SYMPOSIUM PRESENTER TITLE: Classic blunders: Managing wetlands alongside rodents of unusual size ABSTRACT: Natural resource managers are often working to manipulate conditions over which they only have partial control. When drought prevents us from meeting our objectives, we are disappointed, but when beavers are actively and aggressively working against you, it becomes personal. It can feel like a battle of wits where hubris is as fatal as Iocane powder. Necedah National Wildlife Refuge staff have managed wetlands in the Central Sands region for more than 80 years; they have fallen for many classic blunders and learned many successful techniques along the way. Trapping and dam removal are effective methods, but can be as prolonged as a land war in Asia. More recently, Refuge staff have expanded our toolbox to mitigate or prevent conflicts with beavers. In this presentation, we will explore practical strategies for managing beaver-related wetland conflicts while sharing some lessons learned and hard-won successes that were once inconceivable. BIO: Brad Strobel has always found a way to keep his feet wet. He has worked on diving ducks in Minnesota, puddle ducks in North Dakota, spectacled eider in Alaska, woodcock in Wisconsin, and whooping crane in Texas. For the past 13 years he’s been topping his boots in the sedges and sphagnum of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge where he has been working on wetland management and restoration in Wisconsin’s central sands.