Wednesday, October 14th, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (eastern time)
Wetlands Mitigation Collaborative Solutions
This panel will discuss wetland mitigation regulations, challenges at the local level and creative solutions provided from the utilization of mitigation banks. In addition, the panel will cover discovering incentive-based conservation that brings together public agencies, private landowners and mitigation bankers.
Speakers:
Kelly Sands
Kelly Sands is a Business Development Manager for the Southeast Region of Westervelt Ecological Services. Her primary responsibilities include managing sales and marketing, including credit sales from 11 of WES’s approved mitigation and conservation banks. She has more than a decade of experience identifying and developing mitigation markets, managing credit sales and mitigation banks, and assisting clients with specific mitigation needs. She received her Master of Science degree in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development. Ms. Sands received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kae Hovater
With over 11 years’ experience in the mitigation banking industry, Kae Hovater is President of EcoCredit Marketing and serves as President for the Florida Association of Mitigation Bankers. Her vast knowledge of the natural resource market throughout the United States, with a primary focus in Florida, has proven successful in the marketing and managing of multiple mitigation and conservation banks.
Kim Tapley:
Kim Tapley is a Senior Environmental Manager in the Wetlands Division of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC). She has 15 years of wetland regulatory experience and oversees the Assessment and Development Services permitting section in the Wetlands Division. She specializes in complex wetland permitting projects including wetland impact and mitigation reviews. She routinely coordinates and assists local and state governments with development projects and wetland conservation. Mrs. Tapley received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and a Master’s of Science degree in Geology from the University of South Florida and has been certified by the Society of Wetland Scientists as a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS).