Upcoming Webinars
MWA is happy to host various webinars throughout the year on wetland science, management and protection, policy, and other wetland-related topics. We hope you’ll join us at an upcoming webinar.
MWA 2024 Member Webinar Series: Bringing LiDAR From The Cloud to You – The National Map Data & Tools
Wednesday – May 8, 2024
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Online via ZOOM (Registrants will receive a Zoom link before the webinar)
Free for MWA members
Become a member for $20 to enjoy our webinar series!
Cyndi Rachol will present on LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Map. This presentation will provide the following information:
- Give a brief overview of LiDAR point clouds and the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP);
- Provide an update on the status of 3DEP availability in Michigan;
- Show the variety of data that can be explored through The National Map Viewer and accessed through The National Map Downloader or Services;
- Demonstrate USGS’ LiDARExplorer, with highlights given to data exploration using POTREE and COPC viewer tools; and,
- As time allows, introduce the USGS 3D Hydrography Program and discuss the connection to LiDAR-based, topographic data.
Cynthia Rachol – USGS National Map Liaison for Michigan and Ohio 
Cynthia (Cyndi) Rachol is a Physical Scientist for the USGS based in Lansing, Michigan. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from Michigan State University and is an Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Certified Floodplain Manager. Cyndi has been employed with the USGS for over 25 years and is currently the National Map Liaison for Michigan and Ohio, performing outreach and partnership-building for the National Geospatial Program.
Past Webinars
MWA 2024 Webinar Series: Developing an Aquatic Macrophyte Monitoring Protocol for Michigan’s Inland Lakes: Lessons Learned After Two Field Seasons
Date: April 23, 2024
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 AM ET
Jeremy Hartsock provides background on the important functions aquatic macrophytes perform and show how to distinguish between common genera. Jeremy will then discuss ongoing research on developing an aquatic macrophyte monitoring protocol for Michigan’s inland lakes.
MWA/EGLE Webinar: Wetland Exemptions Overview
Date: March 19, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET
Kate Kirkpatrick, EGLE’s Wetlands Policy Analyst, provides an overview of the wetland exemptions under Section 30305 of Part 303, Wetlands Protection, of Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451 (NREPA).
MWA 2024 Member Webinar Series: Michigan’s Federally Listed Freshwater Mussels
Date: February 6, 2024
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET
Jessica Pruden, the Threatened and Endangered Species Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Michigan Field Office in East Lansing, will be presenting on federally listed freshwater mussels in Michigan, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance process including a summary of the Michigan All Species Determination Key and navigating the regulatory compliance process, as well as touching on conservation measures that might be useful for consideration during project planning.
MWA 2024 Member Webinar Series: Overview of USACE wetland permitting process
Date: February 1, 2024
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET
RESOURCES
Request Official Records (army.mil)
Detroit District > Missions > Regulatory Program and Permits > Public Notices (army.mil)
Rachel Nys, senior project manager with USACE Western section provides an overview of the USACE permitting process with an emphasis on how to apply for a permit and the terms of commonly used Regional and Nationwide permit categories.
MWA 2024 Member Webinar Series: Nature-Based Solutions for Shoreline Stabilization and Restoration
Date: January 5, 2024
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 PM ET
Online via ZOOM
Brian Majka, a restoration ecologist with GEI Consultants in Allendale, Michigan, discusses strategies and techniques to reduce erosion along shorelines while creating or restoring wildlife habitat. The presentation will include elements of site assessment, design, and construction and will also provide a preview of the upcoming Michigan Natural and Nature-Based Features Decision Support Tool.
MWA 2023 Member Webinar Series: USDA-NRCS Food Security Act Wetland Compliance
Date: November 9, 2023
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 AM ET
Online via ZOOM
Daniel Zay gives an overview of the United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (USDA-NRCS) oversite of the conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (1985 Farm Bill).
MWA 2023 Member Webinar Series: An Overview of Coordinated Marsh Bird Surveys and Research in the Upper Midwest
Date: October 26, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET
Online via ZOOM
Dr. Michael Monfils provides an overview of efforts to coordinate secretive marsh bird surveys in the Upper Midwest over the last 10 to 15 years. He discusses the standardization of survey methods in North America and the development of regional monitoring goals and research needs; examples of how regional marsh bird data have been used in studies; challenges associated with long-term marsh bird surveys; and future directions for regional survey efforts.
MWA/EGLE Webinar: Addressing Violations of Michigan’s Wetlands, Lakes and Streams Laws
Date: October 18, 2023
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 PM ET
Online via ZOOM
Helena Nelson discusses general compliance and enforcement process pertaining to Part 301 and Part 303 of Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 of 1994, as amended, including how to report violations to EGLE, responding to Violation Notices issued by EGLE’s Water Resources Division, and the potential avenues for resolving violations.
MWA 2023 Member Webinar Series: Common Plant Families of Michigan: A beginner’s guide to identification
Part 1: Morphology, Ferns, Gymnosperms and Monocots
Date: May 22, 2023
Time: 3:00 to 4:30 PM ET
Online via ZOOM
Part 2: Dicots and Graminoids
Date: May 24, 2023
Time: 3:00 to 4:30 PM ET
Online via ZOOM
Dr. Bob Hollister will introduce common plant families of Michigan and provide tips for quick plant identification in the field. This presentation will be a brief overview of the most common and easy-to-recognize plant families occurring in wetlands in West Michigan. Bob is a professor at Grand Valley State University in the Biology Department where he specializes in environmental studies and plant identification. His area of expertise is monitoring vegetation change in the Arctic. He has taught plant identification courses since being a teaching assistant at Michigan State in the mid-1990s.
MWA 2023 Member Webinar Series: Listed Bat Ecology, Endangered Species Act Compliance, & Conservation Recommendations
Date: May 10, 2023
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET
Virtual via Zoom
Jenny Wong will give an overview of Michigan’s federally listed bats and other bats of conservation concern and will provide Endangered Species Act updates, guidance, and conservation recommendations for bats. Jenny is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist for the USFWS and has been with the Michigan Ecological Services Field Office for the past 9 years. She serves as the Field Office lead for federally listed bats and the Midwest Coastal Program lead for the Saginaw Bay and Western Lake Erie focus areas.
MWA/EGLE Webinar: Stream Identification
Date: April 26, 2023
Time: 1:00 to 2:30 PM ET
Virtual via Zoom
In a collaborative effort between MWA and EGLE, EGLE staff member Bethany Matousek presents on stream identification under Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, and Part 303, Wetlands Protection, of the NREPA. Bethany works in the Wetlands, Lakes, and Streams Unit of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
MWA 2023 Member Webinar Series: Wetland Invasives and the Natives You Might Confuse Them With
Date: March 1, 2023
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 pm ET
Virtual via Zoom
Many conservation workers and natural area stewards spend a lot of time finding and removing invasive species—but when you are focused on quickly removing invasive species, it can be easy to mistakenly cut or pull similar-looking native species. Jacqueline Courteau will review common invasive species of wetlands, and compare and contrast them with native species that can grow in similar settings. After this webinar, you should be able to distinguish between invasives and similar-looking natives.
MWA 2023 Member Webinar Series: Designing Your Landscape with Native Plants
Date: February 7, 2023
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 pm ET
Virtual via Zoom
Martha Holzheuer will discuss how to get started with native plant landscaping. Learn how to create a landscape design for your yard utilizing native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, and ferns. Martha will discuss types of gardens such as butterfly, pollinator, and bird-friendly and the planning basics you’ll need to successfully landscape your yard with native species. Many of the plants discussed will be available at Nature Niche’s periodic native plant sales during the 2023 growing season.
MWA/EGLE Webinar: GIS Updates in EGLE’s Wetland Program
Date: January 25, 2023
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 pm ET
Virtual via Zoom
The Wetlands, Lakes, and Streams Unit (WLSU) within EGLE’s Water Resources Division has been working on exciting updates to the State’s hydrologic inventories, along with new and improved tools to view and analyze that data. Chad Fizzell will present an overview of statewide updates to the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) and National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and discuss WLSU’s coordination and collaboration of these two efforts. The webinar will also provide updates on EGLE’s use of Remote Sensing, including statewide LiDAR/Imagery via the MiSAIL program, as well as recent updates to Wetlands Map Viewer.
Wildlife Friendly Erosion Control Products (resource shared during the webinar)
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2022
Time: 2:00 to 2:45 PM ET
Virtual via Zoom
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (EMR) was listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act in October 2016, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Shaughn Galloway will provide an overview of the biology of EMR, review their distribution and habitat needs in Michigan, and discuss approaches for maintaining and improving EMR habitat.
MWA 2022 Member Webinar Series: Calculating and Understanding Antecedent Precipitation
Date: Monday, November 14, 2022
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET
Virtual via Zoom
Jason DeMoss will discuss what antecedent precipitation is, the purpose of calculating it, how you can apply it in the field, how to calculate it manually, and how to use the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers automated Antecedent Precipitation Tool (APT).
MWA/EGLE Webinar: Evaluating Feasible and Prudent Alternatives
Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Time: 1:00 to 2:30 PM ET
Virtual via Zoom
Please join us on October 18, 2022, for a jointly sponsored Michigan Wetlands Association and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) webinar on Evaluating Feasible and Prudent Alternatives. Anne Garwood, the Wetlands, Lakes and Streams Unit Supervisor at EGLE will discuss applicable statute and rule provisions, the necessary components of a feasible and prudent alternatives analysis, and examples scenarios.
Rare Wetland Communities of Michigan Webinar
Date: Thursday, August 25, 2022
Time: 9am – 12pm ET
Virtual via Zoom
Join Michael Kost to learn about Michigan’s Rare Wetland Communities at this training webinar for wetland professionals, land managers, land stewards, and others. This training will help you learn to identify, describe, and protect the diverse range of wetlands in Michigan. Topics covered will include natural community conservation ranks, landscape setting, soils, vegetation, natural processes, conservation strategies, and resources for additional information. It is free and open to the public. Learn more at the TSN Events Calendar HERE.
WEBINAR RECORDING
Date: July 22, 2022
Location: Virtual Zoom Webinar
(MWA member registrants will receive a Zoom link before the webinar)
Time: 12 PM – 1 PM
Instructors:
- Dr. Don Uzarski: Professor of Biology at Central Michigan University (CMU), Director of CMU’s Institute for Great Lakes Research, and Director of CMU’s Beaver Island Biological Field Station.
- Dr. Matt Cooper: Research Assistant Professor at CMU’s Institute for Great Lakes Research and Instructor of Life Sciences at Muskegon Community College.
- Todd Redder, PE: Senior Environmental and Water Resources Engineer at LimnoTech
Webinar: Jurisdictional Determination of Wetlands under Part 303
Date: April 20, 2022
Location: Virtual Zoom Webinar
(MWA member registrants will receive a Zoom link before the webinar)
Time: 10AM – 11:30AM
Instructors: Keto Gyekis, EGLE’s Wetland Identification Program
MWA Members Webinar Series – Ferns of Michigan
WEBINAR RECORDING
Third of the Members Only Webinar Series
September 10, 2021 – 3:30-5:00pm
MWA Members Webinar Series – Common Wetland Plants of Michigan
WEBINAR #2 RECORDING
Second of the Members Only Webinar Series
July 13th and 20th (2 part series), 2021 9-10am
MWA Members Webinar Series – Ecohydrology of Interdunal Wetlands
WEBINAR RECORDING
First of the Members Only Webinar Series
May 13, 2021 12-1pm