Connecticut Association of Conservation & Inland Wetlands Commissions "Celebrating Five Decades Saturday November 12, 2011
Key Note Speaker Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) DEEP Commissioner Esty will be the keynote speaker at CACIWC's 34th Annual Meeting and Environmental Conference on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at MountainRidge in Wallingford. He will help us celebrate the 50th anniversary of the law establishing conservation commissions in Connecticut and the following decades of habitat protection efforts made by conservation and inland wetlands commissioners and their staff. Almost ten years before the original Earth Day, a small coalition of local conservation groups and clubs lead by Hartford Times editor Ward E. Duffy, convinced members of the 1961 Connecticut General Assembly to introduce House Bill No. 3470, which was passed as Public Act No. 310. By this act, Connecticut municipalities were first authorized to form conservation commissions. Subsequent legislative sessions clarified and added to their duties and responsibilities and eventually led to the added responsibility of regulating inland wetlands and the formation of local wetlands agencies. Commissioner Esty will discuss the progress that has been made in both preserving critical habitats and improving environmental quality throughout Connecticut during the fifty years since the passage of the 1961 Public Act. He will emphasize the value of dedicated local conservation and wetlands commissioners and staff in continuing their local habitat preservation efforts in partnership with the DEEP and other agencies. Work Shops In response to your requests, a broad selection of workshops is offered for new as well as experienced commissioners in these four areas:
Session 1 *Advanced workshops A1. "Invasive Species: Diatoms: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!" Because diatoms are microscopic, many people do not know about their ecology or importance. Diatoms convert light, water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates during photosynthesis. They are the base of the food chain in many aquatic habitats and make up 40% of earth's primary productivity in regards to C02 fixation. They are of global ecological significance in the carbon and silicon cycles. They are essential for the cycling of nutrients in surface waters and other water bodies. As important as diatoms are, they can be problematic as well. One species, Pseudo nitzschia, is found in marine waters is toxic. A second species found in rivers and streams, Didymosphenia geminata, can be a serious nuisance ecologically and economically. The presentation will focus on the ecology and control of this nuisance diatom, Didymosphenia geminata fondly called "rock snot."
*B1. "Emergency Authorization Procedures for Wetlands Agencies" The wetlands act sets out very specific procedure to be followed for applications for regulated activities. But the law is silent when emergencies occur. Has your agency faced immediate septic system failures, road or bridge repair work that can't wait for the agency to receive an application and wait another month for action? This workshop will focus on practical solutions. Attorney Brooks will offer the various approaches employed by a number of agencies. Come add to the discussion your agency's problems and ways of resolving them.
*C1. "The Importance of Maintaining Your BMP" The use of Best Management Practices (BMP) is considered an essential component of the design and maintenance of systems designed to treat stormwater run-off before it is discharged to the wetlands, brooks, and rivers of our state. The 2004 Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, developed by the Connecticut DEEP, has been considered an important guide for designing effective stormwater systems. Of equal importance is the guidance it provides on maintaining more than 25 various types of BMP. This presentation will review important methods and procedures to be considered for correctly designing and maintaining various BMP systems in Connecticut.
D1. "Low Impact Development in Planning & Permitting" Low Impact Development (LID)-style best management practices (BMP), such as vegetative filter strips, pocket sand filters, and infiltration systems, have been available for the control of stormwater for several decades. However the LID approach to site design is a relatively recent development and represents a significant change in site planning and stormwater management philosophy. LID emphasizes working within the constraints of landscapes to prevent stormwater generation, while traditional stormwater management emphasizes shunting away stormwater and treating it to the extent practicable. This workshop will review current guidance as an appendix for both the DEEP Erosion and Sediment Control guidelines and the Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual
Session 2 *Advanced workshops *A2. "Land Trust & Conservation Commission Collaboration: Partnerships for Land Preservation & Stewardship" The preservation and stewardship of open space is a challenging task, particularly in this economic climate. In Connecticut, while land trusts and conservation commissions work independently to carry out this responsibility, most accomplishments in conservation are a result of building ongoing, positive relationships amongst landowners, land trusts, governmental entities, and our elected officials. In this workshop we will discuss the importance of collaboration; explore different opportunities for collaboration; evaluate ways to overcome potential roadblocks; hear collaboration success stories; and provide attendees with ample opportunity for questions and discussion.
*B2. "Wetlands Law Update and Q&A for 2011" This trio of wetlands attorneys has been brought back by popular demand to keep you current with the latest state Supreme Court and Appellate Court cases and legislative amendments to the wetlands act. You'll hear about the August decision of the Supreme Court on whether farm roads are exempt, as well as be brought up to date on the new exemption to the wetlands act and the automatic extended permit length for certain wetlands permits. This work shop will also include a 30-min question-and-answer session that you have asked that we bring back again each year!
*C2. "BMP & Low Impact Development Techniques: What's Working (or Not Working) in Connecticut and What the Current Research is Showing" This workshop will begin with a very brief introduction to Low Impact Development in general. Then detailed information will be provided on bioretention, green roofs, and pervious pavements. Recent installations of these practices in CT will be discussed, along with advantages/disadvantages of different types of practices. Research results from sites in CT and other parts of the country will also be presented.
*D2. "Low Impact Development, A More Sustainable Approach to Creating Workplaces and Homes" Low-impact development (LID) is an alternative approach to site planning, design and building that minimizes impacts to the land landscape and preserves the natural hydrologic cycle. LID is accomplished as a step process using both better site planning; and incorporation of best management practices (BMP). This approach results in reduced impervious surfaces, smaller lawns and more natural landscaping. Therefore it is commonly less costly to construct, lower maintenance and more attractive, adding to real estate values. Natural features, such as vegetated buffers and view sheds, will also play an integral role in any LID planning exercise. Other LID design techniques include green roofs, rain barrels, rain gardens, grassed swales, stormwater infiltration systems, and alternative landscaping. This workshop will emphasize how, through the use of these techniques, natural drainage pathways are conserved, open space is preserved, and the overall impact from development is significantly reduced.
Session 3 *Advanced workshops A3. "Stalking Foxes and Wandering Cats: Current Trends among Connecticut Mammalian Predator Populations" Connecticut's diverse mammalian predators range in size from the diminutive Least and Short-tailed Shrews and the many species of bats through the little known Short- and Long-tailed Weasels up to our increasingly seen Black Bear. While all these animals command interest, it is frequently the wild members of the cat (Felidae) and dog (Canidae) families that we find so captivating. This workshop will describe the differences between Gray and Red Fox species and review the latest information on our elusive population of Bobcat. Current theories on the evolution of the Eastern Coyote population will be presented, along with the amazing story of how a mountain lion from South Dakota found his way to Connecticut! This workshop will also provide information to assist municipal commissions and staff in responding to public inquiries and offer suggestions on supporting state and regional efforts to track and study these fascinating species.
*B3. "Development of Low Impact Development Regulations with Your Local P&Z" This workshop will discuss how municipal wetlands agencies can enhance their ability to minimize the environmental impact made by new development in their towns through the adoption of low impact development (LID) regulations in conjunction with their town's planning & zoning commissions. Other joint wetlands, conservation, and P&Z commission efforts to promote the long-term protection of important habitats within their town will also be discussed.
*C3. "Sustainable Site Design" The mission of landscape architecture has always been to balance the human experience with the health of our natural systems. Landscape architects have been designing sustainable sites for over one hundred years. This panel will explore sustainable site design concepts which inform stormwater management, urban forestry and others areas, and will explore the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Sustainable Sites Initiative, a new system of standards to guide builders to reduce impacts on the landscape component of their developments. This panel will use modern examples to explore how sustainable design is applicable to site and regional planning programs. The principals of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) process will be explored using case studies; stormwater management techniques that not only control runoff but create preferred landscapes benefiting the community. The challenges of urban forestry and the benefits of native plants will be explored.
*D3. "Sustainability in Town Planning: Long-term vs. Short- term thinking" What constitutes a "sustainable community?" What is sustainability? The factors that go into a sustainable community and examples of these factors will be discussed in this workshop and Q/A session. If municipal staff and commissioners began to use a definition of sustainability as meeting our needs while allowing the opportunity for future generations to meet theirs, could this alter the endless cycle of expanding growth and diminishing open space? What are the environmental and economic factors involved? What would sustainability mean for our parks, forests, farms, wetlands, town centers, jobs, and budgets? Join the discussion and consider a new approach for Connecticut cities and towns.
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Conference Information
Conference forms are available in Adober Reader. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader. Download here Schedule for the Day Registration & Breakfast Welcome & Business Mtg. Session 1 Workshops Break 1 Session 2 Workshops Lunch & Keynote speaker Awards Break 2 Session 3 Workshops Final display viewing
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