International Wetlands Meeting. The Conference will focus on ecological, landscape, and regulatory transformations using the wetlands typified by the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain as a model. This physiographic province contains by far the largest extent of wetlands in conterminous United States.   The Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) will be meeting with SWS in 2005 and hosting three half-day symposia as well as a workshop.  On the workshop schedule these are: S15. How Much Science Is Enough? Measuring no net loss / net gain of wetlands; S16. How Much Science Is Enough? Assessing cumulative impacts to wetland resources;S17. How Much Science Is Enough? Regionalizing the Wetlands Delineation Manual; and W1. Implementing Effective, Defensible Wetland Programs for Local Government. Wednesday, June 8, 2005, 8 am - 12 pm http://www.sws.org/charleston2005/workshops.htm. The regular registration rate for the conference is in effect through May 5. Registration is available online at https://host5.visualpresence2000.com/fororg/sws/index.php3. After May 5, a higher rate will apply.  For more information and to register for the SWS conference go to; http://www.sws.org/charleston2005/

Wetland and Riparian Area Legal Workshop:  IDENTIFYING "WATERS" OF THE U.S. AFTER SWANCC. October 18-19, 2005

Call for Papers and Invitation. Wetland and Riparian Area Legal Workshop: IDENTIFYING "WATERS" OF THE U.S. AFTER SWANCC. October 18-19, 2005, Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Conducted by The Association of State Wetland Managers, Institute for Wetland Science and Public Policy. The workshop will be designed to serve a number of principal goals: - Help attendees understand the impact of SWANCC, including what wetlands and related waters are "waters of the U.S." after SWANCC.  - Examine how the courts have, to date, treated key terms such as "navigable water", "adjacency", "tributary", and "significant nexus" in a post-SWANCC context. - Examine the legal and scientific issues associated with a number of  "problem" contexts such as riparian zones, ephemeral streams, arroyos, closed and partially closed basin wetlands and lakes, artificial drains and wetlands and waters linked to navigable waters through sheet flow or ground water. - Examine, from a scientific basis, what sorts of arguments can and cannot be made that specific wetlands and waters are waters of the U.S.  - Discuss how states, tribes, and local governments may be able to fill the gaps in Section 404 and related programs by including wetlands in water  quality programs. - Help states, tribes, federal agencies and other entities identify strategies for developing sound, coordinated jurisdictional calls.  For more information:  Visit the ASWM conference web site for agenda, hotel, and registration information at  http://www.aswm.org/calendar/reconciling/reconciling.htm

INTEGRATED RESTORATION OF RIVERINE WETLANDS, STREAMS, RIPARIAN AREAS, AND FLOODPLAINS IN WATERSHED CONTEXTS.  November 15-16, 2005

Call for Papers. INTEGRATED RESTORATION OF RIVERINE WETLANDS, STREAMS, RIPARIAN AREAS, AND FLOODPLAINS IN WATERSHED CONTEXTS. November 15-16, 2005, University of Massachusetts Campus Center, Amherst, Massachusetts. The principal workshop goal will be to build state, tribal, local government, federal, and private stream, riparian, and floodplain capabilities to simultaneously restore riverine wetlands, streams, riparian areas, and floodplains in a watershed context. More specific goals include: - Help attendees understand assessment approaches for streams, wetlands, floodplains, and riparian and how they might be cooperatively applied on a watershed basis. - Help attendees develop integrated watershed plans and policies for wetlands and other related but other aquatic ecosystems. - Help attendees apply "on the ground" integrated restoration policies including low tech and low cost approaches. - Build local, tribal, state, and federal restoration partnerships for watershed-based approaches. For more information visit the ASWM conference web site for agenda, hotel, and registration information at  http://www.aswm.org/calendar/integratingrest/integratedrest.htm

President Bush's Wetlands Initiative On Track

Coastal America news release, 4/21/05.  On the first anniversary of the President's wetlands initiative, the Bush Administration today released "Conserving America's Wetlands: Implementing the President's Goal." The new report highlights first-year progress pursuant to the President's goal of restoring, improving, and protecting the quality and quantity of three million acres of wetlands by 2009. The President's 5-year goal calls for restoring at least one million acres of additional wetlands; improving the condition of at least one million acres of existing degraded wetlands; and extending protection to at least one million additional acres of imperiled wetlands. The President also committed federal agencies to make better use of the array of federal programs that can contribute to the wetland goal. According to the report, specific achievements between Earth Day 2004 and Earth Day 2005 include 328,000 acres restored or created; 154,000 acres improved; and 350,000 acres protected.  The report also includes a description of the key federal programs contributing to the goal and their planned accomplishments for FY 2006. The President's 2006 budget requests continued funding for the programs to support an additional 1.6 million acres to be restored or created, improved, and protected by September 30, 2006. Download the report and Executive Summary at http://www.coastalamerica.gov  [The National Wildlife Federation has released a rebuttal fact sheet, "Still Nowhere Near No-Net-Loss" available online at http://www.nwf.org/nwfwebadmin/binaryVault/STILL.doc]

Recipients of 2005 National Wetlands Awards Announced - May 18

Seven wetlands educators, scientists, and conservationists were selected as recipients of the 2005 National Wetlands Awards for exemplary contributions in conserving or restoring the Nation's wetlands. They will be honored at a Capitol Hill presentation on May 18, 2005 in Room B339 of the Rayburn House Office building in Washington, DC.  This year the awards ceremony is  co-sponsored by Senators Mary Landrieu and John McCain, and Representatives Anna Eshoo and Sherwood Boehlert.  Please click here  http://www2.eli.org/pdf/nwa/NWA2005Invite2.pdf   for more information about the ceremony, or visit http://www2.eli.org/nwa/nwa2005.htm#main  for more information about the winners.  Please note, to RSVP to the Awards ceremony, you must contact ELI by May 12th at (202) 939-3842 or wetlandsawards@eli.org and leave your name, organizational affiliation, and phone number.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

May is American Wetlands Month: Only Four More Issues of Wetland Sights and Sounds - Sign Up Before It's Too Late!

The Izaak Walton League of America is offering a unique opportunity for you to experience wetlands in your email inbox. Wetland Sights and Sounds is a series of eight email news flashes to help you get ready for American Wetlands Month in May. Following the American Wetlands Month theme of It Pays to Save Wetlands, each issue highlights an economic benefit of wetlands. Issues are packed with facts, pictures, sound cards, conservation project ideas, and links to other resources. The first four issues have already gone out, and you can view them at www.americanwetlandsmonth.org. You can go to the same sight for a link to sign up for the remaining issues. Just click on "click here to subscribe" and send a blank email to join-friends@list.iwla.org.  By joining this list, you also will receive periodic updates from the Izaak Walton League on exciting conservation initiatives.

EPA Celebrates American Wetlands Month in May

EPA WaterNews for April 26, 2005. "EPA will join others across the nation to celebrate American Wetlands Month in May, for the 15th year, with events highlighting the importance of protecting wetlands. The theme for the celebration is "Pays to Save Wetlands" and focuses on the many economic values of wetlands, such as flood control and improving water quality. The calendar of nationwide events can be found at http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/events and www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands. The Environmental Law Institute, nonprofits, the EPA and other Federal agencies will honor the winners of the annual National Wetlands Awards on May 20, in Washington, D.C. The awards honor individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to wetlands conservation, research or education projects at the Regional, State or local level. Assistant Administrator Benjamin Grumbles will make an appearance at Wetlands Awareness Day at Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County, VA, to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the park. EPA and other Federal employees will partner with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program on May 7 to clean up a wetland at Dyke Marsh on the Potomac River. International Migratory Bird Day was celebrated at the National Zoo on April 30-May 1. For more about wetlands protection and how you can take part in the celebration see www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands.

NRCS Data Show Significant Gains in Agricultural Wetland Acreage

NRCS news release, 3/31/05.  WASHINGTON - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Bruce Knight today announced agricultural wetland net gains of about 263,000 acres between 1997 and 2003. The results are based on new data in the NRCS National Resources Inventory (NRI), an annual statistical survey of natural resource conditions and trends on nonfederal land in the 48 contiguous states. Wetland gains have been most prevalent in the central part of the nation where there are extensive agriculture operations and the highest level of participation in conservation programs authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill. The NRI data show that since 1997 annual wetland losses on all lands have been on a decline, while annual agricultural wetland gains have been increasing. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/releases/2005/wetlandsgain.html

Senate Confirms New EPA Chi

4/29/05, by Jim Abrams, Associated Press. WASHINGTON - "The Senate early Friday confirmed President Bush's nominees to head the Environmental Protection Agency and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, ending a standoff with two Democrats who had delayed votes to protest the administration's environmental and trade policies. The Senate voted 61-37 to break a procedural roadblock and then quickly approved Stephen Johnson, the EPA's acting chief, to serve as the agency's next administrator . . . " http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=7641

Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Feared Extinct, Isn't

4/28/05, by Maggie Fox, Reuters. WASHINGTON - "The ivory-billed woodpecker, long feared extinct, has been seen in a remote part of Arkansas 60 years after the last confirmed U.S. sighting, ornithologists said Thursday. Several experts have spotted and heard an ivory-billed woodpecker in a protected forest in eastern Arkansas near the last reliable sighting of the bird in 1944, and one was captured on video last year. 'The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), long suspected to be extinct, has been rediscovered in the "Big Woods" region of eastern Arkansas,' researchers wrote in the journal Science in an article hastily prepared for release . . . " http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=7629 Also visit "Once-thought Extinct Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Rediscovered in Arkansas" 4/28/05 USFWS news release, http://news.fws.gov

Unprecedented Coalition Forms to Restore the Great Lakes

National Wildlife Federation news release, 4/27/05. TRAVERSE CITY, MI - As government officials from throughout the nation gather this week to participate in the most comprehensive Great Lakes conservation planning effort in the history of the region, over 50 national, state and local conservation organizations today announced the formation of a Great Lakes restoration coalition aimed at securing a sustainable restoration plan and obtaining the billions of dollars needed to implement it. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and NPCA are heading the Healing Our WatersSM - Great Lakes coalition, which seeks to protect and restore the Great Lakes by addressing such issues as reclaiming sensitive coastal wetlands and other critical habitat, stopping the introduction of invasive species, eliminating toxic pollution that contaminates fish, reducing polluted runoff, ending beach closings, and cleaning up contaminated sediments. Contact Jordan Lubetkin, lubetkin@nwf.org

An Endangered Susquehanna Chesapeake Bay Tributary Tops List of Nation's Threatened Rivers

By Elizabeth Williamson, Washington Post Staff Writer, ednesday, April 13, 2005; Page B01. "Teeming with raw sewage, animal waste and fertilizer runoff, yet responsible for half the Chesapeake Bay's fresh water, the Susquehanna River is the most endangered river in the United States, according to a report released today by American Rivers, a national conservation group. Pennsylvania's massive Susquehanna, the bay's biggest tributary, tops a list of 10 American rivers with uncertain futures, including Ohio's Little Miami River, Tennessee's Roan Creek and South Carolina's Santee River. Most of them, said American Rivers President Rebecca R. Wodder, are befouled by raw sewage and urban and farm runoff -- problems made worse by population growth and cuts to federal cleanup money. . . " http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48296-2005Apr12.html

No Refuge Is an Island: Arctic Refuge Drilling Debate Misses The Big Picture

By Robert L. Fischman, Grist Magazine,  4/12/05. "Sun-drenched Pelican Island in Florida is about as far from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as you can get in the United States. At first blush, the 5,000-acre warm marsh would seem to have little connection to the 19 million-acre stretch of mountains and tundra. But they are inextricably linked. In the controversy over whether petroleum development in the Arctic Refuge is worth the threat to habitat and wilderness, a crucial broader issue has been lost: how will drilling and development affect the 95 million-acre refuge system? Last month's Senate vote to open the Arctic Refuge to drilling puts the already-patchy network in danger of unraveling -- and it defies a protective statute Congress enacted just eight years ago . . . " http://www.grist.org/comments/soapbox/2005/04/12/fischman/index.html?source=daily

Officials Enact Colorado River Plan

4/5/05, by KEN RITTER, Associated Press Writer. HOOVER DAM, Nev. (AP) - "Water officials from California, Arizona and Nevada joined the federal government Monday in enacting a 50-year plan to protect the lower Colorado River and ensure states are able to get enough water and power from it. The $626 million agreement will benefit 'the many important species, including humans, that rely on the Colorado River,' said John Keys, commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, during a ceremony at the base of the massive Hoover Dam. The program, called the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program, aims to protect threatened and endangered species along 400 miles of river from Lake Mead to the U.S.-Mexico border, while ensuring an uninterrupted supply of water and power . . . " http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/04/04/national/a181727D73.DTL

ANALYSIS - Newcomers Want More 'Green' in Next US Farm Law

April 4, 2005. WASHINGTON - "While Congress wrangles over paring US agricultural programs this year by a few billion dollars, an amalgam of environmental groups, small-farm advocates, deficit hawks and anti-hunger activists is focused on the big prize -- a wholesale remodeling of farm subsidies. They are getting ready for an overhaul of the US farm program beginning in 2006, and their goal is to cut crop subsidies and increase money for farmland stewardship . . ." http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30199/story.htm

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LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Elected, Civic Leaders Announce Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Alliance for the Great Lakes news release, 4/14/05. "Congressional and civic leaders today announced a new push for a massive Great Lakes restoration package in the U.S. Congress, starting with the introduction of two bills. The Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act of 2005 (S. 508) has been introduced by U.S. Sens. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich). Companion legislation has been introduced in the House (H.R. 792), by U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) of Chicago. The two bills would provide billions of dollars in block grants to states. Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) would provide funding for key programs. All would reduce sewage overflows and protect beaches, protect the health of fisheries that are a staple of the Midwest's outdoor heritage, recover coastal wetlands and other forms of habitat, and include other restoration work . . . " www.greatlakes.org

Invasive Species Legislation

Northeast-Midwest Weekly Update 4/18/05. "Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) last week introduced legislation to reduce the risk of harm to U.S. aquatic ecosystems and natural resources from aquatic invasive species.  The National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2005 would reauthorize and strengthen the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 in order to protect U.S. waters by preventing new introductions of aquatic invaders.  The bill provides for rapid response when new invaders are discovered, for controlling those species that are established in our waters, and for researching pathways of introduction as well as prevention and control technologies.  The bills are numbered S. 770 and H.R. 1591 and H.R. 1592. Contacts:  Allegra Cangelosi with the Northeast-Midwest Institute (202/464-4007) and Joy Mulinex with the Great Lakes Task Force (202/224-1211)."

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STATES NEWS

NY Governor Pataki Proposal Takes Small Wetlands Under State Wing

Environment News Service, 04/28/2005. "[NY] Governor George Pataki has submitted legislation to strengthen protections for freshwater wetlands, ensuring that activities in these fragile areas are subject to state or local oversight. Under the bill, wetlands of less than 12.4 acres that are no longer subject to federal protections would be regulated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) or the local jurisdiction. Also, under the legislation, permits would be required for activities in these wetlands and civil penalties for filling in or damaging wetlands would be increased to promote better compliance with state and federal law . . . " http://www.longislandpress.com/?cp=162&show=article&a_id=2404

'Bulldozer' Wetlands Law Opposed By Ohio's EPA

4/28/05, by Dan Klepal, Enquirer staff writer. "Ohio legislators are considering a plan that would radically change the way state wetlands are protected. It would also dramatically cut down the amount of public involvement in the process of deciding whether developers are allowed to fill in swamps, streams and other waterways while they build houses or shopping malls. Nicknamed the 'bulldozer amendment' by the Ohio Environmental Council, House members added it to the state budget bill it passed this month. The Senate is now considering the bill . . . The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is lobbying against the amendment . . . " http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050428/NEWS01/504280375/1056

FL: Bill Seeks Quick Wetlands Permits

4/7/05, by Craig Pittman And Matthew Waite. St. Petersburg Times - "At the urging of developers, some state legislators are pushing a bill to make it easier to wipe out wetlands. The bill would put the state Department of Environmental Protection in charge of approving projects that would destroy 10 acres of wetlands or less. The change would require the consent of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has primary authority for protecting Florida's swamps and marshes. . . . Any project that wipes out more than a half-acre of wetlands must get a corps permit. For instance, a controversial new Wal-Mart proposed on Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg needs a corps permit because it would wipe out six acres of wetlands on the 27-acre site. Under the bill, the Wal-Mart would need only a state permit, not a federal one. About a dozen other states have taken over partial authority for permits for wetlands of three to five acres, said Jeanne Christie, executive director of the Association of State Wetland Managers . . . " http://www.sptimes.com/2005/04/07/State/Bill_seeks_quick_wetl.shtml

Ducks Unlimited Pledges $10 Million to Restore Minnesota's Wetlands and Waterfowl

ST. PAUL, Minn., April 4, 2005 _ In keeping with its mission of wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation, Ducks Unlimited pledged $10 million in private funding during the next 10 years to restore 300 Minnesota shallow lakes and their watersheds. The announcement came Saturday, April 2, from DU Executive Vice President Don Young at a rally of supporters determined to reverse the long-term decline of Minnesota's duck populations, wetlands and water quality. Nearly 5,000 people joined DU and more than 40 outdoor and conservation organizations to encourage the Minnesota legislature to improve the way natural resources are managed within the state. http://www.ducks.org/News/MNDUPledge.asp

MD: Wildlife Officials Mute A Generation Of Swans

By Candus Thomson, Sun Staff. 4/26/05.  WYE ISLAND - "There is nothing silent about the mute swan standing guard on the sandy spit of land across from his nesting mate. Hissing and puffing himself up, the huge white bird makes for biologist Larry Hindman's small boat at ramming speed. But the menacing swan is no match for the biologist armed with a squirt bottle filled with cooking oil. Within minutes, the embryos inside the nest's six eggs will be suffocating. Hindman is part of a state and federal effort to reduce the population of the beautiful, yet destructive, bird before it can do any more harm to its Chesapeake Bay habitat. The two-part plan calls for smothering 1,500 eggs now and killing as many as 1,000 adult birds later this year . .. " http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.swans26apr26.story

IN: An Area Nonprofit Group Will Buy 680 Acres North Of Fox Island County Park With Plans To Restore The Land To Wetlands

4/22/05, The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.  "The Little River Wetlands Project, a Fort Wayne group dedicated to restoring wetlands, has reached an agreement to acquire the parcel, to be known as Eagle Marsh, for $2.1 million, said Paul McAfee, executive director of the wetlands project. The parcel is within the approximately 2 square miles of park and wetlands that lie in Aboite and Wayne townships and is currently being used for agricultural purposes. The state Nature Conservancy pledged $250,000, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will supply $1.2 million. The wetlands project has until May 31 to raise the remaining funds . . . " http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/11464521.htm

Transfer of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Administrative Jurisdiction from NRCS to FWS

NRCS This Week April 15, 2005. "Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and Secretary of Interior Gale A. Norton have agreed to the first transfer of administrative jurisdiction in Minnesota from NRCS over to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). This is one of the first such agreements in the country. This supports the establishment of a new National Wildlife Refuge at Glacial Ridge that started with approximately 2,000 acres donated from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to FWS. As more donations follow, NRCS will reciprocate with further transfer of administrative jurisdiction. The transfer will allow FWS to maintain vegetation that comprises two-thirds of the acres on these sites. This will protect the restored wetlands and benefit all species that utilize grasslands. Additionally, the transfer will allow FWS to manage water in order to optimize wetland functions and values for the benefit of all species, but especially migratory waterfowl and other wetland dependent species. The FWS plan to establish walkways and paths to allow the public to view this unique resource in north western Minnesota. Your contact is Julie MacSwain, NRCS public affairs specialist, 651-602-7914."

WI: Governor Doyle Announces $1.78 Million in Grants for Wisconsin's Coastal Communities

4/13/05, Governor Doyle news release. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced $1.78 million in grants to protect and enhance Wisconsin's coastal communities. Administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Coastal Management Program, the federal grants will be used by nonprofit organizations, as well as local, state, and tribal governments to assist with projects totaling nearly $5 million. The funds are part of Wisconsin's federally funded Coastal Management Program. Projects include $83,338 to the WIDNR to continue updates and enhancements to the Wisconsin Wetland Inventory in the coastal counties, and funds for Kewaunee County Wetland Restoration Inventory, Chiwaukee Prairie SNA Habitat Restoration, Red Banks - Gilson Creek Conservation Plan, and the Maskiigimim (Cranberry) Inventory and Assessment. A list of projects receiving grants is listed on the Governor's website http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=1058.

Enviros, Developers Agree to Conserve California Vernal Pools

SACRAMENTO, California, April 12, 2005 (ENS) - "Defenders of Wildlife and the Butte Environmental Council Monday announced an agreement with federal agencies and local developers that the groups say will ensure protections for rare vernal pool wetlands in Placer County. The settlement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and development companies 1600 Placer Investors and Roseville/Fiddyment Land Ventures sets what the environmental groups hope will become a precedent for construction projects in the Central Valley. The agreement establishes a system for ensuring that for every acre of vernal pool critical habitat that is developed, two are purchased for conservation purposes. The developers are required to purchase mitigation properties prior to development, including three key Placer County parcels totaling 1,084 acres within the area designated as critical habitat and directly in the path of future development. The developers must provide funds to the Placer County Land Trust for acquisitions and easements of at least 1,000 acres of vernal pool grasslands within the next five years. And in the future the developers must acquire an additional 3,835 acres of wetlands and grasslands critical habitat within Placer County . . . " http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2005/2005-04-12-09.asp#anchor4

CA: Torres Martinez Indians Host Groundbreaking Ceremony With U.S. EPA

EPA news release, 4/6/06. LOS ANGELES - The U.S. EPA, state of California, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Salton Sea Authority will join the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians for the groundbreaking of an 85-acre, $1.5 million wetland project that will improve water quality from the nearby Whitewater River and enhance local wildlife. The "Water Quality Wetland" project will treat the contaminated water using plants as natural filtration systems to remove phosphates, selenium, and bacteria from the incoming Whitewater River water, thus improving wildlife habitat. As the Salton Sea continues to recede, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians will build shallow water habitats which will provide fresh water and suitable environments for over 400 species of  birds and other wildlife.  In addition, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians will install a small nursery to propagate native grasses, willows and other plants that will be used in the wetlands development. http://yosemite.epa.gov/r9/r9press.nsf/newsbyyear?ReadForm&year=2005

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PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

CA: Natural Resource Project Inventory (NRPI) Database - Deadline Approaching for Anniversary Brochure Consideration

This Fall, the Natural Resource Projects Inventory (NRPI) will be distributing a color brochure using your project data! "Celebrating Ten Years of Watershed Success Stories in California" NRPI is now the most comprehensive statewide database with 5,300 natural resource projects and is searchable on the Internet. It gets over 1,000 hits a day from resource managers, private citizens, students, folks looking for volunteer opportunities. The projects include watershed conservation, restoration and noxious weed eradication, assessment, planning, and scientific studies, all funded by federal, state and private grants. The brochure will highlight projects in a regional context including Conservation, Acquisition, Mitigation, Monitoring, Education Outreach, Restoration, Assessment, Planning, Capacity Building, and Exotic Species Removal.  The brochures will be distributed to agencies, at public meetings and conferences, and it will be available online or on CD - it's a wonderful opportunity to showcase your successes! Go to: www.ice.ucdavis.edu/nrpi for complete details or contact: Kevin Ward, kcward@ucdavis.edu 530-752-2378 (ph), 530-752-3350 (fax)

Invasive Species Control Highlighted in PMC Document

NRCS This Week April 15, 2005. "The NRCS Plant Materials Center (PMC) in Los Lunas, New Mexico has published Guidelines for Planning Riparian Restoration in the Southwest, an easy-to-read overview for soil and water conservation districts, environmental groups, municipalities, Federal land holders, and others as they plan to restore areas cleared of invasive species such as salt cedar and Russian olive. Once these invasives are removed from waterways, landowners need to be aware of the many factors that go into successful restoration of the land so that cleared areas are not re-infested. Invasive species like the Russian olive and the salt cedar (phreatophytes) are a major concern in arid New Mexico because of the amount of water they soak up in the State's major watersheds. One well-established salt cedar for example, can soak up 500 gallons a day. Further information about riparian restoration in the Southwest can be obtained by contacting the Los Lunas Plant Material Center at 505-865-4684. Your contact is Barbara Garrett, NRCS public affairs specialist at 505-761-4406."

[Webcast] Protecting Water Resources through Land Conservation: Funding Options for Local Governments

April 27, 2005 issue of LGEAN Update. "The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Trust for Public Land (TPL), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will host a webcast, Protecting Water Resources through Land Conservation: Funding Options for Local Governments on June 9, 2005.  The webcast will provide context for the role of conservation finance in land onservation, describe critical components for creating a successful funding effort, and showcase local government success stories. Attendees will leave with an understanding of current conservation finance trends; revenue sources being used by local governments; voter opinions on water protection; and the importance of good measure design in funding campaigns. To register or for more information, please visit http://lgean.org/html/training/. Check out the early bird specials for early registrants!"

New Publication: Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees

Environmental Concern Inc proudly announces its newest publication: Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees By Dr. Edgar Garbisch and Suzanne McIninich. Propagation synthesizes over thirty-two years of wetland horticulture experience into one book.  Written by the man who began the nation's first wholesale wetland plant nursery in 1972, this resource covers more than 100species and contains over 200 illustrations. The authors offer detailed tables that contain flowering periods, seed ripeness indicators, and seed collection times. In addition, the book includes a glossary of terms, and an index of botanical and common names. 350 pages. $54.95 plus $8.00 S&H. Order online at http://www.wetland.org/ or call (410) 745-9620

[Report] Large-Scale Ecosystem Restoration: Lessons for Existing and Emerging Initiatives

The Northeast-Midw