2026 CAWS ANNUAL MEETING
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
8:30 AM
Aqua Turf Club
556 Mulberry St, Southington, CT 06479
AGENDA 
Time Session
8:30 – 8:45 Welcome / Opening Remarks
8:45 – 9:15 Presentation 1 — Evan Zocco (University of Connecticut)
Automated Mapping of Beaver-Influenced Wetlands
9:15 – 10:15 Presentation 2 — Susan Jacobson & Darcy Winther (Connecticut DEEP) / Charlotte R. Skolnick & Paul M. Silva (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
2026 Nationwide Permits and 401 Water Quality Certification
10:15 – 10:45 BREAK — Visit our Exhibitors and Networking!
10:45 – 11:15 Presentation 3 — Mary Mushinsky (State Representative)
Vegetated Riparian Buffers Working Group Updates
11:15 – 11:30 Presentation 4 — Anthony Zemba (LandTech)
Connecticut Wetland In-Lieu-Fee (ILF) 2026 Grant Program Updates
11:30 – 12:00 Presentation 5 — 2025 CAWS Michael Lefor & Les Mehrhoff Grant Recipient Reports
11:30 – 11:45 Carly Shaw (University of Connecticut) — The Effects of Sediment Addition Depth on Denitrification in Coastal CT Salt Marshes
11:45 – 12:00 Maria Grace (Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy) — Restoration of Indian Paintbrush at NCLC's Wimisink Wildlife Sanctuary
12:00 Announcement of 2026 Grant Winners
12:00 – 1:00 LUNCH — Visit our Exhibitors and Networking

12:30 – 1:00 — CAWS Annual Business Meeting
1:00 – 3:00 Presentation 6 — Panel Discussion: The Life Cycle of a Project — Challenges and Solutions
1:00 – 1:10 Site Assessment — Brian Connolly (Eastern Connecticut State University): Rare Species and eDNA Analysis
1:10 – 1:20 Design — Bill Kenny (William Kenny Associates, LLC): Higganum Cove Superfund Site & Ecological Restoration
1:20 – 1:30 Permitting — Matt Arsenault (Stantec): Dealing with Rare Species: Tips and Strategies for a Successful NDDB Determination
1:30 – 2:00 Discussion / Q&A
2:00 – 2:10 Construction — Patti Burns (Davey): Installation of 1,300 trees and Erosion Control Following Remediation
2:10 – 2:20 Maintenance — Colin Bennett (Swamp Yankee Earthcare): Mechanical (Chemical Free) Management of Invasive Plants
2:20 – 2:30 Restoration — Peter Picone (CT DEEP): Creating Native Meadows Using Native Plants
2:30 – 3:00 Discussion / Q&A
3:00 – 3:30 BREAK — Visit our Exhibitors and Networking
3:30 – 4:00 Presentation 7 — Summer Weidman (CT Agricultural Experiment Station)
Detecting Northern Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata subsp. lithuanica) in the Connecticut River with Satellite Imagery
4:00 – 4:30 Presentation 8 — Heidi Cunnick (Lake Task Force)
A Citizen Scientist Program for Monitoring Kettle Lakes and Ponds
4:30 – 4:45 Final Remarks, survey, and Close

2026 Annual Meeting Planning Group

  • President: Shawn Callaghan (IMEG)
  • Vice President: Alexander Wojtkowiak (Stantec)
  • Membership Chair: Brian Woods (First Light Energy)
  • Secretary: Anthony Zemba (LandTech)
  • Treasurer: Joshua Weiss (Stantec)
  • Website Manager: Joshua Wilson (Biohabitats)
  • Education Chair: Kyle Turoczi (Earth Tones)
  • Mathew Regan (Tighe and Bond)
  • Marketing & Communication Manager: Jeff Mills (J.M. Communications)

Questions?

Contact Jeff Mills at (860) 454-8922
Email: info@ctwetlands.org

SPONSORS
2026 Gold Sponsors

​2026 Silver Sponsors

​2026 Supporters

​2026 Exhibitors​
Connecticut Association of Conservation Districts
Connecticut Botanical Society
Connecticut Resource Conservation ​and Development Area
Davey Resource Group, Inc.
​Earth Tones LLC
Ferguson Geo and Stormwater
Lane Enterprises
​NFWF Field Liaisons
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Check-in begins at 7:00 a.m. Opening comments and introduction of first speaker at 8:30 a.m. 
  • Last session will be complete by 5:00 p.m. 
  • Continental breakfast and lunch provided. 
  • Questions and Answers during the final minutes of each presenter.
  • Exhibitors will be on site with products and services of interest to wetland professionals. 
  • Certificates of Completion (CEUs) provided at the end of the conference. 
  • PowerPoint Presentations will be posted to CAWS website after the conference.​
  • Happy Hour at Counter Weight Brewing Co. (7 Diana Ct, Cheshire, CT 06410)
Cost for 2026 is $120 for members and $150 for non-members (students $100.00 with ID) and includes continental breakfast and lunch!
 Join CAWS today and pay the member rate! Learn more about CAWS membership.
Exhibitor and Sponsorship Opportunities — make an impression at the Annual Meeting!
Questions? Email us!
Please Note - Past Annual Meeting pages are archived under the Resources menu above.​