MARCH 2019 WETLAND PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION FORUM

Topic: Status and Trends of Wetlands in Minnesota: Minnesota Wetland Condition Assessment

(2011 – 2016)

When: Wednesday, March 6, 2019 from 2:00 - 4:30 PM

Where: REI Bloomington, 750 American Blvd. W, Bloomington, MN 55420 (952) 884-4315

The Forum will be held in the REI Conference Room

Cost: Free for Current Members of the Wetland Professionals Association

$30 for Nonmembers and $10 for students (both include a 1-year WPA membership)

Agenda: 2:00-2:30 Registration, Cookies, Coffee, and Conversation

2:30-3:30 Presentation

3:30-4:30 Q&A and Discussion

Forum Topic: The Minnesota Wetland Condition Assessment (MWCA) is a random survey conducted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to track wetland quality status and trends at statewide and regional scales. The MWCA compliments a related effort by the Department of Natural Resources to track wetland quantity, with the combined purpose to determine if Minnesota is achieving no-net-loss of both wetland quantity and quality. Vegetation condition—as measured by the Floristic Quality Assessment—is the primary MWCA indicator. The initial 2011/12 MWCA iteration established that most of Minnesota’s wetlands have high vegetation quality, but quality varies regionally with the majority of wetlands outside of northern Minnesota having degraded vegetation condition. Results from the second MWCA iteration (sampling completed in 2016) will be presented.

Speakers:

Michael Bourdaghs—MPCA Environmental Research Scientist

In 15 years at the MPCA, Mike has been responsible for developing wetland vegetation monitoring and

assessment techniques and applying them in a variety of settings.

WDCP Credits: 2 Direct

PWS Credits: 2 hours