ORAL PRESENTATION TITLE: Lamparek Creek: Voluntary stream restoration in a rapidly urbanizing Southeast Wisconsin watershed ABSTRACT: Historic agricultural practices often straightened streams and disconnected streams from floodplains, reducing wetland function and habitat complexity. Voluntary stream restoration can reconnect floodplains, expand wetland habitat, create habitat for fish, and diversify vegetation communities, providing a practical model for ecological resilience in changing landscapes. I will describe a voluntary stream restoration project within the Pike River watershed impacted by ongoing development, where large impervious areas are now present across the landscape. Project objectives included restoring natural stream morphology, reconnecting the floodplain, and enhancing wetland and aquatic habitat to improve ecological functions in a Lake Michigan tributary. Pre-restoration assessments included channel geometry surveys, groundwater monitoring wells, temperature and flow loggers, and invasive species documentation. Based on these data, the project design incorporated a re-meandered channel and strategic grading to restore floodplain connectivity and create wetland areas with backwater zones for hydrologic complexity and vegetation diversity. The restored reach now functions as a headwater system with diverse habitat where ecological diversity was previously limited. Post-restoration monitoring will evaluate groundwater interaction, stream temperature, flow dynamics, vegetation establishment, and invasive species response. Expected outcomes include improved floodplain connectivity, expanded wetlands, enhanced fish habitat, and increased ecological resilience. I will discuss how this project demonstrates the feasibility of voluntary restoration in highly altered watersheds and provides a model for integrating stream and wetland restoration in developing landscapes. BIO: Joshua Wied is a wetland scientist and stream ecologist at Stantec specializing in wetland and stream restoration, ecological surveys, environmental permitting, construction oversight, and environmental monitoring. He enjoys collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders to integrate engineering and hydrology expertise into solutions that address complex environmental challenges.