Past Events

Click on the carousel of photos for different events!

Technical In-field Soils workshop - Nov. 8, 2024

Martin Bridge Park,  Marshfield

       Noon-4 pm 

What to Expect: Located along the Winooski River, this site just experienced  a lot of recent deposition. Soil review with Brock of floodplain soils and see a buried O-Horizon and discussion about wetland vs upland. Soil review with brad in a managed hayfield wetland swale and up along the hillslope with some fantastic redox features. discussion about hydric soils vs wetland conditions. Soil review with joe in an upland forest location with discussion about E-horizon development.

Over 30 people attended the workshop!  Click  on the handouts:  Soil Descriptions Soil Texture Hydric Soil Indicators 9.0

WHO the Instructors were:

Joe Homer served as the NH State Soil Scientist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retired after more than 33 years with the NRCS, Joe has performed and managed mapping and field work in New England. He also served as Field Soil Scientist, Soil Survey Project Leader, and Assistant State Soil Scientist in NH. Joe is the author of the Grafton County and Coos County (NH) Soil Survey Reports. He conducted hydric soils and wetland identification and delineation for USDA in NH, and trained federal and state agency staff as well as New England consultants. Joe is a member of the NE Hydric Soils Committee, and the Regional Working Group for the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual for the Northcentral and Northeast Region. He received his degree in Soils and Environmental Conservation from UNH. 


Brock Freyer is a Professional Wetland Scientist. He worked as a Hydrologist and an Env. Specialist in Alaska before accepting a position with the VT Wetlands Program as a District Wetland Ecologist from 2016-2022. Brock moved back into private consulting with WSP USA as a Senior consultant and is currently with Stantec as a Wetland Scientist. Brock has taught the soils portion of the VT Wetland Delineation Course through VT State University. Brock graduated with a BS in NR Conservation and Management from Wester Carolina University and a Masters from University of North Carolina in Earth Sciences with a thesis on Fluvial Response to River Management and Sediment Supply, Pool 6 in the Upper Mississippi River System, Southeastern Minnesota 


 Brad Wheeler graduated from the UVM Plant and Soil Science program in 1983, with a primary concentration on soil science. He was selected that year by the UVM faculty as the Outstanding Student in Agronomy. Brad began his career as a soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture- Soil Conservation Service. Over the next five years, Brad completed soil mapping on over 145,000 acres in VT, FL, and ME.  In 1988, Brad was hired by The Johnson Company, a private environmental sciences and engineering firm where he served as Senior Scientist until 2001. During that time, Brad’s work included soil and wetland mapping, In 2001, Brad began Wheeler Environmental Services, LLC and has been providing a variety of environmental consulting services for over 20 years.

VAWS In-field Oct. 2024 Workshop

Avery Hackett, a Middlebury College student  developed an in-field workshop at the Stephen C. Trombulak Nature Sanctuary Eric Moody lead  a workshop focused on how benthic macroinvertebrates can be used as indicators of water quality with hands-on opportunities to sample and identify aquatic invertebrates from Otter Creek. Sarah Hooghuis focused on bird ID and plant ID within a variety of habitats. After Lunch there was a cooperative informal review of Chapter 5 of the ACOE Manual on Floodplain soils. Multiple soil pits, calibration on Munsell colors, and identification of redox features as prominent or distinct-10YR 4/2! 

Check out the Photo Carousel of activities on a beautiful day.

LaPlatte River Paddle, Shelburne VT

Such a fun time with Aaron Marcus for a botany-oriented canoe/kayak trip on the LaPlatte River after work from 4:00-6:00 pm on September 25th. Participants learned so much! We examined and discussed various lakeside floodplain species like bur-reed (common American Bur-reed and other less common Sparganium species) and smartweed. The LaPlatte River extends 16 miles from Lake Iroquois to Lake Champlain and drains 34,137 acres of Champlain lowlands. Nearly 150 acres in size, the marshes and floodplain forests are regularly flooded when the lake level rises and are inhabited by plant species that can endure these wet conditions, such as the uncommon native Virginia bugleweed (Lycopus viriginicus). Aaron pointed out the difference between that native species and the more common non-native invasive species. The LaPlatte River wetland complex is a Class I wetland.

VAWS Lunch and Learn: Monday May 13 @ Noon Farmers, Wetlands, Climate Change and Restoration-Webinar

By Hannah Ennis, Middlebury College Student;    A 30-45 min presentation on her research looking at the change in livelihood and relation to land post-flooding. She has been having conversations with farmers who have grown specific crops for years, but with the flooding regime, they are having to change their agricultural practices, grow different crops, or perhaps change the use of their land entirely including actively restoring wetlands through various Programs.

Recording will be posted!

PHOTO CONTEST: Congratulations to the winners!  

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos. Such creativity and appreciation of beauty that came through. From zoomed in microcosms to large scale birds-eye-view landscapes to under water shots, diversity of wetlands, color, critters and plants, truly inspiring.

1st Place Photo- Zapata Courage

2nd Place Photo- Ryan Creehan

3rd Place Photo- Michael Lew-Smith

2024 Annual Meeting:  Thank you to all of our presenters and sponsors. 

Click through the photos to see  how people came together around the topic of wetlands.     

To review presentations in PDF form, click the links below:

VAWS Lunch and Learn: Wood Turtles -Webinar

By Kiley Briggs;    February 15 , 2024; A 30-min presentation on wood turtles, specifically ecology,  habitat management and restoration considerations. 

Wood Turtles serve as an ambassador for riparian conservation, to the benefit of many other species of wildlife. Knowing how to identify their habitat and blend Wood Turtle management into working landscapes are important steps to protecting this charismatic species.                           Click here To review the recording

VAWS Lunch and Learn: VT Pool Herptiles -Webinar

By Jim Andrews;    February 2, 2024 (World Wetland Day)

This 1.25 hour presentation focused on the reptile and amphibian species associated with vernal pools and their egg masses. 

Click here To review the recording PASSCODE (if needed):   0R^V?T2v 

Wetland Mapping Webinar February 2nd

This presentation gave an overview on how VT DEC is updating and using wetland maps and how to submit polygon data for map revisions.  How does the State inventory wetlands and how can you help?    To review the recording View Video  

In-Field Workshops: October 13, 2023

Geprags Park, Hinesburg, VT

Armed with muck boots and enjoying the quintessential gorgeous Autumnal weather, 25 members and presenters attended the Fall 2023 in-field workshop. Participants rotated through three stations to review functional evaluation methods at an evolving beaver wetland complex. 

1)  US Army Corps Wetland Determination Form

2)  Vermont Rapid Assessment Methods for Wetlands (“VRAM”)

3)  Vermont Functions and Values Assessment Form


Click through the photos to see all the fun and learning!

This was followed up with a social hour for good conversations, networking, and an impromptu botany lesson on native vs. invasive phragmites and the potential identification of a new rare sedge!

The PREMIER Annual Meeting was a Success:  The newest members of VAWS gathered together for the first Annual Meeting. This provided an opportunity to network, re-connect with friends, win a raffle gift, engage in lively discussions, and learn from  professionals during 6 presentations. Members also signed up for working committees and in the future will vote for Board of Director members during the Business meeting over lunch.

Thank you to all of our presenters and sponsors.

Click through the photos to see  how people came together around the topic of wetlands.     Hope you will join us next year.

To review presentations in PDF form, click the links below:

Education and Outreach: While  not open to the general public, Zapata was invited to spend a day at the Merrimack Valley Middle School in NH at the end of March 2023 by Kristen Warren, who just received recognition as the state environmental teacher of the year. Zapata shared information on wetlands to each of the 6th grade science classes, over 120-150 students!  What is a wetland and why the are  important for wildlife, plants, and culture.

Please contact us if there might be other education and outreach services we can provide for you.

In-Field Workshops: Here’s a link to an excellent story on our first workshop: Restoration and Floodplain Wetlands with Soils and Plants held on September 23, 2022:  The Inaugural Workshop of the Vermont Association for Wetland Science (VAWS) – Vermont Natural Resources Council (vnrc.org)

Northeast Natural Heritage Conference 2023: April 21, 2023 in Burlington, VT

https://eaglehill.us/NENHC_2023/NENHC2023.shtml


Mary Beth presented at  the Northeast Natural Heritage Conference 2023 as part of a four person session  "The Value of Professional Organizations for Wetland Scientists: Learning from the Past and Planning for the Future".  Her presentation  “Creating a New Association While Honoring the Past: VWA to VAWS." outlined the origin story of VAWS!