CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

The official call for presentations has closed.
However, we may be able to accommodate additional papers reporting late-breaking research or information. If you have a late-breaking abstract you wish to submit, please contact Katie Beilfuss at programs[at]wisconsinwetlands.org.

In 2012, Wisconsin Wetlands Association will convene members of the regional wetland community for our 17th Annual Wetland Conference to discuss the latest in wetland science, management, restoration and protection issues around the theme, Urban Wetlands. This two-day conference will include topical oral sessions; a poster session; working groups; a banquet with speaker; and wetland field trips to Lake Geneva-area wetlands. Following more than a nearly two decade-long tradition, we anticipate that this year’s conference will contribute to a growing regional collaboration for protecting and conserving Wisconsin’s wetlands.

Wisconsin Wetlands Association invites you to submit an abstract for presentation at our 17th Annual Wetland Conference. We seek proposals for oral presentations or posters on wetlands research, restoration, and management projects. We welcome presentations on work done in all wetland community types and from around the Midwest region, as long as the content of the presentation applies to wetlands of Wisconsin. We especially encourage submissions on topics related to the theme, Urban Wetlands. (By "Urban Wetlands," we mean wetlands in or near villages, towns, cities, suburbs, and areas with concentrated recreational development.) We will also consider presentations on general aspects of wetland ecology and management and on work in non-urban environments. Themes for presentation submissions include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Landscape and habitat needs for wetland wildlife
• Natural vs engineered wetland systems in urban environments
• Stormwater benefits of and impacts to wetlands
• Wetlands as green infrastructure
• Development impacts on wetlands (what they are, how to measure, how to abate)
• Recreational impacts on wetlands
• Urban hydrology and wetlands
• Economic benefits of wetlands in an urban setting
• Assessing and planning for wetland conservation
• Protecting and managing wetlands in an urban context
• Role of wetlands in hazard response and emergency management
• Wildlife impacts on the wetlands landscape (deer herbivory, beaver, edge species)
• Controlling and managing the spread of invasive species
• Citizen involvement in wetlands research, monitoring, and stewardship
• Significance of wetlands in southeast Wisconsin/the DesPlaines river corridor
• Case studies for how science was used in decision-making for wetland protection and/or land use planning

We encourage graduate and undergraduate students to submit abstracts for both oral and poster presentations.

Guidelines for oral presentations:

• Speakers are allowed 15 minutes for presentations and 5 minutes of questions.

Guidelines for poster presentations:

• Posters are encouraged as they allow extended informal discussions and active participation by authors and coauthors. Posters are displayed for a full day, and interested persons can view the poster even when the author is not in attendance.
• Formal Session: Wednesday February 22, 2012 from 5:00 - 6:30 pm
• Content: Preliminary research or project where data have yet to be collected and/or analyzed or describes a project that did not result in new information or techniques for wetland restoration and management.
• Size: Poster space is at a maximum of 4’W x 5’H per poster

If you would like guidance on how to write your abstract such that the theme connection is clear, please contact us. If you feel that your work is timely and of interest to the wetland community, but are unsure about its relevance to our 2012 theme, please contact us to discuss options for inclusion of your work at our conference. All abstract-related inquiries should be directed to Katie Beilfuss: (608) 250-9971 or programs[at]wisconsinwetlands.org.

The official call for presentations has closed.
However, we may be able to accommodate additional papers reporting late-breaking research or information. If you have a late-breaking abstract you wish to submit, please contact Katie Beilfuss at programs[at]wisconsinwetlands.org.

Presenters will be notified of acceptance by December 21, 2011.

Note: We ask that presenters register and pay registration fees in order to help cover conference costs. We encourage presenters to register by January 22, 2012, in order to receive the cheaper early bird registration rate. Presenters are offered a $15 registration discount (the equivalent of one lunch). Scholarships may be available for student presenters. Click here for registration information, including a link to our online registration system.

For more information, contact Katie Beilfuss, Outreach Programs Director, at 608-250-9971 or programs[at]wisconsinwetlands.org.