Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Lindenwood Retreat & Conference Center in Plymouth, Indiana
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sponsored by
Join Hoosier Environmental Council and Ancilla Domini Sisters for a day of discussion and discovery with experts in wetlands preservation, restoration, and management from around the Midwest.
Witness wetland recovery up close during a guided tour of the restored Ancilla wetland led by the Executive Director of Ecological Services for Ancilla Domini Sisters at the Lindenwood Retreat & Conference Center.
Speakers and Sessions
Ancilla’s Journey in Wetland Restoration
Geoffrey Williams and Jared O’Brien will lead attendees through the remarkable journey of restoration of the Donaldson & Ancilla Domini wetland, including the hydrology work and careful reintroduction of native species to the wetland habitat. They will also share an overview of upcoming projects and their goals for landscape-scale conservation, building connectivity between restored sites, climate resilience and carbon sequestration, and community involvement and education.
Geoffrey Williams is Executive Director of Ecological Services for Ancilla Domini Sisters, where he leads initiatives in conservation, ecological restoration, and regenerative agriculture. His work emphasizes the integration of sustainable practices into land management and business operations. Geoffrey holds an MBA from Purdue University, a post-graduate certificate in Sustainability from Ball State University, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Jared O’Brien is a Biologist with the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service – Partners for Fish & Wildlife program based in Northwest Indiana. In his work, Jared focuses on building partnerships to facilitate regional conservation efforts. He collaborates with private landowners, agricultural producers, government agencies, and land trusts to implement strategic habitat restoration projects, revitalized ecosystems, and working relationships essential to community engagement and lasting conservation impact.
Drain the Swamp: A History of Wetland Regulation from a Hoosier Perspective
Speaker Seth Engdahl will share a broad history of wetland regulation in the United States and evolving attitudes towards wetlands by federal government entities, with an overview of key U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have impacted the Clean Water Act’s authority – particularly the 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision. Participants will discuss the impact of recent Indiana legislative developments, including SEA 389 and HEA 1383, and examples of policies that could be enacted at the state level to mitigate the harmful effects of the Sackett opinion and protect the state’s remaining wetlands.
Seth Engdahl holds an undergraduate degree in History and Political Science from Purdue University and will graduate from IU’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law in May of 2026. Seth has spent more than a decade in public service, first as a staffer in the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Congressman Pete Visclosky, and then in the Office of Legal Counsel at IDEM. Seth’s interest in environmental law and wetlands led him to write his award-winning law review article entitled: Marsh Madness: How Indiana Could be a National Model for Wetland Regulation post-Sackett v. EPA.
Exploring Indiana’s Wetlands Through Time
Ecologist Tom Swinford will take attendees on a historical tour of the types and diversity of Indiana’s wetlands. Participants will discuss the ecologically important roles Indiana’s wetlands play in our environment including their ecological roles and learn about several of the flagship species that define them.
Tom Swinford is Land Preservation Director at Sycamore Land Trust. Throughout his long career in conservation, he has worked at the state, federal and non-profit level in protecting, restoring, and growing support for Indiana’s natural places. He earned a B.S. in Biology from Purdue University – Fort Wayne and spent 29 years with DNR’s Nature Preserves before retiring as the agency’s Assistant Director.
Maria Jose Iturbide-Chang is Water Policy Director for Hoosier Environmental Council. She is the former Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in Guatemala and has consulted with The Nature Conservancy and the World Bank on water policy issues; she remains an active member of the Strategic Advisory Group of UNWater. Maria holds a Doctorate in Environmental Policy and Planning from Lincoln University, New Zealand, a Master’s in Environmental Sciences from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and a diploma on Nature-Based Solutions for Water Challenges from Technische Universitat Dresden.
The Ramsar Convention: An International
Pathway to Protect Indiana’s Wetlands
This presentation explores how the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, a landmark international treaty adopted in 1971, can serve as a valuable framework to strengthen wetland protection and restoration efforts in Indiana. The session will highlight opportunities for collaboration among conservation organizations, communities and policy makers to elevate Indiana’s wetlands to international recognition and long-term protection. Participants will gain insight into the Convention’s mechanisms, success stories from other regions, and practical steps for applying its principles within Indiana’s context.
Nature Has the Answer
This presentation will focus on designing and implementing natural resource restoration projects, green infrastructure best management practices, and ecological treatment systems for wastewater and stormwater. The discussion will cover practical applications ranging from stream and wetland restoration to stormwater management in industrial, commercial, and residential developments. Case studies will demonstrate how ecological solutions, such as wetland-based treatment systems, can address challenges where conventional methods fall short, showcasing the power of nature-based approaches to restore and protect water resources.
Ted Blahnik is Vice President at V3 Companies with 30 years of experience in ecological and environmental consulting. He has applied experience in design and construction of stream, pond, and other natural resource restoration, Green Infrastructure Best Management Practices, Ecological Treatment Systems for managing municipal and industrial wastewater, LEED techniques for stormwater management in industrial, commercial , and residential developments, and waterway restoration and enhancement projects for golf courses.
Landon Vine is a Project Scientist with V3 Companies with fifteen years of experience providing natural resources & environmental consulting for private, utility, municipal, federal, and non-profit clients in the American Midwest, Great Plains, and Inter-Mountain West. That experience includes Section 401/404 wetland & stream delineations and permit obtainment, aquatic macroinvertebrate monitoring, endangered species, and wetland and ecological treatment systems for wastewater and stormwater. He specializes in creating ecological treatments for problems conventional treatments can’t solve.
The View From DNR’s Indiana Stream & Wetland Mitigation Program
Participants in this session will hear insights from Indiana’s Stream and Wetland Mitigation Program (IN SWMP), which provides a watershed-based approach to offsetting unavoidable impacts from infrastructure projects. Instead of relying on small, scattered sites, the program develops larger, ecologically meaningful restoration and preservation projects that improve water quality, restore natural habitats, and enhance flood resilience. DNR’s program also sells “advance credits” to permit applicants, allowing them to purchase credits in lieu of performing mitigation themselves. By working with state and federal agencies, conservation groups, and local partners, IN SWMP works to protect Indiana’s wetlands and streams while supporting responsible development.
Brad Baldwin is Director of the Indiana Stream and Wetland Mitigation Program (IN SWMP) in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Land Acquisition. Prior to joining the IN SWMP program development team in 2015, Brad spent two decades working in the DNR Division of Water (DOW) Project Development Section, DOW Technical Services Section and with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management 401-Wetlands Program as a Project Manager. Brad is an U.S. Army veteran and holds a B.S.P.A. from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Brian Vigue oversees Audubon Great Lakes’ freshwater policy efforts, with a special focus on Wisconsin. In this role, Brian drives transformative freshwater policy solutions across the region. Brian has over 20 years of experience in government affairs and policy development with the U.S. House of Representatives, the Wisconsin State Legislature, various state agencies, the Office of the Governor and the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. Brian grew up in Green Bay and is a citizen of the Oneida Nation. He holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College.
Innovative Wetland Policy Tools
In this session, participants will examine innovative wetland protection policy tools from other states and discuss their potential application in Indiana. What opportunities exist to persuade state and local policy-makers of wetlands’ value as natural infrastructure systems that support water quality and reduce flooding and other risks for Hoosier communities? Speaker Brian Vigue will share details of wetlands policy successes from Wisconsin and elsewhere.
Indiana Without Wetlands
Wetland regulations have become a true battleground in recent years, with clear divides regarding the importance of protection. An understanding of the necessary functions provided by wetlands would serve to narrow that divide. This session will provide information regarding the value of hydrologic functions in the context of changing climate and rainfall patterns. We will imagine what an Indiana without wetlands would look like, and equip you with the facts, information, and data needed to advocate for an Indiana WITH wetlands.
Rachele Baker holds a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from Purdue University. She 30 years of experience advising public sector, commercial, and residential clients on wetland, stream, and terrestrial habitat assessment and restoration, Clean Water Act Section 404/401 permits, Construction-in-a-Floodway permits, floristic inventories, assessment of biotic integrity, and NEPA documents. Rachele is currently the Director of Environmental Services at Resolution Group, Inc.
Developer’s Perspective: Making Wetlands Work For You, Not Against You
In this presentation, Chrissy Bienz will explore how wetlands provide ecological, economic, and functional value to commercial developments. Participants will look to understand how integrating wetlands provides short-term and long-term benefits to commercial developments, and discuss site characteristics to note and how to navigate common project roadblocks that developers can prepare for to streamline the process of incorporating wetlands into future developments.
Chrissy Bienz is a Senior Staff Scientist in Terracon’s Louisville, Kentucky Office, responsible for performing Waters of the United States (WOTUS) delineations, Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species habitat assessments, Biological Assessments, and Section 404 Permitting, and Section 7 and 10 Consultation. She has conducted numerous assessments throughout the Midwest, Great Plains, and Texas including industrial, commercial, and multi-family residential properties, warehouse distribution facilities, city improvement projects, and utility scale renewable energy facilities. Chrissy holds a B.S. in Wildlife Science from Purdue University and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Texas Christian University.
About the Venue
Wetland Wonders: Value of Indiana’s Wetlands will take place at Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center, 9601 Union Road, Donaldson, IN 46513.
Conference participants are asked to park in Lots B & C, circled on the facility map below. Lots B & C are a short walk from the conference center, which is also circled on the map. Between 8:30-9:00 a.m. and 4:00-4:40 p.m., a shuttle bus will transport participants to/from Parking Lots B & C and the conference center.
Participants who wish to reserve an overnight room at the conference center may do so by calling 574-935-1780. Below is a map of the Lindenwood Retreat & Conference Center floor plan.