News

Have any Great Wetland Photos?!
The Pacific Northwest Chapter (PNW) of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) is seeking wetland-related photographs for the 2013 Pacific Northwest Wetland Photo Calendar. Photo entries will be accepted through July 31, 2012.

Click on the link below to read more about

1st Annual Pacific Northwest Chapter's
Wetland Calendar Photo Contest

Final National Wetland Plant List Effective As Of June 1st, 2012

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), as part of an interagency effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is announcing the availability of the final 2012 National Wetland Plant List (NWPL). The NWPL is used to determine whether the hydrophytic vegetation parameter is met when conducting wetland determinations under the Clean Water Act and the Wetland Conservation Provisions of the Food Security Act. Other applications of the list include wetland restoration, establishment, and enhancement projects. The list will become effective on June 1, 2012 and will be used in any wetland delineation performed after this date. Delineations received prior to this date may still use the 1988 list, or you may chose to use the 2012 list. For the Federal Registry Notice, May 9, 2012, click here.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released its updated website with the North American Digital Flora: National Wetland Plant List (NWPL). Interest in wetland plants comes from all levels of government, academia, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations. The NWPL (and the information implied by its wetland plant species status ratings) is used extensively in wetland delineation, wetland restoration and research, and the development of compensatory mitigation goals, as well as in providing general botanical information about wetland plants. The geographic area of NWPL covers all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Caribbean and Pacific islands that are considered to be territories of the U.S. However, to provide additional insights regarding plant distribution awareness, we have included the total geographic range for each taxon throughout North America, North of Mexico. The plant data are organized into ten regions that coincide with Corps wetland delineation regions. Updating the NWPL has been a cooperative effort of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Biota of North America (BONAP), states, Indian Nations, the academic community, and the scientific portion of the public. Each region of the United States is represented by a panel consisting of botanists or ecologists from each of the four lead federal agencies; these panels will initiate draft wetland plant ratings. To visit the National Wetland Plant List, click here.

Boise Fall 2012 – Mark your calendars!
September 19-21, 2012 in Boise, Idaho

Our next SWS Pacific Northwest Chapter SWS Conference will be held September 19-21, 2012 in Boise, Idaho at the magnificent Grove Hotel. This is sure to be an exciting event with new material for the concurrent and plenary sessions. The conference will also follow previously successful formats of poster sessions, exhibitor booths, a silent auction, chapter business meetings, social functions and field trips or workshops. Idaho has numerous unique wetlands and waters systems near the city of Boise for field trip opportunities. This is a wonderful opportunity for informational exchange and connecting with people so please join us in the fall of 2012!

If you are interested in assisting in planning the conference please contact Greta Murdoff at greta@murdoffcs.com. We need volunteers to help organize a number of important conference activities such as: planning or leading field trips, workshops, or organizing special sessions. We also need help in contacting potential local sponsors for this event. Most of the organizing activities and coordination are done via regularly scheduled conference calls.

For more information visit the conference website: http://depts.washington.edu/uwconf/sws/index.html

2012 Student Scholarship Awards

The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists would like to encourage student participation at our regional and national meetings.  Currently, the chapter is sponsoring student participation at the International meeting in Orlando, Florida on June 3 -8, 2012 and the PNW Chapter meeting in Boise, Idaho on September 19-21, 2012. The meeting is in conjunction with the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Conference and INTECOL 9. At this time, we would like to announce the availability of funds to assist students with the costs associated with traveling to/from the meeting to present results of their research.
The Award: The PNW Chapter will make one award for the upcoming International meeting and the PNW Chapter meeting. The award includes meeting registration fee and a cash stipend to help offset travel and lodging expenses. A $1,000 will be awarded for the International meeting and $500 will be awarded for the PNW Chapter meeting.
Eligibility: This competition is open to all currently registered, graduate and undergraduate students regardless of location. However, preference will be given to students within the PNW Chapter (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho).
Students need to submit an abstract with their application. The deadline for abstract submittal for the international meeting was January 8, 2012. The PNW Chapter meeting abstract deadline is March 30, 2012.

• Deadline to receive student scholarship applications for the International meeting is February 29, 2012. APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED AND RECEIPIENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IN APRIL 2012.
• Deadline to receive student scholarship applications for the PNW Chapter meeting is April 15, 2012.

To Apply:  Submit proof of current student status (photo copy of a university ID or letter from academic advisor), a copy of your submitted SWS abstract, and a short (1-2 page) letter describing your studies, your career goals and why you would like to receive this award. Applications can be mailed or emailed to Dr. Ralph J. Garono (rgarono@earthdesign.com), c/o Lake Superior NERR, 14 Marina Drive, Superior, WI 54880 (541.757.7896).
Selection: Awards will be made by the selection committee on the basis of the merit of each candidate and the quality of their SWS abstract.  Decisions of the selection committee are final.  The committee reserves the right to withhold the award if suitable candidates are not found or if funds are not available.

The application is simple.  This is an opportunity to meet and network with world renowned leaders in wetlands ecology.  Don’t delay – submit your talk or poster abstract!

E-mail us information about jobs, workshops, training, publications, news or whatever you're working on in Pacific Northwest wetland science and culture and we'll post it on this web site. Contact our Web Site Manager.