SYMPOSIUM PRESENTER TITLE: The past, present, and future of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway's bottomland hardwood forests ABSTRACT: Floodplain or bottomland hardwood forests along the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway (LWSR) are unique and globally significant repositories of habitat and diversity. Today's forests, however, are significantly different from historic forests, and these forests will change again in response to altered disturbance regimes, invasive species, and societal needs. I will delve into the LWSR's past and current forests and identify trends and issues that will define future forests. BIO: Brad Hutnik is a Wisconsin DNR Forest Ecologist / Silviculturist stationed in Boscobel but working Statewide on forest management issues. Brad is a member of the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) Forestry Working Group, past chair of The Wisconsin Society of American Foresters, and co-host of UWSP’s SilviCast podcast. Brad lives in Spring Green, WI with his wife and family.