Jon A. Kusler

Jon A. Kusler, Esq., Ph.D.

July 25, 1941 – October 8, 2020

On Thursday, October 8th, 2020, NAWM’s founder, Dr. Jon A. Kusler, Esq. passed away peacefully with his family by his side after heroically battling Multiple System Atrophy for more than a year. The global community of wetland and floodplain managers, scientists, policymakers, lawyers and practitioners have lost a colleague, a mentor and a friend. Jon paved the way for wetland and floodplain protection around the world, challenging us to think beyond the norm – to find new and innovative ways to solve some of our most pressing environmental issues. As a way to provide a place for communal reflection and to celebrate Jon’s life, NAWM has created a memorial page on its website where staff will be posting messages shared by those who knew Jon. If you would like to share a story or a sentiment on the page, please go here.

See messages below.

Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Award

In honor of Dr. Jon A. Kusler, Esq., founder of the Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. (dba National Association of Wetland Mangers (NAWM), NAWM has established the Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Award, a competitive award to fund all expenses for one or more U.S.-based students studying wetland science, law or policy (either undergraduate or graduate level) to attend NAWM’s annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination meeting. Jon's family has requested that any monetary gifts in Jon's memory be contributed to the fund to continue his legacy for years to come. Contributions to the scholarship award will ensure that Jon’s legacy lives on by building the capacity of the next generation to protect and restore our nation’s wetlands.

Contributions to the award can be made on NAWM's donation page here.


		Memories from Colleagues and Friends

		From Max Finlayson, Institute for Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University
		I met Jon in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1989 at the Wetlands and River Corridor Management conference where I was attending my first international wetland management meeting. It was likely one of many similar meetings for yourself and established colleagues, but it was a first for myself in my then new job in the UK. It was a great start to a career in wetland management, and later back into research. Thanks for your part in that – I don’t underestimate the value of such events in helping people get a start in their jobs and I guess also in their life directions. So thanks for that –a lot of thanks - the meeting and the people you enabled me to meet were certainly valuable. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to send a message, and say thanks for Jon’s support and guidance, and to also acknowledge his contributions to wetlands and to wetland managers. Be assured that his ideas and wisdom do continue through the efforts of many others, including this “raw” strongly accented wetlander from the tropical, crocodile inhabited, stinking hot swamps at the top of Australia. It’s all appreciated, and with fond memories, and much gratitude.

		Joe Berg, Biohabitats
		Jon was a great guy that contributed so much to so many. He will be missed.

		Michael Gease, Floodplain Manager
		Jon A. Kusler was one of the true heavyweights who contributed much to my understanding and appreciation of floodplains and wetlands as an integrated natural system needing protection.

		Mary Kentula, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
		Jon influenced so much throughout his lifetime and leaves an impressive legacy. I’ll always remember our phone calls and meetings during the planning and production of Wetland Creation and Restoration – The Status of the Science, which soon became a classic in the fields of wetland ecology and restoration. Most of all, I will remember Jon’s mentoring of a new PhD who was just beginning her career with EPA and was very “wet behind the ears”. I learned so much from Jon about how to build a team, garner support for a project, and execute a large product like Wetland Creation and Restoration. He will be missed and lovingly remembered by many, especially me.

		Richard Smardon
		Jon and I worked on many of his NAWM conferences and meetings. We co-chaired the 1990 Great Lakes Wetlands conference in Niagara Falls NY. We also worked together on the two ecotourism conferences in Merida Mexico and Miami Beach Florida. I remember sitting on a bench with Jon and Rud Platt in Knoxville Tennessee at a TVA meeting and exchanging past memories and future possibilities.

		Ralph Tiner
		I was saddened to hear of Jon's passing. I've known Jon for nearly half a century. He was an extraordinary individual...one of a kind. He was instrumental in bringing wetlands and floodplains to the forefront of national policy. He was a mover and a shaker. I am most familiar with his work on wetlands that helped guide national wetland policy, promoting wetland regulation, restoration, assessment, and conservation. He was an inspiration to many. As an accomplished writer, especially of policy, Jon has left us thousands of pages of his insight into many topics relevant to wetland and floodplain protection and conservation. He was also an adventurer as I remember him telling a story of a family vacation in Central America where they were chased by local militia. Jon was a man of many talents. He was a rock hound and had quite a collection of rocks at his home. He invited me and my family to accompany him on one of his local expeditions to dig for Herkimer diamonds in upstate New York. My kids (now adults) still remember this adventure. For on a hot humid New York summer day, we spent hours digging with Jon in one of his favorite spots. His enthusiasm for digging was contagious and we were all impressed by his determination to help us find some gems. We did come home with a few but on the way home we passed an Amish farmstand where they were selling some that were larger than our treasures so we bought a few to add to our collection. Wetlands and floodplains are better off than they were before Jon began his campaign to help them. Thanks Jon for all your efforts and for establishing the National Association of Wetland Managers that will continue to fight for wetlands and floodplains. May you rest in peace my friend.

		Paul Adamus
		So sad to hear of Jon’s passing. There is perhaps no other professional colleague to whom I owe as much for the career I’ve had, and during the 1970s and beyond few were as instrumental in moving wetlands to the forefront of policy and scientific discussion at a national and global scale. I knew of his reknown in wetland circles when to my surprise he cold-called me in 1983 expressing admiration for a government report I’d just published and which I assumed only a few would notice since I was an unknown scientist back then, working in a small town on the Maine Coast. His subsequent sharing with other wetlands people his enthusiasm for my work (which later became the WET and WESP function assessment methods) definitely jump-started my career. And it began a long friendship and led to many times together, both formal and informal, over the decades. When I suffered a near-death event a week before I was to present at one of his symposia in 1986, he sent a card of concern signed by many who attended. That, as much as his immense achievements, is what I remember him for.

		Eric Hughes, EPA, Retired
		I have very fond memories of Jon and his leadership of the State Association of Wet Land Managers in the 1990-1996 time period. I was managing the EPA Region 4 (8 Southeastern States) wetland program, which provided grants (~$2.5 M/yr) to our State 401/wetland agencies to assist them. Jon attended several of our annual State wetland meetings in Atlanta, & he was just inspirational. Always upbeat, always encouraging our Region 4 State managers, & many of them had little political support or resources in their home states. He was just a wonderful person, a real leader. RIP

		Michael Josselyn, WRA, Retired
		Jon was very influential in my career. As a young wetland scientist, I first met him at a Society of Wetland Scientists meeting in San Francisco where he asked me to participate in summarizing the science of tidal wetland restoration for an upcoming book being published by the EPA. I was honored to contribute in that effort and met many other wetland scientists and practitioners. Later as I transitioned to wetland restoration consulting, I could always count on Jon's well written explanations of laws, regulations, and court determinations to better understand not only how it affected California, but other states as well. His leadership and clear and thorough writings during the formative years (and beyond) on wetland science and regulation will be read by many and will set a high standard for those who follow. Thank you, Jon, for all your contributions to our field and you will truly be missed.

		Don Witherill, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
		Over my many years with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, I have learned much about how to shape environmental policy. I have learned and taken inspiration from a number of individuals, but none more so than Jon. In the mid 1980’s, Maine had just enacted its first law to regulate freshwater wetlands. I was hired to oversee the program and needed guidance. That’s when I was introduced to Jon and a group of state counterparts, who would soon become the National Association of Wetland Managers. We all came to the group with unique circumstances related to our states’ political and cultural climates, but we all had common aspirations to develop effective wetlands programs. Jon understood all of that as well as how state programs could effectively draw from the Federal Clean Water Act provisions. Jon brought us together, organizing annual conferences and work group meetings to help us sort through how we could more effectively manage our programs. I remember how early on, I think it may have been in 1985, Jon took special interest in Maine’s developing program and helped us organize one of the early national conferences in Portland, Maine. It was at a critical stage in our program’s development and gave us a boost of energy moving forward. One of my favorite memories of that conference involved our keynote speaker. We had lined up a former state Attorney General for that role and were in the last stages of preparation when word reached one of our U.S. Senators that Maine would be hosting a National Wetlands Conference. That was Senator George Mitchell, who later went on to become Secretary of State and a pretty accomplished negotiator, to say the least. Jon’s first reaction was “who is this guy and why is he coming to our conference?” I remember assuring Jon that Senator Mitchell would be a worthwhile addition to our agenda, and it turned out he was. That was one of the only times I was able to offer Jon some advice, as it usually went the other way. Over the ensuing years, I drew frequently upon Jon’s knowledge on a variety of wetland regulatory issues and we were able to secure passage of a strong set of wetlands rules covering the bases of “avoidance, minimization and mitigation.” While I eventually moved on to other responsibilities that took me away from wetlands regulation, I still look back on those years with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Jon was instrumental in those efforts in Maine, as I know he was in many other states around the country.

		Julia Fonseca
		Jon's written works provided me much guidance on floodplain and wetland policy. I am glad to have been able to meet him and learn from his many policy papers! My condolences are offered to his friends, colleagues and families.

Jon and Anna

Award Jon as a teenager

Jon and Family with Gilbert White

Jon and Crystals

Mapping a Path to Wetland Functions: Leveraging NHD and LLWW to Enhance the National Wetland Inventory

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 - 3:00pm-4:30pm Eastern

INTRODUCTION

William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers[PRESENTATION PDF]

PRESENTERS

Andy Robertson, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota [PRESENTATION PDF]
Mark Biddle, Delaware Department of Natural Resources [PRESENTATION PDF]
Sara Owen, University of Montana [PRESENTATION PDF]

ABSTRACTS

Andy Robertson
This presentation provided a short overview and application of the LLWW classification for wetland inventory and landscape level functional assessment. It highlighted the academic origins, relationship to NWI, initial application areas and national expansion.

Mark Biddle
The State of Delaware is fortunate to frequently map and track wetland acreage and functional health, and recently completed the 4th iteration of wetland mapping statewide. This spatial data includes both Cowardin, et al. and LLWW classifications and provides the opportunity to assess changes that happened between 2007 and 2017, which will be available in a status and trends report. There are significant differences with this mapping effort which include the use of the National Wetland Inventory Version 2.0 procedure that incorporates the National Hydrography Dataset, and the presentation will discuss results of the mapping effort.

Sara Owen
The foundational classification system for the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is the Cowardin classification. This system captures vegetation and water regime characteristics of wetlands that were of particular interest to wildlife managers when the system was developed, but it does not address functions such as water storage or nutrient cycling. LLWW draws on a wetland’s hydrogeomorphic properties, in combination with its Cowardin attribute, to assign potential function. The University of Montana developed an automated model to assign LLWW codes, following the 2018 Western-specific LLWW key. This presentation discussed the model’s processes and outputs and suggests ways it can be used to guide decision making.

BIOS

Andy Robertsonis currently Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In this role, Andy is responsible for oversight and management of all GeoSpatial Services projects, activities and staff. GeoSpatial Services is engaged in a wide variety of projects across the Lower 48 and Alaska including: wetland inventory; National Hydrography Dataset updates; spatial data development; and natural resource condition assessments. GeoSpatial Services has been a key partner of the USFWS and has been working for over 18 years to update legacy National Wetland Inventory data across the nation. Andy is a steering committee member for the ASWM Wetland Mapping Consortium, an ASWM Board Member and is past-chair of the Alaska GeoSpatial Council Wetland Technical Working Group.

Mark Biddle is an Environmental Program Manager with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist. Mark has 30 years of wetland work involving restoration and creation, monitoring and assessment, mitigation, permitting, comprehensive watershed planning, use of best management practices to address environmental impairments, and has conducted multiple wetland mapping efforts. Mark also serves as Board Chair for ASWM.

Sara Owen began her wetland career as a teenage field assistant helping her dad delineate wetlands in the swamps of southern Arkansas, where she immediately fell in love with field ecology. In college and graduate school she took a slight detour from wetlands to study stream ecology, but found her way back to wetlands first as a private consultant, then as a field ecologist and wetland mapper at the University of Montana, where she has been since 2011. Sara is currently the Wetland Mapping Projects Manager for the Ecological Mapping, Monitoring and Assessment workgroup at the University of Montana’s O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West where she oversees NWI mapping projects across the West. When time allows, she still gets to play field ecologist, botanist, or dirt digger in a variety of ecosystems, including streams, wetlands, and occasionally, rangelands. Sara enjoys being outdoors and spends as much time as she can outside for work and play, where the lines sometimes blur. She published her first book this past summer (a direct product of that detour back in college), an educational children’s adventure showcasing the hidden lives of aquatic macroinvertebrates entitled Seth and Mattie’s Big River Adventure.

Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.

Part 1: Introduction: William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers

Part 1: Introduction: William Dooley, Policy Analyst,Association of State Wetland Managers
Presenter: Andy Robertson, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Part 2: Presenter: Mark Biddle, Delaware Department of Natural Resources

Part 2: Presenter: Mark Biddle, Delaware Department of Natural Resources

Part 3: Presenter: Sara Owen, University of Montana

Part 3: Presenter: Sara Owen, University of Montana

Automating the Detection of Disturbances to Aquatic Resources

Held Wednesday, October 7, 2020 - 3:00pm-4:00pm Eastern

INTRODUCTION

William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers [PRESENTATION PDF]

PRESENTER

Melanie Vanderhoof, U.S. Geological Survey, Geoscience and Environmental Change Science Center [PRESENTATION PDF]

ABSTRACT

We presented an unsupervised automated approach to map disturbance and surface inundation extent across the Mid-Atlantic Region using the Landsat archive in Google Earth Engine. This approach can be used to identify aquatic resources potentially impacted by changes in land use. The presentation built upon the preliminary results presented in the August 2019 Wetland Mapping Consortium webinar. The focus of this presentation, instead, however, was on our published products and code. The code will enable users to test out the algorithms in the area of their choice, without needing to generate independent training data.

BIO

Melanie Vanderhoof is a Research Geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey, Geoscience and Environmental Change Science Center in Denver, Colorado. Melanie has a background in environmental regulations having previously worked as a biologist in the consulting industry prior to returning to graduate school. She received her PhD in Geography from Clark University in 2014. Following an ORISE post-doc with the U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, she joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 2015. Her research uses satellite imagery to explore how ecosystems respond to disturbance events and climate extremes. In recent years her research has focused on both wetland and river system dynamics as well as patterns in post-fire condition and regeneration. She is particularly interested in efforts to distinguish changes induced by climate anomalies from land use-related change.

Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.

Part 1: Introduction: William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers

Part 1: Introduction: William Dooley, Policy Analyst,Association of State Wetland Managers
Presenter: Melanie Vanderhoof, U.S. Geological Survey, Geoscience and Environmental Change Science

Part 2: Presenter: Melanie Vanderhoof, U.S. Geological Survey, Geoscience and Environmental Change Science Center

Part 2: Presenter: Melanie Vanderhoof, U.S. Geological Survey, Geoscience and Environmental Change Science Center
Questions & Answers

NWI Unfinished Business: The Current State of Wetland Mapping in Alaska

Held Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 3:00pm-4:30pm Eastern

INTRODUCTION

William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers [PRESENTATION PDF]

PRESENTERS

Sydney Thielke, Regional Wetlands Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region [PRESENTATION PDF]
Andy Robertson, Director, GeoSpatial Services, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota [PRESENTATION PDF]

ABSTRACT

Alaska is one-fifth the size of the entire United States and is the only state with land area north of the Arctic Circle. Approximately 65% of the nation's wetlands are located in the Alaska covering 174 million acres, or 43%, of the State's surface area. Despite its resource potential and global position, Alaska has the most limited wetland geospatial data coverage of all states in the nation. Accurate, detailed geospatial information that meets national standards is lacking for more than half of the state, adding costs to responsible development, permitting and resource conservation decisions, delaying or preventing adequate response to natural disasters and emergencies, and preventing effective measurement and monitoring of ecological processes.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service through the National Wetland Inventory Program (NWI) has the lead Federal role for developing a statewide wetland spatial database for Alaska. NWI staff have been working closely with the Alaska GeoSpatial Council Wetlands Technical Working Group to develop a strategy for completion of a statewide wetland spatial database that is compliant with national mapping standards. The first part of this presentation summarized efforts to date, detailed the partnership strategy and discussed funding opportunities and mapping standards. In the second part of the presentation, technical details of on-going wetland mapping in Alaska were summarized and new/emerging technologies and image sources were discussed. The presentations was supported by examples and graphics from current projects across the state.

Tune in to learn more about how we are addressing NWI Unfinished Business through creative collaboration, interagency partnerships, cooperative funding approaches and new technologies.

BIOS

Sydney Thielke is the Regional Wetlands Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage, Alaska. Sydney grew up in Alaska and has a B.S. in Land Resources Analysis and Management from Montana State University and a M.S. in Applied Geographic Information Sciences from Northern Arizona University. Before coming to U.S. FWS Sydney worked for the Bureau of Land Management and Natural Resources Conservation Service on a variety in a variety of resource management and geographic information capacities.

Andy Robertson is currently Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In this role, Andy is responsible for oversight and management of all GeoSpatial Services projects, activities and staff. GeoSpatial Services is engaged in a wide variety of projects across the Lower 48 and Alaska including: wetland inventory; National Hydrography Dataset updates; spatial data development; and natural resource condition assessments. GeoSpatial Services has been a key partner of the USFWS and has been working for over 18 years to update legacy National Wetland Inventory data across the nation. Andy is a steering committee member for the ASWM Wetland Mapping Consortium, an ASWM Board Member and is past-chair of the Alaska GeoSpatial Council Wetland Technical Working Group.

Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.

Part 1: Introduction: William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers

Part 1: Introduction: William Dooley, Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers
Presenter: Sydney Thielke, Regional Wetlands Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region

Part 2: Presenter: Andy Robertson, Director, GeoSpatial Services, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Part 2: Presenter: Andy Robertson, Director, GeoSpatial Services, Saint Mary's University of
Minnesota

View Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars

PDF List of Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinar Recordings

View Upcoming Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars

Sponsorship

Thank you for considering Sponsorship with the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM)

The mission of NAWM is to build capacity for state and tribal members and foster collaboration among the wetland community of practice by encouraging the application of sound science to wetland management and policy, promoting the protection and restoration of wetlands and related aquatic resources, and providing training and education for members and the general public.

Sponsorship helps NAWM respond to and stay on top of policy and practices vital to saving our nation’s wetlands. Sponsorship is also a great way to increase your organization’s visibility while supporting a good cause. Our e-newsletter, webinar, and annual meeting outreach spans over 20,000 wetland professionals in our network including state, tribal and federal policy experts.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Wetland News – our membership newsletter is published every other month and is sent to over 1,000 NAWM Members, providing wetland updates and featured articles from a variety of wetland voices. This publication is an invaluable resource to members, who may not otherwise have access to wetland-specific findings or information that is not published elsewhere.

NAWM Members’ Webinar Series – NAWM is passionate about knowledge sharing. For over 40 years, NAWM has made it a priority to provide training and education for our members and is recognized nationally as a leader in providing professional, informative, and innovative webinars on diverse wetland topics. Our Members’ Webinar Series brings together audiences rarely found in other platforms. The webinars are also recorded and placed in our on-demand online library, which provides additional exposure for your business.

NAWM Annual State / Tribal / Federal Coordination Meeting – Be a part of this great event! NAWM’s Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting will be held on April 8-11, 2025, at the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA.

Contact*: Laura Burchill at (207) 892-3399; laura@nawm.org for more information.

Thank you.

View or Print as PDF

NAWM Sponsorship Oppoortunities

2026 Annual STFC Meeting

National Association of Wetland Managers

2026 Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting

April 27 - May 1, 2026

National Conservation Training Center
Shepherdstown, WV

SAVE THE DATE

national association of wetland managers and Association of State floodplain managers

2024 Integrated Watershed Management Planning Workshop

November 13-15, 2024

Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve
Ponte Vadra Beach, FL

Learn More

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National Association of Wetland Managers

2025 Integrated Watershed Management Planning Workshop

September 16-18, 2025

EPA Region 8 Office
Denver, CO

national association of wetland managers and Association of State floodplain managers

2024 Integrated Watershed Management Planning Workshop

November 13-15, 2024

Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve
Ponte Vadra Beach, FL

Learn More

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National association of wetland managers and Association of State floodplain managers

2026 Integrated Watershed Management Planning Workshop

January 21-23, 2026
(Rescheduled from November 13-15, 2024)

Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve
Ponte Vadra Beach, FL

national association of wetland managers and Association of State floodplain managers

2024 Integrated Watershed Management Planning Workshop

November 13-15, 2024

Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve
Ponte Vadra Beach, FL

Learn More

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National Association of Wetland Managers
Upcoming and Recorded Webinars

Webinars

OTHER EVENTS

For other events or to submit an event, please see the Calendar of Events.

Annual State Federal Tribal Coordination Meeting

Adaptation & Resiliency for the Advancement of Wetland Science, Policy and Practice

We thank your for joining us for ASWM’s Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting, held virtually April 12-15, 2021. The purpose of this annual meeting was to support state and tribal wetland program managers, and other wetland professionals as they respond to challenges in the coming year. This year’s annual meeting was dedicated to the memory and legacy of ASM’s founder, Dr. Jon A. Kusler, Esq.

Focus Areas for This Year’s Meeting Include:

Federal policy updates and significant court cases
Wetland science and climate change resiliency
Wetland Program Capacity: Adapting to New Regs, COVID-19, Budgets
Mapping, tools and technology

INDEX

Agenda

Meeting Materials

Contact Information

Agenda

Agenda can be downloaded here. (Posted 4/7/21)

Meeting Materials

See Meeting Materials Here (Includes Biographies; Abstracts)

Sponsors

Please see our Sponsor Exhibit page for more information.

Thank you to our Osprey Sponsor!

Thank you to our Loon Sponsor!

Thank you to our Kingfisher Sponsors!

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Marla Stelk, ASWM Executive Director, at marla@nawm.org or by phone at 207-892-3399.

The Wetland Mapping Consortium (WMC), founded in 2008, is an interdisciplinary group of wetland scientists and managers interested in mapping and monitoring wetlands with remotely sensed images and/or using the resultant products to best manage wetland resources. The WMC Steering Committee organizes webinars on topics of interest to the group.

For more information and/or to join our email list for notices about upcoming events, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org or (207) 892-3399.

View Past Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinars Here

View a List of Wetland Mapping Consortium Webinar Recordings Here

National Association of Wetland Managers - Staff

Marla Stelk, Executive Director (marla@nawm.org)

Marla is the Executive Director at the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) where she has worked on wetland policy and management issues since 2013. Marla has over 25 years of experience working on wetland, water, and wildlife issues, climate change, environmental policy and research, land use planning, communications and organizational leadership. Marla has led research at NAWM on topics such as ecosystem service valuation for wetland restoration, the role of wetlands in floodplain and natural hazard management, wetlands and watershed health, wetland mapping and communications. Prior to coming to NAWM, Marla worked for a variety of environmental and social nonprofit organizations helping to build organizational capacity, manage projects and improve internal processes. Marla earned her MA in Community Planning and Development with a focus on Land Use and the Environment at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service and her BA in Environmental Issues from Colorado College.

Portia Osborne, Assistant Director (portia@nawm.org)

Portia is the Assistant Director at the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM). In this role, she helps to implement the mission and vision of NAWM and, in coordination with the Executive Director, oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization. Portia has been with NAWM since 2022, during which time she has worked on various projects to build the capacity of state and Tribal wetland programs across the country. She coordinates overall project schedules, tracks project deadlines and outputs, delivers workshops and trainings, facilitates and coordinates various work groups, and moderates webinars. Before coming to NAWM, Portia spent a decade working in environmental consulting, during which time she conducted natural resource assessments and wetland delineations and prepared state and federal-level permit applications for transportation, oil and gas, and renewable energy projects located across the country. Portia earned her MS in Ecology and BS in Environmental Biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, chasing her kids at the beach, finding interesting wetlands to visit, and reading a good book.

Donna Downing, Senior Legal Policy Advisor (donna@nawm.org)

Donna Downing is the Senior Legal Policy Advisor at the National Association of Wetland Managers. Donna was the Jurisdiction Team Leader in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds from 2007-2020. Donna worked on a variety of issues at EPA, with a focus in recent years on the geographic scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA) in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions. She also served as EPA’s staff lead for CWA section 401 water quality certification, and on wetland-related legal issues. Prior to joining EPA in 1998, Donna worked for the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment and in private law practice. She has a BA magna cum laude from Harvard University, an MPP from the University of California at Berkeley, a JD cum laude from Georgetown University Law School, and an LLM in Environmental Law summa cum laude from George Washington University Law School. Donna has been an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School since 1996, teaching environmental law. In what’s left of her time, she moonlights as a professional potter and an unprofessional horse trainer. Donna also enjoys traveling and has traveled by reindeer sled in the Swedish Arctic, gone winter camping with dog sleds in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Wilderness Area, and bicycled the Burma Road in China.

Jeff Lapp, Senior Science Policy Advisor (jeff@nawm.org)

Jeff is our Senior Science Policy Advisor here at NAWM. Prior to joining us he spent over 32 years with the Environmental Protection Agency, primarily in the wetlands program. Starting out in the wetlands enforcement program in Region 3, he conducted many wetland inspections and has testified as both an expert and fact witness in civil and criminal federal cases. For the past 12 years, Jeff has been the Chief of the Wetlands Branch at EPA Region 3 overseeing both the regulatory and non-regulatory wetlands programs, the oceans disposal program and the Watershed Resource Registry (a Geospatial tool to identify potential restoration and preservation sites.) He has also had a host of acting positions including the Deputy Director for the Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division, the Deputy Director for the Office of Public Affairs, the Wetlands Regulatory Branch Chief at EPA Head Quarters and the Wetlands Technical Enforcement Lead at EPA Head Quarters. His technical skills include conducting wetlands identification training for both novice and experienced delineators from state and federal programs. In addition to teaching wetlands delineation, he has taught cases in hydric soils and plant identification and been a guest lecturer at Penn and Temple University on wetlands and horticultural issues. An avid botanist and horticulturalist, Jeff designed and constructed the EPA exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show for 29 years earning several awards including best of show, gold and silver medals, the Buckley medal, American Horticultural Society award, and the Chicago Horticultural Society awards to name a few. At his home, he raises a multitude of plants including Sarracenia, Rhododendrons, Hosta and a host of other rare and unusual species in his greenhouse and shade houses. When not working for NAWM or messing with his plants he like to ride bike, hike, cook and sip a spot of wine!

Ian Grosfelt, Environmental Analyst (ian@nawm.org)

Ian is an Environmental Analyst with NAWM wearing a variety of hats and working on a variety of projects. He has a BS in Agriculture from Cornell University and a Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment. Ian has a decade of experience working in environmental fields starting as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal and continuing with environmental education organizations throughout New England as a facilitator, school gardener, and trainer. He is also trained in data analysis and geospatial mapping and has a passion for using these tools to further effective conservation. For side projects you can find Ian trying (and hopefully keeping) his hand at woodworking, biking new routes in Maine and building up a kitchen repertoire.

Dawn Smith, Communications Specialist (dawn@nawm.org)

Dawn works on multimedia projects, focusing on webinars and short videos. After working in the corporate world for several years, she is redirecting creative energies towards social media, documentaries and short film communication formats. A lifetime resident of Maine, she has an appreciation for the preservation of local heritage and natural treasures, primarily from behind the lens. Working with the National Association of Wetland Managers, she has gained a greater appreciation for the local and national efforts to preserve and rebuild the wetland ecosystems that are all around us.

Marti Northover Marti Northover, Accounting and Human Resources Manager (marti@nawm.org)

Marti Northover is the NAWM Accounting and Human Resources Manager. Marti has over 30 years of professional experience in accounting, logistics and advertising. Marti has an undergraduate degree in Geography from Framingham State University in Framingham, MA and Master's degree in Environmental Science from Clark University in Worcester, MA. Professionally Marti has taught environment related courses at colleges in MA, was owner of an historic inn, worked as the Director of Accounting and HR at a logistic company in MA and a homeless shelter in ME. Six years ago Marti moved to Alfred, ME, where she lives with her husband Vernon, enjoying the lake life and her chickens, ducks and nice garden. Currently Marti is the Treasurer of the Parson’s Memorial Library Board of Trustees and is an Associate Member of Alfred Conservation Commission.

Laura Burchill, NAWM

Laura Burchill, Office Manager (laura@nawm.org)

Laura is the Office Manager in the Windham office and has been with the Association since 2004. She is responsible for maintaining the membership information; assisting with the many tasks involved in preparing for webinars and workshops, preparing Association publications as well as general office duties. She has 30+ years’ experience in graphic design and also works part-time for Parent & Family, a local publication. She lives in Windham, Maine with her husband Dave and their canine companion Jay.

Sharon Weaver, Webmaster (sharon@nawm.org)

Sharon is the Publications Specialist and Webmaster for the Association in the Berne, New York office, where she has worked for the past 20+ years. Along with general office tasks, she works on the layout and design of Association publications, reports, and brochures. She helps coordinate NAWM workshops and symposia. She manages the NAWM website, which includes daily updates and prepares and designs new webpages. When she is not entertaining company, she enjoys some alone time with her husband, Ken, and grown children Karla and Pieter. She adores her dog and cat, who complete the family nest.

Justin Farino (justin@nawm.org)

Justin is an Administrative Assistant for NAWM and works closely with the Office Manager and others to support NAWM’s staff with a variety of tasks and projects. Graduating from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Political Science, he promptly put it to good use by working in construction management, ultimately moving to South Korea to teach English to kindergarteners. Now back in the States, Justin is pursuing a J.D. at Maine Law, seeking to focus in Environmental and Human Rights Laws. Justin enjoys self-identifying as a photographer, red wine connoisseur, and outdoor enthusiast, but does not claim to be particularly proficient at any of them.

nawm

The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) was founded by Jon A. Kusler, Esq., Ph.D., and Scott Hausmann in 1983 with two goals — to support state wetland programs and to support national wetland policy reflecting sound wetland science. NAWM has tried to stay true to these goals throughout the years, during the ups and downs of funding and politics.

Jon and Scott created the Association with no staff and no budget. NAWM’s first national meeting in 1983 was hosted by Richard Haman and the University of Florida College of Law. To their surprise and delight, over 120 wetland managers and scientists attended. The quality and enthusiasm of the attendees was striking. Most did not know each other prior to the meeting but many emerged friends. Many who attended that first meeting in Florida also continue as wetland advocates and mentors.

This was the first of many workshops NAWM conducted with a broad range of federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Other partners have included the Association of State Floodplain Managers, Society of Wetland Scientists, Association of Clean Water Administrators, Coastal States Organization, National Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and the Environmental Law Institute.

Hundreds of symposia, workshops, publications, webpages, and webinars later, NAWM has established a national presence and is looked to by states, tribes, and other organizations for leadership in matters of national wetland policy, applying sound science, interpreting and implementing the Clean Water Act and related programs, restoring aquatic systems, and facilitating transfer of knowledge among peers and government agencies.

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