NWRC Weekly Highlights 03/24/2008

Weekly Highlights

From: Susan Horton
Subject: Weekly Highlights, USGS National Wetlands Research Center, March 24, 2008

USGS Scientist Organizes Global Change Ecology Section for SWS: Beth Middleton, a research ecologist at the National Wetlands Research Center, organized a new section for the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) on global change ecology. This section will foster the international exchange of ideas regarding the potential impacts of climate change on wetlands through symposia organized at the annual meetings of the Society of Wetland Scientists, the dissemination of research findings on global change ecology, and educational outreach to students. The first Global Change Ecology Section meeting will be held during the SWS annual conference in Washington, DC on May 27. (Beth Middleton, Lafayette, LA; middletonb@usgs.gov)

USGS Provides Land Area Change Maps to Louisiana Legislature: USGS geographer John Barras recently provided maps depicting land area change in coastal Louisiana after the 2005 hurricanes to the Louisiana House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources and Environment. (John Barras, Baton Rouge, 225-578-7486)

USGS Scientists Brief DOI Assistant Secretary on Gulf Coast Restoration and Hurricane Response: On March 17- 18, USGS scientists hosted a briefing and tour in New Orleans, LA, for the Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals, Steve Allred and his Deputy, Foster Wade. Greg Smith, director of the USGS National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC), gave perspectives on science, society and storms and Greg Steyer, ecologist at NWRC, discussed coastal restoration and hurricane protection. Other USGS scientists who participated in the briefing were Charlie Demas, Dawn Lavoie, Abby Sallenger, Jim Stefanov, Chris Swarzenski, and Jess Weaver. On March 18, USGS geographer John Barras (NWRC) gave a tour of several coastal restoration sites for the group. (Greg Smith, Lafayette, LA, 337-266-8501)

USGS scientist Tom Doyle was interviewed March 24 about the interpretation and implications of climate change analysis and sea-level rise projections on Gulf Coast wetlands and the transportation sector for a story in Science Magazine.