As a long standing member of the society and past president, ASRS is like no other organization with which I have been associated. From the many years of meetings and papers (yes, I’m part of the pre-2012 generation that had to submit a paper for review to present at a meeting), I have shared research and learned many new ideas and, just as importantly, participated in discussions on failures and ways to improve. While many organizations offer research presentations, what really sets ASRS apart for me is the intellect, mentorship and comradery of the members who attend our annual meetings. Whether it is the Wild Women of Reclamation breakfast, or the Early Career Professional gathering, or just an evening during the meetings, the welcoming nature of our members is a valuable attribute. And, of course, there are great field trips as well! Yellowstone and its surrounding reclamation will be hard to top, but other recent trips in the Midwest, PA, and WV have provided real opportunities to explore and discuss the reclamation efforts of the society members.

I have been a member of the American Society of Reclamation Sciences (ASRS) since 2000 when I started working with the Wyoming Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality. Participation in ASRS conferences allowed me to learn and understand various reclamation methods of land impacted by coal mining not only in western states, but also in eastern USA. While at these conferences, I meet and discuss with various specialists recent technologies (e.g., erosion and sedimentation control methods, or how to enhance soil production, and the importance of seeding native plants, etc.) All these specialists presenting their findings are very enthusiastic and full of energy and ready to answer all my questions. Right now, as I am retired from the state of Wyoming, I still try to learn the most recent findings, technologies, and methods of reclamation to be able to pass this information to students and specialists in various countries such as China, Poland, and Norway. ASRS is a gateway to communicate with reclamation specialists carrying knowledge and experience of many years that is only available to the members through participation in conferences and reading the Reclamation Matters publication and Journal of the ASRS.