EPA Region 8 Video “Wetlands and Wonder: Reconnecting Children with Nearby Nature” Wins International Award

A wetlands education video produced by the Ecosystems Protection Program in Region 8 has won a Merit Award from the International Wildlife Film Festival. http://www.wildlifefilms.org   As the recipient of a merit award, EPA is found in the company of other winners such as BBC, Disney Nature, and Animal. Key Region 8 staff involved in producing the video included Darcy Campbell, Gene Reetz (now retired) and Julia McCarthy. The video, which includes an interview with Richard Louv, internationally acclaimed author of Last Child in the Woods, was also chosen by EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds to be a focus for American Wetlands Month in May.  The film will be screened at the Festival in Missoula, Montana on May 12, 2009.  To view the video, go to: http://epa.gov/wetlands/education/wetlandsvideo/

Help keep EP’s water clean

April 29, 2009
Jump into wetlands and ponds and discover how professionals discover the processes which help keep our water clean and our plants and animals healthy! Run by the Hennepin Conservation District, the Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP) provides local citizens an opportunity to get in touch with the local environment by providing a hands on approach to data collection,” according to a news release. http://www.edenprairienews.com/news/environment/help-keep-ep-s-water-clean-104

Nominate a colleague or friend who has worked tirelessly to conserve, protect, or educate others about the importance of wetlands. For more than 20 years, the National Wetlands Awards has provided the opportunity to recognize excellence and honor individuals who have demonstrated outstanding innovation or dedication in: conservation and restoration; education and outreach; landowner stewardship; science research; state, tribal, and local program development; and wetland community leadership.

We know the difference individuals make. The National Wetlands Awards provide critical examples of how these individual citizens from across the country make a difference in wetland conservation. Help honor hard work. It makes a difference. Visit www.nationalwetlandsawards.org to read about past recipients and nominate a deserving individual for a 2010 Award today. Deadline for submission: December 15, 2009.

CSO Weekly Report – February 6, 2009
NOAA and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have released the report, Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Coastal Watersheds of the Eastern United States: 1998 to 2004.  The report shows a loss of 59,000 acres per year in the coastal watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico. This causes concern, as coastal wetlands are important habitat for commercial and recreational fish, waterfowl, and other species, and they protect coastal communities from the effects of coastal storms and floods.  To read the report:
Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Coastal Watersheds of the Eastern United States: 1998 to 2004.