Environmental Law Institute - National Wetlands Awards

Peg Bostwick became Michigan’s section 404 program coordinator in 1989 and has shaped the state’s wetland policy and programs for the past 15 years. Her dedicated professionalism, vast knowledge of state and federal regulations, and skilled diplomacy have allowed her to address complex state and federal government positions on wetlands and develop a sound partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Ms. Bostwick is committed to developing a comprehensive wetland program in Michigan. She encourages the integration of wetland science into policies, statutes, and rules affecting wetlands, and has worked with scientists to support the development of indices of biotic integrity for Michigan wetlands and to facilitate the development of a geographic information system to support wetland protection. She launched Michigan’s wetland mitigation banking program, oversees grants for the integration of wetland protection into watershed plans and local protection efforts, and participates in state and multi-state interagency efforts, such as the Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Consortium. Ms. Bostwick is often asked to provide input on national wetland policies and is currently vice-chair of the Association of State Wetland Managers. Her latest project is a state wetland conference that will highlight the 25th anniversary of Michigan’s wetland law.

In addition to being a national expert on state section 404 assumption and wetland policy, Ms. Bostwick is an extraordinary person. Her remarkable ability to remember detail, focus on individuals, listen carefully, and engage anyone in conversation makes her an effective advocate for wetland protection. Ms. Bostwick’s knowledge of wetland policy is vast, her enthusiasm endless, and her passion contagious. There is no other person in Michigan whose efforts have more positively shaped state wetland program direction in the last 15 years than Ms. Bostwick.

— Colleen O’Keefe, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Lansing, Michigan