Aquatic Habitat Committee

Chairperson

Eric Berntsen
eberntsen@kalispeltribe.com

Overview

The Aquatic Habitat Committee was created at the 2010 annual meeting to combine the Riparian Committee and the Water Quality/Stream Hydrology Committee. The reorganization was to align the goals of establishing and maintaining multiple aspects of a healthy aquatic and riparian environment for productive life stage persistence. This includes floodplain connectivity and ecosystem health to encourage a healthy aquatic habitat.

Mission

This mission of the Aquatic Habitat Committee is to provide support and information for fisheries professionals and other interested parties, in the management, conservation, and restoration of aquatic and riparian habitats throughout Idaho.

Award

The Idaho Chapter of the America Fisheries Society Habitat Committee strives to recognize significant or innovative work performed by its members. It is also important to recognize the work and involvement of others associated with projects such as the landowners, funding sources, and project partners that help us all make good projects happen. Please don’t hesitate to nominate your own project so you can provide the thanks to all involved that they deserve. Please submit entries to ken.bouwens@idfg.idaho.gov by January 31. Winner will be chosen by a subcommittee of Habitat Committee members. Grab the entry form here and get those projects nominated.

Goals

The committee will seek to accomplish the committee mission through the following goals:

Raise awareness of important ecological processes that are essential to maintaining quality aquatic habitat.
Create opportunities for Chapter members to be involved in habitat restoration efforts, workshops, field visits, trainings, etc.
Coordinate with student Chapters and local academic institutions to maintain an awareness of current research related to aquatic habitats, which also provides an avenue to engage students in ICAFS and professional development.
Develop informational products that describe the importance of high quality aquatic habitat. Examples could include posters, pamphlets, etc., for either internal distribution, external distribution, or both.
Provide information about aquatic habitat data that is readily available from various sources, e.g. state and federal agencies.

Recent Accomplishments

2021 - Organizing a virtual full day workshop focused on habitat improvement and techniques
2020 - Organized and Sponsored a Stage 0 Restoration Workshop with featured speakers Dr. Brian Cluer and Paul Powers
2019 - Organized a conference session focused on Fisheries Habitat and Evaluation of Actions
2017 - Hosted Workshop, "Merging of Aquatic and Terrestrial Habitats: Principles to Improve Success" for the Joint AFS/TWS Conference
2016 - Hosted Workshop, "Monitoring and Adaptive Management Planning for Habitat Restoration"; started the Award Category, Best Habitat Project/Team to be recognized in Idaho AFS
2014 - Hosted the Poster Session - Idaho Falls, ID ICAFS meeting
2013 - Helped host Workshop, "Physical, Ecological, Engineering, & Social Considerations in Using Wood in Stream Restoration.""
2013 - Hosted the Poster Session - Boise, ID WDAFS meeting (80+ Posters)
2013 - Developed and Coordinated the Habitat Monitoring Symposium - WDAFS Boise, ID (8 presenters)
2012 - Provided Support for Development of the Caldera Symposium - Island Park, ID
2011 - Hosted the Streambank Soil Bioengineering Advanced Training - 3 day workshop - Afton, WY
2010 - Provided Support for the Implementation of the Unraveling the Spring Creek Mystery Workshop - Pocatello, ID ICAFS meeting
2010 - Facilitated the merge of the Riparian and Water Quality Committees and Development of the new Fish Habitat Committee
2009 - Hosted the Streambank Soil Bioengineering Technical Training - 3 day Workshop - Afton, WY
2009 - Hosted the Grant Writing Workshop - ICAFS Meeting - Boise, ID