Wetlands and the Evaluation of Ecosystem Services in a Watershed Context
Hilton Salt Lake City Airport
5151 Wiley Post Way
Salt Lake City , UT 84116-2891
September 26–27, 2007
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PURPOSE: Our workshop brings together Utah State agency staff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional staff, EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) scientists, and their partners in science. We will explore how science can be applied to help protect and restore wetlands and the valued ecosystem services that they provide to communities. We will review our understanding about the environmental significance of these systems, their functional attributes, and the factors that place them at risk. Together, we will then explore the management and science programs that currently are being implemented to help sustain and restore the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake. Special emphasis will be placed on the consideration of market-based approaches for attaining environmental goals. OUTCOMES: During a post-workshop special session, we will review the scope of a new EPA-funded research study entitled, "Evaluating the technical feasibility of integrating wetlands into a water quality trading program for the Great Salt Lake: An alternative futures approach." The research project is part of a new interagency coordination effort called the Great Salt Lake Wetland Goals Project. The Wetland Goals Project is linked to Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative and the Great Salt Lake Water Quality Steering Committee. The desired outcomes of the workshop are: (1) an inventory of science needs for the evaluation of wetland ecosystem services; (2) a general plan for research to support regional and state program needs; and (3) the development of an informal technical advisory committee for the "Great Salt Lake Wetland Alternative Futures Project." We will identify specific research studies and products that can help practitioners make better informed decisions on wetland policy and individual projects. Also, lessons learned at the workshop will help EPA better plan and implement its Ecosystem Research Program. BACKGROUND: EPA's Regional Science Topic Workshop series is sponsored by the ORD's Office of Science Policy (OSP). One of the objectives of a Regional Science Topic Workshop is to establish better cross-agency understanding of the science, applicable to a specific region and human health and/or ecological topic. Another objective is to develop a network of EPA scientists who will continue to exchange information on these science topics as the Agency moves forward in planning research. This workshop is being held in Salt Lake City to highlight the unique and valuable wetlands of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The location also enables greater participation and attendance by our Utah partners in science. More information on EPA’s Regional Science Topic Workshops can be found at http://www.epa.gov/osp/regions/workshops.htm. Meeting Contacts:Jill Minterminter.jill@epa.gov Joseph Schubauer-Berigan schubauer-berigan.joseph@epa.gov Richard Sumner sumner.richard@epa.gov Patti Tyler tyler.patti@epa.gov Registration Contact:Cerena Cantrelluser@scgcorp.com |
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