Welcome to the SWS 2009 Joint Meeting Website

The North Central Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists is pleased to be hosting the Society's 30th annual meeting in Madison, WI with partners the Wisconsin Wetlands Association and the Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium. To be held June 21-26, 2009 at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center, the conference will follow successful formats used previously including plenary sessions, symposia, contributed oral presentations, poster sessions, exhibitor booths, a silent auction, chapter and society business meetings, social functions and field trips.

THEME: WETLAND CONNECTIONS
Wetland Connections is a deliberately broad and inclusive theme for the 2009 conference. Although wetlands cover only 5% of the earth's surface, they maintain essential links between land and water — in inland lakes and streams, arctic muskeg, and where the inland waters meet the ocean in estuaries, salt marshes, and mangroves. They provide essential services in storm water control, water purification, carbon storage, and wildlife habitat. Even "isolated" wetlands provide these functional connections. For all these reasons, wetlands are essential for building a sustainable global future, and for connecting scientists, policy makers, managers, farmers, politicians, judges and lawyers, and the general public. We encourage abstract submissions across this vast array of wetland-relevant topics.

The connections theme also portrays this year's joint meeting of three groups that collectively represent the surprising breadth of wetland endeavors. The Society of Wetland Scientists covers the full range of wetland topics, including basic research, application and management. The Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium is a biennial event with a 20-year history of spotlighting cutting edge research, and it is now an activity of the new Biogeochemistry Section of SWS. Wisconsin Wetlands Association is a science-based outreach and advocacy organization focused on wetland conservation and protection that has held regional wetland science conferences for 13 years.

Finally, the primary purpose of the conference is to exchange information and connect people. Keep your connections current by attending the 2009 meeting and participating in one or more of the activities of the conference.

Please note that SWS meeting attendees can receive renewal credits for their Professional Wetland Scientist certification. See www.wetlandcert.org for details.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

ABSTRACTS SUBMISSION FOR CONTRIBUTED PAPERS AND POSTERS: 27 February 2009 (250-word limit).
SPEAKER REGISTRATION: 20 APRIL 2009

We anticipate outstanding attendance at this meeting because of the quality of scientific sessions being planned and the diverse wetland, cultural and entertainment opportunities the city and region have to offer. Water is a key feature of the state; Wisconsin is flanked by Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Upper Mississippi River, and the state's watersheds are speckled with lakes, striped with streams and rivers, and dotted with wetlands. Madison is situated on an isthmus between two lakes, and our conference center overlooks beautiful Lake Monona. Madison and the state of Wisconsin have a rich history of leadership in wetland and watershed science and protection that continues to flourish today.

The 2009 SWS International Conference will bring together researchers, students, government scientists, private sector consultants, and wetland practitioners who make decisions about wetland use, protection and conservation. As always, a goal of the SWS annual meeting is to foster scientific exchanges between diverse groups of professionals involved in wetland stewardship around the world.

We look forward to seeing you in Madison in June 2009!

Society of Wetland Scientists

Welcome to the SWS 2009 Joint Meeting Website

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