Speaker 1: Kristen Andersen – Natural Assets for Watershed Function
Kristen will discuss the vital role natural assets play in improving watershed function and drought resilience.
Kristen is a wetland scientist and restoration ecologist with 28 years of professional experience specializing in the design and implementation of wetland and stream restoration projects, wetland delineation, functional assessment, remote sensing, wetland monitoring, and has managed the regulatory and compensatory mitigation process for a variety of projects in Alberta and USA. Kristen is passionate as an educator and has been teaching wetland courses at the University of Alberta since 2010 including a course on wetland assessment and a course on wetland restoration and construction. She also teaches stream restoration workshops for stewardship groups and municipalities. Kristen’s background includes stormwater management and erosion and sediment control design and installation.
Speaker 2: Ed Pinero – Ecometrics: Revealing the Value of Natural Assets and Ecosystem Services
Over his 40-year career, Edwin has worked in the private and public sectors as a consultant to many clients on sustainability, environment, and energy. He is the President of EcoMetrics LLC, helping disseminate this methodology to quantify and monetize co-benefits resulting from natural solutions and ecosystems services projects. Edwin currently serves in the concurrent role as Head of Standards and Assurance for the Alliance for Water Stewardship. During his service as the White House Federal Environmental Executive, he focused on developing and implementing sustainability policy and practices within the US Federal government.