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 Artwork by Diane O'Leary [read bio] |
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The purpose of this symposium is to identify opportunities and cooperative strategies for managing wetlands and water resources in response to climate change while meeting the ongoing challenges of conserving and protecting wetlands. Wetland professionals in the public and private sectors need to understand the regional alterations in weather likely to result from climate change and identify discrete activities and actions to pursue to mitigate these changes. To respond to climate change wetland professionals must:
Climate change needs to be addressed in the context of existing wetland management and conservation challenges. Discussion of current issues in wetland science, policy and management in combination with the more speculative dialogue on how to respond to climate change will help participants develop strategies to anticipate and adapt to regional changes in climate. At Wetlands 2008 there will be sessions on climate changes as well as the science, program and policy topics that continue to engage wetland managers and scientists. These include Clean Water Act jurisdiction, state and tribal wetland programs, Carabell/Rapanos guidance, mitigation, invasive species, wetland assessment, wetland restoration and other important topics. Climate Change Threatens Wetlands and Other Waters: Climate change threatens wetlands, riparian areas, and floodplains in a number of ways. Rising sea levels will destroy coastal and estuarine wetlands if these wetlands are unable to migrate inland due to dikes, levees, steep natural topography or other impediments. Increased temperatures will kill temperature- sensitive plant and animal species. Melting permafrost will turn wetlands into open waters or dry lands. Increases in precipitation, which will occur in some areas, will flood wetlands. Decreased precipitation, which will occur in other areas, will decrease in size or destroy playas, vernal pools, and other types of wetlands. Rising temperatures and reduced water levels will also release carbon from wetlands. It has been estimated that wetlands which include only about 6% of the earth's terrestrial area contain carbon equal to the total atmospheric carbon store. Peat lands and other wetlands, riparian areas, and floodplains continue to store carbon although at a slow rate. Increased temperatures due to climate change will melt permafrost and help oxidize organic soils, releasing carbon to the atmosphere. Climate change, therefore, is an important issue for wetland, riparian area, and floodplain management. State, federal, and private employees need to understand the status of scientific knowledge concerning climate change. They need to make adjustments in wetland, riparian zone, and floodplain management to reduce impacts and to both store carbon and reduce methane generation while serving broader wetland, riparian, floodplain and stream protection and restoration goals.
Regular Registration: August 2, 2008 through September 10, 2008 Onsite Registration: September 15, 2008 Advisory Committee: A Wetlands 2008 Advisory Committee will provide region-specific information, help identify volunteers, and carry out additional responsibilities leading up to and through the conference. In addition, the regional advisory committee will provide ideas on plenary and break-out session topics, speakers, etc., share and distribute information on the conference and serve as a conduit for communication with various interest groups. Audience: Wetland and aquatic resource managers, scientists, consultants, lawyers, federal, tribal, state, and local government staff, state legislators, legislative and Congressional staff, not for profits and others with interest and expertise in wetland issues. Conference Location/Hotel Information: The conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center Portland-Lloyd Center, Portland Oregon. The Doubletree Hotel is just 15 minutes from the Portland International Airport and adjacent to the MAX light rail system. The hotel is within walking distance of the Oregon Convention Center, the Rose Garden Arena and Memorial Coliseum. Across the street is the Lloyd Center Mall. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and the Washington Park Zoo are nearby. For more information, please see HOTEL INFORMATION The Doubletree hotel has earned a Green Seal GS-33 Lodging Sustainability certification. The Doubletree is the first lodging property in Oregon and the largest hotel west of the Mississippi to receive this green hotel designation, which includes a set of stringent criteria that encourages hotels to adopt environmental standards and practices in their everyday operations. To learn more about this certification and find ways to be sustainable as a participant, please see, http://www.aswm.org/calendar/wetlands2008/greenseal.pdf About Portland: Portland is loaded with energy. For decades this inland port on the Willamette River was the undiscovered gem of the West Coast, often overlooked by visitors seeking more sophisticated milieus. But in the past decade, people have begun flocking here in unprecedented numbers -- to visit and to live. The city's proximity to mountains, ocean, and desert adds an element of natural grandeur to its urban character. FOR THINGS TO DO IN PORTLAND CLICK HERE Sponsors and Cooperating Parties: Organizations, agencies, private, and nonprofit organizations are invited to become a sponsor or cooperating party supporting Wetlands 2008. There are many ways to support the conference. If interested, please contact Jeanne Christie at (207) 892-3399 or jeanne.christie@aswm.org Contact Information Questions Regarding Program, Please Contact: Jeanne Christie, Executive Director Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. 2 Basin Road, Windham, ME 04062 (207) 892-3399; Fax: (207) 892-3089 jeanne.christie@aswm.org General Questions, Please Contact: Laura Burchill, Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. 2 Basin Road, Windham, ME 04062 (207) 892-3399; Fax: (207) 892-3089; laura@aswm.org. Print this Page (PDF) Agenda at a Glance Agenda Accepted Papers Plenary Speakers Field Trips and Workshops Registration Poster/Displays Sponsors Sponsorship Levels Hotel Things To Do ASWM’s Wetlands & Climate Change Webpage Return to top. |
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This webpage last updated November 24, 2008.
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2
Basin Roadl
Windham, ME 04062
207-892-3399 FAX: 207-892-3089 aswm@aswm.org