VAWS 2025 Annual

Business Meeting

March 20, 2025

New Board Members

Is our Membership engaged?

Ben Galligan

Nominated by petition for Vice President Ben currently serves on the Board as a Member-At-Large where he has taken the lead to help the organization transition to new platforms for operations and communications as well as volunteering his time in countless other ways behind the scenes where there has been need, such as picking up and storing snacks for our in-field workshops.

A vote to approve Ben as VP is needed.

Ben Galligan, WPIT is an Environmental Scientist at VHB. He is primarily responsible for conducting natural resource surveys including wetlands, waters, wildlife habitat and RTE species surveys working throughout VT, Northern NY, and ME. He also performs erosion control and stormwater monitoring and environmental oversight for active construction projects throughout the region.

VAWS

Voting opens for Vice President

VAWS

Approve 2024

Business Meeting Minutes

VAWS

President’s Report

VAWS Mission

To foster understanding and collaboration

across multidisciplinary professions

by providing wetland training,

education, and networking

for members and the general public,

encouraging the use of science-based

wetland management and policy,

promoting wetland research and

the protection and restoration of wetlands

and associated aquatic resources,

and responding to future wetland

challenges and opportunities

in the State of Vermont.

​

VAWS Wetland Delineation Mentor Program

• Designed for wetland professionals who are early career or new to the field who have completed the 40-hour Army Corps Delineation Course
• Purpose is to provide mentees more field time with an experienced delineator outside of their workplace or college
• Free to current VAWS members
• 2024 Pilot program successful - thank you to the 5 participants!
• Seeking 2025 field season mentors and mentees
• See Mary Beth or Donovan for more info

VAWS

Vice President’s Report; Random things for consideration

Future Winter Conferences

• Located around the state. Next one in/near White River Junction or NE Kingdom
• Food provided- increased cost
• Themed: Any thoughts? Send in ideas
• Call for Abstracts
• Raffle Donations!

Keep as Gratitude gifts-change how items are drawn for winners.

• On-line store for VAWS merch is coming

Logo Gear

VAWS

Secretary’s Report

VAWS Board Meeting Minutes

Access on VAWS website in About VAWS tab

VAWS Strategic Planning Meeting

​

First meeting held on February 7, 2025

​

Critique, Brainstorm, and Repeat….

​

• VAWS Mission Review
• SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats)
• Outreach & Communications
• Education & Planning
• Identify Specific Goals
• Next Steps
• Draft Strategic Plan
• Annual Strategic Planning Meeting?

​

Thanks to Jess Eller for organizing and moderating the meeting!!

Committees: Education Committee

Members: Levi Keszey (Chair), April Moulaert, Bob Hyams, Elijah Schumacher

Looking for additional members!

Responsible for planning, organizing 2 in-field workshops, typically spring and fall 3 Lunch and Learn webinars during the Winter season.

2024/2025 Past Events:

• In-Field Workshops
• Middlebury College - Stephen C. Trombulak Nature Sanctuary
• Soils - Martin Bridge Park, Marshfield
• Lunch and Learns
• VT Pool Herptiles - Jim Andrews
• Wood Turtles - Kiley Briggs
• Farmers, Wetlands, Climate Change and Restoration - Hannah Ennis
• Beaver Deceivers, a history and a future - Skip Lisle
• Fen, Bog and Swamp Book Club
• Grace Glynn- RTE Plants in Wetlands
• LaPlatte River Paddle - Aaron Marcus

Recordings available on VAWS Past Events webpage

Committees: Education Committee

Upcoming Events: Stay Tuned!

​

• Lunch and Learns
• April 15th - RTE plant species with Grace Glynn
• In-Field Workshops
• To-Be-Determined

Non-VAWS sponsored wetland related events - available on VAWS website

Share your wetland related events for posting

vicepresident@vermontwetlandscience.org

​

Committees: Newsletter Committee

​

Communication Chair: Jess Eller

2024/2025:

• 10 Monthly Newsletters
• 5 Other “Campaigns” (Giving Tuesday, Winter Conference…)
• Great engagement:
• 80% open rate
• 20% click through rate
• less than 1% unsubscribe rate

VAWS

Treasurer’s Report

Short and Sweet

2023

Total Income= $7,500.00

Total Expenditures= $2,874.00

​

2024

Total Income= $17,175.00

Total Expenditures = 12,921.00

​

2025 To Date…(its only March!)

Income to Date = $10,610.00

Expenditures to Date = $4,373.59

​

​

​

Bottom Line: VAWS is in the black which will give us some flexibility moving forward but we need to keep the momentum going!

$ Key Points Summary:

• Fall Soils workshop raised $1620 with 32 participants
• 2024 Annual Meeting raised $5531.00 (due in large part to Lintilhac Foundation Grant), 73 attendees!
• Membership continues to be successful (24 new members including students and seniors)
• 2024 Webinars and field trips are well attended (flood resilience, wood turtle, vernal pools, Hannah Ennis, wetland mapping, LaPlatte, soils workshop).
• VSECU Bank Account Currently has $9,603 with an additional $50 in Savings Account and $5,110 in a 1-year certificate.
• Biggest expense is Annual Mtg but important for communications and outreach (we paid for >1/2 of our 2025 annual mtg in 2024).
• Sponsorship increased to 8 (DU, Arrowwood, Lintilhac, Blue Carbon, D&K, VHB, VNRC and Otter Creek).
• We have Merch - VAWS stickers, and hats! On-line Store Coming

Member-at-Large Report

• Google workspace transition
• No more @gmail.com
• Less spam or blocked emails

VAWS on Social Media

Facebook

• 63 Followers

Instagram

• 31 Followers

​

Scan to Follow

Board Election Announcements

Immediate Past President - Mary Beth

President - Zapata

Vice President….drum roll.

Secretary - Aimee

Treasurer - Karina

Members-At-Large - Ryan and Donovan

VAWS Sponsors 2025