Sections
SWS sections allow members to network and promote activities that address wetland topics ranging from science to policy. The primary goal of the sections is to enhance the SWS annual meeting by organizing symposia and workshops.
See a topic that you have a passion for? Add to your membership today for a small fee! We also encourage you to consider donating to a section in order to further promote the mission of the section. Donation links are provided under each section.
Looking to get involved with any of the sections by volunteering your time and expertise? Let us know your interests here and we'll reach out when an opportunity arises!
Mission
Our mission is to advance research and application on biogeochemical phenomena that regulate wetlands.
The Biogeochemistry Section was established in February 2008. The Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium (WBS), first held at Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge in 1991, developed stronger ties to SWS in 2007, and is now an official activity of the SWS Biogeochemistry Section. The 12th WBS was held in Prague, Czech Republic, in July 2011.
Goals
The Biogeochemistry Section's goals are to:
- Organize symposia on important developments in wetland biogeochemistry.
- Propose and fund initiatives that advance wetland biogeochemistry research and education.
- Encourage and support students engaged in wetland biogeochemistry research.
- Interact with other sections to enhance inter-disciplinary research.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Beth Lawrence, Ph.D., University of Connecticut (2020-2021) |
| Past-Chair | Lisa Chambers, Ph.D., University of Central Florida (2019-2020) |
Related Links
Databases:
USGS National Geochemical Survey
European Soil Database
Biogeosciences
Organizations:
US Trace Gas Network
Institutions:
Duke Wetlands Center
National Wetlands Research Center
LSU Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute
Follow the SWS Biogeochemistry Section on Twitter @SWS_BGC!
Mission
The mission of the SWS Education Section is to promote wetland science education for students of all ages and for the general public.
Goals
- Provide professional development opportunities for teachers and instructors at annual and regional meetings of SWS through workshops and symposia;
- Encourage the development and dissemination of educational materials about wetlands that can be incorporated into curricula at all educational levels; and
- Recognize teachers and institutions who have made a significant contribution to improving the teaching of wetland science.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Darold Batzer, Ph.D., University of Georgia |
| Chair-Elect | |
| Secretary | Wei-Ta Fang, Ph.D., National Taiwan Normal University |
| Treasurer | Derek Faust, Ph.D., Clover Park Technical College |
Mission
Our mission is to advance research and application on Global Change Ecology that regulate wetlands.
The Global Change Ecology Section was established in February 2008.
Goals
Our goals are to:
- Organize symposia on important developments in wetland Global Change Ecology.
- Propose and fund initiatives that advance wetland Global Change Ecology research and education.
- Encourage and support students engaged in wetland Global Change Ecology research.
- Interact with other sections to enhance inter-disciplinary research.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Wei Wu, Ph.D., University of Southern Mississippi |
| Past-Chair | Tracy Quirk, Ph.D., Louisiana State University |
Sponsored Symposia
The section organizes special sessions, symposia or other events, particularly at the SWS Annual Meeting.
Mission
The mission of the Peatlands Section is to advance research and applications related to peatlands. The section was established in 2008. Peatlands represent a major component of the terrestrial biosphere, covering about 3-4% of the land surface, and represent more than half of the world’s wetland area. The factors responsible for peatland formation and the physical, hydrological, biogeochemical, and biological processes for sustaining peatland ecosystems are quite different from those of non-peatland wetlands, which can lead to different methods and skill-sets required for their study and management. In addition, peatlands require specialized or tailor-made approaches to deal with environmental, economic and social management and conservation issues that are different from non-peatland wetlands. Given the importance of peatlands around the world, there is a need to provide opportunities for more peatland specialists to participate in SWS activities. The Peatlands Section also provides the means for the SWS to interact with its sister wetland societies that focus only on peatlands (i.e. International Peat Society, International Mire Conservation Group, Peatlands Research Group of the British Ecological Society).
Goals
Our goals are to:
- Organizing symposia on important developments in peatland research.
- Propose and fund initiatives that advance wetland peatland research and education.
- Encourage and support students engaged in peatland research.
- Interact with other sections to enhance inter-disciplinary research.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Bin Xu, Alberta Institute of Technology (June 2020- June 2022) |
| Chair-Elect | |
| Past Chair | Julie Talbot, Université de Montréal |
Mission
The vision of the SWS Public Policy & Regulation Section is to:
- Facilitate interactions among wetland scientists who are experienced with or who are interested in public policy and regulation;
- Sponsor and develop symposia, workshops and other events related to wetland policy and regulation;
- Advise the SWS leadership (Executive Board, Board of Directors), chapters, and members dealing with public policy and regulatory issues;
- In consultation with the Executive Board, aid in the development and writing of SWS policy papers; and
- In consultation with the Executive Board, represent SWS in interactions with policymakers and regulators.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| President & Chairman | John Lowenthal |
| Secretary-General | Lei Yinru |
| Treasurer | Richard Chinn |
The Convention on Wetlands often referred to as the "Ramsar Convention", is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories. The Convention was established in the Iranian city of Ramsar (hence the name) in February 1971.
The Convention is the only global multilateral environmental agreement dedicated to a single ecosystem - wetlands. The mutually compatible objectives of the Convention and the Society of Wetland Scientists had resulted in the establishment of memoranda of cooperation since 1999 and holds the status as an Observer Organisation, however, the advent of Sections within the Society provided an opportunity to foster stronger links between the two organizations in order to deliver mutual benefits. Therefore, the Ramsar Section was established in early 2010. The goals of the Section are to:
- Organize symposia on important developments in Ramsar.
- Propose and fund initiatives that advance Ramsar research and education.
- Encourage and support students engaged in Ramsar research.
- Interact with other sections to enhance inter-disciplinary research.
The Section, through its Chair and members, maintains close links with various bodies of the Ramsar Convention. Members of the Section interact and support the work of the Convention's scientific subsidiary body, the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP), and regularly contribute to the work of the Convention. In return, the links with the Ramsar Convention provide opportunities to raise the international profile of the Society and for SWS members to contribute to global wetland conservation initiatives.
What is the State of the World’s Remaining Wetlands? SWS members’ help urgently needed!
Have you been undertaking research in a wetland? Are you restoring a wetland? Do you live near a wetland and have watched it change over the years? Have you been visiting a wetland over the years just to enjoy its wonderful nature? We are sure that most, or all, SWS members have such knowledge and information about a wetland – otherwise you wouldn’t be a SWS member! Learn more.
Your knowledge is really vital to the success of this survey. Go online, at: http://www.worldwetnet.org/about-us/world-wetlands-survey-2017. There the questionnaire can be filled in the language of your choice. Save your completed form, with the wetland name in the filename, and email it to: wli@wwt.org.uk. The deadline for completing the survey is 30 September 2017.
Student Research Grant 2016
The Ramsar Section of SWS is offering one $1000 Student Research Grant to graduate or undergraduate students conducting research in wetland science relevant to the implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, including research on a Ramsar Site or Sites (Wetlands of International Importance) and who are enrolled in an accredited college or university in any part of the world. To learn more about the student research grant application, please visit the SWS Student Research Grants page.
For more information about the Ramsar Convention see www.ramsar.org and for Ramsar Sites see the Ramsar Sites Information Service on rsis.ramsar.org.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Nicholas Davidson, Nick Davidson Environmental |
| Vice-Chair | Matthew Simpson, 35percent Ltd |
| Past-Chair | Rob McInnes, RM Wetlands & Environment Ltd |
| Board Member | Siobhan Fennessy, Kenyon College |
| Board Member | Royal Gardner, Stetson University College of Law |
*New board will be selected at the next Ramsar Convention's Conference of Contracting Parties currently scheduled for late autumn 2021.
The Chair is elected by majority vote taken by written and/or electronic ballot of members of the Section. The Chair of the Section serves a term to coincide with the triennial cycle of the Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel in order to support joint activities as specified in the Memorandum of Cooperation 2011-2015 between Ramsar and SWS.
The Chair of the Section is also the SWS Representative to Ramsar and serves on the SWS Board.
The Section holds a formal business meeting at the Annual SWS meeting. This is open to both members of the Section as well as other interested parties who wish to find out more about the activities and objectives of the Section.
News
Ramsar Section business meeting: 30 May 2019
Section meeting minutes from the SWS Annual Meeting in Baltimore.
Ramsar Section business meeting: 1 June 2016
Fifteen Ramsar Section members and observers met on 1 June 2016 during the Corpus Christi conference. Meeting notes are available here. If Ramsar Section members have any queries or comments, please send them to Section Chair Nick Davidson.
Chair of Ramsar Section
Following a recent call for nominations for the appointment of a new Chair of the Ramsar Section, the following two candidates emerged: Professor Nick Davidson (ex-Deputy Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention) and Dr. Matt Simpson (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, UK). Following discussions with the two candidates, it has been agreed that Nick will take over as Chair around the time of the Providence Meeting and Matt will serve as Vice-Chair. The exact date of change-over will tie in with the completion of the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Ramsar Convention which is due to be finished on 9 June 2015. The Chair will serve as a representative of the Society to the Ramsar Convention. Both the Chair and the Vice-Chair will be in post for three years to match the triennial work cycle of the Convention. I look forward to working alongside Nick and Matt as past-Chair and pass on my warm congratulations and thanks to them. I am sure that you will all do the same.
State of the World's Wetlands and Their Services to People: A Compilation of Recent Analyses
The Ramsar Convention has a new resource that you'll want to read “State of the World's Wetlands and Their Services to People: A Compilation of Recent Analyses.” The report is co-authored by SWS members Royal Gardner and Max Finlayson and focuses on the thesis that as wetlands decline in quality and extent, so do the associated ecosystem services they provide to society. The Ramsar Convention is advising policymakers and contracting parties to take action to stop and reverse the degradation of wetlands and services to people. To continue to read click here.
Sponsored Symposia
2011 Prague, "Designation, Wise Use and Restoration of Ramsar Wetlands"
2012 Orlando, "The Ramsar Convention and SWS - Linking Science to International Policy"
2013 Duluth, "Wetland science in support of international wetland policy"
2014 Portland, "How does the Ramsar Convention respond to changing wetland baselines, thresholds and perception shifts in the Anthropocene?"
2015 Providence, "The implications for the Ramsar Convention of wetland status and trends"
2016 Corpus Christi, "A heroic struggle against impossible odds? Helping the Ramsar Convention to assess wetland status and trends"
Find the symposium program and presentation abstracts here.
Related Links
Ramsar Convention: http://www.ramsar.org
The Rights of Wetlands Section has been established:
- To create a forum to facilitate interactions among SWS wetland scientists, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, policymakers, wetland managers, and other groups or people who are engaging with the many aspects of the Rights of Wetlands.
- To provide a symposium at SWS Annual Meetings to explore the Rights of Wetlands as a strategy for wetland conservation, restoration, and management.
- To provide up-to-date information on Rights of Wetlands to the SWS membership and to others involved in wetland science, conservation, restoration, and management.
- In consultation with the Executive Board, represent SWS in global interactions involving Rights of Wetlands, such as at Conferences of the Parties of the Ramsar Convention.
- To develop interactions and partnerships with other organizations that focus on Rights of Wetlands/Nature.
- Raise the SWS profile at international and national scales, thus supporting Strategic Plan goals to further internationalize the Society and build membership.
The ROW Section supports the SWS Strategic Plan Goals, including elements in Goal 1 on Communication, Goal 2 on Education and Research, Goal 3 on Global Reach, and Goal 4 on Membership.
Leadership
| Intermin Officers | |
| Interim Chair | Gillian Davies, PWS |
| Interim Vice-Chair | C. Max Finlayson |
| Interim Secretary | Nick Davidson |
| Interim Treasurer | Siobhan Fennessy |
Click here to add this newly created section to your membership. Please allow 1-2 business days for this new section to appear in your profile.
Mission
The mission of this section is to promote wetland science inclusion and equity for students, recent graduates, and young professionals (specifically aligned with SWS’ mission to promote and expanded opportunities in wetland science and practice for students and young professionals).
This section’s specific goals are to:
- Unify the efforts of the various student associations and increase student participation in the society’s activities.
- Ensure the recognition of the importance of cultivating future wetland professionals by encouraging the proliferation of student/young-professional programming and funding.
- Provide opportunities for Section members to develop leadership skills through participation in their own section.
Leadership - Current Officers
Chair: Deja Newton
Chair-Elect: Anthony Mirabito
Past Chair: Steffanie Munguia
Membership Chair: Abrehet Kahsay
Communications Chair: Rajashree Naik
Education Committee Chair: Andrew Mackenzie
Student Association Committee Chair: Clay Tucker
Visit the Student Section website.
Mission
Our mission is to advance research and application in restoration fields that regulate wetlands.
The vision of the SWS Wetland Restoration Section is to achieve:
- The delivery of more successful wetland restoration projects through improved exchange of information and expertise among wetland practitioners, regulators, and researchers
- Enhanced dissemination of information on wetland restoration, both within and beyond SWS
- Improved identification and promotion of best practice in the design, implementation, and monitoring of wetland restoration projects
- A positive contribution to the definition of terms, metrics, and measures of success in wetland restoration
Goals
- To encourage the sharing of scientific, theoretical, and technical data regarding wetland restoration between the applied, academic, and regulatory sectors of the wetland science arena. In this context, wetland restoration is defined in the broadest sense, including wetland reclamation, rehabilitation, and mitigation.
- To create a discussion forum for issues related to wetland restoration including projects driven by local issues, such as regulation in the United States through the Clean Water Act permitting process, or national/international perspectives, such as the delivery of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Biodiversity Targets via symposia organized at the annual meetings of the Society of Wetland Scientists, internet discussion, and/or other informal networking.
- To provide opportunities and support for students working on issues related to wetland restoration through granting of research awards and educational outreach at special symposia and poster sessions at annual SWS meetings.
- Through the advent of a dedicated website for the section membership, provide a forum for the exchange of wetland restoration ideas and information.
- Sponsor a symposium at the annual meeting which addresses topics related to wetland restoration, including those associated with the Clean Water Act permitting in the United States as well as issues from other countries. The theme will vary annually, but the link to the wetland restoration agenda will remain consistent. A subcommittee of the Wetland Restoration Section will coordinate the annual theme, including the procurement of presentations.
Leadership
| 2024 Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Ingeborg Hegemann |
| Vice-Chair | Daniel Kroes |
| Past Chair | Luke Eggering |
| Treasurer | Charles Schutte |
| Secretary | Caleb Pharris |
| International Member At-Large | Shubham Kumar |
| Student Member At-Large | Shane Hoyt |
Sponsored Symposia
2023 - Wetland Restoration through the Lens of Early Career Scientists
2022 (hybrid) - Improving Wetland Restoration Outcomes: Revisiting Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Moderator: Andy Herb
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2021 (virtual) - Microbes: Small Players with Big Impacts on Invasive Species Management and Wetland Restoration
2020 (virtual) - Wetland Restoration: Dispelling Myths
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2019 - Closing the Permitting-Mitigation-Monitoring (PMM) Loop: A Focus on the Mid-Atlanic USA
Moderators: Andy Herb and Andy Baldwin
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2018 - Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned
Moderators: Ben LaPage and Robbyn Myers
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2017 - Restoration Meets Ramsar: Ensuring the Best from the Best for Internationally Important Wetlands from the Mountains to the Sea (Parts I and II)
Moderators: Andy Herb, Matthew Simpson and Nick Davidson
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2016 - Wetland Restoration: Research Meets Practice (Parts I and II)
Moderator: Andy Herb
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2015 - River & Stream Restorations: Implication for Riparian Wetland Function & Process
Moderator: Andy Herb
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2014 - Wetland Restoration: Delivering Multiple Benefits and Recreating Lost Services
Moderator: Andy Herb
See a full list of abstracts from this meeting.
2013 - Wetland Restoration (Parts I and II)
Moderator: Andy Herb
You choose: What are the Benefits of Restoring Wetlands? - Robert McInnes
Landscape Level Identification of Wetland Functions and Restoration Opportunities: A Case Study from North Central Wisconsin - John Anderson
The Duck-Pensaukee Watershed Approach: Mapping Wetland Services, Meeting Watershed Needs - Thomas Bernthal
Wetland and Aquatic Resource Restoration in the Rockies - Some Practical Applications - Michael Claffey
Reestablishment of the Groundwater Flow System in a High-elevation Extremely-rich Fen - Brad Johnson
Riparian Wetland Degradation and Restoration: Cases from the Interior Pacific Northwest - Nate Hough-Snee
Restoration of the San Rafael River and Riparian Corridor in Southern Utah - Brian Laub
East Plum Creek Conservation Bank – A Case Study of Riparian Restoration Planning - Richard McEldowney
Wetland Restoration Section Poster Award
The Wetland Restoration Section Poster Award was started in 2017 to award students presenting posters, relating to restoration, at the SWS Annual Meeting. Each year, the section awards two, $250 awards.
2017 - Adan Garza, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Gabriela Judd, Utah State University
The Wildlife Section was established in February 2008.
Goals
Our goals are to:
- Organize symposia on important developments in wetland wildlife.
- Propose and fund initiatives that advance wetland wildlife research and education.
- Encourage and support students engaged in wetland wildlife research.
- Interact with other sections to enhance inter-disciplinary research.
Our primary activity is to organize symposia that provide an overview of relationships between wetland habitat dynamics and wildlife population dynamics at each SWS annual meeting. The effects upon which we focus can flow both ways. Examples include the effects of migratory snow geese on arctic wetlands as well as the effects of the spatial density of small wetlands on resident wildlife. The effects upon which we focus also include effects that wildlife management has on wetland processes unrelated to wildlife such as the effects of Moist Soil Management on nutrient dynamics, and the effects of prescribed burning in coastal marshes on vertical accretion. The symposia are broad enough to encompass a variety of questions focused on wetland-dependent wildlife such as: (a) are efforts to improve wetland habitat affecting survival, reproduction, and health of the wildlife using it; (b) is wetland habitat quantity and quality sufficient to support desired populations; (c) do we understand what a wetland-dependent species needs during a particular period of the life cycle or breeding/wintering area in terms of nutrition, or protection from human disturbance; (d), do we understand how natural cycles, perturbations (hurricanes, droughts), and global climate change impact long-term wetland-dependent wildlife populations and vital rates.
The Wildlife Section also awards the “Best Student Oral Presentation Award Regarding Wildlife Population and Habitat Dynamics.” Student presentations are eligible for the award when the presentation highlights relationships between wetland habitat dynamics and wildlife population dynamics. These effects can flow both ways as noted above. The award consists of $300.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Rachel Fern |
| Chair-Elect | Open |
| Past-Chair | Andy Herb |
| Past Officers | |
|---|---|
| 2016-2018 | Sammy King |
| 2014-2016 | Jim Anderson |
| 2009-2014 | Andy Nyman |
| 2010-2013 | Rob McInnes |
| 2009-2012 | Sammy King |
| 2008-2011 | Mike Anteau |
News
Symposium News:
The SWS Wildlife Section hosted a symposium as part of the 2014 Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting (JASM) held in Portland, Oregon on May 18-23, 2014. The symposium Wildlife Response to Restoration was held on Friday, May 23.
Speakers and topics were as follows:
Strain, G. F.; Turk, P. J.; Anderson, J. T.. Functional Equivalency of Created and Natural Wetlands in the Central Appalachians: Reproductive Success, Call Phenology, and Diet Composition of Amphibians. (Abstract ID: 13285)
Arrigoni, J.; Gibbs, J. P.; Curatolo, J.. Do Constructed Vernal Pools Boost Amphibian Populations? The Effects of Pool Design and Landscape Context (Abstract ID: 14875)
Myers, J. E.. Mottled Duck Biology and Engineering (Abstract ID: 13251)
Stoll, S.; Breyer, P.; Früh, D.; Kail, J.; Lorenz, A. W.; Sundermann, A.; Haase, P.. Regional Habitat Quality and Metacommunity Structure are Crucial for the Success of River Restorations (Abstract ID: 13845)
Li, F.; Sundermann, A.; Stoll, S.; Haase, P.. Recolonization of Restored Rivers Depends on Dispersal Capacity of Benthic Invertebrates (Abstract Id: 14580)
Hagy, H. M.; Beverlin, J.; Horath, M. M.; Yetter, A. P.; Hine, C. S.; Smith, R. V.; Casper, A. N.. Floodplain Restoration and People Management
Nyman, J. A.. Building Terraces to Create Coastal Wetland Edge Habitat (Abstract Id: 14895)
Membership News:
Membership in the SWS Wildlife Section as of January 2014 stands at 183.
The 2012 (Orlando, FL meeting) Wildlife Section Best Student Oral Presentation Award award went to Louise S. Venne at the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, for her presentation titled "Fire effects on wading bird foraging habitat and resources." Her co-author was Peter C. Frederick. The award consisted of $300.
Sponsored Symposia
2014: Wildlife Response to Restoration. Portland, OR USA
2013: Effects of Changes in Sea-Level and Freshwater Inflow on Wildlife Use of Coastal Wetlands. Duluth, MN USA
2011. Balancing the Needs of Wetland Wildlife and the Needs of Society. Prague, The Czech Republic
2010. Integrating Wetland Processes and Wildlife Populations to Evaluate Climate Change. Salt Lake City, NV USA
2009: Connections between Wetlands, Wildlife, and Agriculture. Madison, WI USA
Mission
Promote the success of women in the field of wetland science and management through mentoring, networking and education of both female and male members of SWS.
Goals
Provide guidance, encouragement and support of female SWS members to improve their successful integration into and retention in the field of wetland science.
This section will engage in the following activities as they pertain to the mission of the Women in Wetlands Section:
- Organize a symposium at the annual meeting that addresses topics related to the success of women wetland scientists,
- Hold networking and educational opportunities that provide tools for success, and
- Encourage and support students engaged in wetland research.
Leadership
| Current Officers | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Rachel Schultz |
| Chair-Elect | Maureen (Mo) Wise |
| Past-Chair | Jennifer Karberg |
Sponsored Symposia
2016: SWS Annual Meeting (Corpus Christi, TX):
WiW Breakfast, Keynote Speaker: Alani Taylor, USACE
"Navigating a Career in Wetlands: Strategies for Successful Transitions from Early to Middle to Late Career" (co-chaired by the SWS Graduate Student Representative)
2015: SWS Annual Meeting (Providence, RI):
WiW Breakfast, Keynote Speaker: Ingeborg Hegemann, BSC Group (Please see the following links for resources mentioned in this talk: Why Women Still Can't Have it All, The Confidence Gap, The 24/7 Work Culture's Toll on Families and Gender Equality, Wheel of Life Example)
"Wetlands Career Development & Professional Branding" (co-chaired by the SWS Graduate Student Representative)
2014: Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting (Portland, OR):
"Beyond Graduate Research: Disseminating Scientific Knowledge" (co-chaired by the SWS Graduate Student Representative)
2013: SWS Annual Meeting (Duluth, MN):
WiW Breakfast, Keynote Speaker: Laura Jane Martin, Cornell University
"Marketability after Graduate School: Essential Skills for a Successful Professional Career in Wetland Science" (co-chaired by the SWS Graduate Student Representative)
2012: 9th INTECOL International Wetlands Conference (Orlando, FL):
WiW Breakfast, Keynote Speaker: Alesia Pierre-Louis, USGS, "Work/Life Balancing Act"
"Success Strategies for Graduate School and Beyond" (co-chaired by the SWS Graduate Student Representative)