NEW YORK STATE WETLANDS FORUM, INC

NEW YORK STATE WETLANDS FORUM, INC.

2000 SPRING MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

STREAMS, NATIONWIDE PERMITS, WETLAND MAPPING
AND OTHER CONTENTIOUS ISSUES:
CAN CONSENSUS BE FOUND IN THE NEW CENTURY

MARCH 30 and 31, (Thursday and Friday), 2000
HOLIDAY INN, BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK

This year’s Forum meeting had three tracks. The first track, coordinated by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s Stream Management Program, focused on stream management planning using the geomorphic approach to stream assessment, restoration and construction and its relationship to wetlands. A second track examined wetland policy and regulatory issues. The third track contained some sessions on wetland science and some on watershed planning. The Society of Wetland Scientists, Mid Atlantic Chapter sponsored the session on Winter Botany.

FINAL AGENDA

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2000

7:00–8:30 Registration and Exhibit set-up.

The Opening Session Will Convene in the Johnson City Room

8:30-8:40 Opening Remarks – Barbara B. Beall, Chair, New York State Wetlands Forum.

8:40-9:00 Watershed Management Planning: Catch Basin or Catch Word? John Herring, Ph.D. Water Quality Specialist.

9:00-9:45 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE PART 1 – Johnson City Room

Moderator: Kevin Bernstein, Bond, Schoeneck & King

The ACOE’s Nationwide Permits – Joseph Seebode, Chief Regulatory Branch, New York District, US Army Corps of Engineers.
Wetland Protection in the New York City Watershed – Jim Benson, PWS, Supervisor, Engineering Section, Bureau Water Supply, Quality and Protection, NYCDEP.

9:45 to 11:15 CONCURRENT SESSIONS 1

Binghamton Room

La Tasse Room

Southern Tier Room

Stream Management Planning Using Geomorphic Approach

Sponsored by NYCDEP Stream Management Program (SMP)

Moderator: Beth Reichheld, Program Manager, NYCDEP SMP

Setting the context – NYCDEP's Stream Management Program. Beth Reichheld.

Introduction to the geomorphic approach to stream restoration. Sarah Miller, Fluvial Geomorphologist, NYCDEP SMP.

Question and answer session.

Inter-municipal Planning of Watershed Management

Moderator: John Herring, Ph.D., Water Quality Specialist

The Cayuga Lake Watershed Management Plan. David S. Zorn, Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council.
Buffalo Creek Streambank Stabilization Partnership Program – An opportunity for collaboration. LuAnn Freeman, Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Westchester County’s Long Island Sound Watershed Management Program. Robert Doscher. Westchester County Department of Planning.
Working with homeowners to landscape for water quality - A demonstration project in the Skaneateles Lake Watershed. Amy Samuels, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County.

Big Box Development in Wetlands

A Panel Discussion

Moderator: Terresa Bakner, Whiteman Osterman and Hanna.

Big box retailers are here to stay. Don Ferlow, Sterns and Wheeler.
A case study of the Target Northeast Distribution Center in the Town of Wilton. John Munsey, C.T. Male, Inc.
John Connell, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Albany Field Office.

11:15 to 11:30 Break – Please view exhibits and poster sessions in Endicott Room.

11:30 to 12:15 Concurrent Session 2

Binghamton Room

La Tasse Room

Southern Tier Room

Stream Management Plans

Moderator: Beth Reichheld, Program Manager, NYCDEP SMP

Integrating Current Stream Science into a New Management Paradigm. Mark Vian, Watershed Ecologist, NYCDEP SMP.
Question and answer session.

Funding Sources for Inter-Municipal Watershed Management Plans

Moderator: John Herring, Ph.D., Water Quality Specialist.

Watershed management and wetland program dollars – the NYS Department of State as a source. Greg Capobianco. NYS Dept. Of State.

Clean Water Clean Air Bond Act Monies. Libby Smith, NYSDEC Division of Water.

French Creek watershed (NY): Farm conservation planning and implementation assistance efforts by the Conservancy in collaboration with other partners. David Gross. Cornell University.

Status and Trends of Wetlands in New York State

Moderator: Norbert Quenzer, Bagdon Environmental.

Status and Trends of Wetlands in New York State. Patricia Riexinger, NYSDEC.

12:15 - 1:10 Lunch –Johnson City Room

1:10 to 1:30 New York State Wetlands Forum Sixth Annual Meeting and Elections – Johnson City Room

Agenda:

Introduction of Board of Governors and Consulting Staff

Update of Forum Efforts of Past Year

Treasurers Report,

Elections to Board of Governors

New Business

Candidates presented by the nominating committee are listed on the left and current directors listed on the right.

NOMINATIONS - For three-year terms	CURRENT DIRECTORS – Terms end Spring 2002
Jeff Zappieri¹, Anne Secord¹, Richard Smardon¹, Christine Delorier¹, Terresa Bakner³, Barbara Beall³, Jennifer Brady-Connor², Sally Daly⁴, Beth Gelber² Diane Kozlowski², Joseph McMullen²	Kevin Bernstein, Robert Dunn

¹First Term ²Second Term ³Third Term ⁴Fourth Term

Nominations were solicited from the membership. The nominating committee presents a slate of candidates, that, with continuing board members, include agricultural, consulting, education, environmental, government, industry, land conservation, legal, planning, recreation, scientific, and social policy interests. Board officers will be elected at the first meeting of the new board.

1:30-2:30 Legislative and Regulatory Updates Part 2 – Johnson City Room

Moderator: Kevin Bernstein, Bond Schoeneck and King

The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s role in protecting migratory birds and the interstate commerce clause connection. Anne Secord, USFWS.

US Environmental Protection Agency developments. Dan Montella, USEPA.

Region 7 NYSDEC developments. Ken Lynch, NYSDEC Region 7 Regional Director

2:30 to 2:45 Break - Please view exhibits and poster sessions in Endicott Room.

2:45 –4:15 Concurrent Session 3

Binghamton Room	La Tasse Room	Southern Tier Room
Case Study of Implementing a Stream Restoration Plan Moderator: Beth Gelber, Wetlands Specialist, NYCDEP SMP. A Case Study, The Use of Natural Channel Design Concepts in the Batavia Kill Watershed at the Maeir Farm. Rene Van Schaack, Executive Director, Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District. Permitting the Maeir Farm and other stream restoration projects. Christine Delorier, ACOE Albany Field Office. Question and answer session.	NYSDEC Wetland Remapping A Panel Discussion Moderator: Dean R. Long, Director of Environmental Planning, The LA Group, P.C. John Lawler, Representative, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. Jennifer Brady-Connor, Past Wetlands Outreach Coordinator within Saratoga County. Dan Montella, USEPA. Patricia Riexinger, NYSDEC.	Winter Botany Sponsored by the Mid Atlantic Chapter of the SWS Moderator: John Connell, ACOE, Albany Field Office. The identification of wetland herbaceous plants in winter. Joe McMullen, Terrestrial Environmental Specialists The identification of wetland woody plants in winter. Donald J. Leopold, Ph.D., Distinguished Teaching Professor, SUNY-CESF
More Stream Restoration and Riparian Buffers Moderator: Beth Gelber, Wetlands Specialist, NYCDEP SMP. Scajaquada Creek Restoration Project. Rostyslaw Caryk, Beak Consultants. Importance of Riparian Buffers to ACOE regulatory program. Diane Kozlowski, Buffalo District ACOE. Question and answer session.	Concurrent Session 4 4:15 – 5:15
	La Tasse Room	Southern Tier Room
	Careers in Wetlands – A Q&A Panel Discussion for College Students Moderator: Michael Fishman, Stearns and Wheeler Chris Cirmo, SUNY Cortland. Richard Smardon, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Barbara Reuter, The Environmental Collaborative. Jennifer Brady-Connor. Terresa Bakner, Whiteman Osterman and Hanna. Scott Shupe, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation.	*Wetland Potpourri* Moderator: Ray Cummings, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. Ecosystem Monitoring of Development Impacts on a Fen Wetland. John H. Roebig, Ph.D. EcoLogic. The Beaver’s Role in Wetland Development. Sharon T. Brown, Beavers, Wetlands and Wildlife. Comparative Values of Phragmites australis dominated wetland systems, and implications for decision-making. Mary Anne Thiesing, Wetland Protection Section, USEPA Region II.

5:15 - 5:30 Plenary Session and Wrap Up

5:30 – 7:00 Social Hour Reception

7:00 – 8:30 Dinner – Left Bank Room

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2000 – Field Trips – Still being developed, and final details will be provided at Annual Meeting.

Stream Restoration Case Study Site: Visit the Batavia Kill Maier Farm Site. Site is located in Windham, New York (Greene County). This is a distance from Binghamton, but on the way for people heading north towards Albany or eastern New York. Either Rene Van Schaack from Greene County SWCD or Beth Reicheld from NYCDEP SMP will lead the field trip.
Wetland Creation/Restoration Sites A wetland creation site in Vestal, just outside of Binghamton. The project was created about 4 years ago and is in the floodplain of the Susquehanna river. Trip may be lead by Joe McMullen, TES. Winter Botany species identification may also be covered.
Winter Botany Vegetation Identification Workshop There is a fine boardwalk and wetland trail interpretive walk on the SUNY Binghamton Campus that is being investigated, as well as other areas where a wetland plant identification field trip could be led.
Lepak Wildlife Marsh: The Lepak Wildlife Marsh is located two miles from the Village of Whitney Point in Broome County. It has a surface area of 4.5 acres fed by a watershed of 119 acres. It was constructed during the fall of 1996 and spring of 1997 with land owner cost sharing through NRCS’s Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the USFWS’ Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. The marsh’s principal spillway is through an earthen dam water control structure 400 feet in length. The marsh contains five manmade nesting islands, loafing logs and other natural site habitat, and has successfully produce waterfowl broods in each year since it was filled in 1997. It has been features in several magazine articles, and has been toured by various Broome County environmental agencies and the local Sierra Club Chapter. The landowner is a strong proponent of the WRP program.

Poster Sessions

David Zorn . Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council. Cayuga Lake Watershed Management Plan. See Abstract Above.

Beth Gelber.. New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s Stream Management Program.

Franco Mantalto. Doctoral Studies Student at Cornell University, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. E-mail: tss1@cornell.edu. Research in the monitoring, visualization, and modeling of tidal saltmarsh hydrology (both surface and subsurface) in Piermont Marsh along the Hudson River.

Sharon Brown. Beavers: Wetlands and Wildlife. The Beaver’s Role in Wetland Development. E-mail: beavers@telenet.netemail.

Dr. Bruce Gilman, College of the Finger Lakes. A Display to Challenge Your Skills in the Winter Identification of Wetland Vegetation.

John C. Hunter¹, James A. Zollweg² and Mark R. Noll², 1 - Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Brockport, 2 – Department of Earth Sciences, State University of New York, Brockport. Influence of hydrology and geomorphology upon biodiversity in a coastal wetland of Lake Ontario.

David Kitchie. MPS degree student from SUNY-ESF. General recommendations for those considering growing wild rice for improving wildlife habitat in Central New York. E-Mail: dpkitchi@syr.edu.

Exhibitors

Life Science Laboratories
Pinelands Nursery
Terrestrial Environmental Specialists, Inc.
Haas Landscaping