VAWS will be voting on a new Vice President and a new Member-At-Large at this year's Winter Conference during the short business meeting. How to be nominated or nominate someone else:  No later than 7 days before the Annual meeting (March 20, 2025), members may submit written nominations to the Board of Directors on behalf of themselves or other qualified candidates with the consent of the nominee, signed by at least 5 members of good standing, for upcoming vacancies.  See nominations and bios.

Agenda 2025: To see Abstract descriptions, please click here.

To see Presenter Biographies, please click here.

• 7:00 am Exhibitors/Sponsorship Set up

• 8:00-8:45 am: Registration/Networking/coffee/tea.  Breakfast NOT included, nice bakery down the street!

• 8:45-9:00 am: Opening Remarks

• 9:00-9:30 am: Opening Remarks/ Keynote speaker: Seth Bongartz 

• 9:45-10:15 am: State Wetland Regulatory Updates.  Laura Lapierre, VT Wetlands Program

• 10:15-10:45 am: Collaborative Multi-System Mapping to Improve Restoration Goals in a Watershed.  Erin Rodgers, Trout Unlimited

• 10:45-11:15 am: The importance of Training and Cont. Education Opportunities for Wetlands Scientists. Scott Smyers, Oxbow Assoc.

• 11:15-11:30:  BREAK

• 11:30-12:30 pm: Tools for Mapping, Monitoring, & Conserving Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Wetland Plant Species. Aaron Marcus, Dubois & King and Grace, Glynn, VT F&W Botanist

• 12:30 pm-1:00 pm: Lunch and VAWS Business Meeting, President’s report, Treasure’s report, and electing new Vice President, Transfer of Leadership- Officers Photo/Current Board: Member-at-Large vacancy announcement

• 1:00-1:30 pm: The Impact of Drone Technology on Wetland Data Collection and Management.  Ken Johnston, The Nature Conservancy/UVM/NYenvironcom 

• 1:30-2:00 pm: Wetland Species Inventory via Drone Imagery in Colchester Bog.  Alexander Dimm, Jack Feldman, & Nikki Walsh, UVM

• 2:00-2:30 pm: Riparian Buffer and Floodplain Restoration Efforts of the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance and Trout Unlimited, Jim Henderson, Bennington County Regional Planning Commission

• 2:30-2:45 BREAK

• 2:45-3:15 pm: Northern Hardwood Seepage Forests of Vermont: Conservation Implications and Location Methods for an Elusive Wetland Type. Dan Farrell, VT F&W

• 3:15-3:45 pm: Assessing Seepage Forests in Jay State Forest. Lucy Gross, UVM 

• 3:45-4:45 pm: Vermont Wetland Restoration Manual. Dori Barton & Eric Hagen, Arrowwood Environmental and Laura Lapierre

• 4:45-5:00: Closing Remarks

• 5:00-6:00 pm: Happy Hour onsite 

Each registrant will receive 5 raffle tickets to enter for specific items of choice for a chance to win as part of a gratitude raffle. A grand prize  valued at $150.00 will be picked with all attendees entered.  

Potential Field Trip, weather and interest dependent. Sign up at Registration on the Day of the Conference. Confirmation of the Field Trip will be announced.

Presenters: Mary Beth Poli (DU), Jim Henderson (Battenkill Watershed Alliance), Shawn Langston (USFS)

 Locations: Manchester or Sunderland (5 min from hotel)

Battenkill Watershed Alliance sites, DU proposed site. The 2-hour field session will focus on winter woody plant ID, floodplain and wetland restoration at 2-3 sites on the Battenkill. The Battenkill Watershed Alliance will lead participants to a few of their restoration sites along the Battenkill involving planting native riparian vegetation. DU will bring participants to the floodplain property they purchased along the Battenkill for inclusion in the Vermont In Lieu Fee Program and will present on existing conditions and restoration considerations. Late winter birds will also be observed and identified.