During the past year, the Izaak Walton League gathered students, government
employees, teachers and landowners to field test the monitoring methods and wetland
information presented in the Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability.
The goal of the League's Save Our Streams wetlands initiative is to help citizens,
educators, and community and business leaders become involved in wetlands
education and conservation by teaching them about wetland ecology, functions, values,
and monitoring methods. The handbook contains over 200 pages of wetland
information including wetland types, functions and values, project ideas, resources and
contacts.

The League customizes a workshop to fit the needs and schedule of each client. The
workshop is geared towards citizens with a non-science background who are interested
in learning more about protecting our nation's diminishing wetland resources.

During the field tests, the League partnered with local wetland experts at each site and
engaged citizens in actual wetland monitoring techniques during half-day field
exercises. A favorite activity was the wetland role play, an interactive component of the
workshop, enabling participants to gain insight to the diverse views of stakeholders
interested in wetlands.

For more information on the handbook or on setting up a workshop, contact Julie
Middleton, Izaak Walton League, 707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20878-
2983. Phone: (800) 548-0150; e-mail: sos@iwla.org; website: www.iwla.org.

Environmental Protection Agency Nonpoint Source News-Notes, Issue #54, November
1998