Training Courses

2013 Course Schedule

WDCP offers conveniently located training and testing throughout Minnesota. The basic five-day training course, covering the fundamentals of wetland delineation, is offered two times each summer. For those seeking re-certification, new courses on a variety of industry-related subjects are added every year, and these count toward continuing education credits. If you are interested in a particular course that you do not see listed here, please let us know what you are looking for and we can try and accommodate those trainings in the future.

5-Day Basic Wetland Delineation
Basic Plant Identification
Rapid Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA)
Advanced Plant Identification
Evaluating Soils for Wetland Delineation
Hydrology Tools for Minnesota Wetlands
Overview of Wetland Delineation and Regulation in Minnesota for Non-Delineators


The WDCP does reserve the right to cancel a class at any time if the minimum number of participants is not met.  The minimum number of participants depends on location and class specifics.
 

Printable Schedule (.pdf)

 

5-Day Basic Wetland Delineation

This 5-day course will focus on the fundamentals, concepts and techniques for delineating wetlands in Minnesota.  The course will cover the Corps Manual of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual as well as applicable Corps Manual Regional Supplements used in Minnesota (Midwest, NC/NE, Great Plains).  Specifically, the course will focus on the hydrology, soils, and vegetation parameters including the background necessary to interpret these parameters for wetland delineation purposes.  Other relevant topics that are covered include problem areas, atypical situations, difficult to delineate situations, wetland mapping conventions, antecedent precipitation calculations, use of offsite data sources, delineation methodology levels, hydrology monitoring, wetland classification, plant identification, and wetland delineation reports.  The course will include lecture, lab, and field components.  At least 2 of the 5 days will include a field practicum where participants will practice utilizing techniques described in the lecture.  Although there are no formal prerequisites for taking this course, participants who do not have at least some education background in natural resources (specifically soils, hydrology, botany) may find it challenging to follow the quantity and variety of technical information covered in a short time period.  Given the moderate class size, participants can hone existing wetland delineation skills or develop and apply new skills.  Participants will receive printed materials that will be used throughout the sessions as well as many additional references for future wetland delineations.

More course information and link to register >> 

Basic Plant Identification

This 2-day course, worth 12 direct hours of WDCP Continuing Education Hours, will focus on the identification of forbs, trees, and shrubs common to the wetland-upland transition areas of Minnesota.  The course will review techniques and characteristics to distinguish plant species and groups of species that are often relevant to the hydrophytic vegetation criteria for wetland delineations.  Keying out and identifying live plant specimens in the classroom and in the field will be part of the course.  Unlike the advanced plant ID course, this course will cover the basics of botanical organization and classroom, plant parts, and how to use guides and keys to identify species.  The course is intended for those participants with minimal training in plant taxonomy or those who would benefit from a review of the basics related to plant identification.  Although there is no prerequisite for this course, students without some background in plant identification and/or plant biology may find some of the terminology and methods difficult to grasp.

More course information and link to register >>

Rapid Floristic Quality Assessment

The Rapid Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) is a vegetation based assessment approach that relies on a limited plant species checklist and meander type sampling–coupled with data-driven assessment criteria to translate data into meaningful results. It was designed for natural resource professionals with a moderate level of botanical expertise to make scientifically defensible wetland quality assessments within a reasonable time frame–for a variety of monitoring applications. Through classroom and field training, this one day course will provide complete instruction on how to do a Rapid FQA–from sampling to tallying results and making the assessment.

Maximum participants – 15. Students should bring a laptop computer or similar device with Microsoft Excel software for using the rapid FQA calculator. A limited number of computers will be available for those who do not have one.

This is an advanced course, designed for professionals that have vegetation survey experience and can identify (by site) many of the common MN wetland species.

More course information and link to register >>

Advanced Plant Identification

This 2-day course, worth 12 direct hours of WDCP Continuing Education Hours, will focus on the identification of grasses, sedges, and rushes in the wetland-upland transition areas of Minnesota. The course will review techniques and characteristics to distinguish plant species and groups of species that are often relevant to the hydrophytic vegetation criteria for wetland delineations. Keying out and identifying live plant specimens in the classroom and in the field will be part of the course. Participants should have previously completed a plant taxonomy/botany course, are expected to be familiar with basic botanical terminology, and have some experience using dichotomous keys for plant identification. Students should bring any plant keys/guides that they use and/or own. A limited number of guides and keys will be available for use during the class.  Although there is no prerequisite for this course, students without some background in plant identification and/or plant biology may find some of the terminology and methods difficult to grasp.

More course information and link to register >>

Evaluating Soils for Wetland Delineations

This one day course will be split equally between classroom and field instruction. The focus will be on soil basics including texturing, coloring, and the interaction of landscape position and soil characteristics. Participants will be taught key concepts related to hydric soil identification including depleted matrix, redox features, organic matter, etc. Emphasis will be on recognizing and identifying features that differentiate wetland from upland soils and understanding the reasons behind these differences. The course will not be a systematic review of the specific hydric soil indicators.

Audience: Wetland delineators with limited soils training or those who want a refresher on soil basics for purposes of wetland delineation.

More course information and link to register >>

Hydrology Tools for Minnesota Wetlands 

This one day course will be held in the classroom and focus on gathering precipitation and hydrology data, data analysis techniques, interpreting hydrology indicators and monitoring data in context with precipitation data, lateral effect and drainage, wetland classification using hydrology, and mapping conventions. Course will include several classroom exercises mimicking real-life scenarios. Students should bring a laptop computer or similar device with Microsoft Excel software. A limited number of computers will be available for those who do not have one.  There is no prerequisite for this class, but familiarity with wetland hydrology concepts of the 1987 Manual and supplements is important to understanding the course content.

More course information and link to register >>

Overview of Wetland Delineation and Regulation in Minnesota for Non-Delineators

This one day course will be held in the field. It will include a “walk and talk” format where wetland experts (technical and regulatory) will discuss aspects of wetland delineation and wetland regulations associated with different water resources (streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands) and different wetland types encountered in the field. Technical experts will discuss and demonstrate methods used to identify, delineate, and classify wetlands (soils, hydrology and vegetation assessment). Regulatory specialists will discuss applicable state and federal regulations related to wetlands and other resources. Discussions will include examples of actual and potential projects and how they would be treated and viewed in the regulatory process.

This class is intended for anyone who is interested in wetlands and government regulation of them, as well as those who’s profession interacts with wetlands and regulations (real estate agents, planners, engineers, land developers, surveyors, etc.) but are not involved in delineating wetlands and/or implementing wetland regulations.
   
More course information and link to register >>

Why Choose the WDCP for Training?

• The instructor pool represents diverse experience and disciplines.

• WDCP instructors have participated as peer reviewers, members of regional work groups and have served on the national advisory team for the regional supplements.

• An instructor is on the national team developing version 2.0 of the Delineation Manual (the successor to the 1987 Manual).

• Instructors have authored Delineation Guidance for Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• Classes have an informal atmosphere making it easy to ask questions and have fun while learning.

• Instructors have authored numerous guides, guidance's, and books concerning plants, soils and hydrology.

• Prices are competitive compared to other training programs.

• Instructors have led and been involved with academic research in Minnesota concerning soils and whole landscape hydrology.

• Instructors have developed and refined the Minnesota Routine (Functional) Assessment Methodology for Wetlands (MnRAM) and have served on regional committees developing regional guidebooks for the Hydrogeomorphic Method (HGM) of Wetland Functional Assessment.

• Instructors have served as regulators for local, state, and federal government agencies, and have reviewed many delineations.

• Instructors have served as private consultants, performing many delineations.

• Instructors have been involved in numerous enforcement cases involving data collection and documentation of findings on significantly disturbed sites.

• Instructors have served as "troubleshooters" for wetland delineation issues throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• Instructors have created soil surveys and have a thorough knowledge of soils data bases, soil classification, soil mapping units and soil interpretations.