ASWM Webpages

**New Global Climate Change Web Page**

**New Coastal Wetland Dieback Web Page**

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Publications

Wetlands and Gobal Climate Change by Leah Stetson, ASWM (2/07)

Climate Change and Alaskan Wetlands by Jim Powell, University of Alaska (3/07)

Common Questions: Wetland, Climate Change, and Carbon Sequestering by Jon Kusler, Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. (06/26/06)

The Effect of River Pulsing on Sedimentation and Nutrients in Created Riparian Wetlands

By Amanda M. Nahlik* and William J. Mitsch. Journal of Environmental Quality, June 23, 2008. Sedimentation under pulsed and steady-flow conditions was investigated in two created flow-through riparian wetlands in central Ohio over 2 yr. Hydrologic pulses of river water lasting for 6 to 8 d were imposed on each wetland from January through June during 2004. Mean inflow rates during pulses averaged 52 and 7 cm d–1 between pulses. For a link to this publication, visit: http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/37/4/1634

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News

December 2008

International Agreement on Migrating Waterbirds

Birding Community E-Bulletin – December 2008 An international resolution pledging to protect migratory waterbirds was agreed upon at the "Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar)." The wetlands meeting, held in Korea at the end of October and early November, was attended by 2,000 people from 165 nations. The participants agreed that different countries must co-operate to protect migratory waterbirds and their habitats. The "Ramsar Resolution on Flyways," as the new agreement was named, called for the protection of habitats such as tidal flats where birds come to winter or spend the summer, and for efforts to monitor the state of different populations. The resolution acknowledges that conserving the world's waterbirds is an international challenge and that only by working together along flyways can migratory birds be saved. "No country can act alone to protect migratory waterbirds. If we don't collaborate internationally we will push more and more migratory waterbirds to the brink of extinction," said Alison Russell-French, president of Birds Australia. Click here for the full text of the resolution: http://www.ramsar.org/cop10/cop10_dr22_e.htm For a link to archived issues of the Birding Community E-Bulletin, visit: http://www.refugenet.org/birding/birding5.html

November 2008

Wetlands Go Underground

By Liz Morrison – Corn & Soybean Digest – November 30, 2008 Wetlands are going underground and trapping water. Researchers at the University of Minnesota (U of M) are testing subsurface nutrient-retention basins to purify agricultural drainage water. Like surface-flow wetlands, these basins are designed to trap excess nutrients and sediment, keeping them out of streams and lakes, says Jeff Strock, a U of M soil scientist who is leading the Minnesota research. For full story, go to: http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/ag-issues/wetlands_go_underground_1108/

GLRC Invites Comments on Draft Mercury Emission Reduction Strategy

November 2008 - The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC) Executive Committee directed that a Great Lakes Mercury Emission Reduction Strategy be developed with a goal of producing institutionalized activities to sustain mercury emission reductions from unregulated sources, and regulated sources with potential for additional reduction. The Strategy should produce recommendations for state action, or available options for state action. Access the review documents at: http://glrc.us/initiatives/toxics/drafthgemissionreductionstrategy11-08.html The Great Lakes Mercury Emissions Reduction Strategy workgroup would appreciate stakeholder input on the draft outline, the criteria document, and the source sector document. Please email your contributions to Alexis Cain at cain.alexis@epa.gov and to Deb Jacobson at djacobson@istc.illinois.edu.  Input would be most helpful if submitted by December 19, 2008.

October 2008

New "Dead Zone" Report Calls for Greater Protection of Wetlands Clean Water Act Enforcement A Key To Mitigating Pollution in Mississippi River Basin

Washington, D.C. – infoZine – October 26, 2008 Wetlands and streams in the Mississippi River Basin are at increased risk of pollution and destruction, according to a new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Many of these bodies of water were historically covered under the Clean Water Act, but a series of misguided Supreme Court decisions have left them facing increased threats from pollutants including those that cause "dead zones." For full story, go to: http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/31457/ For full report, go to: http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/msriver/msriver.pdf For fact sheet of the Clean Water Restoration Act, go to: http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/factsheets/leg_07020201A.pdf

Lesssons from Wetlands

By Arleone Dibben-Young – Molokai Dispatch – October 15, 2008 Coastal wetlands have received much less attention than terrestrial and marine ecosystems, but Dr. Greg Bruland of the University of Hawaii, Manoa, hopes to change that. Scientists and students have been busy studying vegetation, soils, water quality and fish communities of wetlands across the Hawaiian Islands on a quarterly basis. Initially, 40 sites were tested, with 20 picked for the three-year project. Of the five sites originally sampled on Molokai, three wetlands were chosen for continued research – Ohiapilo Pond Bird Sanctuary, Koheo Wetland, and Ualapue Pond. September’s sampling focused on water quality and fish by three team members.http://www.themolokaidispatch.com/node/2659

Archived News
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August 2008

NOAA official says bay’s health is a global issue

By John Warren – Virginian-Pilot – August 1, 2008 The sea level in the Chesapeake Bay has risen about a foot in the past century, about twice the global average, the NOAA’s Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., said. He predicts the Bay will rise as much as another 23 inches in the coming 100 years. Water on Mars makes for fun headlines, the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration acknowledged. But he urged his audience Thursday night to stay grounded. "We need to take care of this lifeboat we're on - Earth," said Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., the undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. He also oversees NOAA operations as the agency's administrator. Speaking to about 150 people at Nauticus as part of the quarterly Blue Planet Forum, Lautenbacher talked specifically about the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary, and the effects climate change will have on it. The future, he said, is more hot days and higher temperatures. For full article, go to: http://hamptonroads.com/2008/07/noaa-official-says-bay%E2%80% 99s-health-global-issue

Archived News
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July 2008

First-ever "Frog Fence" to Benefit Oregon Amphibian

It's no livestock ban, but it just might work: In response to a Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit, the Forest Service has proposed to build a "frog fence" to keep cattle out of key habitat for the Oregon spotted frog in its namesake state. The lawsuit -- filed last month with our allies Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics and the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center -- challenged the Forest Service's decision to allow continued grazing near Jack Creek, crucial breeding grounds for one of the frog's declining populations. In the past nine years, the number of Oregon spotted frog egg masses at the creek has fallen from 335 to just 21; the species is currently on a long list of candidates waiting for Endangered Species Act protection. For more information, visit: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/amphibians/ Oregon_spotted_frog/index.html

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June 2008

Following the Silt

By Cornelia Dean – New York Times – June 24, 2008 Dorothy J. Merritts, a geology professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., was not looking to turn hydrology on its ear when she started scouting possible research sites for her students a few years ago. But when she examined photographs of the steep, silty banks of the West Branch of Little Conestoga Creek, something did not look right. The silt was laminated, deposited in layers. She asked a colleague, Robert C. Walter, an expert on sediment, for his opinion. For the full article, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/science/24stream.html?ex= 1215057600&en=a26d215ec15df0e7&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Archived News

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LINKS OF INTEREST

Washington Herp Atlas Now Complete and Online: The Atlas provides the most current information available on Washington's herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles, or "herps") including information on life history, habitat, status, threats, management concerns and distribution. The Atlas also seeks additional information about Washington's amphibians and reptiles. Information obtained through this project will be used to track the current status of each species, document rare species occurrences, analyze population trends, identify critical habitat and establish conservation priorities. http://www.wa.gov/dnr/htdocs/fr/nhp/refdesk/herp/

Tiner, R.W. (compiler). 2002. Watershed-based Wetland Planning and Evaluation. A Collection of Papers from the Wetland Millennium Event (August 6-12, 2000; Quebec City, Quebec, Canada). Distributed by the Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc., Berne, NY. 141 pp. Available as a PDF file (WARNING: Large file: 6.36 mB)

Isolated Wetlands Bibliography. Literature Citations and Links (where available.) Additional citations welcome. Please contact James Robb (5/8/01)

Wetland Compensatory Mitigation Performance Literature Citations and Links. Does wetland compensatory mitigation work? We have put together this list of literature so that you may draw your own conclusions. Please let us know of any other studies related to this topic so that we may make this list as comprehensive as possible. (2/23/01)

Wetlands and Global Climate Change Abstracts available from "Wetlands and Global Climate Change at Québec 2000 - Millennium Wetland Event", August 6 - 12, 2000, Quebec City, Quebec Canada.

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