Winter Conference
March 19, 2026, Burke Mountain Hotel and Conference Center, East Burke VT
Registration for the Conference will open January 15 for Early Bird Discount.
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VAWS will be voting on the Secretary, Treasurer, and a new member-at-large at this year's Winter Conference during the short business meeting. Reappointment of Member-At-Large for Ryan Gumbart adn Donovan ward will also take place. How to be nominated or nominate someone else: No later than 7 days before the Annual meeting (March 20, 2025), members may submit written nominations to the Board of Directors on behalf of themselves or other qualified candidates with the consent of the nominee, signed by at least 5 members of good standing, for upcoming vacancies.
Keynote Speaker: David Mears
Keynote Speaker: David Mears
David has served as a practicing attorney, public official, non-profit organization leader, and law professor. David is the former Executive Director of Audubon Vermont and has served as the Associate Dean of Environmental Programs at Vermont Law School. David has held several positions in state and federal government including serving as Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. He served in Texas state government, the U.S. Department of Justice-Environment and Natural Resources Division, and the Washington Office of the Attorney General-Ecology Division.
Working at the leading edge of environmental law in the administrative, judicial and legislative settings for over three decades, David has experience resolving issues involving water quality and watershed health, drinking water, hazardous waste management, contaminated site cleanup, air pollution, land use including brownfields redevelopment and renewable energy siting, and natural resources protection and management.
VAWS issues A Call for Presentations for the 2026 Winter Conference
VAWS issues A Call for Presentations for the 2026 Winter Conference
Theme: Understanding wetlands from diverse perspectives: VAWS is now inviting submission of abstracts for the 4th Annual Winter Conference, to be held March 19, 2026 at the Burke Mountain Hotel and Conference Center, East Burke VT .
FREE Attendance to the full day conference provided to all selected presenters.
We are currently accepting potential presentation topics for selection to provide a combination of engaging material that covers a variety of perspectives in the world of wetlands:
understanding wetlands from a traditional/cultural/historical use and values (black ash baskets, cedar farm posts),
understanding wetlands through policy,
understanding wetland in their natural ecosystem functions,
the importance of urban wetlands,
understanding the educational and recreational aspects of wetlands etc.
Bring your work and perspectives to the table!
Proposal submissions are due on January 15, 2026.
Submissions are invited from employees at the state, federal, and municipal level, as well as from the private sector, watershed and other related organizations, tribes and nations, and academia, student presentations are encouraged.
Submit a short abstract (1/2 page) which summarize the key aspects of the presentation and who will be presenting. Please provide enough information for the review committee to be able to evaluate amongst a potentially wide range of topics. Please indicate if your abstract is being submitted for a 20 or 45-minute presentation. We may choose to run presentations concurrently in breakout rooms. If you are proposing a panel discussion, please confirm with all potential participants their attendance at the conference prior to submission.
Please submit these candidate abstracts to president@vermontwetlandscience.org by January 15, 2026.
The review committee plans to have presentations selected and notifications sent to respondents by February 15, 2026.
For any specific questions, please email: secretary@vermontwetlandscience.org
March 19, 2026; VAWS Winter Conference
March 19, 2026; VAWS Winter Conference
Potential field trip March 21, 2024
Potential field trip March 21, 2024
Keynote Speaker address: 9:00 am.
A variety of speaker presentations, gratitude raffle, and networking opportunities.
Registration for the Conference will open January 15 for Early Bird Discount.
Consider becoming a Sponsor of the Winter Conference. Find details on on Sponsorship page
Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors, making the 2025 Winter Conference a huge success!
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