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Restoring Lake Ecosystems

Each NRTG course includes free, lifetime admission. Enrol once – come back anytime.

Description

NRTG’s Restoring Lake Ecosystems is a three-day course that introduces you to the science and practice of lake restoration. Through interactive instruction and applied learning, you will examine how watershed conditions drive lake water and habitat quality, and what restoration practitioners can do to address them. 

The course covers Best Management Practices (BMPs) for mitigating watershed impacts, common in-lake restoration techniques and their intended outcomes, and key indicators used to assess lake conditions and restoration success, including contaminant mass balances, water residence time, and Trophic State Index (TSI). You will also assess the potential challenges and unintended consequences of restoration interventions. 

Graduates will leave with a solid understanding of lake restoration science and assessment and the practical foundations to support their work in restoration contexts. Completing this course counts towards Habitat Restoration Technician Program certification once the remaining courses are completed. 

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be able to:   

  1. Explain how watershed characteristics influence lake water and habitat quality.  
  2. Describe how Best Management Practices (BMPs) mitigate watershed impacts and improve lake water quality.  
  3. Describe common in-lake restoration techniques and their intended outcomes.  
  4. Assess potential challenges and unintended consequences of lake restoration interventions.  
  5. Interpret contaminant mass balances, water residence time (WRT), and Trophic State Index (TSI) to assess lake conditions and restoration success. 

Certification

This course is assessed on attendance, assignments, and participation. To earn your certificate of completion you must meet all three requirements: 

  • Attendance: 90% of course time 
  • Assignments: Average 70% across assignments 
  • Participation: Average 60% across the course days 

Your certificate of completion is required to claim your SER CECs and count towards your Habitat Restoration Technician Program certification. 

Prerequisites 

No formal credentials required to register. A basic understanding of field practices (e.g., plant identification, wildlife signs, experience around running water) and ecosystem functions is recommended.  

If you are starting from scratch, consider completing NRTG’s Environmental Field Skills Program or Land Guardian Program. Either will give you a solid foundation before you begin the course. 

Who attends? 

This course is for you if you work in or near lake, watershed, or aquatic environments and want practical training in lake restoration. You are a good fit if you:  

  • Work on or near land, water, or ecosystems as part of your job or community role  
  • Are an Indigenous land guardian, watchman, or community member involved in stewarding your territory  
  • Work in environmental consulting, natural resources, or industry and need applied restoration skills  
  • Have field experience but no formal restoration training and want credentials to back it up  
  • Are looking to move into restoration work and need a recognized certification to get started 

What should I bring or supply? 

You will need: 

  • Computer 
  • Stable internet access 
  • Pen and paper 

Instructor Profile 

Jeff Sereda, PhD.

Manager, Ecological and Habitat Assessment, Owner Sereda Environmental
Headshot of Jeff Sereda, Senior Fisheries Ecologist and NRTG instructor.

Jeff holds a PhD. in Limnology and an Aquaculture Technician Diploma. He served as manager of a commercial salmonid hatchery for 4 years, lectured at the University of Saskatchewan on topics of fish physiology, taxonomy, ecology, conservation, and aquaculture. Currently, Jeff is a Manager of Ecological and Habitat Assessment, and formally an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. 

Jeff’s research has encompassed topics such as assessing the risk of aquatic ecosystems to anthropogenic eutrophication, macrophyte management, fish habitat restoration, and the impacts of water management on species as risk (Bigmouth Buffalo, Chestnut Lamprey, Plains Sucker, and Lake Sturgeon). Jeff’s research has been presented at over 60 national and international conferences and resulted in 20 peer reviewed publications. 

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