IECA announces 2014 winner of Most Distinguished Technical Paper Award

DENVER — The International Erosion Control Association Region One (IECA) announced that “Effects of Herbicide and Soil Inoculation on a Northern Nevada Post—Fire Restoration Site” has been named the winner of the Most Distinguished Technical Paper Award for Environmental Connection 2014. This award honors the presenters who have demonstrated excellence within the content of their Environmental Connection technical presentation. The paper was submitted by Julie Etra, MS, CPESC.

Etra, principal of Western Botanical Services, Inc., has more than 28 years of experience in the fields of erosion control, revegetation, restoration, botanical surveys, environmental documents, monitoring, and wetlands. She has had extensive teaching experience, has produced more than 14 publications and has received numerous awards for design work. She has been an active member of IECA since 1988 and currently serves on the Board of Directors as vice president for
International Development. She is also bi—lingual (Spanish). Etra is also a regular contributor of articles to Environmental Connection Magazine.

“I am extremely pleased and honored to receive this award for the work that is intended to serve the science that supports successful erosion and sediment control and restoration projects. Many thanks to the help I received from my colleagues, who are equal partners,” said Etra. “The technical paper describes our attempt to examine soil and vegetation response to fire and the most efficient and cost effective methods to reestablish native and adapted vegetation where nonnative annual grasses are highly competitive and offer little erosion control or habitat”

IECA will release information on the 2013 Awards of Environmental Excellence, to be recognized at Environmental Connection 2014, later this year. The presentation of “Effects of Herbicide and Soil Inoculation on a Northern Nevada Post—Fire Restoration Site” may be seen at Environmental Connection 2014, which will be held from February 25—28, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn.