2023 Annual Chapter Meeting: The Leopold Center & Vennebu Hill, Baraboo, Wisconsin

The Fourteenth Annual Meeting was co-hosted at The Leopold Center in Baraboo Wisconsin between April 14 and 16, 2023. The theme of the meeting was the love of restoration and history and adaptation. The meeting connected to some of the early roots of ecological restoration in the U.S. and the formation of SER itself in the late 1980s at the UW-Madison Arboretum.

Speakers from 12 states and Canada attended the conference, featuring keynote speaker and noted Leopold biographer, Curt Meine with his talk, The Courage of Our Connections: Restoration in Times of Rapid Social and Environmental Change. The opening plenary session, A Confluence of People, Passion, and Place: The Past, Present, and Future of Ecological Restoration in Southern Wisconsin featured speakers from the Aldo Leopold Foundation, The Ho-Chunk Nation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

(Abstracts for all presentations and posters can be found at the 2023 Meeting Program.)

Two workshops, four field trips, and three symposia featured a variety of topics including climate change adaptation, prairie restoration, deer management and invasive species management. Additionally, the Aldo Leopold Foundation organized a guided field tour at the second oldest prairie restoration site in the US., the Aldo Leopold “shack” and the Leopold Pines Conservation Area. Other field trips were led to local restoration sites including the Baraboo River dam removals and the expansive former Badger Ammo Plant which is being partially restored to prairie via partnership of the Ho-Chunk nation, the Wisconsin DNR, the USDA-NRCS and local partners.


Annual Meeting 2023 Image Gallery



THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS MEETING HOST AND SPONSORS:

MEETING CO-HOST: The Aldo Leopold Foundation

RUE ANEMONE SPONSOREnvironmental Consulting & TechnologyUniversity of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering 

PRAIRIE TRILLIUM SPONSORSDavey Resource GroupGEI, KCI Technologies IncErnst Conservation Seeds

BLOODROOT SPONSORS: Ecological Design, Holden Forest & Gardens, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Land Restoration School, MycoBloom, Osage Inc., University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center


2022 Annual Chapter Meeting:  Cleveland Ohio

2021 Annual Chapter Meeting:  Virtual

2019 Annual Chapter Meeting: Central College Pella, Iowa

The Eleventh Annual Chapter Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration was held at Central College in Pella, Iowa from April 12 to April 14, 2019. The meeting theme was Cultivating Innovative Restoration Connections in the Midwest. Our primary meeting goal was to explore how to foster the development of innovative restoration connections ecologically, culturally, and professionally to enable the field of ecological restoration to meet future challenges. Download the Meeting Program: 2019 Meeting Program Download the abstract book: 2019 SERMWGL Abstract Book. The three day meeting included:

  • Keynote Presentation by Laura Jackson (University of Northern Iowa’s Tallgrass Prairie Center). Recruiting New Allies to Restore the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem.
  • Plenary Session on Pollinator Habitat Restoration at Multiple Spatial Scales. Sarah Foltz Jordan (Xerces Society), Seana Godbold (Iowa Department of Transportation), and Dana Kellogg (Linn County Conservation) will share their thoughts on pollinator habitat restoration in the Midwest at spatial scales ranging from regionally across the Midwestern United States to locally within Iowa.
  • Meeting Host Plenary Session on Small College – Big Project: The First Seven Years of the Prairies For Agriculture Project. Faculty, alumni, and students involved in Central College’s Prairies For Agriculture Project will give a “Posters in the Prairie” session describing results of research conducted during the first seven years of this long-term project. Topics to be discussed include mowing, droughts, bees, plant bullies, Monarch butterflies, and more.
  • Choice of one of four symposia: 1) Overcoming barriers to ecological restoration on farms for soil, water, and wildlife in the upper Midwest; 2) Incorporating fire research into land management and restoration work across the Midwest; 3) Innovative science communication to build connections in restorations; 4) Working lands: innovative framework to expand and improve ecological restoration in the Midwest
  • Choice of one of three workshops: 1) On-farm pollinator habitat restoration using organic site preparation methods; 2) Employing innovative quality assurance strategies in ecological restoration – a workshop on best practices in conducting quality control field checks during restoration monitoring; and 3) Introduction to  identification of bees found within the Midwest
  • 56 Contributed Oral and Poster Presentations: We currently have presenters from 12 states (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Virginia) and Canada who will share their experiences involving prairie, forest, savanna, stream, wetland, and lake restoration.  Presentation topics include invasive species control, use of prescribed fire, evaluating restoration techniques, overviews of restoration designs, and more,
  • Choice of two of four field trips: 1) Prairie and Savanna restoration at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge; 2) Restoration at the DeCook Bison Ranch; 3) 25 Years of Oak Savanna Restoration at the Snyder Heritage Farm; and 4) Marshall County Conservation Board Prairie STRIPS project site.
  • Social Events: Several social events are scheduled that include a student social on Thursday evening, a sponsorship reception on Friday, lunch on Friday and Saturday, breakfast on Saturday, and a no-host social on Saturday

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS MEETING HOST & SPONSORS

MEETING HOST: Central College, Pella, Iowa

RUE ANEMONE:  Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium  PRAIRIE TRILLIUM SPONSORS: Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc., Ernst Seeds, Prairie Restorations, Inc., Stantec, and The Nature Conservancy BLOODROOT SPONSORS: Allendan Seed Company, Blank Park Zoo, Iowa Native Plant Society, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, MycoBloom, University of Northern Iowa’s Tallgrass Prairie Center, Iowa Prairie Network, and Stanley Consultants  


2018 Annual Chapter Meeting: Stevens Point, Wisconsin

The Tenth Annual Chapter Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration was held at the Holiday Inn Stevens Point-Convention Center in Stevens Point, Wisconsin from April 20 – April 22, 2018. Thank you for joining us!

MWGL President Steve Glass at the annual business meeting

Meeting Program and Abstract Book Available! View the meeting program with details on the agenda for the meeting. View the abstract book with abstracts of all presentations.  

Photo courtesy UWSP College of Natural Resources

With a theme of Heeding the Call, the meeting explored how to promote the call to expand restoration efforts and partnerships beyond the typical site scale to larger spatial scales encompassing multiple ecosystem types. This year’s Chapter meeting was held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention and Water Action Volunteer Symposium. Keynote Presentation by Stephen Carpenter (University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology). “Past and Future Change in the Yahara Watershed: A Social-Ecological Experiment” Plenary Presentation by Tracy Hames (Wisconsin Wetlands Association). “Landscape-scale Wetland Restoration in Wisconsin: There’s More to It Than Just Good Science” Meeting Host Plenary Session on “Applied Learning Through Practice, Research and Reflection: Engaging University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources Students in Meaningful Ecological Restoration in Central Wisconsin”. Faculty and students

Photo courtesy UWSP College of Natural Resources

at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources shared results of their work restoring healthy ecosystems on campus lands and with the state of Wisconsin partners. Choice of One of Two Symposia: 1) River Floodplain and Wetland Restoration in the Midwest; 2) Advancing Like a Fire Through the Understory – Progress and Perspectives in Oak Savanna Restoration. Choice of One of Four Workshops: 1) Application of Quality Assurance and Quality Control Principles to the Planning of Ecological Restoration Data Collection Efforts; 2) Don’t Talk Like a Scientist; 3) Online Training Program Development for Ecological Restoration; 4) Who Me? A Modeler? Using Simple Modeling Tools to Explore the Costs and Benefits Management Scenarios. Choice of One of Three Field Trips or Three Volunteer Work Days: 1) Moses and Lost Creek Restoration Projects Field Trip; 2) Emmons Creek Savanna Restoration Field Trip; 3) Tomorrow River Fish Habitat Restoration Field Trip; 4) Schmeekle Reserve Restoration Project Work Day; 5) Green Circle Trail Invasive Species Management  Project Work Day; 6) Holiday Inn Pond and Riparian Restoration Project Work Day. 59 Contributed Oral and Poster Presentations: Presenters from ten states (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Maine, Kentucky, Virginia) and the District of Columbia will share their experiences involving prairie, forest, savanna, stream, wetland, and lake restoration. Presentation topics included invasive species control, use of prescribed fire, evaluating restoration techniques, overviews of restoration designs, and more! Continuing Education Credits:  The SER Midwest-Great Lakes 2018 Annual Chapter Meeting was pre-approved for Continuing Education Credits (CECs) from the following organizations:

  • Society for Ecological Restoration (SER): 6 CECs
  • International Society of Arboriculture (ISA): 6 CEUs
  • Society of American Foresters (SAF): 22.5 CFEs

We provided a meeting passport to track your attendance for professional development hours from other organizations.  Please email us (mwgl.ser@gmail.com) if you have questions about continuing education credit. Thank you to our sponsors! Cindy Crosby-Northwestern University Press, Ernst Seeds, Landscapes of Place, Partnership for River Restoration and Science in the Upper Midwest, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin Office of The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin Wetlands Association, Genesis Nursery, Stantec, Atwell, Environmental Consulting and Technology, Metro Consulting Associates, Applied Ecological Services, Cardno, Eco Logic LLC, Eco-Resource ConsultingGrand Valley State University, University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center.

 Details related to sponsorship levels and associated benefits can be found here.

Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium at UW-Stevens Point, with Bob Freckmann

Freckmann Herbarium      

 


2017 Annual Chapter Meeting: Grand Rapids, Michigan

GVSUThe Ninth Annual Chapter Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan from March 24 to March 26, 2017. This year’s meeting theme was Assembling the Restoration Community. A special feature this year’s conference was the attendance of Bethanie Walder, Executive Director of SER, the Society for Ecological Restoration.

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We are grateful for the generous support of our meeting hosts – the Department of Biology at Grand Valley State University and our sponsors – Atwell, Cardno, Davey Resource Group, Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc., Ernst Conservation Seeds, GEI Consultants Inc., Illinois Native Plant Society, Michigan Chapter –The Nature Conservancy, MycoBloom, Native Connections, Prairie Moon Nursery, Stantec, University of Michigan School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center, Wildtype LTD. 2017 Meeting Program (3.7M). 2017 Abstract Book (3.4M)Abstracts for all presentations and posters. Keynote Speaker – Our keynote speaker was Evan Weiher (University of Wisconsin-Eu Claire), “Community Assembly Theory May Help Inform Both Ecological Restoration and Assembling the Restoration Community”. Video excerpt  Opening Plenary SessionDesigning Ecological Restoration Projects for Promoting Public Engagement. Landscape architects from Environmental Consulting & Technology (Patrick Judd), University of Michigan (Robert Grese), University of Wisconsin-Madison (John Harrington), and the U.S. Forest Service (Paul Gobster) shared their perspectives on the importance of the design of ecological restoration projects for engaging the public and improving ecosystem integrity in the Midwestern United States.

Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve near Lowell, Michigan

Pricilla Nyami (far left) and Justin Heslinga (second from left) describe their cooperative research/land management project at Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve near Lowell, Michigan.

 Video excerpt  Meeting Host Plenary SessionRestoration Research, Teaching, and Community Outreach at Grand Valley State University. Presentations by Grand Valley State University faculty, past and present graduate students, and community partners provided an overview of the research, teaching, and community outreach related to ecological restoration at Grand Valley State University. Two Contributed Symposia1) Restoration Practices for Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and 2) Ecological Restoration on Farm Land. Two Workshops1) Preparing for Professional Success in Ecological Restoration and 2) DNA Barcoding: Employing DNA sequences to Aid in Plant Identification. Three Field Trips1) Coastal Wetlands and Dune Restoration Field Trip; 2) Ottawa County Park Dune and Riparian Restoration Field Trip; 3) West Michigan Oak Savannas: Protection, Restoration, and Research Field Trip. 61 Contributed Oral and Poster Presentations – Presenters from nine states (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska) and the District of Columbia shared their experiences involving prairie, forest, savanna, stream, wetland, and lake restoration. Presentation topics included invasive species control, use of fire, evaluating restoration techniques, overviews of restoration designs, and more.


2016 Annual Chapter Meeting: Indiana University, Bloomington

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Memorial Union, Indiana University

Memorial Union, Indiana University

Field Trip Site - Indiana DNR Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area

Field Trip Site – Indiana DNR Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area

The Eighth Annual Chapter Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration was held at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana from April 1 to April 3, 2016. This year’s meeting theme was Overcoming Challenges to Ecological Restoration in the 21st Century. We are grateful for the generous support of our meeting hosts, Eco Logic, Indiana University, and the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation.

Symposium (photo: Jen Lyndall)

Symposium (photo: Jen Lyndall)

Data Quality Workshop (photo: Jen Lyndall)

Data Quality Workshop (photo: Jen Lyndall)

Keynote Doug Ladd (photo: Oscar Stephens)

Keynote Doug Ladd (photo: Oscar Stephens)

Board Networking

Board Networking

2016 Meeting Program (3.1M pdf) 2016 Abstract Book (V1, 2.1M pdf) ARCHIVED HERE! Keynote SpeakerDouglas Ladd, Missouri Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy, with a talk entitled “Does Ecological Restoration Need a Rethink?”. Doug is well known through the United States as an accomplished conservation biologist and botanist. ARCHIVED HERE! Opening Plenary Sessionovercoming future challenges for ecological restoration. Included speakers from The Nature Conservancy (John Shuey, Ellen Jacquart), Michigan State University (Lars Brudvig), and The Restoration Ecology Lab (Steve Glass) with a diversity of perspectives on the challenges for ecological restoration and potential strategies for overcoming these challenges to ensure the success of future restoration efforts in the Midwestern United States.

Opening Plenary

Opening Plenary


Poster Session

Poster Session

Special Joint Plenary Session and TourCampus-Community Partnerships for Restoration, Research and Education. Presentations by Indiana University scientists and restoration practitioners on the challenges and successes of campus restoration projects and associated research, teaching and outreach activities. Followed by tours highlighting forest and wetland restoration efforts on campus and on the Indiana University Research & Teaching Preserve. Three Contributed Symposia: 1) Soil Microbes in Ecological Restoration; 2) Restoration in Rights-of-Way – a Discussion About Improving Habitat and Creating connectivity in 21st Century Landscapes; and 3) Restoration and Management in Ravines and Steep Forestland. Two Workshops: 1) Sedge (Carex spp) Identification and 2) Employing Effective Quality Assurance Strategies in the 21st Century – A Workshop on Best Practices in Conducting Data Quality Control Checks in Ecorestoration Projects. Two Field Trips: 1) Large Scale Shallow Wetland and Native Grass Prairie Restoration and 2) Increasing Ecological Resilience in Southern Indiana Forests. 63 Contributed Oral and Poster Presentations from nine states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky) and Bogota, Columbia. Presentation topics included invasive species control, use of fire, evaluating restoration techniques, overviews of restoration designs, and more! We gratefully acknowledge our meeting sponsors! Thank you! Atwell, Cardno, D2 Land and Water Resources, Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc., Forest Service Northern Research Station, Genesis Nursery Inc., Green 3 Studio, Green Shoots, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Illinois Native Plant Society, Indiana Office of The Nature Conservancy, Island Press, KCI Technologies, Metro Consulting Associates, 2016 North American Prairie Conference, Stantec, UIS Therkildsen Field Station, University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center, Williams Creek Consulting Woolpert


2015 Annual Chapter Meeting: Chicago Botanic Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden Northwestern University
Lincoln Park, North Pond, Winter and Summer (photos courtesy Lauren Umek)

Lincoln Park, North Pond, Summer and Winter (photos courtesy Lauren Umek)

Our Midwest-Great Lakes SER Seventh Annual Chapter Meeting, Cultivating Ecological Restoration within Human Dominated Landscapes, was held at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois from March 27 to March 29, 2015.

Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session (photos N. Aten)

2015 Meeting Program (2M pdf) 2015 Abstract Book (pdf) (Draft, 06 Mar 2015) Registration Information (pdf) Keynote: The keynote speaker for the 2015 Midwest-Great Lakes SER Chapter Meeting was Dr. Suzanne Malec-McKenna, with a presentation entitled “Quality of Life Through the Lens of Natural Resources”Dr. Malec-McKenna is the Executive Director of Chicago Wilderness, a regional alliance consisting of over 300 organizations working together to restore nature and improve the quality of life for all living things by protecting the lands and waters on which we all depend. Dr. Malec-McKenna is responsible for aligning the strategies and actions of the Chicago Wilderness Alliance to advance its conservation mission, overseeing its operations, and working to sustain the alliance.

Tour of Dixon Prairie at Chicago Botanic Garden

Tour of Dixon Prairie at Chicago Botanic Garden

Friday Opening Plenary Session: “Urban Restoration at Multiple Spatial Scales”, highlighted the importance of considering multiple spatial scales as part of urban restoration efforts. Our Opening Plenary Session featured presentations by Jim Anderson (Lake County Forest Preserve District),  Bill Glass (U.S. Forest Service ), Jack Pizzo (The Pizzo Group), and Lynne Westphal (U.S. Forest Service ).

Tour of Plant Science Center with Lauren

Tour of Plant Science Center with Lauren

Saturday Joint Plenary Session and Tour: “An Emerging Role for Botanic Gardens in Ecological Restoration and Conservation”. Presentations by the scientists from the Chicago Botanic Garden provided an overview of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s restoration and conservation programs. This session was followed by a walking tour of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s shoreline and prairie restoration projects and a tour of the Plant Science Center.

Sunday at Somme Oak Savanna with Steve Packard (left), Laurel Ross (red gloves) and Lisa Culp (who also brought us delicious homemade cookies to top off the hike!).

Sunday at Somme Oak Savanna with Steve Packard (left), Laurel Ross (red gloves) and Lisa Culp (who also brought us delicious homemade cookies to top off the hike!).

Sunday Field Trips: Four offsite field trips were held on Sunday March 29, 2015. (1) Restoration of High Profile Urban Ecosystems; (2) Prairie, Savanna and Oak Restoration in Somme Forest Preserves; (3) Oak Savanna and Ravine Restorations; or (4) The Glen and the Grove. Sponsorship: We are grateful for the generous support of our meeting hosts, the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Plant Biology and Conservation Program at Northwestern University. And – we are grateful for the generous support of our meeting sponsors. Sharp-Lobed Hepatica Sponsors: ENVIRON and Genesis Nursery. Rue Anemone Sponsors: Stantec and University of Illinois-Springfield Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon. Prairie Trillium Sponsors: Agrecol, Applied Ecological Services, The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago Park District, EnviroScience, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Landscapes of Place, Metro Consulting Associates, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Partnership for River Restoration and Science in the Upper Midwest, Prairie Moon Nursery, Purdue University Calumet Department of Biological Sciences, Tallgrass Prairie & Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium, The Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and V3 Companies. Bloodroot Sponsors: Bollinger Environmental Inc., David Borneman LLC, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc., Island Press, Parklands Foundation, Tallgrass Restoration, University of Illinois-Springfield Biology Department, and University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center.


2014 Annual Chapter Meeting: University of Minnesota

Restored Wetland, Minnesota

Restored Wetland, Minnesota (photo courtesy Chris Lenhart)

  Our Midwest-Great Lakes SER Sixth Annual Chapter Meeting, Building on the Midwest Legacy of Restoration: Linking Theory and Practice, was held at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota, Friday March 28 – Sunday March 30, 2014. 2014 Meeting Program (2.3M pdf) 2014 Abstract Book (0.8M pdf) Registration Information (pdf) Lodging Options (pdf)

University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering

University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering (photos courtesy Joe Magner and Chris Lenhart)

Keynote: Dr. Susan Galatowitsch, Hit-and-Run Restoration (see abstract). Dr. Galatowitsch is a Professor and Department Head of the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota. Her research has focused on advancing ecological restoration practice through the use of landscape-scale studies and controlled field experiments to understand processes of natural recolonization and to develop revegetation and invasive species control strategies. Additionally, much of her work has focused on research in the prairie pothole wetlands within the agricultural landscapes of the Midwestern United States. Opening Plenary Session: Highlighting the importance of linking theory and practice in ecological restoration, this session presented both academic and practitioner perspectives, from Steven Apfelbaum (Applied Ecological Services, Inc.), Daniel Larkin (Chicago Botanic Garden), Dan Shaw (Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources), and Evan Weiher (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire).

Stream restoration

Stream Restoration (photo courtesy Chris Lenhart)

Treatment Wetland

Treatment Wetland (photo courtesy Chris Lenhart)

Joint Plenary Session and Tour: Restoration Scaled-Up: Ambitious solutions to complex challenges in Minnesota (and beyond). Presentations from Meredith Cornett (The Nature Conservancy), Joe Magner (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency & University of Minnesota), and Jeff Lee (Barr Engineering) highlighted large-scale, ambitious restoration projects and cutting-edge research designed to address the challenges of climate change, habitat fragmentation, multiple stressors, and water quality in agricultural and urban watersheds. The session concluded with a walking tour of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. Field Trips: Ron Bowen and John Bowen, Native Plant Community Restoration and Materials Production at the Prairie Restorations Inc. facilities in Princeton, Minnesota. John Moriarty, Forty Years of Restoring a Minnesota Landscape at the Crow-Hassen Park Reserve in Rogers, Minnesota. Kevin Biehn, Stream Restorations in Urban Environments with trips to multiple stream restoration sites in the Twin Cities metro area.

Diversity in Small Parcels, artist Heather Buechler

Diversity in Small Parcels, artist Heather Buechler

SER Print Exhibit: For the SER 2013 Meeting, Madison artist Yvette Pino paired fine art printmakers with SER members and founders to create prints based on the stories the SER members tell about their work, their mentors, and their history with ecological restoration. A dozen artists and their paired SER members from around the world engaged in conversations during the summer of 2013 that inspired a visual representation of the SER member’s story. This exhibit was on display during the Meeting. See the Call for Abstracts (pdf). See the Call for Workshops and Symposia (pdf). We are grateful for the support of our generous meeting hosts – the University of Minnesota’s Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering and the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. We are also grateful to the support from our generous meeting sponsors, Barr Engineering, Critical Connections Ecological Services Inc., Emmons & Olivier Resources Inc., Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc., Eco Logic, Genesis Nursery, Green Shoots, Island Press, Landscapes of Place LLC, MAD Scientist & Associates LLC, Metro Consulting Associates, Minnesota Native Landscapes, Minnesota Native Plant Society, Monarch Joint Venture, Natural Shore Technologies, Partnership for River Restoration and Science in the Upper Midwest, Prairie Moon Nursery, Prairie Restorations Inc., Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota Chapters of The Nature Conservancy, and University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center. See 2014 Annual Meeting sponsorship opportunity information.


2013 SER World Conference: Madison, Wisconsin

Photo: David H. Thompson. SER 2013 Poster Session

SER 2013 Poster Session (Photo: David H. Thompson)

Zoy Zedler and Steve Glass at SER 2013 (Photo: David H. Thompson)

Zoy Zedler and Steve Glass at SER 2013 (Photo: David H. Thompson)

We helped organize the recent SER World Conference on Ecological Restoration in Madison, Wisconsin, October 2013. A wonderful week of sharing research and practice, engaging with colleagues, and being inspired.

2013 Annual Chapter Meeting: Ohio State University, Wooster

Friday's opening plenary session panel (photo courtesy N. Aten)

Friday’s opening plenary session panel (photo N. Aten)

Friday evening’s poster session (photo N. Aten)

Our Midwest-Great Lakes SER Fifth Annual Chapter Meeting was held in Wooster, Ohio, April 12-14, 2013. The theme: Ecological Restoration and Sustainability – Partners for the Future. Our primary goal: to explore how the field of ecological restoration can assist other disciplines with achieving their sustainability goals and how other disciplines can contribute to ecological restoration. 2013 Meeting Program (2M), updated 09 April 2013 2013 Abstract Book (3.4M), updated 10 January 2014 Registration Information (pdf) We are grateful for the generous support of this year’s meeting hosts – the Ohio State University’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and the School of Environment and Natural Resources.

Friday evening poster session (photo N. Aten)

Paul Rothrock, dune/swale preserves (photo N. Aten)

Jason Brownknight, leveraging funding and volunteers (photo N. Aten)

Annual Meeting chair Rocky Smiley, right (photo N. Aten)

Thank you to the members of the 2013 Annual Meeting Committee for their efforts in organizing our upcoming Chapter Meeting: Roger Anderson, David Benson, Hua Chen, Young Choi, Charles Goebel, Jennifer Lyndall, Pamela Rice, Rocky Smiley, Donald Tilton. And thank you to our generous sponsors: Genesis Nursery, Ernst Conservation Seeds, The Nature Conservancy, Davey Resource Group, ENVIRON, Prairie Restorations, Inc., Stantec, Biohabitats Cardno JFNew Eco Logic LLC, EnviroScience, Reforestation Solutions, Inc., The Wilds, Island Press, MAD Scientist & Associates LLC, Spence Restoration Nursery


2012 Annual Chapter Meeting – University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Robert Grese, John Hartig, Lisa Brush, Lisa Williams, opening plenary session of the 2012 Annual Meeting (Photo: Dave Brenner, University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and the Environment, SNRE)

The 4th Annual Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes SER Chapter was hosted by University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum on May 4 to 6, 2012. One-hundred and thirty-eight persons from 9 states (MI, IL, WI, IN, OH, MN, MD, PA, and UT) attended the meeting, which had a plenary session, a keynote presentation, two symposia, two workshops, 21 contributed poster presentations, and 36 contributed oral presentations related to the role of ecological restoration in connecting nature and culture in human-dominated environments. A meeting highlight was a joint plenary session and field trip focusing on the conservation and restoration of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake. Meeting attendees also had the opportunity to participate in three offsite field trips to local restoration sites in Michigan. 2012 Meeting Program (3.1M) 2012 Abstract Book (2.9M), updated 20 Dec 2013 We are grateful for the support provided by our gracious meeting host and 13 meeting sponsors, Genesis Nursery, Grand Valley State University, Stantec, Environmental Consulting and Technology, ENVIRON, Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Prairie Restorations, Applied Ecological Services, Island Press, King and MacGregor Environmental, Cardno JFNew, Davey Resource Group, Streamside Ecological Services. We announced the results of our chapter elections at the Annual Meeting. Congratulations to Roger Anderson (President), Troy Anderson (Secretary), Cody Fleece (Ohio Representative), Xiaoyong Chen (Illinois Representative), Nancy Aten (Wisconsin Representative), Todd Aschenbauch (At-Large Representative), and Rocky Smiley (At-Large Representative). Additionally, two outgoing board members (Steve Thomforde and Geoff Morris) were recognized at the meeting for their dedication and service to the Chapter. Our out-going President Rocky Smiley was the co-chair of the Chapter Organizing Committee and its first President. He was the 2011 recipient of the SER’s John Rieger Award for his contributions towards establishing the Midwest-Great Lakes SER Chapter. Rocky continues his energetic and dedicated support of the Chapter. Roger C. Anderson and Rocky Smiley 24 June 2012

Jennifer Tank speaking about dead wood management for ecological restoration at the 2012 Annual Meeting (Photo: Dave Brenner, University of Michigan SNRE)

(Photo: Lauren Umek)


2011 Annual Chapter Meeting – University of Illinois Springfield

2011 Poster Session

2011 Emiquon Restoration project tour

The Third Annual Chapter Meeting was held April 1 to April 3, 2011 at the University of Illinois Springfield. 2011 Meeting Program (2M) 2011 Abstract Book (3.7M), updated 20 Nov 2013 Floodplain Restoration Plenary Session video. Dr. Anderson’s Keynote Presentation Part One video and Part Two video. For a more detailed summary of the meeting see the ninth issue of Restoration News Midwest.  


2010 Annual Chapter Meeting – University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum

Dr. Zedler, 2010 keynote address

2010 UW Arboretum tour, Gallistel Woods

The Second Annual Chapter Meeting was held April 9 and 10, 2010 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum. 2010 Meeting Program (1.8M) 2010 Abstract Book (1.8M) Following the Annual Meeting Dr. Zedler compiled the ideas and information presented in her keynote presentation within a University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum Leaflet. For a more detailed summary of the meeting see the sixth issue of Restoration News Midwest.


2009 Annual Chapter Meeting – Marian College

Dinner at the 2009 Annual Meeting

2009 EcoLab tour

The First Annual Chapter Meeting was held April 24 to April 25, 2009 at Marian College in Indianapolis, Indiana. 2009 Abstract Book (1.6M) Minutes of the second chapter business meeting of the year, April 25, 2009. For a more detailed summary of the meeting see the third issue of Restoration News Midwest.