Scaling Wetland Intelligence with GeoAI: Tools, Trends, and a National Vision
Held Thursday, January 29, 2026 - 3:00-4:30 p.m. EST
INTRODUCTION
- Portia Osborne, National Association of Wetland Mangers [PDF Presentation]
PRESENTERS
- Sunny Fleming, Esri [PDF Presentation]
- Andy Carroll, Skytec
ABSTRACT
The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is the most authoritative national dataset for wetlands, yet in many areas its coverage is decades old. Recent policy changes, including the Sackett v. EPA decision, place greater responsibility on states to develop strategies for protecting wetland resources. This webinar you learned how the state of Tennessee partnered with Skytec to enhance Esri’s Wetland Identification Model (WIM) with advanced GeoAI and cloud computing to produce more accurate, scalable wetland predictions. They also covered tools to help states get started, how these efforts align with emerging policy trends, and a vision for scaling this approach nationally. You will see how these innovations help states make informed, data-driven decisions for conservation, permitting, and land-use planning.
BIOS
Sunny Fleming is Esri’s industry lead for the domains of environment, conservation, and natural resources. Throughout her career, she has applied GIS concepts and technology to environmental policy, conservation, and natural resources, from monitoring species in the field to helping state parks manage assets and assess their economic impacts. She continues to pursue her passion for the environment by helping industry leaders streamline and improve their work with GIS technology, whether in the field or in the office, and whether setting policy or managing wildlife and resources.
Andy Carroll is a Co-Founder and CTO at Skytec, a remote sensing and geospatial technology company specializing in the application of satellite-based remote monitoring and spatial data analytics for natural resource management. Prior to Skytec, Andy managed and directed the Interdisciplinary Geospatial Technology Lab at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and served as a Project Manager at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Andy is a licensed Professional Geologist, a certified GIS Professional and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lyndhurst Foundation and the Appalachian Carbon Exchange.
Please click only once on each video recording to view in this window.
Part 1: Introduction: Portia Osborn, National Association of Wetland Managers; Presenters: Sunny Fleming, Esri and Andy Carroll, Skytec
