COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

We offer courses in the Boston, MA area and Chicago, IL area. These classes are taught by Ralph Tiner (Boston & Chicago) and Mark Bramstedt (soils portion in Chicago.) Both of these instructors have over 35 years of professional and teaching experience in the field of wetlands.  

WETLAND DELINEATION:
CORPS MANUAL AND REGIONAL SUPPLEMENT

This course is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in the field applying the methods and getting critiqued by the instructor and their peers. Taught by Ralph Tiner, a regional expert in plant identification, hydric soil recognition and wetland delineation, you will learn how to analyze vegetation patterns, recognize hydric soils and separate them from nonhydric soils - essential skills for wetland identification and boundary delineation.

Students will be introduced to the basic concepts and methods in lectures and through field exercises. During the course, students will spend approximately two days of time in the field learning how to determine the presence or absence of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology indictors and to use these indicators to identify and delineate wetlands following federal methods. The instructors will demonstrate sampling techniques and guide students through the steps in conducting wetland delineations. Students will work in groups to identify wetlands and delineate their boundaries. Their work will be evaluated by the instructor and their peers.

Focusing on the use of the Corps Wetlands Delineation manual and the latest regional supplement there will also be a discussion of key differences between this manual and state methods, where appropriate. The fee includes all course materials: the Corps of Engineers manual; the regional supplement; Regional Wetland Plant List, and additional information relevant to making wetland determinations plus a hardbound copy of "Wetland Indicators" (Tiner, 2nd Ed. 2017) - a college textbook providing a comprehensive review of the science behind wetland delineation, various delineation methodologies, and aids to wetland identification.

-This course is designed for students with the ability to identify wetland plants.
- Appropriate for required hours toward the Society of Wetland Scientist's Professional Wetland Scientist certification program (www.sws.org)

Zoom: May 14 - 16, 2024 | Field: May 21 - 23, 2024 (Lincoln, MA)
HOURS:
Zoom: May 14 runs 12:30 - 5:00, May 15 & 16 8:30 - 12:30
Field: May 21 - 23 runs 8:30 - 5:30 each day

September 16 - 19 in (Wheaton, IL)
HOURS: 8:30 - 5:30 each day


COURSE FEE: $1,300.00
Includes all course materials - textbook "Wetland Indicators" by R.W. Tiner (2nd Ed, 2017), 1987 Corps Wetlands Delineation Manual, Regional Plant List, Regional Supplement and various handouts.  

PLANT IDENTIFICATION:
WETLANDS AND THEIR BORDERS
Northeast US

This “two-day” course introduces students to plants common in and around Northeast wetlands. Freshwater wetland species and upland border species are emphasized. First session is online via Zoom (one afternoon and the following morning); second day is in the field, conducted the day before our wetland delineation course.

The instructor will guide students through easy-to-use keys in his Field Guide to Nontidal Wetland Identification and Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. In addition to learning to use these valuable guides, the instructor will give helpful hints for plant identification. Plants characteristic of the region's freshwater wetlands (marshes, wet meadows, bogs, shrub swamps, floodplain wetlands, hardwood swamps, and evergreen forested wetlands) will be covered.

This course provides a good foundation for learning how to identify the region's characteristic freshwater wetland plants as well as an opportunity for those who want to sharpen or refresh their plant identification skills. NOTE: The online (Zoom) portion of this course is conducted in real time by the instructor and is not a self-guided series of taped lectures.

Zoom: May 17, 2024 8:30 - 4:30
&
May 20, 2024 8:30 - 5:30 in the field in Middlesex County, MA


COURSE FEE: $400.00. If taken with Wetland Delineation, fee will be reduced $100.
Instructor: Ralph Tiner