The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a virtual national workshop focused on the Enhancing State and Tribal Programs (ESTP) initiative. Wetland program staff from EPA, tribes/nations, states, territories, local governments, and non-profit/academic partners were invited to attend. The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) provided technical and facilitation support. The workshop included updates from EPA on the ESTP initiative, Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs), and technical support, and showcased wetland programs and projects from across the country.  

The ESTP Virtual National Workshop was held on September 1-3, 2026. Virtual sessions via Microsoft Teams ran from 1pm-5pm ET / 10am-2pm PT each day.

Meeting Agenda (Updated 8/31/26)

Agenda

Please note, we have added speaker presentations in PDF format for presentations submitted.

Day 1, Tuesday, September 1, 2026

EPA Updates:

EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment Lead, Gregg Serenbetz and National Lakes Assessment Lead, Lareina Guenzel:

    • National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS): 2026 National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA)

EPA National ESTP Coordinator, Myra Price:

    • WPDG Overview and Tribal Set-Aside Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
    • WPDG Database

What is EPA’s Enhancing State and Tribal Program (ESTP)?

EPA R9 ESTP Coordinator, Sarvy Mahdavi:

    • The Core Elements Framework, and Wetland Program Plan Development

National Association of Wetland Managers: Executive Director, Portia Osborne:

    • Wetland Program Plans Handbook Update
    • State Summary Updates

Sustaining Your Wetland Program: Cross-Funding Opportunities

EPA Biologist, National Nonpoint Source Program, Ellie Flaherty:

EPA R9 Tribal Project Officers, Kate Pinkerton and JieQi Yan:

    • EPA Funding 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services: National Program Manager, Wetland Reserve Easement Program, Ken Kriese:

    • NRCS Funding 

Day 2, Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Regulatory and Policy Approaches

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: Office of Wetlands and Stream Protection Manager, Brenda Winn

    • Virginia's Permit Environmental Efficiency Platform (PEEP)

Colorado State University Colorado Natural Heritage Program: Senior Wetland Ecologist, Joanna Lemly and Wetland Restoration Ecologist, Sarah Smith:

    • Quantifying the Effects of the Sackett v. EPA Decision on Wetland Jurisdiction in Colorado

Community Engagement for Wetlands Protection

Utah Geological Survey State Wetland Coordinator, Jess Stern:

    • Utah’s Collaborative Approach to Building a Wetland Program Plan

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Wetland Program Manager, Ted LaGrange and Outdoor Education Specialist, Grace Gaarda:

    • Bridging the Gap between People and Wetlands in Nebraska   

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Save Our Stream Coordinator, Jessica Bryzek:

    • Building a Statewide Vernal Pool Monitoring Program in West Virgina

Tribal Partnerships for Wetland Protection

Pacific Northwest Tribal Wetlands Working Group (TWIG): Nez Perce Tribe Water Resources, Rue Hewett Hoover; Skokomish Department of Natural Resources Environmental Programs Manager, Seth Book; Quinault Indian Nation Wetland Specialist, Janice Martin:

    • Tribal Wetland Support Groups

Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Wetland Specialist, May Flores-Hill:

    • Monitoring and Assessment Methods of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s Wetland Program

Day 3, Thursday, September 3, 2026

Wetlands Mapping and Inventory

US Fish and Wildlife Service NWI Regional Wetlands Coordinator, Amanda Pachomski:

    • National Wetlands Inventory

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Executive Director, Andrew Robertson:

    • Updating the National Wetlands Inventory for an Urbanizing Riverine Landscape: Kansas City, Missouri

University of Hawaii at Hilo Affiliate Faculty, Lisa Marrack and Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Aquatic Biologist, Troy Sakihara:

    • Wetland Protection and Restoration Strategy Mapping Support for Hawaiʻi Island  

Wetlands Program Management

New York City Parks Wetland Restoration Project Manager, Alexis Canney:

    • Restoration and Management Planning for Idlewild Marsh

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wetland Program Coordinator, Jennie Skancke:

    • Lessons Learned from establishment of a wetland hydrology monitoring network to advance establishment of wetland thresholds

City of Boulder Open Space Mountain Parks Senior Wetland and Riparian Ecologist, Cat McIntyre:

    • Developing a Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Strategy for City of Boulder Open Space Mountain Parks

Wetland Program Tools and Resources

University of Missouri PhD student, Mohammad Jaweed Nazary:

    • Attenuation of Flood Risk in the Missouri River Floodplain: Characterizing Prospects for Strategic Wetland Establishment

Resources

For More Information
If you have questions, please contact Portia Osborne with NAWM at portia@nawm.org.