NEW YORK WETLANDS FORUM ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2006

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Kenneth Lynch, Esq., Regional Director, NYSDEC, Region 7

1. The Role of Conservation Organizations in Wetland Protection

• The Role of Not-For-Profits in Wetland Restoration - Mr. Michael Patane, Great Swamp Conservancy

• In Lieu of Fee Wetland Mitigation; Experience with Camillus Valley Natural Area - Dr. Richard Smardon, Save the County

• Wetland Protection Through Acquisition and Conservation Easement - Mr. Andrew Zepp, Finger Lakes Land Trust

Moderator: Ms. Sandra L. Doran, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2. Invasive Species: The Road to Restoration

• Restoring Habitat for One of New York’s Rarest Turtles - Ms. Molly Connerton, Mr. Michael Townsend, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Mr. Bruce Hammond, Environmental Defense

• Seneca Bluffs Habitat Restoration Project - Invasive Plant Control and Management Using the Habitat Modification Method - Mr. Paul Fuhrmann and Ms. Kris Erickson, Ecology and Environment, Inc.

• Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol and Status of Native Phragmites in New York State - Dr. Bernd Blossey, Cornell University

Moderator: Mr. Edward Frantz, NYS Department of Transportation

3. Wetland Identification, Protection, and Restoration

• Soil Indicators in Onondaga Lake Wetlands - Mr. Stephen Mooney, O’Brien & Gere

• What is a Programmatic General Permit? - Ms. Melissa Toni, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.

• Habitat Restoration Planning: Use of State Wildlife Strategies for Defining Wetland and Stream Restoration Needs - Ms. Tracey Tomajer, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Moderator: Ms. Diane Kozlowski, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2. Wetland Mitigation Successes and Failures

• Missouri River Floodplain Restoration Using Innovative Precocious Oaks - Mr. P.J. Marshall, RPM Systems

• Black Creek Park Wetland Creation - Ms. Rochelle Bell and Ms. Christine Vitt, Monroe County

• Failures in Forested Wetland Mitigation: A Summary from Recent Publications and Observations and Current Approaches to Improve Mitigation Performance - Mr. Edward Samanns, The Louis Berger Group, Inc.

Moderator: Ms. Paula S. Marshman, NYS Department of State

3. Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership

• Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, National Overview - Ms. Patmarie Nedelka, Coastal America

• Mid-Atlantic Review and Implementation Team Summaries - Mr. John Balletto and Mr. Mario Del Vicario, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• The Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership in New York - Mr. Scott Shupe, National Grid

• Vernal Pool Restoration - Ms. Sharon Anderson, Cayuga Lake Watershed Network

• Montezuma Dry Marsh Project - Mr. Thomas Jasikoff, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Moderator: Ms. Barbara Beall, The Chazen Companies

1. Watershed Planning and Other Issues

• Storm Water Management with Water Quality is Mandated, but is it Environmentally Sensitive? - Mr. Donald Ferlow, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Department of Landscape Architecture; Stearns and Wheler

• Storm Water Permitting and Wetlands - Mr. Michael Bontje, B. Laing Associates

• Watershed-Wetlands Interaction: It’s Elementary - Dr. Peter Black, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Moderator: Kathleen Bennett, Esq., Bond, Schoeneck and King, PLLC

2. Threatened and Endangered Wetland Species

• Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes in New York State: Past, Present, and Future - Dr. Glenn Johnson, State University of New York, Potsdam

• Evidence of Decline of Spruce Grouse in Low Elevation Boreal Peatlands of the Adirondack Region of New York State - Ms. Angelena Ross and Dr. Glenn Johnson, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and State University of New York, Potsdam

• Bog Turtle Habitat Characteristics, Site Protection & Site Stewardship Activities in the Lake Plains-Prairie Peninsula Recovery Unit - Dr. Peter Rosenbaum, State University of New York, Oswego

Moderator: Ms. Anne Secord, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

3. Stream and River Restoration

• Stream Restoration Guidelines for New York’s Coastal Watershed - Ms. Amy Filipowicz and Mr. Ken Smith, New York State Department of State

• Restoring Rivers, Removing Dams: An Overview of Approaches - Ms. Stephanie D. Lindloff, American Rivers

• The Complete Stream Realignment of McKinstry Creek at McKinstry Road - Mr. Dave Derrick, Research Hydraulic Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

Moderator: Mr. Rene VanSchaack, Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District

1. Recreational Benefits of Wetlands

• Recreation - It’s Good for Wetlands - Ms. Sheila Hess, Ducks Unlimited

• A View from the Federation of Sportsmen - Mr. Les Monostory, Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs

• Birds and Birding in New York’s Wetlands - Mr. Michael Morgan, Audubon New York

Moderator: Mr. Kevin Bliss, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

2. Legal Mechanisms for Protecting Wetlands

• Terresa Bakner, Esq., Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna, LLP

• Jonathan Kaledin, Esq., The Nature Conservancy

• Scott Abrahamson, Esq., NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of General Counsel

Moderator: Terresa Bakner, Esq., Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna, LLP

3. Stream and River Restoration

• Ninemile Creek Restoration Project - Mr. Timothy L. Baker, Mr. Dave Lemon, and Mr. Carl Schwartz, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Stream Enhancement Evaluation for Morgan Creek; Implications for Restoring Gravel Streams - Ms. Jennifer Brunton and Mr. Edward Samanns, The Louis Berger Group

• Peconic River Wetland Remediation - Ms. Kathryn Huhn, Ms. Amanda Ludlow, Mr. William Medeiros, and Mr. Timothy Green, Roux Associates and Brookhaven National Laboratory

Moderator: Ms. Virginia Ursitti, Watts Engineers

Announcements
Kevin Bernstein, Esq., Acting Chair, New York State Wetlands Forum

Legislative and Regulatory Panel Session

Ms. Robyn Niver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Ms. Mary O’Dell, Adirondack Park Agency

Mr. Daniel Montella, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Peggy Price, Esq., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Moderator: Kathleen Bennett, Esq., Bond, Schoeneck and King, PLLC

Wetlands and Property Development

New Paltz Wetland Regulations - Michael Sterthous, Esq., Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna, LLP

Builders’ and Developers’ Perspective of Wetlands Regulations - Mr.  Philip Larocque, Executive Vice President, New York State Builders Association

Landfills and Wetlands - Collision Course or Opportunity? - Mr.  Jeffrey Sama, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Moderator: Mr. Joseph McMullen, Terrestrial Environmental Specialists, Inc.

Closing Remarks: Kevin Bernstein , Acting Chair, New York State Wetlands Forum

1. Great Swamp Conservancy, Canastota, New York

Leader: Mr. Michael Patane, Great Swamp Conservancy Director

2. Ninemile Creek Stream Restoration Techniques and Fish Habitat Enhancement, Marcellus, NY

Leader: Mr. Carl Schwartz, Branch Chief, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

3. Salt Marsh and Fen Species Test Plots at the Solvay Waste Beds, Geddes, NY

Leaders: Dr. Donald Leopold and Mr. Anthony Eallonardo, Professor and Graduate Student, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

4. Onondaga Creek - Restoration Efforts of an Urban Stream, Syracuse, NY

Leaders: Dr. Richard Smardon, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Mr. William Frederick, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District