BIO - Crystal vonHoldt serves the states Waterway and Wetland Program as their Waterways Policy Coordinator. This role allows her to focus on supporting staff statewide, creating and implementing policy, continuing mentoring and training staff, and other critical elements that arise to keep the program functioning. She’s completed many years of service as a Water Management Specialist with the Department of Natural Resources since 2008. With many years of practicing wetland and waterway regulations in the Northeast Region of the state, Crystal moved into the program’s Mississippi River regulatory expert in 2022 and in May 2024 she started in her current role as Policy Coordinator. Crystal has experience providing support to the state’s floodplain management program in the form of ordinance review and adoption support to communities tasked with federally required updates. Before working for the state, Crystal received her BS degree in Psychology and MS degree in Environmental Science & Policy. She is an avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast…some of her favorite destinations so far in life have been the Galapagos Islands and Europe. With two teenage daughters, Crystal emphasizes the value of collaboration and perspective-taking continuously! A recent new camper and retired husband mean there is much to anticipate for weekend adventures with routes and itineraries already prepared. ABSTRACT Wetland restoration projects often emphasize hydrology and vegetation but may overlook the fine-scale habitat features that support wildlife. At Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a wetland restoration project included the design and implementation of a shallow pool as part of a 237-acre restoration project within the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC). The intent of the restoration was to increase wetland extent and habitat diversity while maintaining ecological functions critical to burrowing crayfish and the snake species that rely on their burrows for overwintering and refuge. Protecting these subsurface microhabitats became a key design consideration as the project sought to expand habitat without degrading existing use areas. Field investigations mapped active burrows, and spatial analyses in ArcGIS Pro identified high-density clusters that informed excavation limits and slope refinements; these geospatial methods are highlighted in a related poster at this conference that complements this presentation by focusing on data analysis approaches. Construction sequencing and timing were planned to reduce disturbance to overwintering individuals and promote recolonization following excavation. I will highlight the design evolution, agency coordination, and adaptive strategies used to balance restoration objectives with species-specific needs. By going “beneath the surface,” the project demonstrates how spatial data and ecological insight can guide habitat expansion that supports both biodiversity and resilience.