As more of our landscapes are developed, more of our wetlands are located in urban environments – in or near towns, cities, suburbs, or areas with concentrated recreational development. Development can bring dramatic changes to hydrology, species composition, water quality, soil and sediment structure and movement, and landscape patterns and connectivity, and these dramatic changes can mean significant negative impacts for wetlands.
While urban environments pose great challenges to wetlands, wetlands can also offer many opportunities for human communities to manage water-related challenges and provide for a better quality of life for residents. Wetlands can be a tool for protecting water quality, abating flooding impacts, protecting shorelines, recharging groundwater, and providing fish and wildlife habitat.
During this conference, more than 250 wetland experts and enthusiasts from around the Midwest will gather in Lake Geneva to discuss the latest in wetland science, management, restoration and protection.
The theme of our 17th Annual Conference is Urban Wetlands, a topic that investigates the challenges wetlands face in an urban context, and also the solutions wetlands offer for the water-related issues these communities face. We are expecting an audience of 200-300 people for our conference, which will be held at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, on February 22-23, 2012.
The conference will attract speakers and attendees from the around the Midwest region and beyond.
Cardno JFNew's Dan Salas, Jens Jensen, Greg Quartucci, Josh Brown, and Cardno ENTRIX's Jeff Mengler will be presenting.
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