Webinars & Other Courses – Development and the Wetlands
Topic Key
Webinars
An Introduction to Land Conservation Agreements*
"Land Conservation Agreements limit a property’s uses in order to protect its conservation values. This enhanced or permanent protection of corporate lands can help conserve the natural, scenic, or rural qualities of the land for today and for future generations, adding to the depth of your Conservation Certification® goals. Join Sylvia Bates of the Land Trust Alliance to explore the basics of conservation agreements. You’ll also hear case studies of successful corporate and land trust partnerships."
*Requires free registration.
Run time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Source: Wildlife Habitat Council
Blue-Green Infrastructure: Building Resiliency in Corporate Habitats*
"With a changing climate, it is vital that we think beyond traditional engineering. Blue-Green infrastructure (BGI) emphasizes the importance of combining water management alongside green infrastructure, and seeks to meet the challenges of climate change by “building with nature”. When incorporated into your projects, BGI can make your habitat more resilient to storms of increasing intensity and high-water events. Our speakers are recognized worldwide as experts in blue-green infrastructure and bring decades of expertise and case studies on storm recovery, resiliency and flood-event evaluation."
*Requires free registration.
Run time: 1 hour
Source: Wildlife Habitat Council
Business and Biodiversity: A Critical Partnership for the Future*
"In today’s competitive landscape, engaging in corporate conservation is emerging as an innovative approach to meet both business and environmental needs. Indeed, corporate spending on sustainability and circular economy initiatives is on the rise — and yielding increased sales and cost savings. Demonstrating leadership in corporate conservation is crucial to meeting sustainability goals and achieving stakeholder collaboration."
*Requires free registration.
Run time: 1 hour
Source: OpenChannels
Mainstreaming Climate Action Into Sustainable Development
"This webinar, the first of a series of three dedicated to the Partnership in Action report, will see how countries are integrating climate action into domestic policy, planning, budget, and SDG agendas across government in the COVID-19 era, including using climate action as a basis for economic recovery and involving many varied actions. It will offer snapshots on how countries are facing up to COVID, health issues, inclusive growth, and adaptation, as well as their efforts to engage youth and make climate action gender responsive."
Run time: TBD
Source: NDC Partnership
The Vital Role of Business in Biodiversity: Building the Case for Corporate Conservation*
"In today’s competitive landscape, engaging in corporate conservation is emerging as an innovative approach to meet both business and environmental needs. Indeed, corporate spending on sustainability and circular economy initiatives is on the rise — and yielding increased sales and cost savings. Demonstrating leadership in corporate conservation is crucial to meeting sustainability goals and achieving stakeholder collaboration."
*Requires free registration.
Run time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Source: Wildlife Habitat Council
Using sediment enhancement to build tidal marsh resiliency on Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
"Located in Maryland, USA, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is part of the largest area of tidal marsh within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and is of regional ecological significance for its wetlands and for the wildlife populations it supports. However, over 5,000 acres of tidal marsh have converted to open water on the refuge since 1938...
In December 2016, 26,000 cubic yards of sediment was pumped in a thin-layer application over approximately 40 acres of tidal marsh on the refuge. The purpose of this project is to raise the elevation of the existing marsh platform."
Run time: 49 minutes
Source: Society of Wetland Scientists
Wetland Ecosystem Services: How Wetlands Can Benefit Iowans
This webinar presented by Kay Stefanik discusses the ecosystem services provided by the wetlands of Iowa. In it, Stefanik explains the characteristics of a wetland, before further discussing the status of Iowa's wetlands and the reason they "matter" to communities in Iowa and elsewhere.
Run time: 40 minutes
Source: Iowa Learning Farms
Why Worry about Wetlands? District Restoration Projects Explained
"Join Kimberli Ponzio, an Environmental Scientist IV in the Bureau of Water Resources, as she discusses the benefits of wetlands and the work of the St. Johns River Water Management District to restore and protect wetlands."
Run time: 35 minutes
Source: SJRWMD
Other Courses
Fundamentals of Remote Sensing
"Participants will become familiar with satellite orbits, types, resolutions, sensors and processing levels. In addition to a conceptual understanding of remote sensing, attendees will also be able to articulate its advantages and disadvantages. Participants will also have a basic understanding of NASA satellites, sensors, data, tools, portals and applications to environmental monitoring and management."
Source: NASA Applied Sciences
Introduction to Sustainability
"This course introduces the academic approach of Sustainability and explores how today’s human societies can endure in the face of global change, ecosystem degradation and resource limitations. The course focuses on key knowledge areas of sustainability theory and practice, including population, ecosystems, global change, energy, agriculture, water, environmental economics and policy, ethics, and cultural history"
Source: University of Illinois / Coursera
Science Literacy
"Science Literacy will teach you about the process of science, how to think critically, how to differentiate science from pseudoscience, how indigenous wisdom can inform science, how to understand and design a scientific study, and how to critically evaluate scientific communication in the media."
Source: University of Alberta / Coursera
The Age of Sustainable Development
"The Age of Sustainable Development" gives students an understanding of the key challenges and pathways to sustainable development - that is, economic development that is also socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable."
Source: Columbia University / Coursera
The Sustainable Development Goals – A global, transdisciplinary vision for the future
"In 2015, the UN launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopted by 193 member states, the goals represent an important international step in setting humanity on a trajectory towards sustainable development. Within this course, you will get a historical overview of how sustainability has been understood, as well as a thorough introduction to the SDGs – what they are, how progress can be measured, and how the SDGs are relevant for the management of the global systems supporting humanity. The course will examine how various societal actors are responding to and implementing the SDGs."
Source: University of Copenhagen / Coursera
Workshops

Environmental Workshops
Pontchartrain Conservancy offers workshops covering a wide variety of environmental topics. Wetlands and Development workshops include:
- Ecosystems of the Pontchartrain Basin: Discovering Diverse Landscapes in Southern Louisiana
- Land Loss and Restoration: Evaluating Challenges and Solutions for Coastal Louisiana
- Wetlands 101: Uncovering the Hidden Value of Swamps and Marshes
- Disappearing Wetlands: Assessing the Consequences of Human Development in Natural Areas
If you are interested in booking or attending an environmental workshop, complete this form or email us at education@scienceforourcoast.org.
Dauphin Island Sea Lab*
"Discovery Hall Programs (DHP) provides professional development opportunities for teachers and informal educators through single day and multi-day workshops.
Workshops include experiences outside in the field, presentations, and discussions with research faculty, and time to explore relevant lesson plans and activities to take back to the classroom."
Source: Dauphin Island Sea Lab
*Workshops take place outside of Louisiana
Teachers on the Estuary*
"A Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshop is a research and field-based training program held at various research reserve sites. TOTE workshops offer a minimum of 15 contact hours, giving teachers the opportunity to:
- Explore coastal habitats and conduct field investigations;
- Interact with local scientists and experienced coastal educators;
- Integrate local and national monitoring data into the classroom; and
- Learn hands-on field activities highlighting our various Estuary Education Resources"
Source: Estuary Education, NOAA
*Workshops take place outside of Louisiana