Events Calendar

Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - Friday, September 5, 2008

Floodplain Sustainability: Integrating Flood Risk, Land Use and Environmental Stewardship

Don’t miss this year’s premier conference in Floodplain Management in the U.S.!  With over 500 attendees from the U.S. and the international community, the conference brings together regulators, scientists, planners, engineers and researchers to address the latest policy and technical issues in floodplain management. This year’s program will focus on key elements of floodplain sustainability: flood risk, land use and environmental stewardship.

Certification Courses:

• Review for the CFM Exam
• FEMA Elevation Certificate

Stream Restoration, Design and Permitting:

• Riparian Habitat Restoration
• How to Design a River and Floodplain Project to Get Your Permits. The Do's and Don'ts From
• A Regulator's Perspective
• Rapid Assessment: Write Better Permits Faster

Arid Regions Issues:

• Tools for Arid Regions Flood Damage Reduction and Restoration

Mapping:

• NOAA Coastal Inundation Mapping
• Quality DFIRM, LOMA & LOMR Submissions

Hydrology and Hydraulics:

• Hydrology and Hydraulics for the Non-Engineer
• HEC Update: HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS and GeoHMS and GeoRAS

Partnerships and Communication:

• Developing an Effective Regional Watershed Partnership
• The Patchwork Quilt: Approach
• Risk Communication

Legal Issues:

• So You Have Been Asked to Be an Expert Witness? Now What?
• Legal "Challenges" When Dams and Levees Do Not Protect
• Protecting the Property Rights of All

Professional Development Workshops include: CFM Certification, Hydrology and Hydraulics, FEMA Elevation Certificate, Coastal Inundation Mapping, Riparian Habitat Restoration, Restoration Project Permitting, Serving as a Water Resources Expert Witness, Legal Issues for Floodplain Managers - and many others!

CLIMATE CHANGE 1-DAY SYMPOSIUM - September 5!

This unprecedented symposium is designed to provide an insightful, state-of-the-art look into the status of climate change research and investigationsin California, with a focus on regulatory and legal implications to floodplain management.  It includes up-to-date discussions on the salient studies, investigations, and research initiatives including the challenges associated with hydrologic modeling, the uncertainties of future source area hydrologic response, and the physical/infrastructure, natural resource, economic, and socio-cultural risks to floodplain managers and system-wide flood control operators.  An open forum with scientists, regulators and policy experts will provide invaluable opportunities for dialogue on challenges, opportunities and recommendations.

For more information and to register visit www.floodplain.org

Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Pacific Salmonid Conservation Series 2008: The Ecology of Pacific Salmonids

Salmonids, including Pacific salmon and trout, are an important component of the ecological function and economy for western North America. Salmon and trout of the Pacific Coast have evolved in spite of natural disturbances such as floods, fires, volcanoes, wind-throw and disease. In fact, these influences have helped each species maintain their resiliency.

Natural disturbances tend to be relatively severe but localized, allowing for ecosystem recovery. However, human-caused disturbances may have a magnitude so great that irreversible changes to the aquatic community may occur or increase the severity of impacts from natural disturbances (e.g., flooding), having both acute and chronic impacts to salmonids. Human activities can also cause such widespread gradual changes across the landscape that the recovery potential of individual ecosystems or their components, including salmonid stocks, is altered.

While each salmonid species is unique, the genetic diversity within species across drainages may be as significant as those found across different species.

Yet, certain fundamental biological requirements are the basis for all management, recovery or protection initiatives for salmonid streams. This course provides a greater understanding of:

• Origins and evolution of Pacific North American Salmon;
• Life stages of salmon and trout in both coastal and inland streams and
• The habitat requirements applicable to each stage;
• Substrate quality and hydraulic flow affecting spawning behavior and redd success;
• How habitat features, instream complexity, bank structure and large woody debris influence success of salmonids at different lifestages;
• How water chemistry, water temperature and food availability impact trout and salmon behavior; and
• How migration patterns can be impeded or enhanced by changes in flow, water quality, barriers or obstacles

About lead instructor:

Joseph E. Merz, Ph.D., is a registered scientist with the American Fisheries Society. He has over 18 years experience working with aquatic resources and has been the principal scientist on several salmonid habitat restoration programs in the California Central Valley.

He has taught environmental science, salmon biology and restoration courses for the past eight years.

Intended Audience: This course is specifically designed for practitioners and agency personnel, including biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, planners and regulators involved with stream issues

Prerequisites: None

Continuing Education Units: 1.3

Registration for each session: $495 (*$395 reduced tuition is available for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits; students; and NAEP, NEBC, NWAEP members).

$100 discount applies when registering for both courses! You may register online or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976. Click on the location/city of your choice above to proceed to the registration page.www.nwetc.org

Sunday, September 14, 2008 - Tuesday, September 16, 2008

2008 Watershed Coordinators Annual Training Event - Fundraising Strategies for Watershed & Conservation Groups

"Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.”  - Hank Rosso

Workshop Goals:

• Review fundraising history and annual goals.
• Identify new grants and individual fundraising opportunities.
• Build a communications program to support your effort.
• Develop a fundraising plan.
• Share experiences, successes, and challenges of fundraising with your Watershed,Conservation & Agency group peers.

Hosted by The Montana Watershed Coordination Council.

• Spaces available on first come basis.
• Reservations need to be received by August 29th.
• Scholarships/Travel expenses available.

For More information please contact:

Anna Schwend

Ruby Watershed Coordinator

406-842-5741 ext. 106

Ann.Schwend@ mt.nacdnet.net

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - Thursday, September 18, 2008

Opening Doors to Water Trails: 2008 Conference

A gathering of water trail citizen advocates, administrators, planners, staff, supporters, and volunteers. To convene water trail activists and advocates to share knowledge and network across the many organizations and agencies committed to water trails. The last major water trail convention was held in Maine September of 2001.  Much has happened in seven years.  There are more long distance trails like the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail.  There are many, many new completed water trails that celebrate history, promote access, and connect communities and there are scores in various stages of development.  Paddlesports continues to be one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the United States.

Conference host Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) brings over 15 years of salt and freshwater experience on the Cascadia Marine Trail and on hundreds of miles of the fabled Snake and Columbia Rivers.

Topics include:

• ADA Accessible Water Trails
• Changing Behaviors: Education without Authority
• Facility Design
• Hydroelectric Relicensing & Recreation Opportunities
• GIS and Trail Mapping
• Kids in Canoes
• Leave No Trace
• Membership Organizations: Pros & Cons
• National Water Trails Assistance Programs
• Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Corridor - How Water Trails Contribute
• Putting a Public Face on your Water Trail - web, map, guides and publicity
• Stewardship
• Surveying Users
• Tourism & Hospitality
• Water Trails 101
• Water Trails and Community Arts

To Register and for further information visit: http://www.wwta.org/wtc.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Pacific Salmonid Conservation Series 2008: The Ecology of Pacific Salmonids

Salmonids, including Pacific salmon and trout, are an important component of the ecological function and economy for western North America. Salmon and trout of the Pacific Coast have evolved in spite of natural disturbances such as floods, fires, volcanoes, wind-throw and disease. In fact, these influences have helped each species maintain their resiliency.

Natural disturbances tend to be relatively severe but localized, allowing for ecosystem recovery. However, human-caused disturbances may have a magnitude so great that irreversible changes to the aquatic community may occur or increase the severity of impacts from natural disturbances (e.g., flooding), having both acute and chronic impacts to salmonids. Human activities can also cause such widespread gradual changes across the landscape that the recovery potential of individual ecosystems or their components, including salmonid stocks, is altered.

While each salmonid species is unique, the genetic diversity within species across drainages may be as significant as those found across different species.

Yet, certain fundamental biological requirements are the basis for all management, recovery or protection initiatives for salmonid streams. This course provides a greater understanding of:

• Origins and evolution of Pacific North American Salmon;
• Life stages of salmon and trout in both coastal and inland streams and
• The habitat requirements applicable to each stage;
• Substrate quality and hydraulic flow affecting spawning behavior and redd success;
• How habitat features, instream complexity, bank structure and large woody debris influence success of salmonids at different lifestages;
• How water chemistry, water temperature and food availability impact trout and salmon behavior; and
• How migration patterns can be impeded or enhanced by changes in flow, water quality, barriers or obstacles

About lead instructor:

Joseph E. Merz, Ph.D., is a registered scientist with the American Fisheries Society. He has over 18 years experience working with aquatic resources and has been the principal scientist on several salmonid habitat restoration programs in the California Central Valley.

He has taught environmental science, salmon biology and restoration courses for the past eight years.

Intended Audience: This course is specifically designed for practitioners and agency personnel, including biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, planners and regulators involved with stream issues

Prerequisites: None

Continuing Education Units: 1.3

Registration for each session: $495 (*$395 reduced tuition is available for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits; students; and NAEP, NEBC, NWAEP members).

$100 discount applies when registering for both courses! You may register online or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976. Click on the location/city of your choice above to proceed to the registration page. www.nwetc.org

Thursday, September 18, 2008 - Sunday, September 21, 2008

Land Trust Alliance "The National Land Conservation Conference"

Rally is the largest land conservation training and networking event in America. Each year, more than 2,000 people attend Rally, including land trust professionals, landowners and local conservation leaders - all dedicated to protecting farms, forests, trails, parks and natural areas in their communities.

Join us for:

• 150 workshops featuring emerging trends in conservation that include conservation defense for the future, condemnation, diversity, climate change and core conservation practices
• 30 in-depth seminars, including seminars drawn from the Alliance's new Land Trust Standards and Practices curriculum
• 12 field trips giving participants the chance to explore the natural beauty of western Pennsylvania
• Numerous networking events, plenary speeches and the 2008 Rally Award program

For more information, visit: www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/rally/rally

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - Thursday, October 2, 2008

From Mountaintop to River Bottom: Restoring New Mexico's Watersheds

The first ever New Mexico Watershed Forum provides an opportunity to:

• Learn about other watershed projects and restoration techniques
• Increase Collaboration and communication about watershed restoration
• Network with watershed groups across New Mexico
• Share successes, challenges and innovation
• Brad Lancaster, an expert on water harvesting, will give the keynote address

This statewide forum will bring together agencies, organizations, professionals, educators and citizens with an interest in watershed management, restoration and protection. Presentations and workshops will provide tools and information for people doing watershed restoration on the ground. A day of field trips will provide on-site learning about restoration projects.

Partners

The Watershed Forum is sponsored by the New Mexico Environment Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department Forestry Division, and the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute, in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture with organizational assistance provided by River Source.

For more information, please contact:

River Source

eliza@riversource.net

505-660-9221

www.riversource.net

Thursday, October 2, 2008 - Sunday, October 5, 2008

The Chesapeake Watershed Forum

The Chesapeake Watershed Forum is an annual conference for watershed organizations and local government officials from around the multi-state Chesapeake Bay region. It is an opportunity to learn the latest scientific techniques in Bay restoration and protection, address specific organizational capacity building needs, focus on regional and watershed-wide needs, network with other watershed organizations, and enjoy the beauty of the watershed.

The 2008 Chesapeake Watershed Forum will be held on October 2, 3, 4, and 5 at the NCTC facility in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

CLICK HERE to register for the 2008 Watershed Forum.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

    * Registration covers all Forum activities, lodging and buffet style meals from Friday lunch through Sunday lunch.

    * Registration is $150.00 prior to September 1; $175 after September 1.

    * Registration closes September 15th unless the conference sells out prior to that date.

    * Registrants will receive an email confirmation with hotel contact information to make their own room reservations.

    * Cancellation policy: No refunds after September 15.

    * Separate registration is required for each person attending the Forum.

    * No walk in registrations permitted for this is a Federal facility.

For NCTC directions and maps, click here: http://training.fws.gov/meet/gettinghere.htm .

For more information contact: Lou Etgen (410) 377-6270

Saturday, October 11, 2008 - Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Restore America's Estuaries' 4th National Conference "Creating Solutions through Collaborative Partnerships"

The Conference - Creating Solutions through Collaborative Partnerships - will be held October 11-15, 2008 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI. We anticipate 1,500 participants.

The Conference will bring timely national attention to the challenges and opportunities to comprehensive coastal ecosystem restoration throughout the U.S. Habitat restoration at all scales is essential to the very fabric of our lives - the social, economic and ecological well being of humans in the coastal landscape.

This Conference is the premiere nationwide forum focused solely on advancing the knowledge, pace, practice, scale and success of coastal and estuarine habitat restoration.  Incorporating the non-profit, government, scientific, business, tribal and academic sectors, the Conference will enable networking and communication throughout this growing movement.

Please see the conference website (http://www.estuaries.org/conference) for additional information or contact Steve Emmett-Mattox at program@estuaries.org or 303-652-0392.

Saturday, October 18, 2008 - Wednesday, October 22, 2008

81st Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference

The largest water quality event in North America is heading to the Windy City! The latest in water quality research, technology and services will be on display at WEFTEC.08.

If it’s about water, it will be at WEFTEC.  WEFTEC offers the best water quality education and training available today and is a leading source for water quality developments, research, regulations, solutions, and cutting-edge technologies.

Don’t miss your opportunity to join thousands of water and wastewater professionals at WEFTEC.08 – The Water Quality Event!

Monday, October 20, 2008 - Friday, October 24, 2008

River and Stream Restoration Shortcourse

Set in beautiful Duke Farms near Somerville, this shortcourse provides training in geomorphic and ecological understanding and analysis for sustainable stream restoration, drawing upon experience in implemented projects from a wide range of environments. You can attend the first two days only (Mon-Tue, Oct 20-21) to learn about restoration approaches and how to determine what's suitable for a given stream, or attend the entire five days (Mon-Fri, Oct 20-24) and benefit from training in field techniques and integration of geomorphology into restoration planning and design. We will use nearby Duke's Brook and Raritan River for field exercises, and visit several streams in the region to understand problems and consider potential solutions.

Why Take This Course?

The field of stream restoration has experienced tremendous growth recently in the northeastern US, where high population densities have resulted in a range of impacts to rivers and streams. New Jersey in particular is experiencing a boom in restoration efforts, motivated by the need to improve water quality, as components of flood control programs, as part of dam removals, or as mitigation for development impacts, and built by a variety of government agencies, nonprofits, and consultants.

Restoration can be most effective when based on an understanding of processes and the larger context, and when it benefits from systematic learning from previously built projects. The course emphasizes understanding geomorphic and ecological processes in rivers, approaching restoration from a watershed-scale and decadal-time scale context, incorporating insights from recent research in fluvial geomorphology and ecology, developing predictive connections between objectives and actions, learning from built restoration projects, and developing restoration strategies and innovative management approaches based on understanding of underlying causes of channel or ecosystem change, rather than prescriptive approaches. Participants in this course will learn to see their reach of stream as part of a larger system, and to identify factors in other parts of the watershed and over a longer time scale that may be influencing the current behavior of the reach (such as the effects of historical mill-dams creating fine-grained floodplain deposits). The course draws on cutting edge research and practice, taught by experienced instructors active in research and implementation in the field.

Who Should Take This Course?

The course is ideal for those responsible for managing and restoring rivers and streams, including those who have previously taken shortcourses in the field, as this course offers insights and approaches unlike those typically taken in many restoration projects today, including innovative approaches being implemented in Europe and Asia, as well as elsewhere in North America. Practitioners and agency staff responsible for reviewing restoration proposals will benefit from the high caliber of instruction and direct link to current research. Managers responsible for supervising restoration programs and projects will benefit from the first two days' presentation and discussion of the broad range of potential restoration goals and strategies and how to match those with the specific river's situation. The subsequent three days provide more specifics and field-based instruction. This course is a good choice for those seeking an understanding of sustainable process-based river restoration. And this course is unique in offering the opportunity to learn from such an extensive and growing data set of post-project appraisals of restoration projects, and to learn how to conduct effective post-project monitoring. The number of participants is limited to provide many opportunities for one-on-one instruction.

Course Format

The course consists of organized lectures, backed by lecture notes, a reference text on measurement and analysis methods in fluvial geomorphology, spreadsheets, and other relevant reading, field trips, exercises, and discussions. The course includes field trips to streams in the Raritan River Basin, and workshops on stream restoration problems faced by participants, who briefly present the problem for discussion by instructors and colleagues in a workshop format, for discussion and ideas on analytical approaches and resources.

Instructors: Matt Kondolf (University California Berkeley), Margaret Palmer (University of Maryland), Jack Schmidt (Utah State University), Mark Tompkins (CH2MHill), Peter Wilcock (Johns Hopkins University)

Registration

Course fees include the text Tools in Fluvial Geomorphology, a CD-rom with relevant papers and spreadsheets for calculations, printed lecture notes, as well as continental breakfast and lunch each day, and receptions Monday and Thursday evenings. Fees: If paid by Sept 15: Mon-Tue only $590, Mon-Fri $1500; after Sept 15: Mon-Tue only $690, Mon-Fri $1600.

To register contact: njawra_stream@yahoo.com

For more information, see the course website  http://streamrestorationnj.com/

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - Friday, October 24, 2008

Vancouver Fostering Sustainable Behavior Workshops

The cornerstone of sustainability is behavior change.  If we are to move toward a sustainable future we must encourage individuals and businesses to engage in a multitude of actions (e.g., waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, pollution prevention, etc.).  To date, most programs to encourage such activities have relied upon disseminating information. Research demonstrates, however, that simply providing information has little or no effect on what people or businesses do.  But if not ads, brochures or booklets, then what?  Over the last decade a new approach -- community-based social marketing -- has emerged as an effective alternative for delivering programs to foster sustainable behavior.

This fall Dr. McKenzie-Mohr, an environmental psychologist, will be presenting introductory and advanced community-based social marketing workshops in Vancouver (October 23rd and 24th -- please note that these sessions are the only the training sessions offered this year in the Pacific Northwest). Dr. McKenzie-Mohr is the founder of community-based social marketing and has written and presented extensively on the topic. We invite you to attend either or both of these workshops, as we are confident that the training they provide will fundamentally change the way you think about program delivery.

The Workshops

Over the last decade more than 40,000 program managers have attended workshops on community-based social marketing that Dr. McKenzie-Mohr has delivered internationally. Here are two evaluations:

"The entire presentation was tremendous. The information was excellent and well prepared. I thought our entire communications department would have benefited from this. Doug is a very good speaker and his responses to questions were informative and seamless. The information and suggestions, particularly regarding one-on-one contact, will definitely become part of our strategies in encouraging water conservation and recycling. . . This was a very worthwhile day."    

--Edmonton Workshop Attendee

"I benefit from an extensive network of contacts and colleagues and yet Doug's work stands alone in its depth and breadth in answering the questions we ask."      

--Glen Pleasance, Water Efficiency Coordinator Durham Region

Introductory Workshop (October 23rd): The one-day introductory workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to community-based social marketing and how it is being applied throughout the world to foster sustainable behavior. Those who attend the introductory workshop will learn the five steps of community-based social marketing (selecting behaviors, identifying barriers, developing strategies, conducting a pilot, and broad scale implementation) and be exposed to numerous case studies illustrating its use.

Advanced Workshop (October 24th): The one-day advanced workshop builds on knowledge gained from the introductory workshop or the book, Fostering Sustainable Behavior. It provides an in-depth exposure to community-based social marketing and provides participants with the knowledge they need to design and evaluate their own community-based social marketing programs. Participants will have extensive opportunity to discuss the application of community-based social marketing to their own programs. To ensure ample opportunity for discussion, this workshop will be limited to 75 participants.

Who Should Attend?

If you design or fund programs to encourage individuals or businesses to engage in environmentally beneficial behaviors -- such as those involved in waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, watershed protection, pollution prevention or transportation changes -- you will find these workshops invaluable. The workshops will also be useful for environmental education professionals who work in settings such as zoos, aquariums and parks. Public health professionals who work to foster sustainable lifestyle changes, such as being more active, will also benefit from attending.

Registration:

To register, please download the registration flyer (http://snipr.com/2ewih-sirq4r) and fax or mail it to us. Please consider forwarding this email to colleagues who might benefit from attending. Hope to see you in the fall.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 - Friday, November 7, 2008

Working for Healthy Watersheds-Climate Change and Watershed Resilience

Want to learn how climate change will affect Oregon's waterways, wildlife and fish?

Plan to attend the largest gathering of watershed restoration practitioners in the state-the 2008 Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board conference November 5-7. The biennial event will feature keynote speakers and numerous workshop sessions on the impacts of climate change for Oregon's watersheds. Other major workshop topics will include invasive species and restoration project management.

The conference will offer a special half-day registration fee for a concentrated series of sessions November 6 designed to help natural resources organization managers, volunteers and board members function effectively and work closely with community partners.

The theme for the conference is "Working for Healthy Watersheds-Climate Change and Watershed Resilience." The event will be held at the Eugene Hilton and Conference Center. Registration for the event will open in September.

Featured Thursday evening banquet speaker Chad Pregracke will give a multi-media presentation about one man's crusade to clean America's rivers, starting with the Mississippi.

Watch for more information on OWEB's Web site: www.oregon.gov/OWEB. See the conference heading under "Current Topics." You may request e-mail updates by following instructions on the conference page. The site lists proposed conference workshops along with a description of issues to be discussed and objectives for the session.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Pacific Salmonid Conservation Series 2008: The Ecology of Pacific Salmonids

Salmonids, including Pacific salmon and trout, are an important component of the ecological function and economy for western North America. Salmon and trout of the Pacific Coast have evolved in spite of natural disturbances such as floods, fires, volcanoes, wind-throw and disease. In fact, these influences have helped each species maintain their resiliency.

Natural disturbances tend to be relatively severe but localized, allowing for ecosystem recovery. However, human-caused disturbances may have a magnitude so great that irreversible changes to the aquatic community may occur or increase the severity of impacts from natural disturbances (e.g., flooding), having both acute and chronic impacts to salmonids. Human activities can also cause such widespread gradual changes across the landscape that the recovery potential of individual ecosystems or their components, including salmonid stocks, is altered.

While each salmonid species is unique, the genetic diversity within species across drainages may be as significant as those found across different species.

Yet, certain fundamental biological requirements are the basis for all management, recovery or protection initiatives for salmonid streams. This course provides a greater understanding of:

• Origins and evolution of Pacific North American Salmon;
• Life stages of salmon and trout in both coastal and inland streams and
• The habitat requirements applicable to each stage;
• Substrate quality and hydraulic flow affecting spawning behavior and redd success;
• How habitat features, instream complexity, bank structure and large woody debris influence success of salmonids at different lifestages;
• How water chemistry, water temperature and food availability impact trout and salmon behavior; and
• How migration patterns can be impeded or enhanced by changes in flow, water quality, barriers or obstacles

About lead instructor:

Joseph E. Merz, Ph.D., is a registered scientist with the American Fisheries Society. He has over 18 years experience working with aquatic resources and has been the principal scientist on several salmonid habitat restoration programs in the California Central Valley.

He has taught environmental science, salmon biology and restoration courses for the past eight years.

Intended Audience: This course is specifically designed for practitioners and agency personnel, including biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, planners and regulators involved with stream issues

Prerequisites: None

Continuing Education Units: 1.3

Registration for each session: $495 (*$395 reduced tuition is available for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits; students; and NAEP, NEBC, NWAEP members).

$100 discount applies when registering for both courses! You may register online or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976. Click on the location/city of your choice above to proceed to the registration page. www.nwetc.org