[2] Palmer has been an invited speaker in numerous and diverse settings including regional[3] and international forums, science-diplomacy venues (e.g., in North Korea[4][5]), and popular outlets such as The Colbert Report.
The book provides a history of ecological theory and restoration, requirements for a functional ecosystem, and planning for environmental stressors like climate change.
[16] The study concluded that the controversial method of resource extraction has irreversible effects on the ecosystem, specifically headwater systems.
Palmer documents the change in stream health showing a decrease in species biodiversity, poor water quality, higher stormwater runoff, and high concentrations of contaminants.
[19] Palmer's research concluded that stressors such as intense storms and the volume of TSS upstream were more likely to affect stream health than increasing stream-wetland complexes.