Wetland Restoration Training Series | MN Board of Water, Soil Resources

This training series provides an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and abilities to plan, design, and install Wetland Restorations (CPS567). Additional training may be needed.

Skill

Practice Specific

Source

TTCP

Training Type

Online Learning

Location

United States

Notes

1. Knowledge of wetland hydrology, wetland plant identification and hydric soils

Title	Description
Tech Talk: Wetland ID & Ecology Part 1	This is the first part of the Wetland ID & Ecology Basics series. Join BWSR Wetland Specialists Ben Meyer and David Demmer for this session covering the three wetland parameters and an overview of wetland classification systems.
Webinar 1: Introduction to Wetlands	This first webinar, presented in 5 segments, in ASWM and NRCS’s jointly developed nine-part wetland training webinar series provides an introduction to wetlands. The webinar introduces the primary components of a wetland, moving on to what makes wetlands distinctive from other types of waters and land. Next, the webinar covers the variability of wetlands across the landscape, including across seasons and time and the benefits of wetlands. The training concludes with a discussion of the history of and changes in agriculture policy in relation to wetland losses and gains. By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to describe what a wetland is and be able to explain to others the value of wetlands.

2. Ability to identify wetlands using the 3-factor method (hydrology, vegetation, and soils) and conduct wetland functional assessments

Webinar 3: Wetlands Ecology for Planners - How Wetlands Function	(Time: 1 hour, 56 mins) This is the third webinar, delivered in 5 segments, in ASWM and NRCS’s jointly-developed nine-part wetland training webinar series. The first half of the webinar focused on explaining general wetland ecology concepts, including succession, thresholds, disturbance, sensitivity and resilience. The second half of the webinar identified how source waters (surface and groundwater) and soils define the character of a wetland, including an introduction to the Hydrogeomorphic Wetland Classification System (HGM). Participants will come away from the webinar with an increased understanding of how to consider these key concepts as they plan conservation and management activities that include wetlands.
Webinar 4: Wetland Ecology for Planners: Examples of Variation Across the United States	This is the fourth webinar, delivered in 4 segments, in ASWM and NRCS’s jointly-developed nine-part wetland training webinar series. The webinar will begin with a presentation on the variability in wetlands across the country, including how specific wetland functions and services vary by wetland type. The webinar will review these functions and services, which include wildlife habitat, flood attenuation, water quality improvement, recreational opportunities and more. The webinar will then move to a second presentation on wetland benefits and their impact on other resources at the watershed scale. This topic will be explored through three cases examining how climatic fluctuation, flooding and water quality are impacted by the presence and/or absence of wetlands (wetland loss/wetland restoration). Participants will come away from the webinar with an increased understanding of variability of wetlands and their associated functions and services nationwide, as well as how wetland loss and wetland restoration can have impacts at the watershed scale. Part 4.0: Welcome: Jeanne Christie, Association of State Wetland Managers Time: 5:30 Part 4.1: Presenter: Andy Robertson, Executive Director, Geospatial Services, St Mary's University of Minnesota Time: 5:55 Part 4.2: Presenter: Doug Norris, Wetland Program Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Time: 28:37 Part 4.3: Presenter: Andy Robertson, Executive Director, Geospatial Services, St Mary's University of Minnesota Time: 32:32
Hydric Soils Training Modules	The Association of State Wetland Managers has developed an online training series focused on hydric soils for wetland professionals. This twelve module training series is for wetland field practitioners who need expertise in hydric soils and seek to understand how hydric soils are formed and how to recognize and interpret the information they provide when observed in the field. This can also be used as refresher course for those practitioners who have not had soils training in recent years.
Basic Hydrology - Modules	This video is a recording of the morning portion of the 2018-2019 TTCP Basic Hydrology class PowerPoints. It covers the science of hydrology, specifically precipitation, runoff, curve numbers, and peak discharge as covered in the NRCS hydrology modules 101-106 (pdfs online).
Altered Hydrology	The basics of drainage and why it is done, installing drainage, the wetland hydrology technical criterion, the terms “effectively drained” and “lateral effect”, and drainage setback tables. (Time: 15 minutes)

Basic Hydrology is regularly offered as an in person course. If you need additional Basic Hydrology training, be sure to include the Basic Skill - "Basic Hydrology" in your IDP.

3. Knowledge of priority species/habitats as identified in State Wildlife Action Plan and State-approved species management plans

4. Skills to use Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guide or Habitat Suitability Index

5. Basic knowledge for recognizing potentially special sites and Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species, sufficient to initiate contact with the appropriate specialist

Request Natural Heritage Database training access from your NRCS Area Resource Conservationist.

Practice Specific Training

Title	Description
Wetland Restoration	This training will enable field staff involved in project applications, the design, or the construction of wetland restorations to have a solid understanding of the science and methods used. Types of implementation will include mostly basic components such as scrapes, ditch plugs, and small embankments. Vegetation establishment considerations will also be covered. NRCS and SWCD staff that follow up this training with experience on actual projects should be able to pursue Job Approval Authority for the phase(s) they work on.
Introduction to Agronomy Tech Note #31	Agronomy Technical Note #31 (ATN31) is used as a guide for the establishment of native and introduced plantings of herbaceous vegetation for the following practices: • Conservation Cover (327) • Contour Buffer Strips (332) • Critical Area Planting (342) • Filter Strip (393) • Forage and Biomass Planting (512) • Cross Wind Trap Strips (598C) • Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (643) • Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) • Wetland Restoration (657) This course is the first module in the series, and it provides an overview of Agronomy Tech Note 31 and an introduction to introduced, native, and invasive species.
Seed and Seeding Methods	This course is the second module in the ATN 31 series, and it describes the different methods for seedbed preparation and seeding and covers seeding equipment, seeder calibration, herbicide considerations, and planting dates. This course also discusses the concepts of Pure Live Seed (PLS) and Seeds Per Square Foot (seeds/sq. ft.).
Seeding Considerations and Evaluations	This course is the third module in the ATN 31 series, and it covers companion crops, temporary cover, weed control, and fertilizer and lime considerations. This course also outlines the procedures for completing stand evaluations.
Seed Calculator Tool	This course is the fourth and final module in the ATN 31 series, and it provides instructions on the use of the Seed Calculator Tool for developing seed plans and completing checkouts after plantings.
Tech Talk: Wetland Restoration Seed Mixes	Kelly Voigt, TTCP Training Conservationist, demonstrates how to design and evaluate wetland restoration seed mixes using the latest version of the NRCS seeding and certification calculator.

Updated: 1/26/2023