SNEC 2027 Conference
Save the Date: Friday, March 26, 2027
Publick House Historic Inn (Sturbridge, MA)
SNEC 2026 Attendees
2026 Registrants
Also registered are a municipal employee, a state employee and member of the private sector who prefer not to be named.
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Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
SNEC 2026 Conference
Thank you to our speakers, exhibitors, attendees and sponsor All-Points Technology!
See you in MA in winter 2027
Recent SWCS Southern New England Chapter (SNEC) conferences have focused on wetland restoration, water quality and solar energy. At SNEC’s 2026 Conference, the spotlight will be on soil and sediment – surficial or subaqueous, intact or disturbed, contaminated or pristine.
S O I L M A T T E R S
University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus
Information Technology Engineering Building
Thursday July 30, 2026 | 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Program Information
Healthy soils and soil-smart practices are integral to nature-based solutions, successful wetland restorations and productive fields & gardens. SOIL MATTERS, SNEC’s 2026 conference, features several presentations of research findings by University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources staff and students, as well as a pair of hands-on workshops on soil microscopy and soil classification (which includes a tour of the labs at UConn’s new George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center).
Certificates of Attendance will be provided that include the program on the back to document professional development content.
Pre-approved for 6 PDH by EnviroCert International – applicable to CPSWQ, CPESC, CESSWI, CPMSM, CPISM, NGICP, QSM
SOIL MATTERS AGENDA
Sign-in, coffee and the lunch buffet will be on the First Floor of the Information Technology Engineering (ITE) Building.
All program elements will be at ITE except for the soil classification workshops to be held at the Plant and Soil Health Center (PSHC).
All attendees will gather for the Opening Session in the Lecture Hall on the lower level of the ITE Building.
The Rainfall Simulator will on display in the lower-level lobby leading to the lecture hall. The first demonstration will occur at the start of the morning break; it will be repeated during breaks and lunch.
The morning and afternoon sessions of the Soil Texture and Color in the Field workshop will be held across campus. A shuttle (included) will transport participants; an intern will lead the way from a designated meeting location at ITE to the shuttle stop.
· A.M. workshop participants will leave ITE during the break after the Opening Session.
· P.M. workshop participants will leave ITE after lunch and return for Closing Remarks.
The 90-minute Soil Health 3-Ways workshop and the four (4) 15-minute Innovative Landscape Construction Materials modules will begin after the morning break in upstairs ITE classrooms, and will run concurrent to presentations in the lecture hall.
Afternoon presentations will run concurrently at ITE
15-minute Poster Presentations will occur during breaks and lunch, and will be timed to ensure that PSHC-workshop participants have an opportunity to see them. These and other posters will be on display throughout the day.
Hands-On Workshops!
Soil Classification – A.M. and P.M. sessions (P.M. workshop is full)
Soil Texture and Color in the Field (space is limited)
Hosted by Dr. Avishesh Neupane, Assistant Extension Professor for UConn Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture. This workshop will be held at the new George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center and includes a lab tour. PSHC brings together several existing and physically separated specialized service centers already established at UConn (Home and Garden Education Center, Plant Diagnostic Center, Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab and the Turf Diagnostics Lab).
Soil Microscopy – A.M. session only
Soil Health 3-Ways – An Overview (space is limited)
Hosted by Monique Bosch, Soil Health Program Manager for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA). Attendees are invited to bring your own samples to make slides for viewing!
Workshops are INCLUDED in the cost of registration.
Round-trip shuttle to PSHC is also included.
To sign up, simply choose Yes when asked in the course of registering for your selected ticket category. Space permitting, you may also request to sign up via e-mail keara@swcssnec.org or at check-in on July 30th.
Speaker Bios and Program Elements
Hands-On Workshops and Lab Tour
Monique Bosch
Soil Health Program Manager, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut
Bio:
Monique works as Soil Health Lead for CT NOFA, and runs a worm composting business with her son Justin; Wiggle Room. She also teaches Soil Health for Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Berkshire Botanical Garden. In the last 20 years she has worked with volunteers and students to build over 40 edible school and community gardens, and a two-acre urban farm in Bridgeport. She studied ‘The Soil Food Web’ under Dr. Elaine Ingham, and teaches microscopy, soil health and composting to farmers and organizations. Through microscopy and test trials, Monique explores the relationship between living soil and healthy, nutritious food.
Soil Health 3-Ways – An Overview
Dr. Avishesh Neupane
Assistant Extension Professor, UConn Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
Bio:
Avishesh Neupane, Ph.D. is an Assistant Extension Professor of Soil Science at UConn and Director of the Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory. His Extension work focuses on practical soil health and translating lab results into clear, science-based recommendations for Connecticut and New England growers and gardeners, with an emphasis on nutrient stewardship to protect local waterways. His research on how carbon and nutrients move through working soils informs these recommendations and keeps them grounded in current science. His outreach programs cover soil fertility, compost, fertilizer management, and crop, pasture, and lawn amendments. Dr. Neupane holds an M.E.Sc. from Yale and a Ph.D. from UCLA.
Workshop:
Soil Texture and Color in the Field
Lab Tour:
Dr. Neupane will lead attendees on a tour of the newly relocated George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center
Dr. Nick Goltz
Plant Pathologist & Assistant Extension Educator, UConn Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
Bio:
Dr. Nick Goltz is the Associate Director of the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center, the Director of the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory and Home Garden Education Office, and the IPM Coordinator for the state of Connecticut.
Lab Tour:
Dr. Nick Goltz will be helping lead the tour of the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center with Dr. Neupane and give background on programming.
Tony Will
Director of Marketing & New product Development, Read Custom Soils
Bio:
Tony earned his undergraduate degree in Business
Management at UNH and his MBA from Northeastern University. He has spent his 45+ year career in the landscape construction materials industry as the owner/manager of A. A. Will Sand & Gravel and, later, Read Custom Soils. He sold Read to the A.D. Makepeace Company in 2011 and has stayed
on with the new ownership. He is a self-taught soil expert and is available for Lunch & Learn presentations throughout New England.
Management at UNH and his MBA from Northeastern University. He has spent his 45+ year career in the landscape construction materials industry as the owner/manager of A. A. Will Sand & Gravel and, later, Read Custom Soils. He sold Read to the A.D. Makepeace Company in 2011 and has stayed
on with the new ownership. He is a self-taught soil expert and is available for Lunch & Learn presentations throughout New England.
Open-Door Workshop
Innovative Landscape Construction Materials
Presentations
Jamie Durand
Associate Principal, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
Bio:
Jamie Durand is Assistant Principal at GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. Mr. Durand is the Group Leader for Ecological Services in the Metro-Boston Region. Jamie is a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS), New Hampshire Certified Wetland Scientist, Professional Soil Scientist, and Certified Associate Wildlife Biologist. Jamie manages complex multidisciplinary projects in the New England Region for energy, utility, and renewable energy projects. Jamie has performed environmental studies for electric transmission, renewable energy/ offshore wind, and natural gas pipeline projects throughout the Northeast.
Denise Savageau
President, CT Association of Conservation Districts
Bio:
Denise Savageau is an environmental planner with over 35 years working in Connecticut. She started her career working for the Hartford County Soil and Water Conservation District and then served as the Conservation Director for the Town of Greenwich for 20 years. Now “retired,” she is an active volunteer at the local, state, and national level on soil and water conservation, where she serves as Chair of the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation Districts and is currently President of the Connecticut Association of Conservation Districts (CACD) and Chair of Connecticut’s Council on Soil and Water Conservation. She represents Connecticut on the National Association of Conservation Districts and is the NACD Northeast Region Chair. Her focus is on soil health, watershed management, wetlands protection, drinking water supply protection, local food systems, nature-based solutions that address climate change and biodiversity loss, and the intersection of housing and environmental justice policy. She lives in Old Lyme with her husband, a professional wetland scientist and avid birder, who shares her passion for the environment.
Presentation
Nature-based Solutions and Soil Health
Download Presentation (PDF)
Healthy Soils and Nature Based Solutions
Dr. Amelia Magistrali
Associate Extension Educator: Soil Health, UConn Extension
Bio:
Dr. Amelia Magistrali is the Associate Extension Educator in Soil Health with UConn Extension, focusing on regenerative and agroecological farming systems that enhance soil health and ecosystem services. Since joining UConn in 2024, she has developed statewide programs supporting climate-resilient soil management for diverse growers. Dr. Magistrali holds a PhD from Newcastle University and brings over a decade of experience working with farmer networks to advance sustainable agriculture.
Download Presentation (PDF)
Tabletop Rainfall Simulator and Soil Health
Dr. Jin Ho Lee
Postdoctoral Researcher, Massachusetts Geological Survey, UMass Amherst
Bio:
Jin Ho Lee earned his PhD from Michigan State University, and his MS and BS from Gyeongsang National Unveristy, South Korea. His work has focused on understanding the mechanisms of soil carbon processing and sequestration using spatial approaches (X-ray µCT 3D imaging, zymography, root scanning) and isotopic tracing techniques in crop and grassland ecosystems. He currently leads a research project exploring statewide soil carbon pools in Massachusetts forests.
Presentation:
Factors affecting soil carbon accumulation in Massachusetts forests
Download Presentation (PDF)
Factors affecting soil carbon accumulation in Massachusetts forests
Alex Patterson, CERP
Senior Ecologist, EA Engineering, Science, Technology, Inc., PBC
Bio:
Alex is an ecologist with over 15 years of multi-disciplinary experience in the planning, design, permitting, and oversight of ecological restoration and habitat management projects in estuarine, freshwater, and terrestrial systems. He has served as project manager and senior ecologist for scores of projects, primarily in the Northeastern United States, including salt marsh habitat restoration, tidal restoration and other coastal resilience improvements, cranberry bog and other freshwater wetland restorations, dam removals, stream bank restorations, coastal and freshwater dredging, and habitat management projects, among others.
Download Presentation (PDF)
Salt Marsh Restoration through Sediment Nourishment in Massachusetts
Dr. Eureka Joshi
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, Southwestern University
Bio:
Dr. Eureka Joshi is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Southwestern University. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho. For her doctoral research, she assembled a network of collaborators in northern Idaho, including five regional wastewater reuse facilities, Native American tribes, state and federal agencies, and adjacent landowners to conduct research on forest responses to municipal reclaimed water. She addressed questions about the impacts of reclaimed water on forest growth and vegetation diversity, drainage and soil nutrient leaching potential, and soil biological responses. As a postdoctoral fellow at Trinity College, Hartford, she collaborated with a regional wastewater treatment facility and a local farm in New Hampshire to study the impacts of biosolids land application on soil nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. Currently, she continues to explore how biosolids and reclaimed water land application affect soil health in Texas agroecosystems.
Download Presentation (PDF)
Biosolids Land Application and Phosphorus Cycling
Ginny Patsun
Soil Conservation Specialist, North Central Conservation District
Bio:
Ginny is a soil conservation specialist with the North Central Conservation District, and is a CT licensed arborist. Ginny found her passion in agroforestry while serving in the United States Peace Corps in Zambia, and is now practicing and promoting temperate agroforestry practices in Connecticut.
Dr. Mia Maltz
Assistant Professor, UConn, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Department
Bio:
Mia Maltz is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut in the Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Department. Mia is a mycologist and soil microbial ecologist working at the interface of community ecology, biogeography, and mycology. Her work broadly focuses on community responses to soil disturbance, which feedback to influence plant and fungal community structure and ecosystem functioning.
Download Presentation (PDF)
Ashes to Ashes: Fungal Communities and Ecosystem Functioning
Mike Everhart, CPESC, QSM
Erosion Control & Stormwater Specialist, EJ Prescott, Inc.
Bio:
Mike Everhart has been a dedicated member of EJ Prescott, Inc. since 2009, currently serving as the Erosion Control & Stormwater Specialist. Mike earned the CPESC and QSM certifications, further solidifying his credentials in the field. His insights have been featured in Stormwater Solutions Magazine in 2019, 2022, and 2023. Mike is actively involved in the industry, serving as a Vice President of the NE-IECA Chapter and participating in several professional associations. With a diploma in Architectural and Civil Technologies and over 25 years of experience in grading, drainage, and erosion control design and consulting, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role.
Download Presentation (PDF)
Protecting Watersheds through Erosion Control Methods
Morgan McKee
Resource Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS
Bio:
Morgan McKee is a certified professional soil scientist who has been working as a soil scientist with NRCS since early 2023. Prior to being a soil scientist, she spent 7 years in NRCS field offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maryland as a soil conservationist, working with farmers and forest landowners to improve their land. She currently works to provide soil science training and technical guidance to NRCS staff, customers, and partners as well as completing wetland determinations and on-site soil assessments. Prior to working for the agency, Morgan worked as a consultant, collecting wetland inventory data throughout coastal Louisiana.
Presentation:
Describing Hydric Soils and Applying Hydric Soil Indicators
Download Presentation (PDF)
Describing Hydric Soils and Applying Hydric Soil Indicators
Jennifer West
Training & Engagement Coordinator, Narragansett Bay Research Reserve
Bio:
Jennifer West has been the Training and Engagement Coordinator with the Narragansett Bay Research Reserve since 2005. In this position, she develops and delivers training events and technical assistance programs for local decision-maker audiences on topics related to water quality, habitat protection, and climate change. Jennifer has expertise in program design, management, and evaluation; communicating science to diverse audiences; meeting facilitation; and planning and implementing collaborative methods for engaging stakeholders in successfully addressing environmental issues. She provides facilitation assistance to a variety of groups, from municipal advisory committees vetting and adopting new zoning ordinances to strategic planning for conservation groups. Jennifer has a MS in Environmental Sciences from the University of Rhode Island and a BS in Environmental Biology from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.
Download Presentation (PDF)
A Guide to Collaborative Tidal Wetland Migration Pathway Protection
Posters
Gabriella DiNardi
Soil Health Intern, UConn Extension
Bio:
Ella is the Summer Soil Health Intern working with UConn Extension directly under Dr. Amelia Magistrali. This summer she has been planting cover crops at the UConn Research Farm to determine the benefits of cover cropping on soil health. Ella is in her final year of Environmental Science undergraduate studies at UConn, and hoping to move onto graduate school to pursue the field in a more specialized lens.
Poster:
Demonstrating Summer Cover Crop Soil Health Benefits
Dr. Yakai Wang
Postdoctoral Researcher, UConn, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment
Bio:
Dr. Yakai Wang is a postdoctoral researcher specializing in agroecosystem modeling, climate change, and land–atmosphere interactions. His research integrates process-based ecosystem models, remote sensing, solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, and machine learning to investigate crop productivity, carbon and water cycling, and agricultural resilience to climate extremes. He has extensive experience in regional and global environmental data analysis, model development, and climate-smart agricultural assessment.
Posters:
Biochar for Climate Mitigation in U.S. Midwest Cropping Systems: A Case Study and Adaptive Strategies for Reducing Yield-Scaled Nitrate Leaching in the U.S. Midwest.
Christine A. Odiaga
Assistant Project Manager, Friends of Herring River, Wellfleet/Truro, Inc.
Bio:
Christine is living her dream, “washed ashore” for good and working a super-cool job on Cape Cod. Prior experience includes ten years of outreach and education as a MassDEP Wetlands Circuit Rider, three years as a municipal Conservation Agent/Stormwater Coordinator and six years of construction site sampling and monitoring on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (fascinating!!). She took advantage of the Cooperative Education Program at Northeastern University and considers that experience as important as classes. She joined SWCS in 2013 and served as RI Director, then worked for two years as Executive Director before assuming her current role as Treasurer.
Poster:
Herring River Tidal Restoration Project
Josenia Lopez
Undergraduate Research Assistant, UConn, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
Bio:
Josenia Lopez is an undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut majoring in Plant Science with a concentration in Soil Science. She is an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Mia Maltz’s Mycology Lab, where she studies soil and fungal ecology. Josenia is also an Earth Team volunteer with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Her interests include soil health, soil remediation, and sustainable agriculture.
Poster:
Fertility Management in High Organic Matter Systems
Paulette Goyes
Ph.D. Student, UConn, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
Bio:
Paulette Goyes obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Applied Ecology and a Master’s in Microbiology by the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. Her studies have involved the search and selection of fungal strains for plastic degradation, cigarette filters remediation, and the creation of materials for the filtration of contaminants. She is now a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut, and under the advice of Dr. Mia Maltz, she is studying fungi and their interactions with pollutants in soils.
Poster:
Soils under treatment: Evaluating the influence of fungal biomass on the recovery of a long-term contaminated soil from New England
QUESTIONS regarding the program? Please contact Keara McAuliffe at keara@swcssnec.org.
Registration
Soil Matters! 2026 Registration Rates
The SNEC Board of Directors decided to retain the same conference registration rates as we’ve used since we resumed in-person events post-pandemic.
As always, discounted rates are offered to SNEC Members and to Students.
New for 2026: we reduced the number for Group registration to a minimum of 3 attendees who register together. (See notes under Required Questions)
Register online TODAY using your credit/debit card, PayPal or Google Pay.
-
General Admission: $125
-
SWCS SNEC Member: $75
-
Student General Admission: $50
-
SWCS Student Chapter Member: $25
Space permitting, workshops are included.
–> 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.
–> GROUP DISCOUNTS <–
25% off General & Student General Admission
when Groups of 3 or More Register Together!
Group General Admission: $93.75
Group Student: $37.50
-> 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
- Non-profit Exhibitor Registration: $250
Includes one 6-foot table with drape and registration for one (1) person
- Additional Exhibit Staff: $75
Limit: 2 additional staff per table
For more information or to register as an Exhibitor, contact Keara McAuliffe at keara@swcssnec.org or call Christine Odiaga at 508-945-3282
To get a sense of the PROSPECTIVE AUDIENCE, see lists of attendees at past in-person 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 Keara McAuliffe at keara@swcssnec.org or Christine Odiaga at (508) 945-3283 for more information.
Thank you to Soil Matters sponsor
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Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
A River Runs Through It II Presentations
2025 Annual Summer Meeting
Thursday July 10, West Boylston MA
The SNEC Board of Directors would like to thank our impressive speakers for their time and expertise!
Conference Presentation PDFs
DWSP Forest Management – Ware River Watershed – June 2024
Kenneth Canfield, Chief forester for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection in the Quabbin and Ware River watersheds
Ken Canfield is the chief forester for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection in the Quabbin and Ware River watersheds. He helps manage 80,000 acres of state-owned watershed land. Since receiving a degree in forestry from Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) Ken has worked as a forester for twenty-five years on private, state, and federal land in northern California, Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts.
Dam Removal and Ecological Restoration
Chris Hirsch, Dam Removal Program Manager , Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration
Chris has a master’s degree in restoration ecology from the University of Wisconsin. Chris started his dam removal journey while working for the Neponset River Watershed Association. He has been with DER since 2020. In his current role, Chris manages dam removal projects throughout the Commonwealth, supports a team of restoration specialists, and works to further develop and advance the practice of dam removal in Massachusetts.
Dam Busters Webinar Series
Anna Renkert, Development & Engagement Manager at the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance
Anna Renkert is the Development & Engagement Manager at the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, where she wears many hats including fundraising, communications, event planning, and outreach to connect individuals and member organizations in support of river conservation across the state. She supports Mass Rivers educational programming, like the Dam Busters webinar series, to build community and share knowledge that advances the movement for rivers. Anna holds a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College. Outside of work, she enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking, and backpacking.
Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
2025 River Restoration through Dam Removal
A River Runs Through It II:
River Restoration through Dam Removal and the impact on the Landscapes of New England
Thursday July 10, 8:30am – 3pm
West Boylston MA
Overview of the Quinapoxet Dam (photo: MWRA website)
Join us for an educational day covering dam removal, river restoration, and land use in Massachusetts and throughout New England. Hear from professionals in the field from Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, The Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, the Division of Water Supply Protection, and U.S. Geological Survey’s Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The afternoon will include a tour of the recently removed Quinapoxet Dam site adjacent to the Wachusett Reservoir.
Be an active member of the Southern New England Chapter of SWCS and engage with fellow conservation professionals!
Certificates of Attendance documenting professional development hours will be provided upon request.
click for
Agenda
8:30 – 9:00 AM Registration and Refreshments
9:00 – 9:10 AM Welcome and Introductions from Chapter President, Timothy Randhir
9:10 – 9:40 AM Dam Removal and Ecological Restoration
- Chris Hirsch, Dam Removal Program Manager, MA Division of Ecological Restoration
9:40 – 10:00 AM Massachusetts Rivers Alliance and the DamBuster’s Program
- Anna Renkert, Development & Engagement Manager at the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance
10:00 – 10:45 AM Restoring Aquatic Habitats Through Dam Removal
- Dr. Allison Roy, USGS’s Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
10:45 – 11:00 AM Break
11:00 – 11:30 AM Land Management in Massachusetts through Division of Water Supply Protection
- Kenneth Canfield, Chief forester for the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Background of the Quinapoxet Dam Removal
- Kathryn Parent, Program Coordinator; Bryan LaRochelle, Assistant Regional Engineer; Dan Crocker; Environmental Analyst, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch (provided)
- 12:30 – 12:45 PM Chapter meeting during lunch
1:00 PM Carpool or drive to Quinapoxet Dam (1 mile away)
- Thomas Street Parking Mass Central Rail Trail. 155-199 Thomas St, West Boylston, MA 01583
1:00 – 3:00 PM Field tour of Quinapoxet Dam Removal Site
SNEC has covered similar topics at past summer meetings. Dam removal and stream restoration projects are complicated and fascinating!
- 2015 – A River Runs Through It: Daylighting of the Neponset River at Gillette Stadium
- 2017 – Tour of Dam Removal Sites!! Mill River Restoration (Taunton, MA)
Speaker Biographies:
Chris Hirsch
Dam Removal Program Manager , Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration
Bio:
Chris has a master’s degree in restoration ecology from the University of Wisconsin. Chris started his dam removal journey while working for the Neponset River Watershed Association. He has been with DER since 2020. In his current role, Chris manages dam removal projects throughout the Commonwealth, supports a team of restoration specialists, and works to further develop and advance the practice of dam removal in Massachusetts.
Allison Roy, PhD
Research Fish Biologist
Bio:
Dr. Allison Roy is Unit Leader with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Roy works closely with state and federal agencies to co-produce research that characterizes anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems and assesses responses to conservation and restoration. Her field-based research typically employs large spatial gradients to identify stressor responses and species-habitat relationships within lakes and streams. Her graduate students and postdocs have worked on numerous projects in New England that have informed winter lake drawdown guidance, dam removal prioritization, water conservation, freshwater mussel restoration, and river herring management.
Presentation:
Restoring Aquatic Habitats Through Dam Removal
Bryan LaRochelle, P.E
Assistant Regional Engineer for the Wachusett and Sudbury Section of the Division of Water Supply Protection
Bio:
Bryan is the Assistant Regional Engineer for the Wachusett and Sudbury Section of the Division of Water Supply Protection. He has been with the agency for over seven years working on maintenance and improvement projects for our stormwater systems, roads, dams, and other infrastructure. In recent years, his work has also involved stream restoration projects. He had a prior career as a civil engineering consultant. He is also a member of the Hubbardston Conservation Commission, and he enjoys spending time out on local trails, paddling different water bodies, and playing music.
Dan Crocker
Environmental Analyst for the Wachusett and Sudbury Section of the Division of Water Supply Protection
Bio:
Dan is an Environmental Analyst for the Wachusett and Sudbury Section of the Division of Water Supply Protection. He has been with the agency for over 11 years and currently manages water quality and hydrologic monitoring programs for the Wachusett watershed and tributaries. Prior to working for DCR, Dan worked in southeastern PA for a county water resources authority, working on projects related to flood-protection and drinking water supply reservoir. He initially became interested in problems of drinking water supply and water quality as a Peace Corp volunteer in Paraguay. While not working Dan enjoys many outdoor activities, traveling, and tinkering with computers and electronics.
Anna Renkert
Development & Engagement Manager at the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance
Bio:
Anna Renkert is the Development & Engagement Manager at the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, where she wears many hats including fundraising, communications, event planning, and outreach to connect individuals and member organizations in support of river conservation across the state. She supports Mass Rivers educational programming, like the Dam Busters webinar series, to build community and share knowledge that advances the movement for rivers. Anna holds a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College. Outside of work, she enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking, and backpacking.
Monica Driggers
Deputy Director at Mass Rivers Alliance
Bio:
Monica Ghosh Driggers spent her childhood following her dad, a civil-environmental engineer,
around the country as he worked on water quality issues. She began her own career examining
water rights issues in the Intermountain West and went on to spend nearly 30 years working with
policy makers in California, Massachusetts, and other states to make changes to criminal and
civil justice processes . In her current role as the Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Rivers
Alliance, Monica oversees work on the organization’s programs, such as the popular Dam
Busters webinar series and the Rainwater Readiness stormwater workshops, as well as managing
grants and publications. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver and an A.B. from the University of Chicago.
Kenneth Canfield
Chief forester for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection in the Quabbin and Ware River watersheds
Bio:
Ken Canfield is the chief forester for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection in the Quabbin and Ware River watersheds. He helps manage 80,000 acres of state-owned watershed land. Since receiving a degree in forestry from Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) Ken has worked as a forester for twenty-five years on private, state, and federal land in northern California, Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts.
click for
Summer Meetings
Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
SWCS Southern New England Chapter 2026 Conference
SNEC Winter 2026 Conference is scheduled for Thursday, February 5th.
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Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
2022 Winter Conference Attendees
2022 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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Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
2024 – Collaborative Restoration in Southern New England Presentations
2024 Winter Conference:
Collaborative Restoration
Friday, February 16th, Crowne Plaza, Warwick, RI
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
2024 E&SC Attendees
2024 Erosion & Sediment Control Fall Field Days
| Name | Job Title | Company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Coccaro | Assistant Director | Town of Greenwich | sarah.coccaro@greenwichct.gov |
| Jack DeJordy | Environmental Technician |
SRICD |
jdejordy@sricd.org |
| Beth Evans | Director, Environmental Affairs |
Town of Greenwich |
Elizabeth.Evans@greenwichct.org |
| River Fenton | Project Engineer |
Ransom Consulting |
river.fenton@pinchin.com |
| Gina Fuller | District Manager |
SRICD |
gfuller@sricd.org |
| Michael Giguere, Jr. | Environmental Technician |
SRICD |
mgiguere@sricd.org |
| Devan Healy | Environmental Analyst |
Town of Greenwich |
devan.healy@greenwichct.gov |
| Benjamin Hooks | Project Scientist I |
Ransom Consulting |
ben.hooks@pinchin.com |
| Frankie Lofaro | Environmental Affairs Support Specialist |
Town of Greenwich |
Frank.Lofaro@greenwichct.gov |
| Brendan Peck | Soil Conservationist |
USDA NRCS |
brendan.peck@usda.gov |
| Rebecca Poirier | Environmental Analyst |
Town of Greenwich |
Rebecca.Poirier@greenwichct.org |
| Meghan Seeley | Outreach Coordinator / Environmental Technician |
SRICD |
mseeley@sricd.org |
| Samuel Suorsa | Surveyor |
Coventry Survey |
info@coventrysurvey.com |
| Name | Job Title | Company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molly Ahern | Soil Scientist |
CLA Engineers |
mkahern@claengineers.com |
| Julie Bjorkman | Environmental Consultant |
JKB Consulting, LLC |
julie_bjorkman@yahoo.com |
| Autum Burke | Environmental Planner |
Town of South Windsor |
autum.burke@southwindsor-ct.gov |
| Robin Casioppo |
GZA Inc. |
robin.casioppo@gza.com | |
| Christopher Dodge |
USDA NRCS |
chris.dodge@usda.gov | |
| Kyle Dolce | Conservation Nutrient Management |
USDA NRCS |
kyle.dolce@usda.gov |
| Shelby Doolittle |
USDA NRCS |
shelby.gaiss@usda.gov | |
| Kaitlyn Eannotti | Civil Engineer |
VHB |
keannotti@vhb.com |
| Jim Gavin |
USDA NRCS |
jim.gavin@usda.gov | |
| Wilca Decimus | Student |
U. Mass Amherst |
|
| Trey Ingram |
USDA NRCS |
trey.ingram@usda.gov | |
| Colin Kelly | Conservation Director |
Town of Westport |
ckelly@westportct.gov |
| Kristen Lodato | Asst. Wetlands Compliance Officer |
Town of Greenwich |
Kristen.Lodato@greenwichct.gov |
| Patrick Lord | Ecologist / Environmental Specialist |
GZA, Inc. |
patricklord65@gmail.com |
| Jonathan Ludovico |
USDA NRCS |
jonathan.ludovico@usda.gov | |
| James Lyons |
USDA NRCS |
james.lyons@usda.gov | |
| Alexandra MacLaren |
USDA NRCS |
alexandra.maclaren@usda.gov | |
| Kate Preston | Natural Resource Specialist |
Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District |
kpreston@conservect.org |
| Cynthia Rabinowitz | Soil and Wetland Scientist |
Northwest Conservation District |
cynthiar@nwcd.org |
| Carlie Ritchie | Conservation Nutrient Management Planner |
USDA NRCS |
carlie.ritchie@usda.gov |
| Marabelle Tucci |
BSC Group |
mtucci@bscgroup.com | |
| Jenn Urena | Wetlands Compliance Officer |
Town of Greenwich |
Jennifer.Urena@greenwichct.org |
| Paul Vitaliano | Director of Land Development |
VHB |
motero@vhb.com |
| Alexander Wojtkowiak | Wetland Scientist |
Stantec |
alexander.wojtkowiak@stantec.com |
| Megan Woytik |
USDA NRCS |
megan.woytik@usda.gov |
Fourteen additional attendees preferred not to share their names and contact info. Eleven work in conservation organizations or local government, and three work in the private sector.
| Name | Job Title | Company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Allen | Natural Resource Specialist |
USDA NRCS |
brian.allen@usda.gov |
| Olivia Barksdale | Conservation Agent |
Town of Acton |
obarksdale@actonma.gov |
| Mike Barry | Forester |
USDA NRCS |
michael.barry2@usda.gov |
| Eleah Caseau | Conservation Agent |
Town of Shrewsbury |
ecaseau@shrewsburyma.gov |
| Sam Corbin | Conservation Assistant |
Town of Westborough |
scorbin@westboroughma.gov |
| Erasme Da Cruz |
BSC Group |
edacruz@bscgroup.com | |
| Melissa Danza | Conservation Agent |
Town of Southborough |
mdanza@southboroughma.com |
| Mike Downey | Service Forester |
MA Bureau of Forestry |
forwild20@hotmail.com |
| Isabella Genova | Conservation Agent |
Town of Mendon |
igenova@mendonma.gov |
| James Joyce II | Conservation Commissioner |
Woburn Conservation Commission |
jfjoyce2@comcast.net |
| Thomas Liddy |
Lucas Environmental, LLC |
tel@lucasenviro.com | |
| Dylan Lindholm | Assistant Planner |
Towns of Mendon, Uxbridge, Millville |
dlindholm@mendonma.gov |
| Clay Lovelace | Compliance Monitor |
BSC Group |
clovelace@bscgroup.com |
| Kinsale McGrath | Environmental Scientist |
Tetra Tech |
kinsale.mcgrath@tetratech.com |
| Jennifer Miller | Conservation Director |
Town of Westborough |
jmiller@westboroughma.gov |
| Thomas O’Connor | Natural Resource Specialist |
USDA NRCS |
thomas.o’connor@usda.gov |
| Jack O’Leary | Vice President of Operations |
Green Seal Environmental, LLC |
jdolearyjr@gmail.co |
| Mike Patnaude | Natural Resource Specialist |
USDA NRCS |
michael.patnaude@usda.gov |
| Joe Rogers | Senior Project Manager |
GZA, Inc. |
joseph.rogers@gza.com |
| Kyle Rutkowski | Highway Leadsperson |
Town of Westborough |
krutkowski@westboroughma.gov |
| Jan Elyse Taylor | Asst. Conservation Agent |
Town of Grafton |
taylorj@grafton-ma.gov |
| Vincent Thai | Stormwater Coordinator |
Town of Shrewsbury |
vthai@shrewsburyma.gov |
| Lauren Vivier | Conservation Agent |
Town of Sturbridge |
lvivier@sturbridge.gov |
| Alex Wu | Soil Conservationist |
USDA NRCS |
alexander.wu@usda.gov |
| Megan Woytik |
USDA NRCS |
megan.woytik@usda.gov |
Ten additional attendees preferred not to share their names and contact info. Five work in conservation organizations or local government, and five work in the private sector.
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Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm
2024 Winter Conference Legacy Page
Winter Conferences
Dec 22, 2023 update:
PARTICIPATION HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, NON-PROFITS, ACADEMIA AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
2024 Winter Conference
on Resilient Restoration
Friday, February 16, 2024
Crowne Plaza, Warwick RI
Crowne Plaza, Warwick RI
SWCS Southern New England Chapter is taking a soup-to-nuts look at 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. Broad participation has been confirmed by state and federal agencies, non-profits, academia and the private sector; scroll down for preliminary program information and check back for updates as the program develops.
Certificates of attendance will be provided to document 6 solid hours of educational content suitable for professional certification renewals.
Theme:
COMMUNITY-BASED, COLLABORATIVE RESILIENT RESTORATION PROJECTS
Partnerships and collaboration are integral to success. Join us in sharing ideas, case studies, success stories and lessons learned!
The Call for Presentations requested topics including but not limited to:
Case Building and Community Outreach • Partnerships and Funding • Landowner Coordination • Engineering and Design • Permitting • Monitoring • Scientific Studies • Legal Agreements • Bidding and Contracts • Construction • Implementation • Adaptive Management • Data Sharing and Reporting
We’ve had excellent response but are still accepting suggestions about collaborative efforts to restore degraded resources and increase resiliency. Please let us know if you’re working on a community-based restoration project or conducting resiliency-related studies in Connecticut, Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
Registration is online via credit/debit card only.
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General Admission: $125
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SWCS Member: $75
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Student General Admission: $50*
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SWCS Student Chapter Member: $25
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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)
*Students must be currently enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university.
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Rain or Shine | No Refunds | Transfer Allowed
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Lunch and coffee will be provided.
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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.
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To get a sense of the PROSPECTIVE AUDIENCE, see lists of attendees at previous SNEC Winter Conferences:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!
The Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society 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. We believe that by partnering with organizations that share our goals, we can work together towards a more sustainable future.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please reach out to Jaime Clintsman, jc@swcssnec.org or 214.870.9249 for more information.
SNEC is please to announce that participation has been confirmed by
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Wenley Ferguson, Director of Habitat Restoration, Save The Bay
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Bill Giuliano, Cranberry Bog Program Manager, Mass Division of Ecological Restoration
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Melissa Kaplan (Licensing and Permitting Team Lead) and Tom Groves (Senior Botanist), BSC Group
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Joe Manetta, Graduate Research Assistant, URI
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Christine Odiaga, Assistant Project Manager, Friends of Herring River
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US Fish & Wildlfie Service Coastal Program
Details to follow as additional speakers confirm.
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.
The SNEC Board is pleased to announce that we’ve hired a part-time Administrator and Event Coordinator: Jaime Clintsman.
Jaime will be the primary point of contact for this conference and for SNEC matters in general. If you have suggestions or would like to participate, please contact Jaime at (214) 870-9249 or jc@swcssnec.org.
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Conservation NewsBriefs
- Resilient ranches: Grass adviser offers soil health strategies
- Growing more conservation: Evaluating the impacts of an outreach skills training program
- USDA adds $300M to Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, bringing total to $1B
- Study finds ID regenerative farming can help climate, bottom line
- Cover crops: Improving soil health, stewardship and profitability on the farm