Rebecca L. Kihslinger

Rebecca L. Kihslinger
Senior Science and Policy Analyst; Director, Wetlands Program
kihslinger@eli.org

Dr. Rebecca Kihslinger is the Senior Science and Policy Analyst at the Environmental Law Institute and Director of ELI’s Wetlands Program. Rebecca conducts research on local, state, and federal wetlands law, policy, and management. She has led multiple projects on compensatory mitigation policy and practice, including studies focused on the state of stream compensatory mitigation, improving compensatory mitigation project review, and in-lieu fee implementation across the country. Rebecca also leads ELI’s work on climate resilience and hazard mitigation. Her work is focused on advancing nature-based solutions by promoting partnerships among natural resource agencies and organizations and hazard mitigation planners and building the capacity of communities to identify risks and vulnerabilities, plan for the future, and develop projects that build resilience and meet local needs. Dr. Kihslinger earned a PhD in Animal Behavior from University of California, Davis and a BS in marine science from the University of South Carolina, Honors College.

Media Guide
Expertise
  • Biodiversity: conservation planning—approaches for integrating biodiversity protection principles into land use planning, policies, and regulations
  • Water: wetlands—compensatory mitigation; federal, state, and local policy
  • Natural Hazards: identifying opportunities to improve community resilience through inter-agency collaboration
Education
  • Ph.D. in Animal Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA, 2006
  • M.S. in Animal Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA, 2002
  • B.S. in Marine Science, University of South Carolina Honors College, Columbia, SC, 1998
Selected Publications

Kihslinger, R.L., D. Salvesen, E. Thomas. Wetlands, Wildlife Habitat, and Flood Hazards in the Cedar River Basin, Iowa. (Envtl. L. Inst. 2013)

Sweeney, E., P. Womble, J.B. Wilkinson, R.L. Kihslinger and J. Amsalem. A Handbook for Prioritizing Wetland and Stream Restoration and Protection Using Landscape Analysis Tools. (Envtl. L. Inst. 2013)

Kihslinger, R.L. and Gaudioso, L. Delaware Wetland Protection Vision and Strategic Plan. Interview Results and Assessment. (Envtl. L. Inst. 2013)

Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, Environmental Law Institute, and The Ocean Foundation. 2013. Offshore Aquaculture Regulation Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

Wilkinson, J.B., R.L. Kihslinger, C. Kolman. 2012. Wetland and Stream Mitigation: A Handbook for Land Trusts. (Envtl. L. Inst. 2012)

Womble, P., Kihslinger, R.L., McElfish, J.M., & Sweeney, E. 2011. America’s Vulnerable Waters: Assessing the Nation’s Portfolio of Vulnerable Aquatic Resources since Rapanos v. United States. National Wetlands Newsletter 33(5).

Kihslinger, Rebecca L., David Salvesen, and Tessa Lee. 2010. Combining Habitat Conservation and Natural Hazards: Issues and Opportunities. National Wetlands Newsletter. 32(3): 12-15.

McElfish, James M. Jr., Rebecca L. Kihslinger, Michael Ng. 2009. Conserving Landscapes in the Chesapeake Bay – A Special Report. Friends of the John Smith Chesapeake Trail Report.

Rebecca L. Kihslinger & James M. McElfish, Jr., Nature-Friendly Land Use Practices at Multiple Scales. (Envtl. L. Inst. 2009).

Rebecca L. Kihslinger, Success of Wetland Mitigation Projects, Nat’l Wetlands Newsl., 30 (2): 14-16 (2008).

Michael Bean, Rebecca L. Kihslinger, & Jessica Wilkinson, Design of U.S. Habitat Banking Systems to Support the Conservation of Wildlife Habitat and At-Risk Species (Envtl. L. Inst. 2008).

James M. McElfish, Jr., Rebecca L. Kihslinger, & Sandra Nichols, Planner’s Guide to Wetland Buffers for Local Governments, (Envtl. L. Inst. 2008).

Rebecca L. Kihslinger, Jessica Wilkinson, & James M. McElfish, Jr., Biodiversity Corridors in Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature, (John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 2007).

Rebecca L. Kihslinger & Jessica Wilkinson eds., Lasting Landscapes: Reflections on the Role of Conservation Science in Land Use Planning (Envtl. L. Inst. 2007).