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Author: Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter

2024 Winter Conference – Presentations

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

2024 Winter Conference Presentations

The SNEC Board of Directors would like to thank our impressive speakers for their time and expertise!

Conference Presentation PDFs

Herring River Tidal Restoration Project – a WPA Ecological Restoration Limited Project Case Study

Christine Odiaga, Assistant Project Manager, Friends of Herring River, Wellfleet/Truro, Inc.

Christine Odiaga is living her dream, “washed ashore” on Cape Cod and working an incredibly cool job. Prior experience that made it a perfect fit includes ten years of outreach and education as a MassDEP Wetlands Circuit Rider, three years as a municipal conservation agent and six years of construction site sampling and monitoring on the Central Artery/Tunnel project (fascinating!!). Christine took advantage of the cooperative education program at Northeastern University and found that training and exposure to be as valuable as any class.

Presentation PDF

Blue carbon consequences of salt marsh restoration: Carbon and greenhouse gas budgets of the Herring River restoration

Meagan Eagle, Research Physical Scientist, US Geological Survey

Meagan Eagle is a Research Scientist at the Woods Hole Coastal & Marine Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey. Her research focuses on coastal resilience and the role these ecosystems play in the climate system, particularly at the nexus of management actions and greenhouse gas emissions. She works with managers and policy makers at local, state and federal levels to provide actionable science.

Presentation PDF

A Special Wetland, Eversource Energy’s Atlantic White Cedar Mitigation Project –The 1st Year

Melissa Kaplan, License and Permitting Team Lead

Melissa Kaplan is the License and Permitting Team Lead at the BSC Group. Using her 22 years of professional environmental and biological consulting experience, Ms. Kaplan manages and leads BSC project teams across New England in local, state, and federal permitting efforts for large-scale utility companies, municipal projects, state agencies and others. Ms. Kaplan holds a master’s degree in marine biology and is a Professional Wetland Scientist. Melissa is also on the board of the Connecticut Power and Energy Society, serving as Membership Committee Lead.

Tom Groves, Senior Botanist, BSC

Tom Groves is a Senior botanist with the BSC Group. For the past 10 years he has worked across New England’s landscapes providing advice and recommendations to federal and state agencies as well as private landowners for ecological habitat restoration and invasive plant management. More recently, Tom is performing rare, threatened and endangered plant surveys for utility companies and other agencies required to avoid impacts to state or threatened species. Mr. Groves holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and a B.A. in English. Tom is also an active member of the New England Botanical Society and in 2022 was awarded a research grant for rare plant research in his home state of Vermont.

Presentation PDF

Tidal marsh restoration planning and monitoring for at-risk Saltmarsh Sparrows

Alison Kocek, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, USFWS, Southern New England Coastal Program

Alison Kocek is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southern New England Coastal Program, based out of the Rhode Island Field Office. She has been working with and studying tidal marsh birds for the past 14 years. She received her Ph.D. at State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2022, where she studied how Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows are adapting their nesting behaviors to a changing environment. One of her main duties in the Coastal Program is to work with non-federal partners in Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts to provide monitoring support for tidal marsh restoration projects to benefit at-risk species such as the Saltmarsh Sparrow.

Jonah Saitz, Biologist, USFWS, Southern New England Coastal Program

Jonah is a Biologist in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southern New England Coastal Program based in Charlestown, Rhode Island. He’s primarily focused on supporting our office and partner’s: GIS, Hydrologic, and RTK Surveying needs, across Connecticut and Long Island. Before Joining the service in February 2023, he served as Hydrologic Survey Technician contractor based in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Northeast Regional Office in Hadley, MA. Where he was part of an RTK strike team supporting infrastructure/saltmarsh restoration projects at National Wildlife Refuges from Maine to Virginia. Jonah received his B.S in Environmental Science from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2019.

Presentation PDF

Distribution and Variability of Blue Carbon in Tidal Marsh Soils of Southern New England

Joe Manetta, University of Rhode Island

Joe Manetta is obtained his master’s degree in biological and environmental sciences at URI under the guidance of Dr. Mark Stolt in the Lab of Pedology and Soil Environmental Science in 2023. Joe’s research primarily centered around the formation and carbon storage of tidal marsh soils. Additionally, he has contributed to the URI soil judging team, helping them reach the national level twice. His interests revolve around applying soil formation knowledge to investigate the complex interactions between soil and the environment, aiming to better comprehend and address regional environmental challenges. Currently, Joe works as a research associate at URI studying soil moisture regimes.

Presentation PDF

The transformation of Westerly’s Main Street Corridor

Project Manager, Fuss & O’Neill

Elizabeth Kirmmse, RLA, ASLA, WEDG, is a Project Manager and Landscape Architect with Fuss & O’Neill.  Beth graduated from Smith College with a degree in Government and a focus on environmental policy and completed her Masters in Landscape Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design.  She works with clients to develop solutions that mitigate vulnerabilities to climate change and provide ecological, economic and cultural co-benefits.  With a passion for designing natural infrastructure, Beth rethinks the built environment, creating innovative designs that improve the ecological health of a system resilient solutions for waterfront locations, and is currently designing resilient riverfronts, shorelines, and natural infrastructure throughout New England.

Presentation PDF

Lessons learned with a novel salt marsh restoration method: optimizing hummock design at Great Meadows Marsh

Nicolette Nelson, Project Manager, University of Connecticut Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Nicolette is a project manager at the University of Connecticut where she coordinates monitoring and research of a restored salt marsh in Stratford, CT. She also leads data management efforts for a multi-site thin layer placement project, manages undergraduate technicians, and assists with graduate student projects and analysis. Nicolette received a BS in Wildlife from Cal Poly Humboldt in 2016. In 2020 she received an MS in Biology from Washington State University Vancouver, where her research was funded by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and focused on American bullfrog invasion in California. Nicolette has many years of field experience, mostly working on research and management of threatened and endangered wildlife species.

Presentation PDF

Partnering with NRCS to preserve and restore a salt marsh migration corridor

Wenley Ferguson, Director of Restoration, Save the Bay

Wenley Ferguson is Save The Bay’s Director of Restoration. Since 1990 she has worked on coastal habitat and water quality restoration projects throughout Narragansett Bay and its watershed including restoring salt marsh, anadromous fish, dune, and coastal buffer habitats and stormwater management. Wenley works with partners on design, implementation and monitoring of restoration and coastal resilience projects.

Melissa Hayden, Biologist; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Melissa Hayden is the State Biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Rhode Island, a position she has held since August of 2022. In this role, Melissa provides technical support for NRCS staff, partners, and clients on projects relating to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat, Endangered Species Act compliance, the National Environmental Policy Act, and forestry related topics. Melissa has worked with RI NRCS since 2010, where she served as a District Conservationist for the eastern and southern districts prior to starting in the State Biologist role. Prior to 2010, Melissa worked for MA NRCS as a soil scientist and soil conservationist. Melissa has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Rhode Island, where she served as a research assistant, and a Master of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Vermont, where she served as a teaching assistant.

Rock Singewald, Warren Land Trust

Rock Singewald is the immediate past President of the Warren Land Conservation Trust and has been involved in the implementation of the restoration plan at Sowams Meadows Preserve over the last two years. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Trust for 6 years and in addition to the work at Sowams Meadows, he is the Steward of the Haile Farm Preserve just a little further up the Palmer River. He has worked with NRCS and Save the Bay on projects at both of those preserves as well as at Jacob’s Point on the Warren River. Rock is retired from a long career with the Federal Government and has been working for many years with his wife Anne Raver on habitats of native plants for native insects and birds, starting with the 120 acre farm he and his wife worked in Maryland prior to moving to Rhode Island and continuing with the creation of a wildlife habitat in their yard in Warren.

Presentation PDF

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2024 Winter Conference Attendees

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

2023 Winter Conference – Attendees

Registered Attendees as of 6 Feb 2024

Four attendees prefer to remain anonymous – (1) district agency,  (1) state agency and (2) private sector staff. 

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SNEC 2024 Winter Conference

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Winter Conferences

11 Feb 2024:  CONFERENCE PROGRAM posted!!  (Click for PDF)

2024 Winter Conference

COLLABORATIVE RESTORATION

in Southern New England

Friday, February 16, 2024
Crowne Plaza, Warwick RI

SWCS Southern New England Chapter is taking a soup-to-nuts look at collaborative, community-based restoration projects focused on improving resiliency and repairing damage cause by humans.  One such project will be used as a case study for permitting as an Ecological Restoration Limited Project under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act.  Another envisions a Main Street corridor that improves the environment, the community, and the economy through use of green infrastructure, driven by partnerships between local and state agencies and private property owners.
Scroll down for information about the super-solid slate of speakers from state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, academia and the private sector.  SNEC is pleased that students, university research associates and recently fledged conservation professionals will make presentations.  The final agenda and conference program have been posted.  Check back for additional information as it is received, including any handouts received before the event.    
Certificates of attendance will be provided to document 6 solid hours of educational content suitable for professional certification renewals. 

Program

Presentations

AGENDA

  • 8:00am

    Registration | Exhibits & Networking

  • 9:00am

    Welcome and Opening Remarks

  • 9:10am

    Christine Odiaga, Assistant Project Manager, Friends of Herring River, Wellfleet/Truro, Inc. Presentation: Herring River Tidal Restoration Project – a WPA Ecological Restoration Limited Project Case Study

  • 9:40am

    Meagan Eagle, Research Physical Scientist, US Geological Survey Presentation: Blue carbon consequences of salt marsh restoration: Carbon and greenhouse gas budgets of the Herring River restoration

  • 10:10am

    Melissa Kaplan, License and Permitting Team Lead, and Tom Groves, Senior Botanist, BSC Group Presentation: A Special Wetland, Eversource Energy’s Atlantic White Cedar Mitigation Project –The 1st Year

  • 10:40am

    Morning Break (20 min)

  • 11:00am

    Alison Kocek, Wildlife Biologist Coastal Program, and Jonah Saitz, Biologist Coastal Program, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

  • 11:30am

    Joe Manetta, University of Rhode Island Presentation: Distribution and Variability of Blue Carbon in Tidal Marsh Soils of Southern New England

  • 12:00pm

    Bill Giuliano, Cranberry Bog Restoration Program Manager, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game Division of Ecological Restoration Presentation: Making Wetland from Cranberries

  • 12:30pm

    Lunch | Exhibiting & Networking

  • 1:30pm

    Beth Kirmmse, Project Manager, Fuss & O’Neill Presentation: Resilient Riverfront Renewal: The transformation of Westerly’s Main Street Corridor

  • 2:00pm

    Nicolette Nelson, Project Manager, University of Connecticut Presentation: Lessons learned with a novel salt marsh restoration method: optimizing hummock design at Great Meadows Marsh

  • 2:30pm

    Afternoon Break (20min)

  • 2:50pm

    Wenley Ferguson, Director of Habitat Restoration, Melissa Hayden, State Biologist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rock Singewald, Warren Land Trust Presentation: Partnering with NRCS to preserve and restore a salt marsh migration corridor

  • 3:40pm

    Closing Remarks

Speakers and topics are confirmed, but the sequence of presentations might change slightly.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM  (Click for PDF)

2024 Registration Rates

Registration is online via credit/debit card only.

  • General Admission: $125

  • SWCS Member: $75

  • Student General Admission: $50*

  • SWCS Student Chapter Member: $25

  • Blue Light Special: $190

    Join the Soil & Water Conservation Society now at the $115 Conservationist level and benefit immediately by registering at the $75 SNEC Member rate!  Simply select the Blue Light Special option when you register – we’ll handle the SWCS membership paperwork.  For more information about benefits of membership (including a subscription to the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation).  This offer is for first-time SWCS members only.
*Students must be currently enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university.

General & Student General Admission 
G R O U P   D I S C O U N T S:
Register 3, Get 1 FREE!!

A 25% discount off General & Student General Admission
is available to groups of 4 or more who register together.
 

  • Rain or Shine | No Refunds | Transfer Allowed

  • Lunch and coffee will be provided.

  • Registration includes presentations and access to exhibits.

EXHIBIT TABLES AVAILABLE!

SWCS Southern New England Chapter’s mission is promote, educate and advance the science of soil, water and related resources conservation. We seek vendors of products and services that can help deliver solutions during all phases of the project  

Exhibitor Registration: $500

Includes one 6-foot table with drape and registration for one (1) person

Additional Exhibit Staff: $75

For more information, contact jc@swcssnec.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To get a sense of the PROSPECTIVE AUDIENCE, see lists of attendees at previous SNEC Winter Conferences:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!

Through the educational events we host, the Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society has developed partnerships with like-minded organizations and government agencies working in resource protection and conservation.  These public sector partnerships have been instrumental in delivery of high caliber workshops and conferences to the community we serve, and we’re grateful for their contributions of time and expertise. 

But the SNEC needs financial support from the private sector to defray the cost of other efforts to support the conservation community, such as:  

  • expanding outreach to students,
  • increasing member engagement,
  • developing educational and training programs to support future generations of conservationists.

The Southern New England Chapter invites you to join us in our mission to promote, educate, and advance all phases of the science of conservation of soil, water and related resources.  

SNEC sponsors may request specific trainings and submit job postings or event notices for our social media platforms (pending approval of content).  Sponsors get promotional exposure at events, in newsletters and via social media.

Interested? Please reach out to Jaime Clintsman, jc@swcssnec.org or 214.870.9249 for more information.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM  (Click for PDF)

NETWORKING!!

SNEC conferences regularly draw a broad mix of attendees from the public and private sectors.  We’re proud to be able to say that the level of expertise and breadth of experience of our speakers is typically mirrored in our audiences.  Join us on Feb 16th and take advantage of an excellent opportunity to network.    

Registered Attendees as of 6 FEB 2024

COMMUNITY-BASED, COLLABORATIVE RESILIENT RESTORATION PROJECTS

Partnerships and collaboration are integral to success.  The SNEC 2024 Winter Conference will include presentations about projects in our three member-states, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts.  Join us in sharing ideas, case studies, success stories and lessons learned!

Resilient Riverfront Renewal:
The transformation of Westerly’s Main Street Corridor

Westerly RI became a certified town in the statewide Municipal Resiliency Program in 2019. Working hand-in-hand with the Southern RI Conservation District, Westerly has participated in a conceptual stormwater design training grant by the Southern New England Program (SNEP).


Building on that, planning and implementation funding was obtained from RIDOT, Westerly, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, and Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank to pursue Westerly’s resiliency goals relating to water quality, flooding, relationship to the Pawcatuck River, and support for Westerly’s economic development as a gateway town to RI.  The team is currently designing a conceptual stormwater masterplan for downtown Westerly along Main St. with the help of Engineering and Landscape Architecture firm Fuss and O’Neil. The Stormwater Masterplan will integrate a variety of green infrastructure features along the streets and on both Town and private properties that will reduce flooding, filter pollutants from stormwater, provide pollinator and bird habitat, improve air quality, and add beauty and walkability to the economic center of Westerly.

Click here for the Project Storyboard

A Special Wetland
Eversource Energy’s Atlantic White Cedar Mitigation
and 1st Year of Long-Term Monitoring

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) considers Cedar Swamps (wetlands that contain Northern or Atlantic White Cedar) as a Special Wetland with the presumption that these natural communities provide habitat for State-listed rare species. Mitigation for Atlantic White Cedar (AWC) tree removal was required as part of Eversource Energy’s 400/500 Lines Rebuild Project as a condition of the CT DEEP issued 401 Water Quality Certification.  The Mitigation Plan included enhancement of an existing 0.5-acre Atlantic White Cedar (AWC) stand and expansion/creation of 0.25-acre AWC habitat through the planting of 159 locally sourced AWC seedlings as well as herbivory protection fencing installation. In addition to this revegetation effort, annual monitoring of the planting was necessary to determine the long-term success of the plantings.  This presentation provides detail on the project, the required mitigation plan, and the results of the 1st year of monitoring.

Herring River Tidal Restoration Project:
a WPA Ecological Restoration Limited Project Case Study

In 2014, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) adopted new regulations to facilitate permitting of Ecological Restoration projects “whose primary purpose is to restore or otherwise improve the natural capacity of a Resource Area(s) to protect and sustain the interests identified in M.G.L. c. 131, § 40, when such interests have been degraded or destroyed by anthropogenic influences.”  These included a Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (WPA) general permit for Ecological Restoration (ER) projects that meet specific criteria and provisions to guide development and permitting of ER projects that are not eligible for the general permit.

In its natural, historic state, the Herring River in Wellfleet Massachusetts supported a vibrant estuarine ecosystem and the largest diadromous fish run on outer Cape Cod.  Construction of a dike at the mouth of the river in 1909 and other alterations to the natural hydrology eliminated tidal flow to the salt marsh, drained the wetlands and transformed the estuary into one of the Cape’s most degraded natural resources.

Replacement of a portion of the dike with a new bridge and tidal control structures, combined with removal of other barriers to fish passage and tidal exchange, will restore water quality and habitat connectivity to the entire estuary, restore marine and coastal habitats, improve resiliency to climate change, provide economic benefits to the region and revive a herring run that feeds the Gulf of Maine fisheries.  Nine adjustable tide gates will allow incremental reintroduction of tidal flow in accordance with a scientifically rigorous Adaptive Management Plan based on structured decision-making; increasing tidal flow will bring saltwater back to the river and return it to the thriving and ecologically productive estuary it was for thousands of years before the dike was built.

Phase 1 of the Project includes (i) construction of all infrastructure needed for full restoration of tidal exchange to the Herring River estuary, (ii) vegetation/marsh management, and (iii) reintroduction of tidal flow to a specified water surface elevation in the lower Herring River basin.  The environmental permitting process began with the filing of an Environmental Notification Form in 2008 and was completed in the spring of 2022 with issuance of WPA Orders of Conditions by the Wellfleet and Truro Conservation Commissions approving the Tidal Restoration limited project.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM  (Click for PDF)

Speaker Bios and Program Information

Wenley Ferguson

Director of Restoration, Save the Bay

Bio:

Wenley Ferguson is Save The Bay’s Director of Restoration.  Since 1990 she has worked on coastal habitat and water quality restoration projects throughout Narragansett Bay and its watershed including restoring salt marsh, anadromous fish, dune, and coastal buffer habitats and stormwater management.  Wenley works with partners on design, implementation and monitoring of restoration and coastal resilience projects. 

Presentation:

Partnering with NRCS to preserve and restore a salt marsh migration corridor

Co Presenters: 

  • Melissa Hayden, Biologist; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Rock Singewald, Warren Land Trust

www.savebay.org

Tom Groves

Senior Botanist, BSC Group

Bio:

Tom Groves is a Senior botanist with the BSC Group. For the past 10 years he has worked across New England’s landscapes providing advice and recommendations to federal and state agencies as well as private landowners for ecological habitat restoration and invasive plant management. More recently, Tom is performing rare, threatened and endangered plant surveys for utility companies and other agencies required to avoid impacts to state or threatened species. Mr. Groves holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and a B.A. in English. Tom is also an active member of the New England Botanical Society and in 2022 was awarded a research grant for rare plant research in his home state of Vermont.

Presentation:

A Special Wetland, Eversource Energy’s Atlantic White Cedar Mitigation Project – The 1st Year

Co-presenter:

Melissa Kaplan, BSC Group

www.bscgroup.com

William Giuliano

Cranberry Bog Restoration Program Manager, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game Division of Ecological Restoration

Bio:

Bill leads the Cranberry Bog Restoration Program Manager for the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration.  Growing up on Plum Island and the Great Marsh of northeastern Massachusetts, he developed a passion for wildlife and their habitat at a young age.  With a BS (UNH), MS (EKU), and PhD (TTU) in Wildlife Science, Bill has worked as a biologist, extension specialist, professor, and conservation director focusing on wildlife and habitat management and restoration across the U.S.

Presentation: 

Making Wetlands from Cranberries

Co-authors:

  • Jess Cohn
  • Melissa De Vivero
  • Eric Ford

www.mass.gov

Melissa Kaplan, PWS

Permitting Team Lead, BSC Group

Bio: 

Melissa Kaplan is the License and Permitting Team Lead at the BSC Group. Using her 22 years of professional environmental and biological consulting experience, Ms. Kaplan manages and leads BSC project teams across New England in local, state, and federal permitting efforts for large-scale utility companies, municipal projects, state agencies and others. Ms. Kaplan holds a master’s degree in marine biology and is a Professional Wetland Scientist.  Melissa is also on the board of the Connecticut Power and Energy Society, serving as Membership Committee Lead.

Presentation:

A Special Wetland, Eversource Energy’s Atlantic White Cedar Mitigation Project – The 1st Year

Co-presenter:

Tom Groves, BSC Group

www.bscgroup.com

Joe Manetta

University of Rhode Island

Bio:

Joe Manetta is obtained his master’s degree in biological and environmental sciences at URI under the guidance of Dr. Mark Stolt in the Lab of Pedology and Soil Environmental Science in 2023. Joe’s research primarily centered around the formation and carbon storage of tidal marsh soils. Additionally, he has contributed to the URI soil judging team, helping them reach the national level twice. His interests revolve around applying soil formation knowledge to investigate the complex interactions between soil and the environment, aiming to better comprehend and address regional environmental challenges. Currently, Joe works as a research associate at URI studying soil moisture regimes.

Presentation: 

Distribution and Variability of Blue Carbon in Tidal Marsh Soils of Southern New England

www.uri.edu

Christine Odiaga

Assistant Project Manager, Friends of Herring River

Bio:

Christine Odiaga is living her dream, “washed ashore” on Cape Cod and working an incredibly cool job.  Prior experience that made it a perfect fit includes ten years of outreach and education as a MassDEP Wetlands Circuit Rider, three years as a municipal conservation agent and six years of construction site sampling and monitoring on the Central Artery/Tunnel project (fascinating!!). Christine took advantage of the cooperative education program at Northeastern University and found that training and exposure to be as valuable as any class.

Presentation: 

Herring River Tidal Restoration Project:  a WPA Ecological Restoration Limited Project Case Study

www.herringriver.org

Melissa Hayden

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Biologist

Bio:

Melissa Hayden is the State Biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Rhode Island, a position she has held since August of 2022.  In this role, Melissa provides technical support for NRCS staff, partners, and clients on projects relating to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat, Endangered Species Act compliance, the National Environmental Policy Act, and forestry related topics.  Melissa has worked with RI NRCS since 2010, where she served as a District Conservationist for the eastern and southern districts prior to starting in the State Biologist role.  Prior to 2010, Melissa worked for MA NRCS as a soil scientist and soil conservationist.  Melissa has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Rhode Island, where she served as a research assistant, and a Master of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Vermont, where she served as a teaching assistant.

Presentation:

Partnering with NRCS to preserve and restore a salt marsh migration corridor

Co Presenters: 

  • Wenley Ferguson, Save the Bay
  • Rock Singewald, Warren Land Trust

www.nrcs.usda.gov

Rock Singewald

Warren Land Conservation Trust

Bio:

Rock Singewald is the immediate past President of the Warren Land Conservation Trust and has been involved in the implementation of the restoration plan at Sowams Meadows Preserve over the last two years. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Trust for 6 years and in addition to the work at Sowams Meadows, he is the Steward of the Haile Farm Preserve just a little further up the Palmer River. He has worked with NRCS and Save the Bay on projects at both of those preserves as well as at Jacob’s Point on the Warren River.  Rock is retired from a long career with the Federal Government and has been working for many years with his wife Anne Raver on habitats of native plants for native insects and birds, starting with the 120 acre farm he and his wife worked in Maryland prior to moving to Rhode Island and continuing with the creation of a wildlife habitat in their yard in Warren. 

Presentation:

Partnering with NRCS to preserve and restore a salt marsh migration corridor

Co Presenters: 

  • Wenley Ferguson, Save the Bay
  • Melissa Hayden, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

www.warrenlct.org

Nicolette Nelson

Project Manager, University of Connecticut Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Bio:

Nicolette is a project manager at the University of Connecticut where she coordinates monitoring and research of a restored salt marsh in Stratford, CT. She also leads data management efforts for a multi-site thin layer placement project, manages undergraduate technicians, and assists with graduate student projects and analysis. Nicolette received a BS in Wildlife from Cal Poly Humboldt in 2016. In 2020 she received an MS in Biology from Washington State University Vancouver, where her research was funded by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and focused on American bullfrog invasion in California. Nicolette has many years of field experience, mostly working on research and management of threatened and endangered wildlife species.

Presentation:

Lessons learned with a novel salt marsh restoration method: optimizing hummock design at Great Meadows Marsh

Co Authors:

Franco Gigliotti – PhD student, University of Connecticut Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Madeline Kollegger – PhD student, University of Connecticut Department of Natural Resources and the Environment

Olivia Lemieux – MS student, University of Connecticut Department of Natural Resources and the Environment

Min Huang – wildlife division biologist, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Wildlife Division,  University of Connecticut Department of Natural Resources & Environment

Blaire Steven – Associate agricultural scientist – The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Department of Environmental Science and Forestry

Ashley M. Helton – Associate professor, University of Connecticut Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Center for Environmental Science & Engineering

Beth Lawrence – Associate professor, University of Connecticut Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Center for Environmental Science & Engineering

Chris Elphick – Professor, University of Connecticut Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Biological Risk

www.uconn.edu

Meagan Eagle

Research Physical Scientist, US Geological Survey

Bio:

Meagan Eagle is a Research Scientist at the Woods Hole Coastal & Marine Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey. Her research focuses on coastal resilience and the role these ecosystems play in the climate system, particularly at the nexus of management actions and greenhouse gas emissions. She works with managers and policy makers at local, state and federal levels to provide actionable science.

Presentation:

Blue carbon consequences of salt marsh restoration: Carbon and greenhouse gas budgets of the Herring River restoration

www.usgs.gov

Beth Kirmmse

Project Manager, Fuss & O’Neill

Bio:

Elizabeth Kirmmse, RLA, ASLA, WEDG, is a Project Manager and Landscape Architect with Fuss & O’Neill.  Beth graduated from Smith College with a degree in Government and a focus on environmental policy and completed her Masters in Landscape Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design.  She works with clients to develop solutions that mitigate vulnerabilities to climate change and provide ecological, economic and cultural co-benefits.  With a passion for designing natural infrastructure, Beth rethinks the built environment, creating innovative designs that improve the ecological health of a system resilient solutions for waterfront locations, and is currently designing resilient riverfronts, shorelines, and natural infrastructure throughout New England. 

Presentation: 

Resilient Riverfront Renewal: The Transformation of Westerly’s Main Street Cooridor

www.fando.com

Alison Kocek

Fish and Wildlife Biologist, USFWS, Southern New England Coastal Program

Bio:

Alison Kocek is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southern New England Coastal Program, based out of the Rhode Island Field Office. She has been working with and studying tidal marsh birds for the past 14 years. She received her Ph.D. at State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2022, where she studied how Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows are adapting their nesting behaviors to a changing environment. One of her main duties in the Coastal Program is to work with non-federal partners in Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts to provide monitoring support for tidal marsh restoration projects to benefit at-risk species such as the Saltmarsh Sparrow.

Presentation:

Tidal marsh restoration planning and monitoring for at-risk Saltmarsh Sparrows

Co-Presenter:

Jonah Saitz, Biologist, USFWS, Southern New England Coastal Program

www.fws.gov

Jonah Saitz

Biologist, USFWS, Southern New England Coastal Program

Bio:

Jonah is a Biologist in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southern New England Coastal Program based in Charlestown, Rhode Island. He’s primarily focused on supporting our office and partner’s: GIS, Hydrologic, and RTK Surveying needs, across Connecticut and Long Island. Before Joining the service in February 2023, he served as Hydrologic Survey Technician contractor based in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Northeast Regional Office in Hadley, MA. Where he was part of an RTK strike team supporting infrastructure/saltmarsh restoration projects at National Wildlife Refuges from Maine to Virginia. Jonah received his B.S in Environmental Science from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2019.

Presentation:

Tidal marsh restoration planning and monitoring for at-risk Saltmarsh Sparrows

Co-Presenter:

Alison Kocek, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, USFWS, Southern New England Coastal Program

www.fws.gov

The preliminary program is taking shape.  We’re pleased to have participation from graduate students, research associates and newly-fledged conservation professionals!  We look forward to a day of learning and sharing with coworkers and colleagues.

Please check back regularly for updates.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM  (Click for PDF)

Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors

Thank you to our Exhibitors

  • Bluroc

  • Brentwood

  • EJ Prescott Stormwater Logo

  • Filltiexx

  • USDA-nrcs-white

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2023 Erosion Sediment Control

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Erosion & Sediment Control Field Days

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Thank you, 2023 Field Day speakers and product representatives for helping SNEC deliver another pair of successful workshops!!
SNEC 2022 Winter Conference

Sediment is the world’s #1 pollutant.

Soil moved by erosion can be harmful to our drinking water resources, fish and wildlife, and it can impact our quality of life.   Erosion Control has changed dramatically over the years and new technologies are constantly in development.  Use this workshop to help you stay current on useful practices and make valuable connections.

“A little bit of dirt never hurt anybody…” but a little bit from one jobsite multiplied by the hundreds of jobsites in a watershed can add up quickly.  Soil erosion has the potential to affect how much treatment wastewater must receive. We all need to know our options for both controlling sediment and for designing and installing more effective long-term erosion control solutions.

These field days are a unique collaborative effort between the private and public sectors to share information and promote a better understanding of the latest tools available to all who are entrusted with protecting our precious soil and water resources.  

  

2o23 DATES AND LOCATIONS

Tuesday September 19:  
Westerly Education Center​ (23 Friendship St​) and Cimalore Field​ (99 Wilson St​), WESTERLY, RI 02891
Thursday September 28: 
Tolland County Agricultural Center | 24 Hyde Avenue (Route 30), VERNON, CT 06066

     

Fun in the Sun!  Earn Credits!  Make Connections!

SNEC Erosion and Sediment Control Field Days combine presentations and hands-on demonstrations. These days are training for professionals working in soils, erosion control, water quality, public works, engineering, roads, planning, resource protection, and consulting. Our goal is to provide information that is immediately useful to all who attend – you are encouraged to bring your site plans and questions!

Boxed lunch will be provided for the Field Days.

Field Days are hosted by SWCS SNEC, in partnership with EJ Prescott.

Certificate of Attendance will be provided to document six (6) hours of educational contact.  

Credit for 6 Professional Development Hours pre-approved by by EnviroCert International.  

Bring Your Site Plans and Specific Questions!

(photos from Nov 2022 at TAC, courtesy of John Dudula)

Each of these full-day training sessions will combine classroom presentations in the morning and hands-on field demonstrations in the afternoon. Small groups rotate through the field stations to receive detailed information from the manufacturers and vendors of E&SC products. Our goal is to provide information that is immediately useful to all who attend.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Tuesday September 19: WESTERLY, RI 02891

SWCS Conservation Community member Southern Rhode Island Conservation District (SRICD) is working hand-in-hand with the Town of Westerly and others on the Resilient Riverfront Renewal Main Street, Westerly project.  The Stormwater Masterplan will integrate a variety of green infrastructure (GI) features along the streets and on both Town and private properties that will reduce flooding, filter pollutants from stormwater, provide pollinator and bird habitat, improve air quality, and add beauty and walkability to the economic center of Westerly. 

SRICD and Cherenzia & Associates (engineer of the GI system at the Westerly Education Center) will offer design and history overview with a mock inspection tour of the green infrastructure BMP’s surrounding the Westerly Education Center.   

Click for Agenda – September 19 – Westerly

AGENDA | 19 September 2023 

The morning session will be held at Westerly Education Center.

8:00 a.m.  –  Registration, Check-In and Coffee 

8:30 a.m. –  Welcome & Opening Remarks | Andrew Gorman (SWCS Southern New England Chapter RI Representative / Beals & Thomas)

8:45 a.m. –  Coastal Protection Approaches:  Traditional Hard Structures and Nature Based Approaches | Jennifer O’Donnell (Fuss & O’Neill)

9:30 a.m. –  Introduction to Rhode Island Soils.  Influences on Soil Permeability and Hydrologic Soil Groups | Jeffrey Peterson (VHB)

10:15 a.m. –  Break and Networking

10:30 a.m. –  Stormwater Green Infrastructure Design at the Westerly Education Center with Mock Inspection Tour | Renee Stoops (Southern RI Conservation District) and Sergio Cherenzia (Cherenzia & Associates)

12:00 p.m. –  Boxed Lunch and Travel to Cimalore Sports Complex

12:45 p.m. –  Rotation through Field Stations  (scroll down for information)

3:45 p.m. –  Closing Remarks   

Thursday September 28: VERNON, CT 06066

Click for >> September 28th AGENDA <<

AGENDA 

8:00 a.m.  –  Check-in and Coffee

8:30 a.m.  –  Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:45 a.m.  –  Summary of Revised Stormwater Quality Manual and Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Guidelines | Kathleen Knight (CT Dept of Energy & Environmental Protection and Chris Sullivan (Southwest Conservation District)

9:45 a.m.  –  Break and Networking

10:00 a.m.  –  Construction Compliance Inspections 101 | Landon Baker and Alison Milliman (BSC Group)

11:15 a.m.  –  Break and Networking

11:30 a.m.  –  Breakout Group Discussion on BMPs | Landon Baker, Alison Milliman and Chris Sullivan)

12:00 a.m.  –  Lunch 

12:45 p.m.  –  Rotation through Field Stations (scroll down for information)

3:45 p.m.  –  Closing Remarks

Resources

SWCS Southern New England Chapter’s outgoing Rhode Island representative Jeffrey Peterson (CPSS, PWS, CPESC) has provided these useful links:

Blue Light Special!

JOIN the Soil & Water Conservation Society NOW
at the $115 Conservationist level and BENEFIT IMMEDIATELY
by registering at the $40 MEMBER RATE!   

Simply select the Blue Light Special ticket – we’ll handle the paperwork.

This offer is for 1st-time SWCS members only.

SWCS Southern New England Chapter is dedicated to supporting upcoming conservationists. Thanks to the support of our 2023 Sponsors, we’re pleased to offer FREE attendance to student members in good standing, and a discounted rate for other full-time students currently enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university.

2o23 Registration Rates

  • SWCS Member: $40
  • General Admission: $75
  • SWCS Student Chapter Member: FREE *
  • Student General Admission: $20
  • Blue Light Special:  $155 (includes membership and registration)

Students must be currently enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university.

*Registration is required.

NOTES:

  • Pre-Registration Required – online by credit card only.
  • This is a RAIN or SHINE event.
  • No refunds. Registration may be transferred at no cost between attendees in the same ticket category and (if capacity allows) from one session to another.
  • Morning coffee and a box lunch will be provided.

Field Stations

September 19th in Westerly, RI:

  • BioPod™ – Brent Helm, Oldcastle Infrastructure

Sustainable Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management from Oldcastle Infrastructure.  BioPod™ systems utilize an advanced biofiltration design for filtration, sorption and biological uptake to remove Total Suspended Solids, dissolved metals, nutrients, gross solids, trash and debris as well as petroleum hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff.

Created specifically for erosion control, containment and shelter applications, Concrete Canvas® is a flexible, concrete filled geosynthetic which provides a thin and durable concrete layer when hydrated. Typically, 10-times faster to install than conventional concrete solutions; essentially, it’s Concrete on a Roll™.  Melanie will show the different Concrete Canvas® applications in drainage channels and culvert repair.

  • Flex MSE – Doug McCluskey, E. J. Prescott 

Flex MSE is a unique, sustainable vegetated wall system that is made up of bags that can be stacked to build the wall in different configurations depending on the height.  Doug will recruit volunteers to help stack the bags to demonstrate different installation styles and reinforcement mechanism options.

  • Permeable Pavements – Mike Everhart, E. J. Prescott 

Mike will be showing plastic permeable pavement applications for both aggregate filled and turf reinforcement as well as Belgard® permeable paver applications 

  • Profile® Mulches and Biotic Soil Media – Dylan Drudul, Profile Products  

Profile’s history of technical advancement, product innovation and real-world experience provides the foundation for best-in-class products – a full line of solutions is designed and engineered to deliver value you can depend on.  Dylan will discuss the high-end erosion control mulches and biotic soil media that Profile manufactures to tackle soil erosion. 

September 28th Field Stations

organized by product distributor Everett J. Prescott, Inc. 

The world’s most popular modular trench drain system.  ACO Drain consists of cast polymer concrete bodies with either galvanized steel, stainless steel or cast iron wearing edges.  ACO Drain is available in 2″, 4”, 8” and 12” internal widths, and are available with up to 130 ft (40m) of built-in continuous slope. Our drainage systems offer light to heavy duty solutions for traffic ranging from pedestrians to jumbo jets.  There are a variety of grates manufactured from different materials, hole patterns and load ratings. 

  • Ditch Stabilization products including Concrete Canvas® – Rocco Micelotta, EJP
Created specifically for erosion control, containment and shelter applications, Concrete Canvas® is a flexible, concrete filled geosynthetic which provides a thin and durable concrete layer when hydrated. Typically, 10-times faster to install than conventional concrete solutions; essentially, it’s Concrete on a Roll™.  Information will be provided for Concrete Canvas® applications for drainage channels and culvert repair.

  • Flex MSE – Doug McCluskey, E. J. Prescott 

Flex MSE is a unique, sustainable vegetated wall system that is made up of bags that can be stacked to build the wall in different configurations depending on the height.  Doug will recruit volunteers to help stack the bags to demonstrate different installation styles and reinforcement mechanism options.

  • Permeable Pavements – Mike Everhart, E. J. Prescott 

Mike will be showing plastic permeable pavement applications for both aggregate filled and turf reinforcement as well as Belgard® permeable paver applications 

  • GeoWeb® Applications – Zach Lacasse, EJP

The GeoWeb® system uses proven confinement technology developed by Presto Geosystems over 35 years ago to offer economical, effective geosynthetic design options to solve soil stabilization problems wherever land and water meet.  The GeoWeb® system ‘transforms’ infill through confinement—providing strength and stabilization to cohesionless soils for a host of applications—from roadways to steep embankments.


QUESTIONS about Field Stations?  Contact Doug McCluskey at  doug.mccluskey@ejprescott.com
     

EJP SOLUTIONS
‘Team EJP’ is also participating in field days
hosted by conservation districts in NEW HAMPSHIRE

    

  • Wed Sept 20:  Sanborn Mills Farm, Loudon
    Hosted by:  Hillsborough and Merrimack County Conservation Districts | Contact:  Merrimack CCD, 603-223-6020 or info@merrimackccd.org

  • Thu Sept 21:  North Country Resource Center, Lancaster
    Hosted  by:  Coös and Grafton County Conservation Districts | Contact: Coös CCD, (603)788-4651, Ext 5 or da.cccd@gmail.com

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2023 SNEC Annual Meeting

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

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2022 Annual SNEC Summer Meeting

REGISTER HERE

Join the Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society for our 2023 Annual Meeting.

Our featured speaker, SWCS Communications Coordinator Emma Harper, will describe membership benefits and upcoming SWCS programming.  Upcoming SNEC events will also be discussed. We’ll also recap our year and take care of business matters such as announcing the results of our 2023 Board of Directors Election.

This meeting is open to all interested in learning more about the Chapter and the Society. We will also be asking for suggestions and feedback on our upcoming events and projects.

The event is free.
Advanced registration is required.

Share the event flyer with those who may be interested.

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Administrator & Event Coordinator

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Join our team:

Hiring an Administrator & Event Coordinator!

Download PDF

SWCS Southern New England Chapter (SNEC) seeks a self-motivated contractor to handle administrative matters, coordinate educational events and outreach activities, and provide support to a volunteer Board of Directors on a part-time, remote basis (currently 400 hours/year with opportunity for expansion).

Experience managing website content and coordinating events is mandatory. Conservation experience is a plus, but not required

Flexible Hours – Work from Home

SEND YOUR RESUME TO INFO@SWCSSNEC.ORG

The Southern New England Chapter (SNEC) of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) is a 501(c)(3) organization whose objective is to promote, educate and advance all phases of the science of conservation of soil, water and all related resources.

SNEC Administrator & Event Coordinator

JOB DESCRIPTION:

SNEC is a small non-profit organization that relies heavily on its volunteer Board of Directors. We serve our members and the regional conservation community primarily by providing opportunities for professional development and networking; the bulk of effort under this contract will stem from SNEC events and associated activities. Other typical duties include handling correspondence, managing website and social media content, and supporting outreach campaigns. The selected contractor will assist the Board monthly with items such as event-planning virtual meetings, action item follow-up, and elections. The estimated level of effort for the scope of work described below is 400 hours/year.   

The workload for this position fluctuates throughout the year but is relatively predictable; the months leading up to our winter conference are the busiest and summer is slowest. SNEC has no office space or supplies. The contractor provides their own workspace and personal computer. The work for this contract can be accomplished completely remotely, with optional travel to events. Travel to and in-person attendance at our events is NOT required.

SNEC’s main educational event is a full-day winter conference that includes presentations, discussion, and exhibits. The SNEC annual chapter meeting is held in the summer and includes a field component; the location rotates between the states we serve. SNEC also hosts a minimum of two (2) fall field days focused on erosion and sediment control and stormwater management; the program typically includes indoor presentations in the morning (organized by SNEC) and field displays/demonstrations in the afternoon (organized by a distributor).

Event-related tasks include but are not limited to –

  • Securing venue space
  • Coordinating meals for attendees
  • Managing event registration and attendance using Eventbrite
  • Creating event webpages and updates and promoting the event via social media and Mailchimp email blasts
  • Developing event programs, agendas, and preparing folder inserts and graphics as needed
  • Managing event needs, and day-of coordination (can be done remotely through delegation to the SNEC BOD)
  • Completing post-event tasks like follow-up emails, and certificates of attendance

Administrative tasks include but are not limited to –

  • Coordinating Board and event-planning committee meetings, taking basic notes and tracking action items
  • Handling email correspondence, managing the mailing list, and maintaining contact with national staff
  • Submitting reports and maintaining records
  • Assisting Board with outreach to sponsors, and tracking delivery of sponsor benefits
  • Managing website and social media content of the chapter including swcssnec.org, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook
  • Compiling content and distributing quarterly newsletters
  • Managing and executing SNEC outreach program that includes student outreach and member retention initiatives

There is great potential to grow this role and add items or services beyond the above listed. Potential additional services include developing and administering additional training workshops, conferences, and seminars; development and production of brochures and other publications; and special project development.

Terms for the Administrator/Event Coordinator contract will be $25/hour for up to 400 hours/year, renewable each year based on satisfactory performance. As noted above, the scope and budget for this can be expanded by mutual agreement. The SNEC will be responsible for the cost of approved expenses and supplies required for performance of the contractual services, including but not limited to overnight travel (GSA rates), meeting and office supplies, venue fees, postage, and web-related expenses. The Contractor retains the right to perform services for other clients.

How to Submit Your Application:

  • Applications must include at least one link to a website that demonstrates your content management capability and at least one event page link or program from an event you coordinated.
  • Contact information for a minimum of two references appropriate to this job description is required.
  • Submit your 1-page resume and the above requested information to info@swcs.org.

For questions contact us at info@swcssnec.org. To learn more about the Chapter, visit https://swcssnec.org.

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2023 Winter Conference Attendees

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

2023 Winter Conference – Attendees
Also in attendance were a student, a state employee and a federal employee who prefer not to be named.

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2023 Winter Conference Presentations

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

2023 Winter Conference – Presentations

The SNEC Board of Directors would like to thank all of our fabulous speakers for their energy and expertise!

Speaker Biographies and Contact Information (PDF)

Conference and Presentation Descriptions and PDFs

“MICROPLASTICS IN THE ENVIRONMENT”
BAOSHAN XING

Professor and Director of Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts Amherst

“Through the River and Over the Woods: Global PFAS Exposure and Implications for Ecosystem Health”
Lisa McIntosh

Senior Technical Manager, Woodard & Curran

“Improving Water Quality One Field at a Time: NRCS Practices for Producers”
Nancy Ferlow

Connecticut Natural Resources Conservation Service

“MassDEP’s Environmental Justice Initiatives to Improve Water Quality”
Dr. Padmini Das

Chief, Nonpoint Source Management Program, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

“Implementing the Single Standards Act to Increase State Protection of Buffers for Freshwater Wetlands in Rhode Island”
Chuck Horbert

Deputy Administrator, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

“Quality of Massachusetts Waters: Regulation, Improvement and Challenges”
David Wong

Environmental Analyst, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

“Wetlands and the MA Contingency Plan”
Mia McDonald

Circuit Rider, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

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SNEC 2023 Winter Conference

Written by Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter on . Posted in Uncategorized, Winter.

Winter Conferences

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SNEC 2022 Winter Conference

SWCS SNEC 2023 Winter Conference “Water Quality in Southern New England: The Latest Research, Practice, and Policy”

Thursday MARCH 30, 2023
University of Massachusetts Amherst Campus Center
Amherst and Hadley Rooms (10th floor)
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Join us for our first in-person winter conference since 2019! Our program will delve into current issues in water quality and explore solutions for reversing damage to our precious natural resources. Speakers will discuss the latest water quality research, practice, policy affecting Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

We look forward to seeing you there!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Program Information

CLICK HERE for Speaker Information

Final Agenda 3.21.23

View the Agenda as a PDF.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Registration

Online Registration Only | No Checks

General Admission $125

SNEC Member $75

Full Time Student $50

SWCS Student Chapter Member $25

Exhibitor $400

–> BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL $190 <–

Join the Soil & Water Conservation Society now at the $115 Conservationist level and benefit immediately by registering at the $75 SNEC Member rate! Select the Blue Light Special option and we’ll handle the SWCS membership paperwork.

Note: this offer is available only to first-time SWCS members.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  • Rain or Shine | No Refunds | Transfer Allowed
  • Lunch and coffee will be provided.
  • Your registration includes presentations and access to exhibits.
  • Parking is available at the Parking Garage at the conference rate of $6.50.
  • UMass Amherst is a Smoke Free campus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Additional information will be provided via e-mail prior to the event. This will include the agenda, links for handouts if any are provided by speakers, and parking information.

If any COVID-19 precautions will be required by UMass, that information will also be provided. There are no restrictions in place at this time (19 Jan 2023). Current Guidance for Campus Events is posted at
https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/news/current-guidance-fall-2021-events.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exhibitor Information

SWCS Southern New England Chapter’s mission is promote, educate and advance the science of soil, water and related resources conservation. We seek subject matter experts that can help deliver solutions.

To get a sense of the prospective audience, see lists of attendees at past SNEC Winter Conferences:

We have use of the entire 10th floor of the Campus Center. To see a floor plan, go to https://www.umasshospitality.com/locations-capacities and click on 10th Floor Campus Center. Presentations will be in the Amherst Room. Exhibits, coffee and the lunch buffet will be in the Hadley Room and foyer.  

Exhibitor Registration $400

includes one 6-foot table with paper drape and registration for one (1) person.

Additional Exhibit Staff $75
Register online via credit card.

–> For more information, contact events@swcssnec.org.

Speaker Information (pdf)

Speaker Bios

“Microplastics in the Environment”
Baoshan Xing

Professor and Director of Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Baoshan Xing is Professor (Environmental & Soil Chemistry) and Director of Stockbridge School of Agriculture at University of Massachusetts Amherst. His current research includes agricultural application of engineered nanomaterials, environmental processes of microplastics, use of biochar for soil improvement and remediation, and food safety. He is a “Most Cited Scientist” every year since 2014 when this analytics started, indicating the impact and significance of his research. His h-index is currently at 135 and the total citation on his research is over 75,000 (Google Scholar). Dr. Xing is currently an Editor of Environmental Pollution, Biochar, and Carbon Research. He received numerous national and international awards/honors. His research program is recognized nationally and internationally.

“Through the River and Over the Woods: Global PFAS Exposure and Implications for Ecosystem Health”
Lisa McIntosh

Senior Technical Manager, Woodard & Curran

Lisa McIntosh is a senior technical manager and principal at Woodard & Curran, with an academic background in environmental toxicology and over 25 years of experience in environmental consulting. Ms. McIntosh is certified as a general toxicologist by the American Board of Toxicology. During her career, Lisa has focused primarily on environmental risk assessment to support cleanup of contaminated sites, with special interest in risk communication and emerging contaminants. Her interests and background in ecology have also allowed her to dabble in the fields of wetlands and ecological restoration. She is actively involved in the scientific and regulatory community, including the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Society for Women Environmental Professionals and the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council PFAS workgroup. In her free time, she spends as much time as she can either at home in the garden or out in the woods hiking and camping.

“Improving Water Quality One Field at a Time: NRCS Practices for Producers”
Nancy Ferlow

Connecticut Natural Resources Conservation Service

Nancy Ferlow is the State Resource Conservations for USDA-NRCS in Connecticut.  She has been with the agency for 30 years.  Nancy’s current responsibilities include Agency compliance with the Endangered Species Act, Highly Erodible and Wetlands compliance, conservation planning tools, quality assurance and staff training.  Her education is in Biology, Geology and Forestry.

“MassDEP’s Environmental Justice Initiatives to Improve Water Quality”
Dr. Padmini Das

Chief, Nonpoint Source Management Program, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Dr. Padmini Das oversees MassDEP’s Nonpoint Source Management Program as the NPS Section Chief in the Watershed Planning Program. Her responsibilities include the development and implementation of the NPS Management Program Plan through Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grants, and Section 319 NPS Competitive Grant Program. Dr. Das was previously the Chair of the Department of Biology at Nazareth College of Rochester, where she was also an Associate Professor, Director of the Environmental Science and Sustainability Program, and Director of the Environmental Quality and Remediation Research Group. She has research expertise in soil and water quality assessment and the design and implementation of sustainable best management practices to remediate a wide array of soil and water contaminants, notably lead, arsenic, plastic degradants, nutrients, TNT, RDX, PCBs, and emerging contaminants. Through these community-driven environmental projects, she has worked for the benefit of disadvantaged communities, engaging community youth as an integral part of these projects. Dr. Das has a Ph.D. in Environmental Management from Montclair State University, two Master of Science degrees in Environmental Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Pune (India), and a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Pune.

“Implementing the Single Standards Act to Increase State Protection of Buffers for Freshwater Wetlands in Rhode Island”
Chuck Horbert

Deputy Administrator, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Office of Water Resources

After graduating in 1989 from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Wildlife Biology and Management, Chuck was hired as a biologist by RIDEM in their Division of Freshwater Wetlands. Three years later, he became a Supervisor for that Program, where he spent most of his career to date until his promotion to Deputy Administrator in the Office of Water Resources in 2019, where he primarily oversees stormwater permitting and the Water Quality Certification Program but still gets his hands on the Freshwater Wetlands Program from time to time. When he isn’t at work, he is often found in a canoe somewhere on the waters of New England or the Adirondacks.

“Quality of Massachusetts Waters: Regulation, Improvement and Challenges”
David Wong

Environmental Analyst, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

David Wong is an Environmental Analyst overseeing the 401 Water Quality Certification Program/WM 04 Chemical Application Program within Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. He holds a PhD in Marine Ecology, a MS and BSc in Fisheries/Aquaculture. David’s interests and experience include Water Quality Monitoring, Biological Invasions, Risk Assessment, Eutrophication Management, Ecological Restoration, and the Clean Water Act.

“Wetlands and the MA Contingency Plan”
Mia McDonald

Circuit Rider, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Central Regional Office

Mia McDonald is the Wetlands Circuit Rider for the Central Regional Office. Mia comes to MassDEP from her position as the Agent for the Towns of Northborough and Paxton. She also served on the Worcester Conservation Commission for approximately nine years. Mia graduated from WPI with a degree in environmental science which focused on environmental engineering and planning. She spent over a decade of her career in the private sector working on design, permitting and construction of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

-> Sponsorship Opportunities Available <-

Learn more

2023 SNEC Sponsors

  • Date and time

    Thu, March 30, 2023

    8:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT

  • Location

    Campus Center

    10th floor
    1 Campus Center Way
    Amherst, MA 01003

42.39179515,-72.52701959187556

2023 SWCS Southern New England Chapter Winter Conference

Campus Center

10th floor
1 Campus Center Way
Amherst, MA 01003

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