December 8 Brown Bag Lunch

“Developing Wetland Impact Assessment Guidelines and Best Management Practices”

Presenter

  • Rob Simieritsch, Senior Water Administration Technologist, Alberta Environment

Date

  • Wednesday, December 8nd, 2010, 12:00 pm â?? 1:00 pm

Location

  • AENV Officeâ??Large Boardroom, 3rd Floor-2938 11 St. NE, Calgary
  • AND via Webinar

Presenter Bio

Rob has been working for Alberta Environment for 8 years in Water Approvals specifically focusing on activities within rivers, creeks, wetlands etc. He is a Professional Biologist and has been a member of the ASPB since 2006. Rob has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Environmental Science with a minor in Biology from the University of Calgary and a Watershed Management Certificate from the University of British Columbia. Outside of work Rob is an avid outdoorsman spending time backpacking, canoeing, climbing, and cross-country skiing with his family and friends.  

Description

Currently, when any wetland is impacted through development of any type (including industrial, rural and agricultural), a wetland impact assessment is required. This assessment includes identification of impacts, recommendations to minimize/negate impacts and monitoring.

In a revolutionary new concept, Alberta Environment is working with Alberta Society of Professional Biologists to develop provincial wetland impact assessment guidelines and best management.

Rob will provide an overview of the requirements for wetland impact assessments and initiate discussion on how to appropriately identify impacts, mitigation measures, and monitoring requirements. As well, Rob will touch on other potential topics for these guidelines, such as sign-off requirements and setbacks. During Robâ??s presentation, he will be engaging the audience to discuss their ideas on impact identification, mitigation measures and monitoring requirements in the hopes of developing a robust set of guidelines and best management practices that the practitioners understand and therefore implement appropriately.

Following Robâ??s presentation, there will be a Discussion Forum started to continue the discussion. Rob hopes to have draft guidelines available at the ASPB annual general meeting (April 2011) and have ASPB members field test these in spring-fall 2011 and provide feedback. Rob will then incorporate the feedback and finalize the guidelines for endorsement by AENV and other appropriate organizations.

Robâ??s presentation will NOT cover wetland classification, new wetland policy, Land Stewardship Act, wetland ecology, inventorying, or functional assessment.

Registration Information

If you have any questions please contact Laurie Hamilton at laurie@zanshinenvironmental.com.