Click here to access the Pacific Northwest Chapter bylaws.
Student Opportunities
McMillan Student Scholarship Awards
The McMillan Student Scholarship Awards are to encourage student participation at our regional and national meetings. The Awards are named in honor of Andy McMillan in recognition of his outstanding service and dedication in leading and promoting the functions and activities of SWS-PNW. Awards can be used for travel, hotel and conference registration costs.
Eligibility: Awards are open to currently registered graduate and undergraduate students, regardless of location. Preference is given to students living, performing research or attending a university within the SWS-PNW region (WA, OR, ID, and AK).
SWS Research Awards
The Pacific Northwest Chapter sponsors one to two annual research awards as a part of the Society’s larger research grant program. The call for awards is generally made alongside the national research grant programs and is due early each winter. Students from the Chapter’s region of WA, OR, ID, and AK are encouraged to apply. For more information, please see the SWS Awards and Grants page:http://www.sws.org/Awards-and-Grants/student-research-grants.html.
University of Washington Wetland Science and Management Certificate Program
In this rigorous, six-course certificate program, we’ll explore the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of wetlands and their many functions. You’ll get in-depth training in identifying, delineating, classifying, functionally assessing and rating wetlands using plant, soil, hydrologic and landscape data. We’ll also delve into the complex wetland regulatory environment that facilitates the protection, restoration and prudent management of wetlands. You'll apply what you've learned in the program-long practicum, where you'll undertake a student-designed investigation at a wetland site and synthesize your research findings into a scientific report and presentation. For more information, please visit: Certificate in Wetland Science & Management - UW Professional & Continuing Education
Clackamas Community College Wetland Program
If you're looking for a fun and convenient way to broaden your knowledge around environmental issues and earn continuing education units (CEUs), the Environmental Learning Center at Clackamas Community College is here to help. We offer a variety of short courses designed to give professionals hands-on experience while learning from experts in the field.
Short course topics will include areas related to stormwater management, wetland/river restoration and ecology, and more. Our rustic, yet comfortable, classrooms provide an excellent learning environment in the middle of a recently restored wetland.
- Only minutes from downtown Oregon City
- Free and open parking
- Retreat-like feel close to the city
- Conveniently located off Interstate-205
To get more information about professional development workshops, to join our email list, or to discuss your training needs, please contact Leanne Wells at leanne.wells@clackamas.edu or 503-594-3015.
Coastal Training Program, Washington
The Coastal Training Program provides practical, science-based training to professionals who make decisions about shoreline management in Western and Eastern Washington. For more information, please visit: Coastal Training Program Washington
PNW Chapter Lifetime Achievement & Leadership Awards
Past Award Winners
2002 – Andy McMillan, Washington State Department of Ecology (Lifetime Achievement)
2004 – Dyanne Sheldon, Sheldon & Associates and Suki Cupp, CH2MHill (Co-chairs of the 2004 25th Anniversary and International SWS meeting in Seattle) (Lifetime Achievement)
2010 - Yvonne Vallette, EPA Region 10 (Leadership)
2014 - Tom Hruby, Washington State Dept of Ecology (Lifetime Achievement)
2014 - Jim Wiggins, Aqua-Terr Systems, Inc. (Leadership)
Purpose of Awards – To honor individuals and/or groups that have performed outstanding service and dedication in leading and promoting the functions and activities of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of SWS.
Recipients – Chapter members who have made generous contributions of their time, skills and services in accomplishing the Chapter and SWS organization’s mission and objectives. Recipients should serve as a model to the Chapter’s membership in their demonstration of exceptional leadership abilities and perseverance in advancing the efforts of the Chapter. Their leadership abilities showcase the art of inspiring and motivating others to realize their personal/professional and collective best. Consistent with the objectives of the SWS organization, the recipient of this award has consistently demonstrated one or more of these qualities in their contributions to the field of wetland science and to the Chapter’s membership:
- Commitment to the Organization
- Ability to Translate the Organization’s Vision and Mission into Action
- An Effective Communicator
- A Relationship Builder
- A Motivator
- A Collaborator
- A Problem Solver
- Retiring (Lifetime Achievement Award only)
To submit a nomination for these awards, please contact any Pacific Northwest Chapter Board member to submit your nomination with a brief write-up that addresses the nominee’s qualities in addressing the above award standards. Submittal should include:
- Your name, contact information (address, email and phone);
- Name of the nominee, organization or affiliation; contact information (address, email and phone – they will not be contacted during the review process); years they have been a member of the PNW Chapter (estimate if you don’t know).
- Brief description of the actions or attributes of the nominee and how you see that they fit the positive attributes above. Provide examples of leadership efforts, courses taught, actions taken, years of service, etc.
- Names and contact information (address, email and phone) for at least two other PNW Chapter members who are knowledgeable of the nominee and their contributions. You must have permission to provide these names as supporters of this nomination.
SWS Multicultural Mentoring Program (SWaMMP)
The Pacific Northwest Chapter is proud to support the diversity and education initiatives of the SWS Multicultural Mentoring Program. These awards are offered for student researchers across the U.S. who come from historically underrepresented groups in wetland science. Students are selected by the SWAMMP selection committee and funds to support students are given directly to the program by the Chapter. For more information on SWAMMP, please visit http://www.sws.org/Awards-and-Grants/sws-undergraduate-mentoring-program-swammp.html.
If students, mentors, or Pacific Northwest Chapter members have any questions about any chapter awards or have an organization that would benefit from student scholarship support, please contact the SWS PNW board at pnwchapter.sws@gmail.com.
May 8, 4-6pm
Union Bay Natural Area Mitigation Site Tour
- Lead by Evan Dulin, Mitigation lead, WSDOT
- RSVP here.
- Parking options: Parking lots located at and around the UW Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st St, Seattle, WA 98105), as well as along NE 41 st Street. Meet at the trail intersection southwest of the parking areas (47.657790, -122.291504).
- Background: The Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA) is a well-known and top birding location in Seattle. WSDOT teamed up with UW to enhance this area to provide approximately 23 acres of wetland mitigation, see map below. The mitigation portions of UBNA included a combination of created wetlands, and enhanced wetlands and buffers to compensate for the loss of wetlands due to the SR 520, I-5 to Medina Bridge Replacement and HOV project. The created wetlands and enhancement areas are designed to provide mitigation for lost wetland functions including wildlife habitat, biological support, and storm water control. The site was established in 2017 and is still in its monitoring phase.
May 12, 8:30am - 1:00pm
Lake Wenatchee and Fish Lake Wetland Field Trip
- Meet at Lake Wenatchee State Park at 8:30am (https://maps.app.goo.gl/MaNoAeKuQpxsPoyh7). Field trip will end around 1:00pm.
- We'll make three wetland stops in the Lake Wenatchee area, looking at two lacustrine wetlands, one at Lake Wenatchee and one at Fish Lake, and a riverine wetland along Big Meadow Creek and the Chiwawa River.
- Bring wading boots (these must be clean of mud, soil, seeds, etc.), plant books, binoculars (for birders), trekking poles or a walking stick if you need it.
- If sufficient folks are interested, we will stop for an après lunch near Coles Corner or in Leavenworth.
- RSVP by May 10 to Nate Hough-Snee at nate@meadowrunenv.com, or 509-433-7686, or here.
May 14, 5:30-7:30pm
UW Wetland Science and Management Alumni Event
- Stoup Brewing, Capitol Hill
- RSVP by May 13 here: https://events.uw.edu/event/wetlands/summary
- Join graduates and instructors of the UW Wetlands Science and
- Management Certificate Program and members of the Society for Wetland Scientists PNW Chapter for Continuum Connections, a UW certificate alumni happy hour
- Small bites and drink tickets (2) will be waiting for you!
- Questions? Julie Scales - scalesj@uw.edu
May 16, 6-8:30pm
Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Bird Walk
- Attendees please arrive by 6:30pm at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Education Center. The event will start inside the education center, coffee and tea will be provided, and will end around 830. Bring your own binoculars if you have them (the center has plenty to loan out) and dress for the weather.
- RSVP here.
May 17, 2pm-4pm
North Fork Newaukum Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank, near Chehalis, WA
- Lead by Evan Dulin, Mitigation lead, WSDOT
- RSVP here.
- Parking options: Parking is limited at the site (limit 6 vehicles), so please
carpool if possible. Site parking at 368 N Fork Rd, Chehalis, WA 98532. - Background: The North Fork Newaukum Wetland Mitigation Bank (NFN) was established in 2003 by WSDOT to provide compensatory mitigation credits for anticipated WSDOT projects in the Upper Chehalis watershed. NFN is composed of five adjacent units totaling 230 acres located in Lewis County, see figure below. The site includes Oregon ash forested wetlands, mixed hardwood forest, mixed coniferous forest, and riparian habitat. Over 20 years since its establishment, NFN has been used to compensate for wetland impacts for 17 projects! Starting this year (2025), NFN is entering its long-term management phase.
May 21, 12-1:30pm
Panel Discussion: Wetland Buffer Impacts vs Indirect Wetland Impacts
- This is a joint event with the Wetland Study Club.
- Virtual Panel Discussion: Wetland Buffer Impacts vs Indirect Wetland Impacts- calculating wetland buffer impacts and indirect wetland impacts, and how we can navigate different agency preferences in permit applications
- Patricia Johnson will provide a summary of Washington State’s guidance on calculating indirect wetland impacts in the 2021 Wetland Mitigation in Washington State Part 1: Agency Policies and Guidance, Version 2. Following this summary, there will be a moderated panel discussion on different agency requirements for calculating buffer impacts as direct impacts or as indirect wetland impacts. We will conclude with a moderated question and answer session exploring how these methods are similar, might conflict, and how to submit reports that meet regulators’ needs
- Panel Members include Patricia Johnson (Dept of Ecology), Chris Luerkens (Dept of Ecology), Matthew Mahaffie (Whatcom County), Amy Dearborn (City of Bellingham), Steve Sundin (City of Bellingham), and Andrew Wargo (Skagit County)
- Draft Agenda
-
- Welcome, intros (5 min, Analiese Burns)
- Overview of indirect wetland impacts in Wetland Mitigation in Washington State Part 1: Agency Policies and Guidance, Version 2 (20 min, Patricia Johnson, Dept of Ecology)
- Overview of local codes regulations for buffer impacts (30 min, Chris Luerkens (Dept of Ecology), Matthew Mahaffie (Whatcom County), Amy Dearborn (City of Bellingham), Steve Sundin (City of Bellingham), and Andrew Wargo (Skagit County)
- Q&A: facilitated discussion about how these methods are similar, might conflict, and answer questions from consultants about how to submit reports that meet regulator’s needs. (30 min)
- Close, thank you (5 min, Analiese Burns)
- Join via Teams Link.
Meeting ID: 250 615 124 540
Passcode: Qc9qd7Dc - If you have questions the day of the event, please feel free to call Analiese Burns on her cell phone at 360-920-0512
May 23,
UW Bothell Wetland Walk
- Meet at the Campus Farm, right by the North Parking Garage.
- RSVP here and email Dash Paulson at dashpaulson@gmail.com for registration information, tour limited to first 20 people to register.
May 30, 6:30-8:30pm
Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Birding Event
- 5th Annual Let's Go Birding Together walk, sponsored by Black Hills Audubon and PFLAG.
- Meet in the Education Center, dress for the weather
- RSVP here.
SWS 2025 Annual Meeting – Providence, Rhode Island, July 15-18, 2025. Information found here.
May is American Wetland Month
https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/may-american-wetlands-month
https://www.fws.gov/wetlands-month
https://nationaltoday.com/american-wetlands-month/
SWS Pacific Northwest Chapter World Wetlands Day
Please join us for a day of celebration. Registration here is required by January 30.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 (6:00 PM - 9:00 PM) (PST)
The SWS Pacific Northwest Chapter has partnered with the Wenatchee Valley chapter of the Native Plant Society to bring you a hybrid Red Barn event.
Red Barn Event - Cottonwoods: Unlocking our Rivers' Histories
Thursday, February 27, 2025, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Doors open at 6:30 pm for a community social with beer and wine available for purchase.
The streaming event will start at 7:00pm.
Streaming link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAYduajgr7M
SWS 2024 Annual Meeting – Taipei, Taiwan – November 11-16, 2024
Join your fellow SWS members at the annual international conference in Taipei, Taiwan in November 2024. Information and registration can be found here.
PNW Chapter Mini-Conference – Dayton, OR – October 10-11, 2024
PRESENTATIONS:
Climate Smart Restoration Plant list for the PNW. Climate Smart Plants.
Presentation by: Mason Bowles
Presentation by: Sarah Cooke
Impacts of Beaver Habitat Creation on Water Temperature Dynamics in a Restored Urban Floodplain Wetland Upstream of North Creek's Confluence with the Sammamish River
Presentation by: Dash Paulson, Chaz Hastings and Phil Harris
Sphagnum-dominated Peatlands in the Puget Lowlands: Ecology and Response to Adjacent Land Use
Presentation by: Joe Rocchio
Installation of Pre-Planted Pallets via Helicopter to Restore Inaccessible Reed Canary Grass-Dominated Wetlands
Presentation by: Michelle Bahink and The Oxbow Wetland Pallet Project
Building Tribal wetland education and outreach programs for the Tulalip Tribes of Washington
Presentation by: Melissa Gobin
Forested wetlands and forest harvest - a successional framework for forested wetlands of the Olympic Peninsula
Presentation by: Dr. Tanner Williamson and Dr. Nate Hough-Snee
Prioritizing preservation mitigation concept in an urban environment
Presentation by: Maki Delzell and Jenny Husby
Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Habitat Restoration in the Emerald Ash Borer Era
Presentation by: Kari Dupler
From Evidence to Action: Integrating Science in Water Policy & Management
Presentation by: Claire Ruffing
The Pacific Northwest Wetland Condition Assessment
Presentation by: Mary Anne Thiesing
Community Science and Coexistence with Beavers in Urban Wetlands
Presentation by: Shea Fuller
Wetland Impacts: How Temporary is Temporary?
Presentation by: Irina Lapina
Ecology Now! A brief account of the latest at the agency
Presentation by: Doug Gresham
Mini-Conference was held at the Palmer Creek Lodge Community Center with a catered lunch and hotel was Red Lion Inn & Suites in McMinnville, OR.
The Washington Chapter of the Wildlife Society, the Society of Northwestern Vertebrate Biology, and Northwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation are hosting a joint meeting in April 2023. You can learn more about the schedule and submit presentation, workshop, panel discussions, program cover art, and symposia proposals here.
The SWS Annual Meeting will be held in Spokane, WA from June 27-30, 2023. See the Annual Meetings webpage for more information.
2022 Conference (Lacey, WA)
On November 3, 2022 the PNW Chapter held an all day, in-person conference at the Lacey Community Center in Lacey, Washington. The hall was packed with enthusiastic wetland scientists with over 100 in attendance. A great lineup of speakers presented on scientific, management, and regulatory topics from all over our region. The schedule of events is included below. Also the conference attendees contact info and PDFs of the presentation slides are available to download below.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
8:45am Opening (kick off board elections) PNW board
9:00am Policy Wake-Up Session
Rick Mraz, WA Ecology. What's new at Ecology? Policy and Guidance Updates (30 min)
Melody Rudenko. Oregon Department of State Lands. Oregon’s Function-Based Mitigation Accounting for Wetlands (30 min)
10-10:10am Break
10-10:50am Current Research Updates
Zoe Rosenblum, OSU. Global perspective: new database for transboundary wetlands governance (10 min)
Joe Rudolph, Wolf Water Resources. Monitoring Large Scale Restoration with Applied Remote Sensing (10 min)
Lee Lynn Michel. Diet of Introduced American Bullfrog after Five Years of Control in a Temperate Forest Wetland System Southwestern Washington (20min)
10:50-11:00am Break
11:00am Speakers
Neil Molstad, WA Ecology. The Washington Tool for Online Ratings: Getting into the WATOR (45 min)
Nicole Jacobsen. WA Department of Natural Resources. The role of internal consultation and external outreach in managing wetlands on forest trust lands in Washington State (15 min)
12:00-1:15pm Lunch and Raffle
1:15-2:30pm Oregon Spotted Frog Session
F. Teal Waterstrat USFWS. Oregon Spotted Frog Introduction (10 min)
Stephen Nyman, Whatcom Land Trust (30min)
Habitat restoration for the threatened Oregon spotted frog in an emergent wetland dominated by reed canarygrass at the Samish river preserve, Whatcom County, Washington
Cassie Doll, Nick George, (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Mara Healy (Thurston Conservation District), Melissa Habenicht, Sarah Hamman (EcoStudies Institute). Livestock Grazing as a Tool for Managing Oregon Spotted Frog Oviposition Habitat (30 min)
2:30-2:45pm Break
2:45-3:30pm Data Analysis Session
Dana Hicks, Oregon Department of State Lands. Trend study of wetlands and land use in the Willamette Valley between 2005 and 2020(30 min)
Scott Luchessa, Seattle City Light. The results of a pilot wetland enhancement project at Boundary Dam. (20 min)
3:30pm Closing (PNW board)
4:00pm Networking
2020 SWS-PNW Meeting Leavenworth, WA
As many of you have heard, and given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Society of Wetland Scientists’ Pacific Northwest Chapter has canceled the upcoming fall meeting scheduled for this September in Leavenworth, WA.
We are currently working with the SWS national business office to find an online format and date for programming later this fall. We realize that keeping our membership connected and apprised of regional and national wetland science and policy developments are of the utmost importance. We look forward to providing these opportunities to connect later in 2020 and encourage you to keep an eye on your inbox for new web-based content.
Also, we are actively planning the SWS national meeting in Spokane next spring. While there is great uncertainty as to whether an in-person meeting will be possible, SWS and the planning committee members are actively working to create a stellar program for 2021. Please see the meeting website at http://www.swsannualmeeting.com. More information to come.
Nate Hough-Snee
SWS-PNW Program Vice President and Conference Chair
Questions: nhoughsnee@fourpeaksenv.com
2018 SWS-PNW and Society for Ecological Restoration Northwest Joint Meeting
SWS-PNW has paired with the Society for Ecological Restoration Northwest to present the 2018 joint meeting: Restoring Resilient Communities in Changing Landscapes, October 15-19, in Spokane, WA.
All conference information is available at: https://restoration2018.org
2017 SWS-PNW Chapter Mini-Meeting Archived
The 2017 Pacific Northwest Chapter meeting, Applied Wetland Science in a Changing Northwest World was held on September 26th and 27th, 2017 at the Red Lion Hotel in Kelso, WA. The meeting took a plenary format with day one comprised of a dozen plenary talks on emerging topics in wetland policy, mitigation planning, restoration, and carbon accounting for climate change. Day two consisted of workshops and field trips (with separate registration costs). The meeting was catered and includes an evening social on Tuesday, the 26th.
Tuesday, September 26th, 2017
8:00 am – Registration opens
8:55 am – Opening Remarks
Yvonne Vallette, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
9:00 am – 10:30 am
Wetland classification and mapping in Washington State
Moderated by Nate Hough-Snee, Meadow Run Environmental
9:00 am
Improving Wetland Identification for Conservation and Regulatory Priorities
Dr. Amy Yahnke – Senior Wetland Ecologist, Washington Department of Ecology
9:30 am
Classification of Washington's Wetlands for Inventory, Mapping, and Conservation Prioritization. An Approach Based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification
Joe Rocchio – Senior Vegetation Ecologist, Washington Dept. of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program
10:00 am
A semi-automated, remote sensing-based approach for updating the National Wetland Inventory in Washington State
Dr. Meghan Halabisky – Research Ecologist – the University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
10:30 am Break and refreshments
11:00 am – 12:15pm
Frontiers session: Emerging ideas in wetland restoration and management
Session 1 – Beaver, watershed, wetland, and stream restoration
Moderated by Nate Hough-Snee, Meadow Run Environmental
11:00 am
Wetland restoration planning using the Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool
Dr. Nate Hough-Snee – Riparian and Wetland Ecologist, Meadow Run Environmental
11:15 am
Could beaver dams buffer a declining snowpack?
Konrad Hafen – Ph.D. Candidate, University of Idaho, Water Resources
11:45 am
The Methow Beaver Project
Dr. Torre Stockard – Project Coordinator – Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
12:15 pm Lunch and chapter business meeting
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Frontiers session: Emerging ideas in wetland restoration and management
Session 2 – Blue carbon science and applications
Moderated by Katrina Poppe, Northwest Ecological Services/Western Washington University
1:30 pm
Blue carbon science
Dr. Jude Apple – Research Coordinator Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Washington State Department of Ecology
2:00 pm
Blue carbon in practice
Stefanie Simpson – Blue Carbon Program Senior Manager, Restore America's Estuaries
2:30 pm Break and refreshments
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Wetland policy and regulatory issues
Moderated by Yvonne Vallette, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
3:00 pm
Comparison of mitigation banking to other mitigation options – A consulting perspective
Fiona McNair, Senior Biologist, GeoEngineers
3:30 pm
Aquatic resource mitigation framework in Oregon
Dana Hicks – Mitigation Policy Specialist, Oregon Department of State Lands
4:30 pm
The next national wetland status and trend effort
Bill Kirchner – National Wetland Inventory Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Social and ad hoc poster session.
Wednesday, September 27th, 2017
Field Trips and Workshop
Cowlitz Indian Tribe Restoration Projects Tour - 9:00am-2:00pm
Cowlitz Indian Tribe staff
Registration - $35 (includes coffee service at Red Lion Hotel, and box lunch). Transportation to the restoration sites are on your own, but carpooling is encouraged. Sites are located near Kelso, WA.
Tour of the Abernathy Creek Restoration Projects- A series of restoration projects have been implemented by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe Natural Resources Department since 2014 in an effort to improve salmon habitat within Abernathy Creek in Cowlitz County, Washington. The Tribe first restored a 600-foot historical side channel of Abernathy Creek that had become filled with debris. The Tribe removed sand and rocks, restored access to the main channel of Abernathy Creek and strategically placed engineered log jams to create pools and resting areas. Other projects have included the installation of whole trees and wood accumulations in 1.3 miles of upper Abernathy Creek and Ordway Creek. These creeks are used by winter steelhead, coho and chinook. Abernathy Creek is part of the Intensively Monitored Watershed (IMW) project which is a joint effort of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ecology, NOAA Fisheries, the Environmental Protection Agency, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and Weyerhaeuser Company. The Mill, Abernathy, Germany watershed is one of three IMWs in the state. The IMW cooperators collected water quantity, water quality, habitat, summer juvenile fish abundance, and smolt production data and are identifying specific restoration actions for each IMW treatment watershed. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe Biologist will lead the fieldtrip up Abernathy Creek, explaining their restoration design considerations and monitoring effort.
Coweeman Mitigation Bank Site Tour - 9:00am-11:30am
Victor and Zachary Woodward, Habitat Bank
Registration- $35 (includes morning coffee service at the Red Lion Hotel and box lunch). Transportation to the bank site is on your own, but carpooling is encouraged. Site is located less than 3 miles from the Red Lion Hotel in Kelso, WA.
This 312 acre site located along the Coweeman River was approved in 2016 as a joint wetland and habitat (endangered species) mitigation bank. The project includes approximately 100 acres within the tidally influenced portion of the Coweeman River floodplain and approximately 200 acres of old growth forest surrounding the river. A large palustrine forested/shrub/emergent/aquatic bed wetland complex locally known as “Hart’s Lake” and three smaller wetlands are located within the floodplain of the Bank site. The old growth forest includes wetlands and small tributaries that flow into the Coweeman River. The project restored wetlands and riparian areas within the floodplain and preserve critical wetland, upland and riparian habitat within the old growth forest areas. Historically these areas were grazed by cattle or hayed each summer which had significantly degraded and impaired their condition. The bank sponsor will lead the field trip explaining their restoration design and the process for getting approval for a joint wetland and habitat bank.
Wetland Restoration: What to plant and what NOT to plant - 8:30am-2:30pm
Dr. Sarah Cooke – Ecologist, Cooke Scientific
Registration- $125 (includes morning coffee service at the Red Lion Hotel and box lunch). Morning is in a class room setting at the Red Lion Hotel. Afternoon field session is at the Coweeman Mitigation Bank site. Transportation to the field site is on your own, but carpooling is encouraged. Field site is less than 3 miles from the Red Lion Hotel in Kelso, WA.
Sarah Cooke will provide a workshop on “what to plant and what not to plant” appropriate in many different types of aquatic environments including –stormwater ponds, small residential applications, wastewater treatment, bioswales, emergent meadows and forest wetlands. Learn from the master on what species work best in these different and often challenging locations and the importance of using native species in your plantings to avoid future problems.
Workshops and Courses
The Pacific Northwest Chapter of SWS is sponsoring workshops that may be of interest to our members. Proposals should be on a topic of interest to our members and could include a wide variety of topics that are relevant to wetland function, management, ecology, or restoration. Workshops might include teaching our members or the greater scientific, regulatory, or consulting community the latest monitoring methods for measuring or estimating ecological functions provided by wetlands. While they are specifically intended for the continuing education and benefit of our members (at a discounted rate), it is up to the proposer to consider whether they may have broader appeal and open to non-members. Successful workshop ideas will likely include education on current gaps in our understanding on the function and ecology of wetlands, innovative solutions or monitoring techniques, and the like.
Please submit your request to any PNW Board member at least 6 weeks before the proposed workshop, to allow time for sponsorship decisions.
Upcoming Workshops and Trainings:
Northwest Environmental Training Center
Portland State University Environmental Professional Program.
Richard Chinn Environmental Training, Inc.
Coastal Training Program, Department of Ecology
University of Washington – Professional Development Program
Portland State University, Department of Environmental Science and Management, Professional Certificate Programs
Please contact the PNW board to add wetland and aquatic research communications to this page.
Reed Canarygrass Annotated Bibliography
This annotated bibliography on the invasive reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) was completed in 2015 for Seattle City Light as part of ongoing habitat mitigation obligations at the Boundary Hydroelectric Project. The annotated bibliography reviews 44 of the most relevant articles, with an additional bibliography of articles not reviewed.
The Beaver Restoration Guidebook
Working with Beaver to Restore Streams, Wetlands, and Floodplains is available online. You can also connect to the guidebook directly here.
Fisheries Restoration-10 years of monitoring
Building Science and Accountability into Community-based Restoration: Can a New Funding Approach Facilitate Effective and Accountable Restoration? http://pnw.sws.org/fisheries_10yr_monitoring.pdf
Method for Rapidly Assessing Tidal Wetland Functions and Integrity
Based on field data collected from 120 wetlands on the Oregon Coast, this new HGM (hydrogeomorphic)-based method is intended for situations where limited time and budget don’t allow for direct measurement of functions. Users can assess conditions during a single site visit, then use a spreadsheet that assigns scores describing the relative levels of 11 wetland functions. Useful for regional profiling of estuarine and tidal wetlands, impact assessment, evaluating mitigation, and monitoring restored wetlands.
Best Available Science and Lit Reviews
Based on a review of over 200 articles, this synthesis addresses the most recent scientific findings related to buffer (setback) characteristics, as relevant to protecting wetland and riparian water quality and the habitat of wetland-dependent species. The review emphasizes literature published after 2004, providing an update to a review published then by Sheldon and Associates for the Washington Department of Ecology. This new review was used as a foundation for updating the local wetlands protection ordinance.
http://www.islandcounty.net/planning/criticalareas/documents/BestAvailableScience.pdf
Click here to view the PNW consultants list.
PNW Newsletters
- Winter 2014
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- Winter 2017
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- Summer/Fall 2018
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- Fall 2022
- Spring 2023
- Spring 2024
Local Newsletters
- Society of Ecological Restoration Northwest chapter: https://chapter.ser.org/northwest/
- Washington State Lake Protection Association: https://www.walpa.org/
- Oregon Lakes Association: https://www.oregonlakes.org/
Shelby Petro, President
Nate Hough-Snee, Executive Vice President
Bri Hines, Program Vice President
Maki Dalzell, Co-Secretary
Doug Gresham, Co-Secretary
Ingrid Kimball, Treasurer
Pat Togher, Board Member at large
Dash Paulson, Board Member at large
Josh Wozniak, Immediate Past President
Contact the board by emailing pnwchapter.sws@gmail.com
Pacific Northwest Chapter
Brooke Benson
Laura Brophy
Laura Brophy is the Director of the Estuary Technical Group at the Institute for Applied Ecology in Corvallis, Oregon. For over 25 years, she has provided leadership in science-based decision support for estuary restoration and conservation in the Pacific Northwest and U.S. West Coast. Through her participation in collaborative groups that share the common goal of improving estuary restoration science and application, she has been central to the recent renaissance of estuary restoration planning in the West. In these collaborations, she has led the development of several heavily-used spatial mapping tools for estuary management and climate change adaptation planning.
Gillian Davies
Gillian Davies is a Senior Ecologist & Natural Climate Solutions Specialist at BSC Group, Inc., where her work focuses on climate change and wetlands, working with local communities to develop Nature-based Solutions, particularly wetland, forest, and soil conservation and restoration, and providing wetland peer reviews for Conservation Commissions. She is a Visiting Scholar at Tufts University Global Development and Environment Institute, is Immediate Past President of the Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program, was the 2016-2017 SWS President, is a co-lead for the SWS Climate Change and Wetlands Initiative and chairs the SWS Rights of Wetlands Section and the WOTUS ad hoc sub-committee. She serves on the International Association for Ecology (INTECOL) Wetlands Working Group. Gillian served on the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Action Plan working group. Gillian has a Master of Environmental Studies degree with a concentration in ecosystem ecology from the Yale School of the Environment, and a bachelor’s degree from Williams College. She is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist, a Registered Soil Scientist, and has received the SWS President’s Service and SWS 40th Anniversary Awards. In her spare time, she and her husband enjoy hiking, mountain biking and skiing.
Evan Dulin
I am a wetland scientist with professional wetland experience starting in 2012. I specialize in wetland mitigation, delineation, permitting, and monitoring. I have had the pleasure of working in wetlands in many different regions of the continental United States from Tennessee to Washington and many places in between. I currently work for the Washington State Department of Transportation as their Wetland Mitigation Lead.
Derek Faust Ph.D.
I am an Instructor in the Environmental Sciences & Technology program at Clover Park Technical College. I teach courses including Critical Areas in the Environment (wetland delineation), GPS and GIS, Introduction to Ecology, General Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Rural Technologies, Hydrology, Watershed Analysis, Applications in Environmental Sciences I & II, and Environmental Sciences Seminar.
I previously worked as a Research Biologist at the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory (NGPRL). My interests include aquatic ecology, wetlands, greenhouse gases, and agricultural landscapes. My previous research efforts focused on water quality, in particular in assessing how management practices in agricultural ecosystems can be used to reduce potential agricultural stressors (e.g., nutrients, sediments, and pesticides) in adjacent aquatic ecosystems.
I am a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists (Treasurer of the Education Section), Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and Soil Science Society of America. In my free time, I enjoy spending time in the outdoors camping, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, hunting, and fishing.
Ralph Garono
Elihu Gevirtz
I am an ecologist with 35 years of experience in conservation, management, habitat restoration, and research. I have worked in local government, consulting, non-profit, and industry sectors in southern California. I have authored several management plans (Burton Mesa, Point Sal and others), and several habitat restoration plans including Ojai Meadows, Gaviota Creek Estuary, San Marcos Foothills Grassland, and others. I have directed invasive species removal projects in rivers and streams (Santa Ynez River, Sisquoc River, Piru Creek), and several upland habitats. I have conducted research in wetlands including vernal pools and coastal estuaries. I conducted a survey for salt marsh bird's-beak (Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum) in Carpinteria Salt Marsh. I have conducted floristic surveys and wildlife surveys in and along side coastal lagoons, and in the rocky intertidal zone. My current research is on western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) song dialects in California and Oregon. I now live in Portland, Oregon.
Brianna Hines
Brianna serves as an Environmental Planner at The Watershed Company with over 10 years of experience performing and managing environmental compliance projects, site investigations and technical field activities. A graduate of the University of Washington’s Wetland Science and Management Professional Certification program, Brianna is a certified Wetland Scientist and Wetland Professional in Training (WPIT) with the Society of Wetland Scientists. She has experience with Federal, State, and local compliance through diverse projects, performing riparian restoration design documentation, biological assessments, and critical areas assessments. In addition, she has performed field data collection, including conducting vegetation surveys, amphibian surveys, habitat assessments, wetland characterizations, mitigation site monitoring (vegetation and hydrology against performance standards) and water quality monitoring for habitat enhancement projects. Brianna is known for maintaining excellent professionalism and interactions with partners while delivering high-quality efficient work. She has experience working all over Washington, and currently resides in Thurston County.
Michiel Holley
Patricia Johnson
Jonathan Kemp
I am a Professional Wetland Scientist and a degreed Fish & Wildlife Biologist. I specialize in delineating and mitigating impacts to wetlands and watercourses along with determining the presence or absence of fish and wildlife habitats in terrestrial and aquatic environments. I effectively respond to government agencies during the permit review process and provide solutions to address the challenges to meet the goals and objectives for a complete and successful project while at the same time to protect critical area resources.
Jared Kinnear
Jared is the Reuse Program Manager at Clean Water Services. He is a Professional Wetland Scientist and has worked on design, permitting, and implementation of wetland mitigation and stream enhancement projects throughout the Pacific Northwest for over 20 years. Jared has been with Clean Water Services for over13 years and manages the Fernhill Wetlands Natural Treatment System, Reuse Program, and Biosolids Program. Fernhill Natural Treatment System is part of more than 750 acres in Forest Grove owned by Clean Water Services for water resources management. Fernhill utilizes natural treatment systems, or wetlands, to improve water quality by removing nutrients, cooling, and naturalizing the water after conventional treatment. The Reuse program currently irrigates 1 mgd, but has plans to expand the program exponentially to meet water quality goals for the Tualatin River. Clean Water Services biosolids program produces approximately 11,000 dry tons of Class B biosolids for beneficial land application on over 25,000 agricultural acres across different ecoregions in Oregon.
William Kirchner
Retired, US Fish and Wildlife Service. 41 years of public service focused on wetland mapping, wetland plant list updates, wetland delineation training, covering work for the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
William Kleindl Ph.D.
I have more than 28 years of academic and consulting experience within public and private sectors in the science, policy, and management of aquatic environments, including extensive experience in the assessment, restoration, and management of degraded wetlands and rivers across multiple scales. The goal of my career has always been to provide straightforward analysis of ecological data to facilitate a translation for management applications to solve tangible problems that intersect natural and human environments. At Montana State University, I focus my research on assessment and management questions that address combined anthropogenic and natural disturbances and how these drive aquatic structure, function, and services.
Marti Louther
Marti is a wetland biologist, with over 25 years of experience. She works in the transportation field in western Washington and is part of the Pacific Northwest Chapter.
Lorene Lynn
Lorene Lynn is a soil scientist and restoration ecologist who specializes in permafrost characteristics and tundra restoration ecology. She primarily works for oil and gas, government, and community clients in the Arctic and for mining, government, and private clients throughout Alaska. Lorene is a federally appointed member and Chair of the Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) for the North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI). Previously, she worked for HDR, the NRCS Soil Survey, and the USFWS. Her graduate studies on coastal erosion along the Beaufort Sea Coast of Alaska sparked a career in which she rarely experiences heat, instead working in a parka in the Arctic in the months most people associate with summer.
She lives in Palmer, Alaska with her husband and dog. Her two children have launched lives of their own in Alaska.
John Marshall
I have finished my software developers certificate at Renton Technical College (with focal interests in database design, software design, and web development) and my Masters Degree in Geographic Information Systems - Sustainability at the University of Washington. I am currently looking for work in a position that requires my natural resource management / wetland / computer information skills and allows me to be an advocate for environmental protection and stewardship.
Jeffrey Mason
Greg Mazer
I have over 25 years of experience providing government and private entities with technical expertise to efficiently evaluate and sustainably manage environmental resources. Having worked as a consultant and a regulatory project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, I have developed deep understanding of Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and associated federal, state and local laws and regulations. I have project experience in several western states, but mainly in Oregon where I have prepared many Joint Permit Applications. I have conducted innumerable wetland delineations, functions assessments, and stream surveys as well as other ecological evaluations such as noxious weed surveys, rare plant surveys, and watershed assessments. I have also planned, designed, implemented and monitored aquatic and riparian habitat restoration and enhancement as well as stream bank stabilization via bioengineering. I look forward to continuing with work that helps to balance reasonable development with appropriate mitigation to benefit both natural systems and society.
Kerrie McArthur
Kerrie McArthur, Senior Biologist with Confluence, has 30 years of wide-ranging experience as a natural resources professional in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Her expertise includes water quality monitoring, stream-channel characterization, wetland reconnaissance and delineations, plant and animal identification, aquatic and terrestrial habitat evaluation, fisheries surveys, and functional assessment of aquatic ecosystems. She specializes in the collection of field samples of marine and freshwater fish, plants, and invertebrates using a range of equipment. Her experience focuses on impacts to fish and wetlands, both freshwater and marine, from a wide range of development activities; regulatory permitting and associated mitigation; and restoration. Kerrie has written numerous wetland delineation reports, project-specific biological assessments, aquatic and terrestrial plant and animal sections of SEPA/NEPA EISes, and has developed mitigation plans for sensitive species and habitats including salmonids and wetlands. She has also worked in tropical and subtropical ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean.
Lee Lynn Michel
Part owner of PNW Ecoservices LLC, with contracts for Bullfrog control on behalf of the northwestern pond turtle in Washington State. Student at Oregon State University, specializing in wetland ecology and management seeking first bachelor's degree. Interests include herpetology, aquatic insects, invasive species, research, and wetland community interactions.
Kevan Moffett Ph.D.
David Monnin
Twenty plus years of natural resource consultation experience throughout the Pacific Northwest. Specializes in production of ArcGIS / AutoCAD georeferenced maps, habitat assessments, wetland delineations, permit processing, mitigation construction, and compliance monitoring. Liaison between environmental permit regulators, project engineering staff, construction contractors, and clientele to facilitate smooth processing of state and federal authorizations and to maintain project compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
Amanda Nahlik
Dr. Amanda M. Nahlik is a research ecologist at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) Pacific Ecological Systems Division (PESD) in Corvallis, Oregon. She is the ORD Lead for the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) program, which includes condition assessments for lakes, rivers & streams, coastal areas, and wetlands across the United States. With over two decades of wetland ecology and biogeochemistry experience, Dr. Nahlik's research projects range from carbon storage and nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, sedimentation and fluvial dynamics, to condition assessments and ecological indicator development. As one of the lead researchers and the Technical Lead of the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA), Dr. Nahlik uses national-scale data to estimate changes in wetland carbon storage, nitrogen cycling using stable isotopes, and provision of ecosystem services.
Lisa Palazzi
Curriculum Vitae
Lisa M. Palazzi
Home: 1603 Central NE
Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 789-4069 (cell)
(360) 352-1465 (x137) (work)
Education
1989 Master's degree in Soil Science: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Emphasis in Soil Physics[1] and Microclimatology, Minor in Forest Science
1985 Bachelor's degree in Soil Science: Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Emphasis in Soil Physics and Geology, Minor in English Composition
Certifications and Accreditations
Soil Science Society of America: Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS)
Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program: Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS)
Lisa M. Palazzi, CPSS, PWS
Research and Work Experience
Ms. Palazzi has over 35 years of professional experience in her field of expertise – soil and wetland science.
Ms. Palazzi's university education was focused on soil science and forest ecology. She attained her Bachelor of Science degree in 1985, graduating with highest honors from Montana State University with a major in Soil Science and a minor in English Composition. Her Master of Science thesis work, completed at Oregon State University in 1989, was focused on forest science and soil physics -- the study of water and heat transport in soils.
Ms. Palazzi’s post-graduate research (1989 to 1991) included participation in an interdisciplinary team of Oregon State University scientists studying ecosystem function of riparian systems in disturbed watersheds of Oregon's Coast Range, and working as a soil scientist for the USFS PNW Research Lab in Olympia, WA.
In 1991, she became the principal and owner of a soil and wetland science consulting firm in Olympia, WA (Pacific Rim Soil & Water, Inc. [PRSW]), which provided soils and hydrology assessment services for over 20 years throughout Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. In 2012, she closed PRSW and joined SCJ Alliance, a well-respected planning and engineering firm in Lacey, Washington, where she continued to provide expert services in soils, wetlands, and hydrology assessment, and related environmental science consulting issues. More details are provided below:
June 1991 to present: Consulting Soil Scientist and Wetland Scientist
Soils and Hydrology Consulting: SSSA certified professional soil scientist (CPSS)
Expert witness and/or advice in soils, wetland hydrology and soil hydrology related cases at City, County, State and Federal level
Soil and hydrology assessment and detailed soil mapping expert
Hydric (wetland) soil determinations on potential wetland sites
Soil hydrology studies for stormwater or wetland mitigation projects –restoration, enhancement, or creation
Soil physics studies to estimate percolation rates and determine suitability for septic treatment and/or stormwater treatment or infiltration
Determination of surface and soil water quantity and quality control features for site specific stormwater management or septic system design
Low Impact Development (LID) services as relate to effective protection of soil functions and management of stormwater
Groundwater or surface water monitoring wells with dataloggers for stormwater system design or verification of wetland hydrology conditions
Detailed soil mapping studies, necessary for determination of agricultural potential, or other soil-limited development activities
Soil assessment and sampling for hazardous waste conditions and cleanup
Soil sampling for physical or chemical lab analysis
Teacher of various soil science workshops: Hydrology monitoring; Interpretation of hydric (wetland) soil characteristics; Erosion and sediment control plans; Basic local geology and related soil development; Interpretation of soil characteristics for septic system design.
Wetlands Consulting: SWS certified professional wetland scientist (PWS)
Expert witness and/or advice in wetlands regulations, permitting, hydric soils and wetland hydrology at City, County, State and Federal level.
Wetland delineation expert, trained in the 1987 Army Corps of Engineers method as well as the 2010 Regional (PNW) Supplements to the 1987 Manual
Hydric soil and wetland hydrology assessment
Groundwater or surface water monitoring wells with dataloggers for determination of wetland conditions, as well as for wetland mitigation projects –restoration, enhancement, or creation
Wetlands rating, as per the Washington State Wetlands Rating System (1993, 2004 and 2014 methods)
Development and design of wetland mitigation and restoration projects
Expert witness in hydric soils and wetland hydrology related cases at City and County level
Teacher of various wetland and hydric soils training workshops, including: workshops in the 2010 ACOE Regional Supplements to the 1987 Manual; hydric soils interpretation and description; groundwater monitoring; soil hydrology and related regulatory issues at any level of audience expertise
Kimberli Ponzio
Kimberli Ponzio has over 36 years of experience working in Florida wetlands as an Environmental Scientist for two water management districts in the state of Florida, USA. Kim has been certified as a Professional Wetland Scientist for 25+ years, finding it important to ensure stakeholders from public, academic, and consultancy sectors that she has the education, work history, and skill-set necessary to deliver professional wetland services, and that she is committed to upholding a high standard of ethical behavior. Kim has been involved in leadership with the Society of Wetland Scientists since 2007, was SWS President in 2015, President of the SWS Professional Certification Program (SWSPCP) in 2020, and currently serves as Co-Chair of the SWSPCP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Kim is actively involved in helping to globalize the SWSPCP by making the Program accessible to qualified individuals, regardless of geography or financial standing. Kim’s approach has always been one of a collaborative spirit, which she believes is one of the most powerful mechanisms to further the cause of conserving, restoring, and protecting wetlands.
Mark Rains
Mark Rains is an ecohydrologist with a B.A. in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, an M.S. in Forestry, and a Ph.D. in Hydrologic Sciences. He is a Professor of Geology at the University of South Florida and Chief Science Officer for the State of Florida. His research is focused on hydrological connectivity from ridges-to-reefs; the roles that hydrological processes play in governing ecosystem structure and function; and the roles that science plays in informing water-related law, policy, and decision-making. As the Chief Science Officer, he is charged with ensuring that science underlies sound environmental policy and protection, including working with stakeholders to build a shared knowledge informed by common values and then focusing that knowledge on the most pressing statewide environmental needs. Though charged with a broad portfolio, he is primarily focused on protecting and restoring water quality, enhancing flood resilience, and developing the data and analytics strategy necessary to support these and other statewide environmental needs. He has been the recipient of numerous distinctions, including receiving three Scientific and Technological Achievement Awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and being elected a Fellow in the Society of Wetland Scientists.
Joseph Schubauer-Berigan Ph.D.
Shane Slate PWS
Environmental Project Manager
Ardurra
Coeur d'Alene, ID
www.ardurra.com
William Streever
Valerie Watkins
Jennifer Wynkoop
Jennifer is a Principal Environmental Scientist in Landau Associates’ Tacoma, Washington office. Her project management experience includes natural resources, wetlands, and environmental permitting projects at numerous sites both public and private. Jennifer’s experience includes wetland, stream and other critical area assessment and permitting; shoreline and aquatic permitting, Federal Section 404 and 401 permitting, NEPA, SEPA, litigation support, water quality assessment; biological assessments; and stormwater, groundwater, and surface water hydrology. Jennifer is a skilled project manager who has managed projects ranging from small wetland mitigation sites to large multi-million dollar environmental cleanups. Jennifer is a Certified Wetland Specialist for Pierce County and a Professional Wetland Scientist. In addition to her bachelor’s degree, Jennifer holds a certificate in Wetland and Science Management from the University of Washington.
