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Restoring Wetland and Riparian Environments

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

Description

NRTG’s Restoring Wetland and Riparian Environments is a three-day course that introduces you to the ecological and hydrological roles of wetland and riparian ecosystems and the restoration approaches used to recover them. Through interactive instruction and applied learning, you will develop practical skills in site assessment, technique selection, and restoration monitoring. 

The course covers wetland and riparian ecosystem types across Canada, how common disturbances affect their structure and function, and how to select and justify restoration techniques that address site-specific hydrological, water quality, and vegetation challenges. You will use field and remote mapping tools, inventories, and ecological indicators to delineate watersheds, assess site conditions, and monitor restoration progress, and examine the restoration framework through real-world case studies. 

Graduates will leave with a solid understanding of wetland and riparian restoration assessment and techniques 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 the ecological and hydrological roles of riparian and wetland ecosystems.  
  2. Identify and describe riparian and wetland types in Canada and how common disturbances affect their structure and function.  
  3. Select and justify restoration techniques that address site-specific hydrological, water quality, and vegetation challenges in riparian and wetland habitats.  
  4. Use field and remote mapping tools, inventories, and ecological indicators to delineate watersheds, assess site conditions, and monitor restoration progress.  
  5. Describe how the restoration framework can be applied to wetland and riparian restoration using case studies. 

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 wetland or riparian environments and want practical training in restoring these ecosystems. 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
  • GPS unit or mobile GPS app 
  • Compass or mobile compass app 
  • Flagging tape or stakes for plot markers 
  • Measuring tape or string 
  • Mobile phone or camera for photographs 

Instructor Profiles

Charity Blaney, M.Sc., Wildlife Ecologist 

Charity has spent the last several years studying long toed salamander ecology in the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Alberta. Her career stems from a passion for all things nature which began at an early age roaming the forests, rivers, and mountains of Northern British Columbia. Before university, she worked as a wilderness mountain guide and thrived being surrounded by wildlife such as wolves, grizzly bears, and wolverines for weeks at a time, always wanting to know more about how they lived. Since then she has studied rainforest plants from a remote field station in Brazil, worked for a number of municipalities in invasive plant control, taught ecology labs at the University of Calgary, and botany and forest ecology at Northern Lights College. She loves her work as an instructor with NRTG for the opportunity to share her interests with others.   

Dr. Jenny Hill PMP, OALA, PLEng

Consultant, Researcher, and Educator

Jenny is an experienced consultant, researcher, and educator specializing in green infrastructure, hydrology, water quality, ecological restoration and climate adaptation. She has worked across public, private, and academic sectors, advising on over 100 projects related to stormwater policy, restoration monitoring, and nature-based solutions.

Currently Research Scientist with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Jenny also conducts research on remote sensing for wetland restoration. She has authored industry white papers, including Natural Infrastructure in a Changing Climate.

 

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