Agenda

Hosted by Ecosystem Investment Partners • Beaver Creek Hydrology • Stream Restoration Specialists
(1 hour 45 minutes each way); Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $80. Box lunch provided.

The Rolling Fork Stream and Wetland Mitigation Bank is one of the largest private mitigation banks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Situated on a 2,730-acre site in Marion and Casey Counties, this bank provides downstream water quality improvements for the limestone-underlain Bluegrass region of central Kentucky, home of the many of the state’s famous thoroughbred horse farms and bourbon distilleries. The bank was first approved in 2015 by the Interagency Review Team, and construction was completed in 2016 for one headwater watershed on the site. Three other headwater watersheds are permitted and ready for construction. In total, Ecosystem Investment Partners, together with Beaver Creek Hydrology and Stream Restoration Specialists, will re-establish and rehabilitate over 237,000 linear feet (45 miles) of stream habitat at this bank. 64,000 linear feet (12 miles) of streams have been constructed up to this point. Over 400,000 live stakes and bareroot seedlings are included in the planting plan. This site visit will contrast typical degraded aquatic resources in the region due to agriculture and logging—two of the largest sources of sediment pollution to waterways in Kentucky and historic disturbances on this bank site—to the improved aquatic resources of a fully restored watershed highlighting geomorphologic stability, aquatic habitat, and riparian vegetation. Transportation will be provided to the site, and on-site access will require hiking. Please bring appropriate footwear. The site visit will not include active construction areas; as such, PPE will not be required.

Hosted by Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
(45 minute drive each way); Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $80

The 15,625 acre Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest comprises the largest privately-owned conservation and education property in Kentucky. Our diverse landscapes provide for a multitude of plants and animals, existing across habitats of mature forest, prairies, glades, caves, and streams. The Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund has helped Bernheim acquire tracts (over 1000 acres total) to help buffer their Foundation-owned forest, and has both Indiana bat and NLEB maternity colonies, and have installed Branden bark roost structures in a couple locations that are being used. Participants will also see a stream mitigation site. With a mission of connecting people with nature, and a focus on managing for biodiversity and resiliency in the landscape, Bernheim plays a unique role as a conservation leader in the Louisville region. [also available Friday, May 11, 12:30–4 p.m.]

Hosted by Boone Forest National Park and University of Louisville Stream Institute
(2.5 hour each way); Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $80. Box lunch provided.

The collaborative effort between the University of Louisville Stream Institute, the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and Advanced Enterprises 5.4 miles of stream have currently been restored. An additional 3.5 miles will be restored in the next couple of years. Participants will learn about lessons learned on stream and wetland restoration on public lands associated with these partnerships, and will experience what stream channels in the eastern U.S. may have looked like prior to European settlement. They will learn innovative restoration techniques to return degraded channels to a stream/wetland complex.

The Slabcamp Creek and Stonecoal Branch watersheds have been logged and cultivated in the past, and the alluvial fans of major tributaries were sites for homesteads that were abandoned in the early twentieth century. The majority of both watersheds are now within the Daniel Boone National Forest, but the streams are still showing the effects of channel straightening and down-cutting. These streams contained few pools, and the remnant pools were narrow and shallow. Stream riffles were uncommon, and the riffles present were often imbedded with fine-grained sediment, which provides poor habitat for aquatic life. The soils along the steep eroding banks clouded the water with silt and clay sediment after heavy rains. The movement of aquatic organisms was restricted, particularly at road crossings. The restoration project is returning stream channels, bottomland hardwood forest, and wet-meadow wetlands to their natural condition.

Includes access to online audio and materials. Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $175

FACILITATORS:  David Olson, Regulatory Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C. (co-presenter: Robert W. Brumbaugh, Senior Associate, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Va.); ; Hall Holland, Assistant Regional Manager and John Wigginton, Southeast Regional Manager, Westervelt Ecological Services, Sacramento, Calif.; and Craig Denisoff, President, Craig Denisoff Consulting, Davis, Calif.

Ideal for those new to or exploring an interest in mitigation or conservation banking.

How-to’s of both Mitigation and Conservation Banking are presented in this half-day workshop. Starting with the history of banking, this workshop addresses site selection and technical aspects, monitoring and the business of banking (legal, financial, marketing) including walking participant through a banking agreement.

Includes access to online audio and materials.  Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $125

FACILITATORS: Jessica Wilkinson, Senior Policy Advisor-Mitigation, Rebecca Kihslinger, Science and Policy Analyst, Environmental Law Institute, Washington, D.C., and Sara Mascola, Program Advisor, Development by Design, The Nature Conservancy, Washington, D.C.

Facilitated by The Nature Conservancy and The Environmental Law Institute, the purpose of the workshop is to provide a forum for current in-lieu fee practitioners to share expertise and best practices, thereby supporting the delivery of in-lieu fee programs that support high and consistent standards for compensatory mitigation. The workshop will cover a range of issues including, for example, the project approval process, long-term financing, and fee schedules. It is designed for an audience knowledgeable about in-lieu fee program operation. Those interested in learning the basics of ILF program design and operation should attend the workshop titled “In-Lieu Fee Mitigation for Species and Wetlands–101” Monday afternoon.

Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $60

MODERATOR: Tim Degraff, Chief Executive Officer, WRA, Inc., San Rafael, Calif.

A workshop style panel discussion for the landowner who wants to understand how their land may fit with opportunities in the mitigation/conservation banking and environmental markets industry. This panel will walk them through the potential opportunities, identifying certain criteria and considerations of land that may fit within the opportunities. This will also prepare landowners for productive engagement with bankers and consultants at the conference.

PANELISTS:
Douglas P. Wheeler, Partner, Hogan Lovells, Washington, D.C.
Jeffrey Kauttu, Principal Appraiser, Kauttu Valuation, St. Augustine, Fla.
George Howard, Co-Founder/CEO, Restoration Systems, Raleigh, N.C.
Kerryann Weaver, Environmental Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Chicago Ill.

Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $60

FACILITATORS:  Beattie Starr Williams, Director, Computer Sciences & Consulting Services, Applied Research Associates, Vicksburg, Miss.; Shannon Langford, Senior Software Engineer, Applied Research Associates, Inc., Huntsville, Ala.; and Steve Martin, Environmental Scientist, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Va.

A web-based application developed by the Corps with support from EPA and US FWS, Regulatory In lieu fee & Bank Information Tracking System (RIBITS) is being utilized by the Corps and FWS to provide information on mitigation and conservation banking activities. RIBITS provides a range of information on mitigation and conservation banking including bank locations, service areas, credit type and availability, ledgers, and supporting documentation.

The first part of the workshop includes navigation in RIBITS including entering and editing data in RIBITS, entering credit transactions in bank ledgers, loading documents and images, creation of bank limits and service areas, and editing bank data.

The second part focuses on data mining — user-generated queries data, export of data, and geographic searches. It focuses on entering and editing data in RIBITS, including entering credit transactions in bank ledgers, loading documents and images, creation of bank limits and service areas, and editing bank data.

Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $60

FACILITATORS: Sheri F. Lewin, President and Kae Hovater, Director of Research and Analysis, Environmental Resource Marketing, Clermont, Fla.; Troy Madrigal, Vice President and Chelsea Nikmard, Mitigation Sales Manager, MSUSA, Houston, Tex.; and Travis Hemmen, Vice President, Westervelt Ecological Services, Sacramento, Calif.

The roundtable workshop begins with an overview of topics, and then will breakout into 5 different roundtable topics related to sales and marketing of credits. Participants will rotate to three of the five topics during the workshop, spending approximately 20 minutes on each topic where each table’s presenter will provide a short presentation on the topic followed by open discussion and Q&A to groups of 12-15 around the table. Roundtable Topics include: Client Relations and Education (teaching tools and a discussion on the importance of educating clients through the complex process of mitigation banking); The Power of Networking (Strategy, Execution and Technique and the importance of positive business relationships); Price Quotes (as an industry we are challenged by the perception of prices); Permitting Support-When and How To Help Potential Clients (sales are made when permits are issued; the discussion will focus on how to manage this process); and Evaluating Key Demand Drivers- Successful Sales efforts begin in the Due Diligence Phase (learn about finding and evaluating future trends and opportunities).

Includes online access to audio and materials. Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $85

FACILITATORS:   Shauna Ginger, Ecosystem Services Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Ore. and Shauna Marquardt, Fish & Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Columbia Mo.

An advanced course on conservation banking, this is an ideal workshop for those who have been introduced to conservation banking and are interested in learning more. Workshop addresses the compensatory mitigation market and ESA as well as bank approval process.

Includes online access to audio and materials. Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $85

FACILITATORS:   Steve Jones, President, Meanders River Restoration, Ellijay, Ga. and Jennifer Walker, Evaluation Branch Chief, Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Fort Worth District, Fort Worth, Tex.

Setting up standards, expectations — and construction that meets these expectations – are part of the advanced course on stream banking designed to help the stream banker, mitigation provider and regulator improve their processes. The facilitators will use examples of their challenges, lessons and successes to help guide the audience towards improved processes and practices. Includes an example of how the Bureau of Reclamation’s independent evaluation helped one district make improvements and establish best practices.

Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $85 ((Included with Federal, State & Local Government registration)

FACILITATORS: Adam McIntyre, CEO & Principal, Water & Land Solutions, LLC, Raleigh, N.C.; Kenny Carothers, Director, Ecological Restoration, SWCA Environmental Consultants, Austin Tex.; Joshua A. White, PG, PE, CFM, CPESC, Project Manager / Geomorphologist, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc., Worthington, Ohio; Steve E. Rodriguez, Commercial Lease Manager, Texas General Land Office, Austin, Tex.; and Pamela J. Fetterman, President/Principal Scientist, EcoGENESIS, LLC, Sarasota, Fla.

WOTUS and T&E species policy have been in the headlines and the primary target for environmental policy discussions in Washington since Trump was elected President. However on the local district battlefields, arguably the most challenging dispute across the Nation has involved the discussion for the best method to provide mitigation to offset impacts to “waters of the U.S.” At the heart of this discussion is the comparison of Mitigation Banks, PRM, and In-lieu fee programs. In some USACE districts, all three methods have a place. In other districts their may be no option at all. Ten years after the Mitigation rule, this discussion continues on. This workshop combines some of the more influential practitioners in the mitigation industry to discuss these methods and how they unfold in their respective USACE districts. This panel will start the workshop by using an example process of how residential development occurs, comparing this business practice to mitigation banking, and ultimately insight into the financial mechanism used to determine home values. Following this illustration, the panel will provide discussion points on PRM, In-lie fee programs, and mitigation banking examples from various districts to provide insight into the varying success stories of each of these mitigation options.

Bank Tank® Meetings (must apply online)

The National Environmental Banking Association will hold its annual meeting. NEBA members are encouraged to attend, and non-members are welcome to come and learn about NEBA. Become a Regular Member before NMEBC and save on your registration (contact info@environmentalbanking.org).

FACILITATORS:   Palmer Hough, Environmental Scientist, Wetlands Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.; Susan-Marie Stedman, Wetland Scientist and Policy Analyst, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Md.; Michelle Mattson, Restoration Ecologist/Compensatory Mitigation Specialist, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Va.; and Shauna Ginger, Ecosystem Services Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Ore.

This forum is a venue for federal and state regulators involved in regulating mitigation and conservation banking (those on IRTs) to discuss joint issues and concerns.

FACILITATORS:  Michael Ruth, Ecologist/Registered Professional Geologist, Project Development & Environmental Review, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.; Corrie Veenstra, Environmental Planner, Project Management Section, U.S. Marine Corps, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; and Sean Connolly, Permitting Division Manager, South Carolina Department of Transportation, Columbia S.C.

An open exchange of ideas, current hot topics, questions and concerns with those involved in the use of mitigation and conservation banks and other ecosystem programs throughout the United States.

Stuart Haney, Owner, Haney and Associates, Leesburg, Va.

What are B Corporations and Benefit corporations, and the pros and cons as they relate to mitigation bankers and related industry. This workshop begins with a brief history why these corporation forms where developed and where they began. It will explore the Federal impacts of being either, and states recognition of either B Corporation or Benefit Corporation. And finally, we’ll cover what is needed to become one, and the costs involved (initial and ongoing), as well how the unwinding to become a regular corporation.

FACILITATOR: Michael Sprague, President, Trout Headwaters, Inc., Livingston, Mont.

Learn your way around NEBA’s Mitigation Analyst Lite in this workshop created for beginners and advanced users alike. The innovative big-data tool built by the NEBA in cooperation with Trout Headwaters, Inc., was made possible by the timely convergence of an open data mandate and emerging cloud software technology. Mitigation Analyst Lite – available at https://environmentalbanking.org/mitigationanalyst/ – transforms hundreds of thousands of lines of raw data into useable information. This workshop will explore use of the powerful system which enables rapid ‘mash-ups’ of multiple databases, and data sharing. Government data including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ORM, RIBITS, and others may be intuitively queried and understood using this interactive big data product.

Among other benefits, attendees will learn the skills to:
• Identify potentially underserved markets for siting mitigation banks
• Review mitigation methods, #404 impacts and understand environmental trends
• Understand factors driving various local demands for mitigation credits
• Run rapid analysis of market conditions for any selected service area
• Understand the current market trends for any area within the U.S.

FACILITATOR: Robert Spoth, President at Ecosystems Insurance Associates, LLC, Washington D.C.

This workshop will define in detail all four forms of financial assurance included in the “New Rule”, Cash Escrows, Letters of Credit, Surety Bonds and Casualty Insurance. The discussion will focus on the process of procuring the various products, and will touch on the process of including these in your MBIs as well as approval of their use in various districts. This regulatory approval process occurs at the intersection of cost and expediency thus impacting the timing of approval of MBIs and credit releases.

FACILITATOR: David Dybdahl, CPCU, MBA, President, American Risk Management Resources Network, LLC, Middleton, Wisc.

Acceptable Financial Assurance mechanisms can vary a great deal in how they can be expected to perform for a project in default. The mechanisms also vary a great deal in how much cost they add to a mitigation project. This session will compare and contrast the expected reliability each form of acceptable financial assurance from a regulator’s perspective. It will also compare and contrast the total cost of each mechanism. A combination of poorest expected performance at the very highest cost is a definite possibility when choosing financial assurance mechanisms. The opposite can also be true.

FACILITATOR: Doug Bruggeman, Founder, Ecological Services and Markets, Inc., Marshall, N.C.

Learn about a tool useful for determining landscape durability for any species and represents an important step for increasing the ecological realism of species banking. The tool is a simple process-based model that integrates GIS with temporally and spatially explicit analytical models. The model will be contrasted with other approaches including geometric summaries of habitat area and connectivity commonly provided by GIS analysis. The software is designed to estimate the number of credits that result from alternative bank placement, the influence of habitat restoration, and the number of credits exchanged to offset a take occurring elsewhere. The tool is designed for Windows PCs and does not require any existing GIS or data analysis software.

One benefit of conservation banking is the durability of habitat protection for threatened and endangered species at the site of the bank. While successful management of a single site is critical, recent guidance indicates the importance of protecting species at a landscape-scale. Landscape-scale durability can be described as the ability of the species to persist across a landscape despite changes in breeding and dispersal habitat.

Our work has demonstrated how habitat trading affects persistence of species in habitat patches not included in the trade. If a habitat trade decreases persistence of a species for landowners not involved in the trade, that landowner may benefit from knowledge that species persistence may decrease – thus, a secondary market may be created. Also, species persistence and occupancy may increase in new areas not involved in the trade and these landowners may benefit from safe-harbor protections.

FACILITATOR: Nancy Douglas, Director of Sales, Wildnote, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Wildnote is the app designed for companies working in the environmental services community, especially those working in Mitigation Banking and related market industry. Wildnote excels in streamlining field data collection, management and reporting for compliance and monitoring projects. Save time and money with the Android/IOS app designed for regulatory compliance, biological surveys, and more – create unlimited projects, customize surveys, collect data, sync to web app for office management and quick-click data export/report generation. Learn how Fieldnote can allow your team to work more efficiently, saving time, effort and money.

FACILITATORS: Scott J. Chiavacci, Ecologist and Emily Pindilli, Economist, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.

Discussion will continue through 11 a.m.

Learn and share your feedback on the development of a how-to guide for building biodiversity and habit quantification tools for use in markets like conservation banking and habitat exchanges. The process of developing quantification tools is often time consuming and expensive, as many tool developers start from scratch without guidance on or experience with how to efficiently and collaboratively build tools (e.g., what stakeholders to involve and when to involve them, how to avoid/minimize roadblocks and confront adversity, how to design adaptable tools, how to construct ecologically sound, yet inexpensive and easy to use tools). Providing clear guidance on this process that draws on the experiences of tool developers and users will help standardize the process of tool development, thereby improving transparency in how tools are built, reducing administrative burden, and ultimately promoting market growth. The objective of the group discussion is to elicit information from experts on their previous experiences in building tools to better understand successes, failures, and alternative approaches. We anticipate attracting persons involved in habitat and biodiversity markets at various levels, including tool developers, tool users, and other stakeholders.

FACILITATOR: Andy Carroll, Chief Technology Officer, Skytec LLC, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Learn about how LiDAR via UAS is an advanced and cost-saving method to deliver high-accuracy terrestrial mapping. Clearly a value proposition, LiDAR via UAS takes less time and effort and provides accurate contour imagery, even in the presence of vegetation and trees.

FACILITATOR: Ali Saleh, Associate Professor, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Tex.

This workshop will demonstrate the new capabilities of NTTg3. he Nutrient Tracking Tool (NTT) is a user-friendly web-based computer program that estimate nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) and sediment losses from fields managed under a variety of cropping patterns and management practices. The NTT includes a user-friendly web-based interface and is linked to the Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) model. It also accesses USDA-NRCS’s Web Soil Survey to obtain field, weather, and soil information. NTT provides producers, government officials, and other users with a fast and efficient method of estimating the nutrient, sediment, and atmospheric gases (N2o, Co2, and NH4) losses, and crop production under different conservation practices regimes at the farm-level. NTT is also capable to evaluate the economic impacts of selected BMPs using the Farm Economic Model (FEM) at the farm level. The information obtained from NTT can help producers to determine the most cost cost-effective conservation practice(s) to reduce the nutrient and sediment losses while optimizing the crop production. Also, the recent version of NTT (NTTg3) has been designed for those countries without access to national databases, such as soils and weather. The NTTg3 also has been planned as an easy to use APEX interface. NTT is currently being evaluated for number of programs in U.S.

Welcome: Carlene Bahler, President, JT&A, inc., Herndon, Va.

MODERATOR: Donna Collier, Chairwoman, National Environmental Banking Association, Washington, D.C.

10 Years After the 2008 Rule – Reflections
Benjamin H. Grumbles, Secretary of the Environment for the State of Maryland, Baltimore, Md.

Keynote Address
Honorable Rickey Dale “R.D.” James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Washington, D.C. (invited)

MODERATOR David Urban, Managing Director, Ecosystem Investment Partners, Baltimore, Md.

Overview of Single-user vs. Commercial, followed by Urban Mitigation Bank and ILF Projects. Steve Martin, Institute for Water Resources, Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Va.

A Review of Ecological Performance Standards at Post-2008 Rule Mitigation Banks. Rachel Harrington, ORISE Research Participant, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

Mainstreaming Mitigation: What’s Next for Markets? Genevieve Bennett, Senior Associate, Forest Trends’ Ecosystem Marketplace, Washington, D.C.

MODERATOR: Susan-Marie Stedman, Wetland Scientist and Policy Analyst, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Md.

Unique Issues for Marine Mitigation Banks. Eric T. Olsen, Attorney, Hopping Green & Sams, PA, Tallahassee, Fla.

Estuarine Banking and ILF Programs in the Pacific Northwest. Stephanie Ehinger, Biologist, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Lacey WA

Estuarine Banking and ILF Programs in Virginia. David O’Brien, Biologist, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Hampton, VA

MODERATOR: Christopher Hartley, Deputy Director and Senior Environmental Markets Analyst, USDA, Washington, D.C.

Application of the Hydric Soils Technical Standard as Performance Criteria for Mitigation Banking. Steven Currie, Soil Scientist, CPSS/LPSC, Mitigation Banking Team, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Jacksonville, Fla.

Development of a Publicly-available Database of Biodiversity and Habitat Quantification Tools. Scott J. Chiavacci, Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA and Emily Pindilli, Economist, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.

The Enviro Atlas. Anne Neale, EnviroAtlas Project Lead, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, N.C.

MODERATOR: Royal Gardner, Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Fla.

Clean Water Act Jurisdiction & State Capacity to Carry out Dredge and Fill Permitting Programs Requiring Mitigation. Jeanne Christie, Executive Director, Association of State Wetland Managers, Windham, Maine

Looking to the States – Where Are Non-Federal Drivers of Mitigation? Greg DeYoung, AICP, Vice President, Westervelt Ecological Services, Sacramento, Calif.

Examples of Current State Activities. Donna Collier, Managing Partner, Valencia Wetlands Trust, Priest River, Idaho

Grab a light breakfast and join these scheduled discussions on important topics.

1982 – The First Mitigation Bank. Michael D. Zagata, Ph.D., Hall of Fame, Conservationist and Author, Formerly with Tenneco, Ruffed Groused Society, and others, West Davenport, NY

Postage Stamp Mitigation in the Long-Term: Raining or Shining? Ann Redmond, Managing Scientist, Brown & Caldwell, Maitland Fla.

MODERATOR: Palmer Hough, Environmental Scientist, Wetlands Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

Mitigation Banking Process Improvements Within the USACE Fort Worth District. Eric J. Dephouse, Regulatory Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Fort Worth District, Fort Worth, Tex.

Evaluating Potential Wetland Preservation Sites in Minnesota for Eligibility Under the Federal Rule. Leslie Day, Mitigation Coordinator, St. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, Minn.

Comparing Intent of Rule to Implementation. Adam McIntyre, Principal, Water & Land Solutions, LLC, Raleigh, N.C.

MODERATOR: Tim Sullivan, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, New York Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cortland, N.Y.

Nuances of Aquatic Species. Randy Wilgis, Executive Vice President, Solutions Development, Resource Environmental Solutions, Houston, Tex.

Understanding Greater Sage Grouse Crediting Opportunities & Demand in a Time of Uncertainty. Rebecca Kramer, Resilient Habitat Project Manager, Willamette Partnership, Portland, Ore.

Habitat Conservation Plans and Conservation Banking. Craig Denisoff, President, Craig Denisoff Consulting, Davis, Calif.

MODERATOR: Vince Messerly, President, Stream + Wetlands Foundation, Lancaster, Ohio

NRCS Wetland Mitigation Banking Program Current Status, Lessons Learned. Shaun T. Vickers, National Wetland Mitigation Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA, Lincoln, Neb.

How Mitigation Banking Became the Lifeblood of Our Farm. Drausin F. Wulsin, M.S, Agricultural Economics and Manager Red Stone Farm, LLC, Hillsboro, Ohio and Jacob Bartley, Owner/Senior Restoration Ecologist, Plum Hill Ecological Services, LLC, Covington, Ky.

MODERATOR: Jessica Wilkinson, Senior Policy Advisor, Mitigation, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Va.

Ruth M. Ladd, Chief, Policy and Technical Support Branch, Regulatory Division, New England District Corps of Engineers, Concord, Mass.

Adam Riggsbee, President, RiverBank Conservation, Austin, Tex.

Amy Singler, Director, River Restoration, American Rivers & The Nature Conservancy, Northampton, Mass.

MODERATOR: George W. Kelly, Chief Markets Officer, Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC, Baltimore, Md.

Adaptation for Restoration: Evolving Policies, Business Models, and Markets. Todd BenDor, Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C.

Connecting Ecological Indicators and Ecosystem Services to Infrastructure Planning in Houston Region. Deborah January-Bevers, President, Houston Wilderness, Houston, Tex. (Co-authors: Lauren Harper, Environmental Policy Specialist and Lindsey Roche, Ecosystem Services Coordinator, Houston Wilderness, Houston, Tex.)

Natural Resource Damages, Mitigation Banking, and the Watershed Approach. Jim McElfish, Senior Attorney, Environmental Law Institute, Washington, D.C.

MODERATOR: Jennifer Johnson, Founder, Bighorn Public Affairs Group, Washington, D.C.

Learn what users of mitigation want and need, what they are getting, and more on their challenges and obstacles. Brief presentations followed by moderated discussion and Q&A.

Michael S. Ruth, Ecologist, Planning & Environment, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.

Brian Miller, Executive Vice President, Northern Kentucky Building Industry Association, Erlanger, Ky.

Leah F. Pilconis, Senior Environmental Counsel, Associated General Contractors of America, Arlington, Va.

James F. Renner, Manager of Environmental Stewardship, Southern Ionics Minerals, Saint Simons Island, Ga.

MODERATOR: George I. Platt, General Counsel, The Wetlandsbank Company, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Legislative, Policy & Legal Update.
Shelby Hagenauer, Senior Policy Advisor, Nossaman, LLP, Washington, D.C.

10th Anniversary of the Rule – It’s Importance, Value and the Work that Still Needs to be Done
Benjamin H. Grumbles, Secretary of the Environment, State of Maryland, Baltimore, Md.

MODERATOR: Patricia A. Grace-Jarrett, Ph.D., Senior Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky.

Long-term Performance of Selected Stream Mitigation Projects in Missouri. Jane M. Ledwin, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia, Mo.

First Stream Mitigation Bank in U.S. Based on Large-Scale Dam Removal. George Howard, Co-Founder and CEO, Restoration Systems, Raleigh, N.C.

The Kentucky Stream and Wetland Umbrella Mitigation Bank. Case Davis P.E., President, Beaver Creek Hydrology, LLC, Lexington, Ky. (Co-authors: Troy Anderson, Assistant Director of Operations, Ecosystem Investment Partners, Baltimore Md.; Brian Belcher, PhD, PE, Vice President and Chuck Davis, Professional Engineer and Project Manager, Beaver Creek Hydrology, LLC, Lexington, Ky.)

MODERATOR: Pamela Fetterman, Principal Scientist, ecoGENESIS, LLC, Sarasota Fla.

Comparing Floristic Quality Scores in Mitigation Banks to the National Wetland Condition Assessment. Katie Bowers, Biologist, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, Baton Rouge, La. (former ORISE Research Participant, EPA)

Evaluating Aquatic Resource Mitigation Projects in the 21st Century. David Olson, Regulatory Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.

Developing Performance Standards and Credit Release Schedules in Minnesota. Leslie Day, Mitigation Coordinator, St. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, Minn.

An overview of common challenges when working with existing infrastructure (roads, gas, easements, etc.), followed by a moderated panel discussion.

MODERATOR: Marco Finocchiaro, Biologist and Life Scientist, Water Division, Watersheds and Wetlands Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Chicago, Ill.

PANELISTS

Justin Elkins, West Virginia Mitigation Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Va.

Cory Wilson, Ohio Mitigation Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dover, Ohio

Mark McIntosh, Regulatory Specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville, Tenn.

Danny Bennett, Natural Resource Program Manager & Supervisor of Coordination Unit, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins, West Va.

Troy Anderson, Assistant Director of Operations, Ecosystem Investment Partners, Baltimore, Md.

MODERATOR: Jeanne Christie, Executive Director, Association of State Wetland Managers, Windham, Maine

David Olson, Regulatory Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.

Michael S. Rolband, President, Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc., Gainesville, Va.

Mike Hardin, Assistant Director, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Ky.

Join us for an early breakfast and listen to a candid conversation with the regulators from Washington, D.C.

MODERATOR: Erik J. Meyers, Vice President, Climate and Water Sustainability, The Conservation Fund, Arlington, Va.

Gary Frazer, Assistant Director for Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.

Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Md.

Russell Kaiser, Chief, Freshwater & Marine Regulatory Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Moyer, Chief, Regulatory Program, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.

Cally Younger, Acting Deputy Solicitor, Division of Land Resources, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.

MODERATOR: William Ainslie, Program Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4, Atlanta, Ga.

An Alternative Process to Modify Umbrella Banking/in-lieu Fee Instruments for Addition of Mitigation Sites. Patricia Grace-Jarrett, Ph.D., Senior Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky.

Tribally Sponsored Mitigation Banks and ILF Programs. Suzanne L. Anderson, PhD, PWS, Mitigation Program Coordinator, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, Seattle, Wash.

Fee Schedule, Crediting, and Project Solicitation for In-lieu Fee Program for Endangered Atlantic Salmon Impacts. Ruth M. Ladd, Chief, Policy and Technical Support Branch, Regulatory Division, New England District Corps of Engineers, Concord, Mass.

MODERATOR: Catherine (Tommie) Herbert, National Conservation Finance Lead, U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C.

The Use of Public and Private Partnerships to Facilitate Large-scale Mitigation Programs. Michelle Lee Mattson, Restoration Ecologist/Compensatory Mitigation Specialist, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Va.; Lindsay Teunis, Senior Ecologist and Project Manager, ICF, San Diego, Calif.; and Heather Pace Dyer, Biologist, Water Resources Project Manager, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, San Bernardino, Calif.

Curious about Compensatory Mitigation on Public Lands? Deblyn Mead, National Mitigation Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, Washington, D.C. and Gray Stevens, Managing Partner, Sandy Creek Partners, LLC, North Port, Fla.

MODERATOR: Richard K. Mogensen, President, Mogensen Mitigation, and Adjunct Professor, UNCC, Charlotte, N.C.

An Evaluation of the Technical Aspects of Substrate Related Monitoring Requirements for Stream Mitigation. Robert Siegfried, Senior Project Manager, Resource Environmental Solutions, Richmond, Va.

Restoration of Stream-Wetland Complexes. Arthur C. Parola, Ph.D., PE, Director, University of Louisville Stream Institute and Principal, Riverine Solutions, LLC, Louisville, Ky.

Comparison and Use of Aerial and Terrestrial LiDAR for Stream Restoration. Joshua White, Geomorphologist, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc., Worthington, Ohio

MODERATOR: Jane M. Ledwin, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia, Mo.

Conservation Banking for Federally Listed Bats. Shauna Marquardt, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia, Mo.

National FHWA ILF Program for the Indiana Bat. Roberta Zwier, Director, Mitigation Solutions, The Conservation Fund, Houston, Tex.

Programs in Kentucky and Pennsylvania for Bats. Lee Andrews, Field Supervisor, Kentucky Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Frankfort, Ky.

A Bank Sponsor’s Experience with Bat Banking. Mark Tucker, National Mitigation Bank Design and Entitlement Lead, Burns & McDonnell, San Diego Calif.

MODERATOR: Eoin Doherty, Wildlife & Land Practice Lead, Senior Associate, Environmental Incentives, Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Nevada. Jim Lawrence, Deputy Director, Nevada Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Carson City, Calif.

Idaho. Dustin Miller, Administrator, State of Idaho, Office of Species Conservation, Boise, Idaho

California. Linus Paulus, Chief, Acquisition and Appraisal Section, California Department of Water Resources – Real Estate Branch, Sacramento, Calif.

Each of the States in the Lakes & Rivers Division are served by two or more districts which can mean joint guidance between the districts in each of these states. Learn about the different IRT processes from the lead Corps Districts within this Division. Moderated questions and answers followed by discussion and interaction with the audience.

MODERATOR: Michelle Mattson, Restoration Ecologist/Compensatory Mitigation Specialist, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Va.

Kentucky, Indiana, (Louisville, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, and Detroit Districts). Patricia Grace-Jarrett, Ph.D., Senior Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, Louisville, Ky.

Ohio and West Virginia (Huntington, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh Districts). Cory L. Wilson, Ohio Mitigation Program Manager, Regulatory Division North Branch ,U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, Dover, Ohio

New York (Buffalo and New York Districts). Susan L. Baker, Mitigation Banking and ILF Specialist, Regulatory Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, Buffalo, N.Y.

Tennessee (Nashville and Memphis Districts). Joshua Frost, Chief, Technical Services Branch, Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, Nashville, Tenn.

Hosted by Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
(45 minute drive each way); Advanced Fee (by 3/15/18): $80. Box lunch provided.

The 15,625 acre Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest comprises the largest privately-owned conservation and education property in Kentucky. Our diverse landscapes provide for a multitude of plants and animals, existing across habitats of mature forest, prairies, glades, caves, and streams. The Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund has helped Bernheim acquire tracts (over 1000 acres total) to help buffer their Foundation-owned forest, and has both Indiana bat and NLEB maternity colonies, and have installed Branden bark roost structures in a couple locations that are being used. Participants will also see a stream mitigation site. With a mission of connecting people with nature, and a focus on managing for biodiversity and resiliency in the landscape, Bernheim plays a unique role as a conservation leader in the Louisville region. [also available Tuesday, May 8, 8 a.m.–12 p.m.]