Wisconsin Wetland Association’s work was showcased on the national stage! On September 30th, WWA’s Kyle Magyera joined the Association of State Floodplain Managers and Association of State Wetland Managers in Washington D.C. for the Integrated Floodplain and Wetland Mapping Workshop, sharing with workshop attendees how WWA builds partnerships to promote wetlands as solutions.
Kyle shared how WWA works with an array of partners across disciplines to provide the guidance, tools, and understanding that communities need to apply wetlands as solutions the water issues they face. In Ashland County, we’re working with an ever-growing array of partners to evaluate opportunities for wetland and stream restoration that can help reduce local flooding.
At the recent workshop, Kyle shared how our approach to fostering partnerships can serve as a model for other states and communities looking for cost-efficient and nature-based solutions to their own water management issues. With the help of our partners at Saint Mary’s University’s Geospatial Services, Kyle also shared how we’re mapping and collecting data with on-the-ground conditions in mind to help local officials diagnose the underlying drivers of flood risks and identify where wetlands can be restored to solve their community’s unique infrastructure challenges.
This national workshop is just one example of the outreach work that WWA is doing to encourage communities to see wetlands as solutions to their water management issues. Kyle will also be joining the Environmental Law Institute’s Wetlands and Hazard Planning Advisory Committee later this year to share how WWA approaches wetland restoration with flood reduction in mind. And after a wet summer with flooding across the state, legislators and the media are taking notice of the power of wetlands.
Photo by Marla Stelk.
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