Wetland Delineation, Classification, and Assessment

Through lec­ture, class­room and field exer­cis­es, stu­dents can expect to learn meth­ods to iden­ti­fy wet­lands and delin­eate their bound­aries based on indi­ca­tors of veg­e­ta­tion, soils, and hydrol­o­gy, in addi­tion to con­duct­ing desk­top delin­eations through aer­i­al pho­to inter­pre­ta­tion. Oth­er top­ics to be cov­ered include wet­land clas­si­fi­ca­tion, impact and assess reports, and rel­a­tive-val­ue assess­ments. Pri­or knowl­edge of soils and veg­e­ta­tion is help­ful, but not required.
Course at a glance
  • This course has online synchronous lectures, with two days as a mandatory in-person fieldwork days.
  • Learning facilitated through case study review, lectures, and group activities, and two days of fieldwork.
  • Content developed to comply with Alberta Wetlands Policies, current industry best practices, regulations, and requirements.
  • Aimed at individuals transitioning into the environmental field, as well as mid-level professionals in sectors involving environmental aspects, this course will also be of value to agrologists, biologists, engineers, industrial managers, foresters, technologists, and others who wish to update their skills and knowledge in this area.
  • Recognized by the Alberta Institute of Agrologists (AIA) as a senior agrology course related to entrance into the profession and to augment core knowledge requirements related to a practice area.
  • This course may be recognized as educational or continuing professional development credits by ECO Canada, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), the Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals (AAFMP), and the Association of Science & Engineering Technology Professionals Of Alberta (ASET).
What you will learn

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand factors influencing the occurrence of wetlands in the landscape, including hydrology, soils, vegetation, drainage, and function.
  • Recognize field indicators confirming the presence or absence of wetlands.
  • Understand and demonstrate the protocols for delineating wetland boundaries, both via desktop and field delineation.
  • Apply the Alberta Wetland Classification System and other common classification systems.
  • Complete a wetland impact and assessment report.
  • Identify methods for wetland replacement and compensatory mitigation.
  • Be familiar with wetland functions and values and with the use of the Alberta Wetland Rapid Evaluation Tool (ABWRET).
This course has no prerequisites

Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

Take note:

  • A recommended reading list will be provided via the eClass portal and will be available approximately three days prior to course start – advanced registration is advised.
  • Mandatory field work (two full-day field trips): long pants and good grip boots with good ankle support are essential. Rubber boots are useful but not necessary. Wear weather-appropriate clothing, sun block, work gloves, hard hat, and high-visibility clothing (safety vest, reflective stripes, or blaze orange/yellow outer layer)
  • Students are responsible for their transportation to the field trip sites; carpooling options may be available.
  • A basic plant field guide and a Munsell soil color book will be provided to each field team. Additional copies, however, would be useful, and students are encouraged to bring plant identification books/field guides.
  • Hand lenses are required to assist in class exercises.
  • Assessment includes post-course work to be completed via eClass.
Currently counts towards:

Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

*If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

Email

erm@ualberta.ca

When will
this course be offered?

New course schedules are released each June and November.

Course not yet scheduled

This course is not currently scheduled, but may be offered in an upcoming term.

New course schedules are announced each June and November.

Sign up for updates

Interested in future offerings of this course? We can let you know when this course becomes available.