NWRC Weekly Highlights 10/16/2008

Weekly Highlights

MEMORANDUM

From: Gabrielle B. Bodin
Subject: Weekly Highlights, USGS National Wetlands Research Center, October 16, 2008

Departmental/Bureau News - Upcoming

USGS Gulf Coast Science Conference & Florida Integrated Science Center Meeting: USGS National Wetlands Research Center staff served on the planning committee for this joint meeting to be held in Orlando, Fla. October 20 – 23. NWRC staff will serve as chairs of scientific sessions and as oral and poster presenters, and will exhibit educational and outreach materials at the meeting. (Gaye Farris, Lafayette, La., 337-266-8550)
Keynote Speech about Climate Change: Virginia Burkett, USGS Chief Scientist, Global Change Research, will give a keynote speech about climate change on October 29 at the Mississippi/ Alabama Sea Grant "Bays and Bayous Conference" at the Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss. (Virginia Burkett, Many, La., 318-256-5628)

Departmental/Bureau News - Current

USGS Ecosystems Spatial Data Integration Workshop: Scott Wilson, USGS National Wetlands Research Center Spatial Analysis Branch Chief, gave a presentation and participated at the USGS Ecosystems Spatial Data Integration Workshop held in Denver October 7 – 9. His presentation was entitled "DRAGON - Delta Research and Global Observation Network." (Scott Wilson, Lafayette, La., 337-266-8644)
Society of Wetland Scientists South Central Chapter and South Atlantic Chapter Joint Meeting: USGS National Wetlands Research Center staff participated in a joint meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists South Central Chapter and South Atlantic Chapter, held October 8 – 11, 2008, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Ken Krauss, South Central Chapter President and NWRC ecologist, served as a member of the organizing committee and was a co-host for the meeting. Former NWRC scientist, Julia Cherry, now an assistant professor at University of Alabama, was the local co-host of the meeting. USGS scientist Karen McKee was a keynote speaker and discussed the response of coastal wetlands to climate change, elevated CO2, and sea-level rise. NWRC scientists Rebecca Howard and Ches Vervaeke were invited speakers. Howard discussed the invasive potential of an introduced variety of the plant species common reed, and Vervaeke highlighted the impact of human disturbances on the stability of mangrove-dominated islands in Belize. (Rebecca Howard, Lafayette, La., 337-266-8639)
Yukon Invasive Species Symposium – Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada: On October 8-10, 2008, Randy Westbrooks, a USGS National Wetlands Research Center scientist based in Whiteville, N.C., participated in the first Yukon Invasive Species Symposium. The symposium, hosted by the Yukon Invasive Species Committee, was held at Yukon College in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. On Wednesday, October 8, Westbrooks gave interviews about the threat of invasive species to North America on two different radio stations in Whitehorse. On Wednesday evening, Dr. Westbrooks gave a public evening seminar at the Beringia Civic Center in Whitehorse. On Thursday, Westbrooks gave the keynote address at the Yukon Invasive Species Symposium, and held discussions with conference participants from Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Alaska. An important next step in developing new capacity for invasive species management in the Yukon will be the establishment of a formal Yukon Territory Invasive Species Council. Once that is accomplished, the group can identify strategies for developing a Yukon Early Detection and Rapid Response System. More information about the conference can be found at http://www.yukoninvasives.com. (Randy Westbrooks, Whiteville, N.C., 910-648-6762)
Joint Meeting of the Natural Areas Association and the National Association of Exotic Pest Plant Councils in Nashville, Tennesee: On October 14-17, 2008, Randy Westbrooks, an NWRC scientist based in Whiteville, North Carolina, and Dr. Tom Doyle, Branch Chief at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center, attended the first joint meeting of the Natural Areas Association and the National Association of Exotic Pest Plant Councils, in Nashville, Tenn. Westbrooks will participate in a symposium on Invasive Exotics Early Detection and Rapid Response on Friday, October 17. Les Mehrhoff (University of Connecticut) and Lloyd Loope (USGS, Hawaii) will also present on Friday. More information on the conference can be found at http://www.naturalarea.org/08conference. (Randy Westbrooks, Whiteville, N.C., 910-648-6762)
Presentation to Southeastern State Fish and Wildlife Agency Directors: Virginia Burkett, USGS Chief Scientist, Global Change Research, spoke to the Southeastern State Fish and Wildlife Agency Directors at their annual meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas, on October 14. She presented a briefing on a USGS project that will focus on climate change (historical and projected) and impacts on southeastern birds and habitats. (Virginia Burkett, Many, La., 318-256-5628)

Press Inquiries/Media - Newspapers/magazines/wires, etc.

Sound Waves Monthly Newsletter
September 2008
“USGS National Wetlands Reearch Center Staff Receive Awards”
(Gaye Farris, Lafayette, La., 337-266-8550)
The Times of Acadiana (Lafayette, La.)
October 8, 2008
“Breaking through: How Our Women of Excellence See the ‘glass ceiling’”
The article discusses Susan Horton’s work at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center as the former Environmental Outreach Program Coordinator. (Gaye Farris, Lafayette, La., 337-266-8550)
USA Today
October 9, 2008
“Coastal rebuilding awash in debate”
The USA Today story states, “Southern Louisiana loses about 15 square miles of coastline a year, largely because of dredging and the 10,000 miles of transport canals dug by oil and gas companies over the years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey office in Baton Rouge. Louisiana has lost more than 2,100 square miles of coastline — about the size of Delaware — since the 1930s, and Katrina and Rita mauled 200 square miles, according to the office. Estimates for Gustav and Ike are still being compiled.” (John Barras, Baton Rouge, La., 225-578-7486)
Virginia Burkett, USGS Chief Scientist, Global Change Research, was interviewed by Bob Marshall at the Times Picayune (New Orleans) on October 15 about a story he is writing on the high rate of emissions of greenhouse gases during the past two years, which he compared with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenarios through the end of this century. (Virginia Burkett, Many, La., 318-256-5628)

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