Kirk J. Havens

Assistant Director, Center for Coastal Resources Management

Director, Coastal Watersheds Program

B.S. Biology, Old Dominion University

M.S. Oceanography, Old Dominion University

Ph.D. Environmental Science and Public Policy, George Mason University

Email
kirk@vims.edu
Office
Watershed Facility
Phone
(804) 684-7386

Research Interests

My research interests are tidal and nontidal wetlands ecology and functional assessments, environmental law, public policy and land use and watershed issues.

Current Projects

Development of a hydrogeomorphic regional guidebook for hardwood mineral flat wetlands, depressional wetlands and headwater stream wetlands

Investigation of sea level rise on tidal wetland resources

Development of ecological indicators of aquatic health for the Mid-Atlantic Coast of the USA

Comparison of constructed and natural marshes

Investigation of Phragmites australis invasion of marshes

Development of research protocols for the use of night vision equipment in the survey of animals in wetlands

Selected Publications

Bilkovic, D., C.H. Hershner, M.R. Berman, K.J. Havens, and D. Stanhope. 2004. Evaluating Estuarine Indicators of Ecosystem Health in the Nearshore of Chesapeake Bay. Estuarine Indicators Workshop Proceedings CRC Press, Inc.,Vol. 28, 560.

Havens, K.J., H. Berquist and W. I. Priest. 2003. Common Reed Grass, Phragmites australis, Expansion into Constructed Wetlands: Are we mortgaging our wetland future? Estuaries 26 (2B): 417-422.

Varnell, L.M., D.A. Evans, and K.J. Havens. 2002. A geomorphological model of intertidal cove marshes with application to wetlands management. Ecological Engineering 19(5): 339-347.

Havens, K.J., L.M. Varnell, B. Watts. 2002. Maturation of a constructed tidal marsh relative to two natural reference tidal marshes over 12 years. Ecological Engineering, Vol 18 (3) pp. 305-315.

Perry, J.E., T.A. Barnard, J.G. Bradshaw, C. Friedrichs, K.J. Havens, P. Mason, W. Priest, and G. Silberhorn. 2001. Creating tidal salt marshes in the Chesapeake Bay. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 27, 170-191.

Pyke, C.R. and K.J. Havens. 1999. The distribution of the invasive reed Phragmites australis relative to sediment depth in a constructed wetland. Wetlands 19(1):283-287.

Havens, K.J. and E. Sharp. 1998. The use of thermal imagery in the aerial survey of animals. Wildlife Soc. Bull. 26(1):17-23.

Havens, K.J. 1997. The effect of vegetation on soil redox within a seasonally flooded forested system. Wetlands 17(2): 237-242.

External Committees

Gubernatorial Appointee to the Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee
Chair, King & Queen County Wetlands Board
Chair, Virginia Riparian Research Team
Chesapeake Bay Program Forestry Workgroup
Chesapeake Bay Program Nontidal Wetlands Workgroup
Virginia Riparian Workgroup
USDA State Technical Committee