19th Annual Meeting

June 3-6, 2019
Renaissance Hotel - Asheville, NC

Hosted by North Carolina State University's Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department & Cooperative Extension

Enabling Future Generations to Solve Our Planet's Grand Challenges

We are excited to host the 19th annual American Ecological Engineering Society Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. Located in North Carolina’s scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is known for its vibrant art scene, adventurous spirit, and commitment to environmental sustainability. This year’s meeting theme is “Enabling Future Generations to Solve Our Planet’s Grand Challenges”. With this meeting, we hope to better contextualize the realm of Ecological Engineering while looking for the next generation to use these emerging practices to solve the world’s grand challenges. The interplay between students, industry professionals, and academia will be a key element of the meeting. We are encouraging industry professionals to attend the meeting as sponsors and mentors and provide insights to entering the field.

Meeting Agenda

Monday, June 3, 2019

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Sponsor Exhibit Booth and Poster Presentation Setup

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm: Informal Gathering at Twisted Laurel (responsible for own dinner/drinks)

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

6:30 am - 8:00 am: Light Continental Breakfast and Registration

7:30 am - 8:00 am: Student Design Competition Meeting

8:00 am - 10:15 am: Opening Plenary Session

Conference Welcome, Trisha Moore, AEES President
Challenges for a Sustainable Future: Public Engagement is Key, Julie Mayfield
History and Future of Ecological Engineering, William Mitsch
Be Open. Be Positive. Be Courageous, Sepideh Saidi
Dreams to Reality: Recent Experiences Implementing Ecological Engineering Projects, Rafael Vazquez-Burney

10:15 am - 10:45 am: Break

10:45 am - 12:00 pm: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Advancing Ecological Engineering Technology
Treatment Wetlands
Ecological Engineering in Food Production

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Lunch (Provided)

1:00 pm - 2:15 pm: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Stream Corridor Restoration I
Constructed Wetlands
Stormwater and Green Infrastructure I

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm: Break

2:30 pm - 3:45 pm: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Ecological Function of Stream Restoration
Wetland Hydrology
Coastal Ecosystems

3:45 pm - 4:00 pm: Break

4:00 pm - 5:15 pm: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Ecology of the Built Environment
Student Design Competition Meeting
Stormwater and Green Infrastructure II

5:15 pm - 5:30 pm: Break

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Career Fair and Poster Presentation Reception

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

6:30 am - 8:00 am: Light Breakfast

8:00 am - 9:15 am: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Stream Corridor Restoration II
Lake & Reservoir Water Quality
Stormwater & Green Infrastructure III

9:15 am - 9:30 am: Break

9:30 am - 10:45 am: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Watershed Approaches
Water Quality
Stormwater - Bioretention

10:45 am - 11:00 am: Break

11:00 am - 12:00 pm: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Stream Corridor Restoration III
Special Session - Large-Scale Wetland Restoration
Value Added Products

12:00 pm - 1:15 pm: Lunch (Provided)

1:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Local Field Tours

1:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Field Tour #1 - Ochlawaha Bog (Farmland to Wetland Restoration)
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm: Field Tour #2 - North Carolina Arboretum (Stormwater Installations, Stream Restoration, and Botanical Gardens)
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Field Tour #3 - UNC Asheville Sustainability Initiatives (Stormwater Installations, Pocket Wetlands, Green Roofs, and Gardens)
2:45 pm - 5:30 pm: Field Tour #4 - New Belgium Brewery (Stormwater Installations and Stream Restoration)

5:45 pm - 9:00 pm: Dinner Reception at Smoky Park Supper Club Boathouse

Thursday, June 6, 2019

6:30 am - 8:00 am: Light Breakfast

8:00 am - 9:15 am: Concurrent Technical Sessions

Stream Restoration - Functional Assessment
Ecological Engineering Curriculum
Emerging Technology & Methods

9:15 am - 9:30 am: Break

9:30 am - 11:15 am: Closing Plenary Session - Ecological Engineering Perspectives

Defining Ecological Engineering Through Research Applications, Jay Martin
Applications and Challenges for Ecological Engineering Down Under, An Australian Perspective, Glenn Dale
Beyond Growth: Economics as if the Planet Matters, Mark Brown
Closing Remarks, Student Poster Awards, and Student Design Competition Awards

11:15 am - 12:45 pm: Lunch (Provided) and AEES Business Meeting

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Post Meeting Rafting Tour (Optional - Additional Fees Apply)

Detailed Agenda with Technical Sessions

DOWNLOAD

Field Trips

Ochlawaha Bog

Southern Appalachian Bogs are a rare ecosystem, with only a few hundred acres thought to be remaining. The Ochlawaha Bog was restored in 2011 from farmland just south of Asheville with the goal of re-creating seepage hydrology and habitat for the endangered bunched arrowhead plant, Sagittaria fasciculata) thought to only exist in two counties in the entire world. It is also the new home for over 30 species of game birds. Join us for a tour of this 30-acre restoration and learn about what it takes to coordinate, design, and implement this type of ecological restoration project. Pictures sourced from https://www.fws.gov/southeast/tags/ochlawaha-bog/.

North Carolina Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre public garden that offers some of the most beautiful, botanically diverse plants in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre public garden that offers some of the most beautiful, botanically diverse plants in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Ten years later: How did stormwater control practices and a short, restored reach of stream hold up? Join us for a tour of SCM practices and the stream reach at The North Carolina Arboretum. Lessons learned during the design process and subsequent adaptive management will be at the heart of the discussions. Participants will have time to tour the arboretum. Pictures sourced from The NC Arboretum and Clean Water Management Fund.

UNC Asheville Sustainability Initiatives

Tour the UNC-Asheville Campus to learn about initiatives that create a vibrant sustainability culture that welcomes student, staff, faculty and community involvement. From our classes to our student organizations, our campus facilities to our beautiful edible gardens, UNC Asheville offers a wide range of opportunities for exploring and enhancing our relationship with the planet and its living systems. Sustainability is also a core value of UNC Asheville’s strategic plan, which solidifies our commitment to educating students about all dimensions of sustainability by integrating environmental literacy throughout the curriculum and modeling sustainable campus practices. Sustainability initiatives that are likely to be featured on this tour are biorention ponds, stormwater and pocket wetlands, rain gardens, vegetated roofs, botanical and edible gardens, and bee hotels. To learn more about UNC Asheville’s Sustainability Efforts, visit their website: https://sustainability.unca.edu/. Pictures sourced from UNC Asheville.

New Belgium Stream Restoration, Stormwater, and Low-Impact Development

This tour will include a visit to the New Belgium Brewery where participants will be able to learn about the stream restoration enhancements, low-impact development, stormwater management, and native plant community establishment efforts at and around the Brewery. To learn more about the Brewery’s sustainability efforts, visit their website: https://www.newbelgium.com/sustainability/. Pictures sourced from Barbara Doll and riverlink.org.

Socials

Informal Gathering at Twisted Laurel | June 3rd | 6:00-9:00 pm
After getting settled into your hotel, join us for food and drinks at Twisted Laurel. Enjoy beers from local breweries while you catch up with colleagues from across the country.

Career Fair and Poster Presentation Reception | June 4th | 5:30-7:00 pm
Meet in the ballroom lobby to hear students present their posters. Network with exhibitors while enjoying light hor d'oeuvres and beer or wine (don't forget your drink tickets). Students, bring your resumes and speak with potential employers about current career opportunities.

Dinner Reception at Smoky Park Supper Club Boathouse | June 5th | 6:30-8:00 pm
Enjoy a delicious barbeque dinner from 12 Bones BBQ, live music, and lawn games at Smoky Park. This fun social is one event you do not want to miss. Beer and wine will be served with drink tickets. Transporation will be provided to and from the Renaissance Hotel.