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WHAT'S
NEW
VOTE NOW
updated
04.08.2008
The
nominations period for the 2008 election
of chapter officers has passed, and
now is the time to vote. We are pleased
to present some well qualified candidates
for the open Secretary-Treasurer position
and At-large Board position. Please
take a few minutes to learn about
the candidates (see below) and submit
your vote.
Send
your vote to Kurt Kowalski via email
(kkowalski@usgs.gov;
subject line “NCC Vote”)
or snail mail (Kurt Kowalski, 1451
Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105).
For your vote to be counted, you need
to have an active membership and select
only one person for each position.
Votes will be accepted from April
7, 2008 through May 19, 2008. Results
will be announced at the chapter business
meeting held during the SWS Annual
Meeting in Washington, D.C.
CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES FOR THE 2008 CHAPTER
ELECTION:
updated
03.29.2008
Voting will
begin April 7, 2008 and continue through
May 19, 2008. Look for voting directions
on April 7.
Position:
Secretary-Treasurer
Blaine Watson, P.G.
Mr. Watson
is a Project Manager for an environmental
consulting and contracting firm located
in Decatur, Illinois. He is a Life Member
of SWS (member since 2000) and has over
14 years of experience in private environmental
consulting and state scientific agencies.
Mr. Watson’s wetland experience and
interests relate to hydrological monitoring
and site characterizations for both proposed
and constructed compensatory wetland sites,
mitigation banking plan development, WRP
restoration projects, and consultation on
wetland permitting. Since returning to private
consulting, Mr. Watson has worked to expand
his employer’s service area to include
wetland projects as a means to stay professionally
active in the wetlands field.
Mr. Watson
has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and a Master of Science degree in Geology
from the University of Cincinnati. He is
a Licensed Professional Geologist in Illinois
and also holds Illinois licenses for Lead-based
Paint Inspector and Risk Assessor. Mr. Watson
has several years experience teaching as
an adjunct instructor of Weather and Climate
at Lake Land College.
Mr. Watson
is currently Secretary-Treasurer for the
North Central Chapter of the Society of
Wetland Scientists. While holding the position,
Mr. Watson has worked with the chapter board
to develop a chapter annual budget program.
The budget program has helped prioritize
spending initiatives for the chapter’s
educational and regional conference support
programs. Mr. Watson is regularly involved
in chapter board activities including preparation
of meeting minutes and conference calls
for chapter business. In the past, he was
closely involved in the development of the
chapter logo and brochure. Mr. Watson has
also been actively involved in the annual
membership renewal process and has helped
with the development of tools to increase
the effectiveness of communication between
regional contacts and members at the state
level. Mr. Watson supports managing the
chapter’s funds in to maximize effectiveness
of the chapter’s goals and looks forward
to the opportunity to continue in this position.
Position:
At-large Board Member
Kevin M. Griggs, PWS, CWB
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Kevin
is an Iowa native, born and raised in
the prairie pothole region northwest Iowa.
-
He
graduated from Iowa State University in
1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree
in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. He
has completed additional graduate work
at the University of Northern Illinois
and Iowa State University.
-
His
professional career includes time with
county and state natural resource agencies.
He worked for the U.S Army Corps of Engineers
for five years; first as a park ranger,
then as a biologist. He then spent seven
years with the Iowa Department of Transportation,
first as a wetland ecologist and then
as the Water Resources Program Supervisor.
In 2004, he entered the private sector
as the Wetland Program Manager for an
Iowa engineering firm. In January 2005
he started his own home-based consulting
business: Griggs Environmental Strategies.
In this role he assists engineers, developers,
and public officials with environmental
challenges such as Section 404 Permitting
and Threatened and Endangered Species
management. Most recently, his business
has grown to include all aspects of actual
wetland construction and restoration.
-
Kevin
is a Professional Wetland Scientist and
Certified Wildlife Biologist. He has been
an active member of the Society of Wetland
Scientists, including the North Central
Chapter since 1996. In 2007 he took over
the role of Iowa Regional Contact for
the Chapter.
-
He
is interested in running for the At-large
Board position in the North Central Chapter
to further the Chapter’s membership
and involvement goals. Of particular importance
to Kevin is the advancement of education
and training opportunities for Chapter
members.
SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSAL ASSISTANCE
updated
03.14.2008
Plan a wetlands
conference, workshop, or field trip in your area
and the North Central Chapter will provide support
to local member committees in the form of publicity,
announcements, planning advice and upfront reimbursable
expenses. Go to the Proposal Solicitation link
to learn more about this new service to members
of the NCC.
Proposal
Solicitation form.
Click
here to find out more information.
The Society of
Wetland Scientist, North Central Chapter, announces
the availability of the Student Travel Grant.
The purpose of the student grants is to provide
selected students financial support to attend
professional meetings. Click
here for more information regarding the Student
Travel Grant or contact the Educational Outreach
Chair, David
A Mifsud, PWS.
OFFICERS NOMINATIONS NEEDED
updated
01.17.2008
The Chapter is
seeking nominations for the Secretary-Treasurer
position and one At-large Board position currently
held by Lynn Cudlip. The Secretary-Treasurer position,
held by Blaine Watson since 2001, also serves
as the chairperson for the Membership Committee.
Individuals elected for these positions will serve
2-year terms beginning May 2008 and ending June
2010. Kurt Kowalski, the chapter Nominations Committee
Chair, will be accepting names via email (kkowalski@usgs.gov)
from December 1, 2007 through March 24, 2008.
All members in good standing (i.e., have an active
2008 membership) are invited to submit nominations
for this election planned for April 7 through
May 19, 2008. You may nominate others and yourself.
The candidates for election will be advertised
on the web site and via email on March 31, 2008,
and voting will occur via email and snail mail.
Votes will be accepted from April 7, 2008 through
May 19, 2008. Results will be announced at the
chapter business meeting held during the SWS Annual
Meeting in Washington, D.C. Position duties are
described in the Chapter bylaws at http://www.sws.org/regional/northcentral/Bylaws.htm.
HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS
updated
12.05.2007
Look no farther for
that holiday gift. We have North Central Chapter t-shirts
and tote bags. The tote bags are a great substitute
for plastic and paper grocery bags. Proceeds from the
sale will support our chapter efforts. Visit www.cafepress.com/nccsws
and pick your top or tote.
Proceeds from sales feed
our chapter educational mission about wetlands.
  
.
SWS
JOINT MEETING WITH WWA IN MADISON, WI IN 2009
updated 10.08.07
NCC is hosting the SWS Annual
Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin in 2009! Planning continues for
a joint meeting with the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. Joy
Zedler and Becky Able are the Co-Chairs of the Planning Committee
for the meeting and Burk Inc. is under contract to SWS to manage
the meeting. If you have ideas for the meeting or would like
to get involved please contact the NCC Program Committee Chair,
Siobhan Fennessy (fennessym@kenyon.edu).
MEETING ANOUNCEMENTS:
updated 10.08.07
Wetlands
in the 21st Century: “Altered Landscapes and Changing
Climates”
January 31 - February 1, 2008
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
In 2008, Wisconsin Wetlands Association will convene members
of the regional wetland community for our 13th annual conference
to discuss the latest in wetland science, management, restoration
and protection issues as they relate to anthropogenic alterations
that affect wetlands. The program for this 2-day conference
will have a special focus on the theme Wetlands in the 21st
Century: Altered Landscapes and Changing Climates, and will
include a keynote address, topical oral sessions, a poster
session, working groups, a banquet and wetland field trips.
Read more about this year’s theme on our conference
website. Following more than a decade-long tradition, we anticipate
that this year’s conference will contribute to a growing
regional collaboration for protecting and conserving Wisconsin’s
wetlands. Jan. 31 & Feb. 1, 2008 at the Olympia Resort
& Conference Center in Oconomowoc, WI. Conference website:
www.wisconsinwetlands.org/2008conference.htm
Abstract Deadline: Wednesday, October 31, 2007
US EPA Regional Wetlands &
Watershed Conference: “Smart Planning for People, Business,
and Nature”
April 7-11, 2008
KCI Expo Center, 11730 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, Missouri.
This meeting is intended to convene individuals with an interest
in conserving and protecting watersheds, wetlands, streams,
and riparian areas particularly within the Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,
and Nebraska region. Attendees at the meeting will consist
of representatives from watershed groups, states (including
non-point source programs, watershed coordinators, and 319
coordinators), federal agencies, tribes, local governments,
special interest groups, developers, consultants, and students
wishing to 1) address water issues, including: understanding
how to do watershed scale work, understand watershed planning
requirement/components (e.g., generally NRCS, EPA 319), and
understand and buy into watershed work that it is important;
2) get a pulse on related activities and hot issues in Washington,
D.C.; 3) increase their understanding of water related problems
and solutions; and 4) strengthen working relationships. Please
contact Mandy Whitsitt, 913-551-7311, whitsitt.mandy@epa.gov
or Jeannette Kerr, 913-551-7245, kerr.jeannette@epa.gov
for more information.
Abstract Deadline January 15, 2008.
NORTH CENTRAL CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP
MAP
updated
10.08.2007
The following map displays
locations of current members within the North Central Chapter:
NCC Membership Map:............................................................................................Map
(.PDF). [918KB].
CONTINUED AT: NEWS
ARCHIVES SECTION
04.06.2005
North Central Chapter Nominations
- Click on the map to see wetland-related
links for each states -
**TIMEZONES**
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WHO WE ARE:
The North Central Chapter of the Society of
Wetland Scientists represents over 600 active members from
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North
Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
MORE
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ACTION
There are various opportunities to get
involved with the North Central Chapter, click here
to see how.
MORE
NCC APPAREL
Click the following link to purchase
shirts and tote bags with our North Central Chapter
logo. Proceeds from sales feed our chapter
education mission. Cafepress.com/nccsws.
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