Patrick C. Garner shares his thoughts and perspectives as an expert, and reviews key industry publications. His work has appeared in environmental and engineering magazines locally and nationally for over a decade.

Three Reasons Every Conservation Commission Should
Require Peer Review, Patrick Garner
"The peer review process can be a classic win-win for commissions and for
applicants — and it is only the lack of experience with this tool that makes many
commissions reluctant to require its use, even on large projects. ." Read More (PDF)

MEANDERINGS, Patrick Garner
"Late in September, my younger son persuaded my wife and me to canoe part of the Nashua River. The weather was marvelous ... We paddled steadily down the center channel of the river .... then the machine gun fire began." Read More (PDF)

JUXTAPOSITIONS, Patrick Garner
... As I crossed the stream channel in my waders, I noticed a soft drink can wedged between tree roots on the bank ... I set the can aside and pulled out a slender piece of stone ... I cradled a three inch Woodland Indian blade ... In another year ... houses would be cut from these quiet woods. " Read More (PDF)

CLIMATE CHANGE , Patrick Garner
... Rather than relying on politicians to take care of this “global” problem for us... In the words of an old saying, “If the people will lead, the leaders will follow.”
Read More (PDF)

WALDEN POND , Patrick Garner
... what Massachusetts fondly calls “the birthplace” of environmental consciousness is a giant swimming pool, a park masquerading as a contemplative shrine ... never make the mistake I did ... Read More (PDF)

DO WETLAND PROFESSIONALS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BE ACTIVISTS? AN OPINION, Patrick Garner
... To be brief, I'm a wetland professional in the midst of a crisis, one that is increasingly common among ecologists. The problem? ... Read More (PDF)

A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE: SILENCE WITHIN THE WETLAND FIELD,
Patrick Garner
... Yet we watch in silence ... We, more than anyone, have a responsibility to be aggressive and vigilant in wetland protection. We are the keepers at the gate, and we are failing in our most basic responsibilities ... Read More (PDF)

PERCEPTIONS OF RESTORATION: SUPRISE LINKAGES WITH WETLAND REPLICATION FAILURES, Patrick Garner
... The chairman shrugged and said, “So what? All they’d be doing is making a bunch of cattails. At least we have trees there now.” This illustrates the perceived linkage between decades of failed wetland replication and future attempts to ... Read More (PDF)

AN ANALYSIS OF EXTREME RAINFALL DIFFERENCES: OLD TP-40 VERSUS THE NEW CORNELL ATLAS OF PRECIPITATION,
Patrick Garner
... From a chance discussion that I had with Barry Keim, the N.H. State Climatologist, I learned that the venerable Technical Paper 40 was updated several years ago by NRCC at Cornell... The implications of this change are enormous ... Read More (PDF)

DEP AMENDS WETLAND PROTECTION ACT TO ADDRESS PERENNIAL & INTERMITTENT RIVERS, & DROUGHT , Patrick Garner
... The change in perennial definitions is significant. The presumption that a perennial river shown on USGS mapping is perennial has been retained, but criteria for disproving that presumption have changed completely ... Read More (PDF)

BOOK REVIEW: THE ILLUSTRATED COMPANION TO GLEASON & CRONQUIST'S MANUAL: Illustrations of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern US and Adjacent Canada, by Patrick Garner
... Most importantly, I have found that use of the new Illustrated Companion allows me to eliminate much of the crosschecking and multiple volume research I usually do for species identification. Particularly in identifying ... Read More (PDF)

BOOK REVIEW: WETLANDS, By William J. Mitsch
and James G. Gosselink
by Patrick Garner
... When I teach wetland seminars to design professionals, wetland scientists and environmentalists, I am frequently asked, “What is the one wetland text that should be in my library?” Without hesitation I ... Read More (PDF)

BOOK REVIEW: Encyclopedia of the Solar System, 2nd Edition
by Patrick Garner
... is a thorough scientific tome, and I know of no similar reference. At 965 pages and eight pounds in weight, it can be used as a ... Read More (PDF)

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