Mallory N. Gilbert, PWS, CPSS, CPESC (Mal) has been a private consultant since 1986 and has more than thirty-five years of professional experience in plant sciences, natural resources management, and wetland and soil sciences. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and Forestry Facilities Design (1972) and a Master of Science degree in Agronomy/Soil Physics (1975), both from the University of Connecticut. He co-developed and has been a principal Instructor for the Rutgers University "Freshwater Wetlands Construction" course since its inception in 1990. Although this innovative course predates the calendar year 2001 National Research Council (NRC) report Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act by eleven years, the recommendations released in the 2001 NRC report regarding planning and design of constructed wetlands mirror Rutgers course content. Newly designed for 2013, Rutgers' Wetlands Construction courses will continue to emphasize use of local wetland reference sites; soils investigations; assessment of weather data; hydrology studies of the depth, duration, and timing of water as predictors of wetland morphology and function; and preparation/use of model hydrographs to plan and construct successful wetland projects.

Mal has authored numerous environmental reports, publications, and regulations for a variety of state, federal, and private organizations. In addition, he has worked as a contributing scientist contractor for the former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station (WES) in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Mal has edited and published The Land Judging Guide for Vermont (third and fourth editions), has authored portions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Laboratory Engineer Research and Development Center, Wetlands Research Program: Wetlands Engineering Handbook (ERDC/EL TR-WRP-RE-2) and, most recently, served on the peer review panel for the "Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Regions." Mal is currently serving as Ethics Committee Chair for the Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program, Inc. (SWSPCP). He has also served the SWSPCP as an Executive Board Member, as President Elect (2007-2008), President (2008-2009), and Immediate Past President (2009-2010).

Read about Mal's pioneering work in the area of functional wetland design.

Planning a wetland construction project? Review Mal's 7 Fundamental Steps for Wetland Construction Success first.