Land Guardian Program

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Our programs are designed for several groups of individuals without prior experience: industry professionals, government, academia including current students, Indigenous learners, community stakeholders, and international students.

All participants must be a minimum age of sixteen (16) at the time of registration.  

Our costs vary by program. Please refer to the course of interest for specific cost information.

Our programs are offered in several formats (varies by specific course):

1. Fully online with a ‘live’ instructor, with no field training
2. Fully online with a ‘live’ instructor, with field training
3. Fully online recorded course, with no field training
4. Fully online recorded course, with field training
5. In-person instruction in a community with class training only
6. In-person instruction in a community with class and field training

Please refer to the specific course of interest for more information.

At present, NRTG delivers training programs in Canada with plans to offer our training programs internationally. If you are interested in having NRTG bring any program to your community or organization, please contact us for more information. Depending on the course topic, we deliver our programs year-round. Please refer to the course of interest for more information.

Our programs range in length from two days to five weeks in duration. Please refer to the specific course of interest on our Courses page for more information.

NRTG instructors are industry leading professionals and educators with extensive experience as practitioners and educators.  Our team members bring years of experience and knowledge to each course, focusing on the ‘need to know’ vs ‘nice to know’ content. Learn more about our team via this page.

Find a course of interest to you from our Courses page, refer to our Schedule page and that particular course. Use the calendar view or course-specific icons (below the calendar) to find and click on a course date and location (if applicable). Click on the ‘add to cart’ button and follow the prompts to complete your registration. Upon successful completion of the course, a certificate will be issued to the participant names/emails entered here”.

Find a course of interest to you from our Courses page, refer to our Schedule page and that particular course. Use the calendar view or course-specific icons (below the calendar) to find and click on a course date and location (if applicable). Two options to register from here: one, click on the ‘add to cart’ button and follow the prompts to complete your registration and add student names and contact information.  Two, request to be invoiced to be finalized with LMS implementation….

Yes, a receipt will be issued automatically once enrolled. If you do not receive an invoice within one day, please check your spam folder and, if needed, contact NRTG.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions page.

Please refer to the course of interest for more information. 

Yes.

Our fully online and classroom-only courses are available year-round, while any course that includes field training or exercises will start once suitable field conditions exist (e.g., unfrozen ground and waterways). These conditions vary by region, with field training beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions. Please refer to our Schedule page for specific dates for the course of interest.

With online courses, your course materials will be sent to you digitally in an informational email prior to the course delivery. For in-person courses, your course materials will be provided to you by the instructor.

NRTG will provide you with a log on link prior to the course delivery. Our online ‘live’ courses are delivered using the Zoom platform.  If you are not familiar with using Zoom, we recommend that you view the many useful Zoom ‘how to’ videos online.

Please turn off your computer, restart, and try to log on again. If you are still experiencing trouble connecting at that point, please send an email to: info@nrtraininggroup.com outlining your issue.

Please send an email to: info@nrtraininggroup.com outlining your issue.

Search in your inbox for an email from NRTG with the course name in the title. Also, check your spam folder and/or check your course receipt for login details. As a last resort, email NRTG to request a copy of the login information.

The instructor will make this determination during the course. At times, internet connections may be weak, and the connection can be improved by turning off your video and audio features. Keep in mind that our courses are very interactive and will require your participation. The instructor will then guide you as to when to turn your video and audio on.

Please direct your questions to NRTG and if we cannot address the question, we will involve the instructor. Our instructors are professionals from industry, academia, and government, and often work set hours and may not be readily available. For this reason, NRTG will field questions and do our best to provide you with a timely response.

There are several potential starting points to secure fisheries-related employment opportunities. NRTG offers a series of courses that will provide you with essential skills to conduct fish and fish habitat inventory and assessment fieldwork. For any fisheries field work, we would recommend that you complete our backpack Electrofishing Certification course first, as this course and certification is in high demand by employers. Our Fish Habitat Assessment – Level One and Fish Inventory course will provide key skills to conducting fish habitat assessments. Completing these two courses will provide you with the minimum qualifications to secure fisheries-related employment.

NRTG has created and offers a series of courses designed to provide you with essential skills to conduct fish habitat restoration projects. Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques provides you with key field skills required to conduct the many field procedures related to restoration projects. This course is appropriate for anyone and all skill levels.  Our Fish Habitat Restoration – Instream Techniques, Fish Habitat Restoration – Off-Channel Techniques, and Streambank Restoration Techniques courses all focus on specific and important types of fish habitat restoration. 

NRTG has created and offers a series of courses designed to provide you with essential skills to conduct wildlife field techniques and projects. We would recommend that you first complete our eDNA Methods and Wildlife Survey Field Methods courses, followed by the more specific Wildlife Survey Field Methods – Ungulates. To conduct bird surveys, we recommend our popular Avian Nest Sweeps course that provides in-demand skills and knowledge for conducting bird surveys. To conduct amphibian surveys, our Amphibian and Reptile Salvage Methods course.  In combination, these courses will qualify you to conduct wildlife surveys.

NRTG has created and offers a series of Certificate programs designed to provide you with essential skills to fulfill roles Indigenous stewardship roles.  Our popular Environmental Field Skills Certificate program, Fisheries Field Skills Certificate program, Forestry Field Skills Certificate program, and new Land Guardian Program are popular applied training programs suited for community-based deliveries. Each program specializes in specific skills training that will qualify you for employment.

Our RISC Archaeology & CMT Training for Crew Members and Cultural Heritage Monitor programs provide you with in demand skills in field archaeology and cultural heritage assessments.

While all NRTG courses will provide you with year-round employment, there are specific ‘office-based’ skills and abilities that will maximize your employment opportunities. Fundamental to any natural resource-related employment and effectiveness is good writing, whether that be field notes, reports, proposals, or an email or any other written correspondence. Our popular Technical Writing for Professionals course provides you with more impactful and effective writing skills, while Technical Writing for Professionals: Report Writing provides you with skills to develop more readable, clear, persuasive, and compelling reports.

NRTG offers courses designed for intermediate and senior staff or professionals that manage projects.

Most any natural resource-related work involves legislation and regulations. NRTG’s Working in and About Water: Legislation, Regulations and Responsibilities clarifies the processes, regulations and constraints involved in working in and about water.  For professionals requiring skills to design a scientifically defensible study, our Experimental Design in Ecology course will provide skills in study design, site and equipment selection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of data.

We offer this course beginning in April in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program and should be in place prior to conducting electrofishing activities as a paid employee or worker.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by Worksafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state Worksafe authorities for more information.

To attend this course, students much provide and wear leak-free chestwaders and non-slip footwear (e.g., rubber, Vibram ® soles, cleats). While employed and conducting electrofishing activities, all crew members must provide and wear a hat with a brim, polarized sunglasses, leak-free chestwaders, wading belt, lineman gloves, and non-slip footwear.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders don’t leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of boat electrofishers. Wading shoes having cleats may be a poor choice for boat electrofishing, as cleated soles will be noisy and may scar the flooring in boats.

No, there is no requirement to recertify your electrofishing certificate. If there is a significant pause in your electrofishing fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

No. Boat electrofishing is entirely unique from backpack electrofishing and requires different skills, abilities and knowledge. NRTG offers both backpack and boat electrofishing certification. Please refer to our Courses page for more information.

There is no current requirement to recertify Boat Electrofishing Certification in BC.  

We offer this course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants need to provide their own computer or ensure computer access and internet connectivity. Writing utensils and notebooks are recommended, while NRTG will supply you with a course workbook.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program and should be in place prior to conducting electrofishing activities as a paid employee or worker.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by WorkSafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state WorkSafe authorities for more information.

To attend this course, students must provide and wear leak-free chestwaders and non-slip footwear (e.g., rubber, Vibram ® soles, cleats). While employed and conducting electrofishing activities, all crew members must provide and wear a hat with a brim, polarized sunglasses, leak-free chestwaders, wading belt, lineman’s gloves, and non-slip footwear.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders don’t leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide very poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

No, there is no requirement to recertify your electrofishing certificate. If there is a significant pause in your electrofishing fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

No. Boat electrofishing is entirely unique from backpack electrofishing and requires different skills, abilities and knowledge. NRTG offers both backpack and boat electrofishing certification. Please refer to our Courses page for more information.

Simply contact NRTG via phone or email and request your upgrade. Please provide us with the previous NRTG course date and location. We will issue you a free upgraded Certificate!

Yes, as this is a WorkSafeBC requirement. To certify in BC, attend our Electrofishing Recertification course where you can attend both the online theory session and/or field session.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

The Recertification course is a one-day field session, where students join the field practicum during any existing two-day Electrofishing Certification training program delivery.  Prior to registering, please contact NRTG to determine class size, remaining space and course location logistics. 

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program and should be in place prior to conducting electrofishing activities as a paid employee or worker.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by WorkSafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state WorkSafe authorities for more information.

To attend this course, students must provide and wear leak-free chestwaders and non-slip footwear (e.g., rubber, Vibram ® soles, cleats). While employed and conducting electrofishing activities, all crew members must provide and wear a hat with a brim, polarized sunglasses, leak-free chestwaders, wading belt, lineman’s gloves, and non-slip footwear.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

No, there is no requirement to recertify your electrofishing certificate. If there is a significant pause in your electrofishing fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

No. Boat electrofishing is entirely unique from backpack electrofishing and requires different skills, abilities and knowledge. NRTG offers both backpack and boat electrofishing certification. Please refer to our Courses page for more information.

Simply contact NRTG via phone or email and request your upgrade. Please provide us with the previous NRTG course date and location. We will issue you a free upgraded Certificate!

Yes, as this is a WorkSafeBC requirement. To certify in BC, attend our Electrofishing Recertification course where you can attend both the online theory session and/or field session.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

This course includes online presentations and student-led field exercises. Our instructors will provide direction and support for all field exercises, and students should identify and scout 2-3 local streams (within 20 minutes from your location) in advance of the course start date.

Course participants are required to provide chestwaders, waterproof field notebook, as well as optional equipment items: clinometer, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, and meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters).

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.
 
Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

This course includes a one-day online presentation and a two-day instructor-led field practicum. The online session may be scheduled in advance of the two-day field practicum, allowing participants time to travel to the field site location. 

Course participants are required to provide chestwaders, waterproof field notebook, as well as optional equipment items: clinometer, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, and meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters).

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

This field-based course is designed for field personnel conducting fish habitat restoration field activities associated with instream and off-channel restoration projects. The online FHR Instream and classroom-based Off-Channel Restoration include planning and design-level training and are appropriate for anyone responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and monitoring restoration projects and programs.

We offer this course year-round in a few select locations: Chilliwack, BC, Vancouver Island and a future location in Merritt, BC.  This course is centered in locations containing a wide variety of existing fish habitat restoration projects that form an integral component of the field exercises.

This course includes a one-day classroom presentation and a one-day instructor-led field practicum. 

For specific course dates, we may also offer an optional ‘no cost’ third day informational tour and review of existing fish habitat restoration sites.

Course participants are required to classroom supplies (pen, paper), suitable outdoor clothing and footwear, own transportation, and bag lunch and refreshments for both days.

This classroom and field-based course is designed for anyone conducting fish habitat restoration off-channel projects.  The online FHR Instream course includes planning and design-level training and are appropriate for anyone responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and monitoring instream restoration projects and programs. The online and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration-Field Techniques course is designed for field personnel conducting fish habitat restoration field activities associated with instream and off-channel restoration projects.

We offer this fully online course year-round. 

This course includes a two-day online presentation, case study examinations and group discussions. Presentations.

Participants are required to supply their own computer and have a stable internet connection to access live lessons on a web-based learning platform.  Writing supplies for taking notes are also recommended. Also, have your case studies or projects on hand! We’ll do our best to incorporate your projects into the course content.

The online FHR Instream course includes planning and design-level training and is appropriate for anyone responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and monitoring instream restoration projects and programs. The classroom and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration course is designed for anyone conducting fish habitat restoration off-channel projects.  The online and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration-Field Techniques course is designed for field personnel conducting fish habitat restoration field activities associated with instream and off-channel restoration projects.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

This course includes a ½ day online presentation and a two-day instructor-led field practicum. The online session may be scheduled in advance of the two-day field practicum, allowing participants time to travel to the field site location. 

Course participants are required to provide chestwaders, waterproof field notebook, own transportation, and bag lunch and refreshments each day.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

We offer this course beginning in March in coastal regions and May in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

This course includes a ½ day online presentation and a one-day instructor-led field practicum. The online session may be scheduled in advance of the two-day field practicum, allowing participants time to travel to the field site location. 

Course participants will be required to supply their own wet or dry suit, mask, footwear, and gloves (optional). Other items of mandatory equipment include suitable under garments and field clothing, bag lunch and refreshments.

These items can be rented at local Dive Shops or other suppliers.  Participants should contact equipment suppliers well in advance of this training program and find and secure suitable fitting equipment.

We offer this course beginning in March in coastal regions and May in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

This course includes a ½ day online presentation and a one-day instructor-led field practicum. The online session may be scheduled in advance of the two-day field practicum, allowing participants time to travel to the field site location. 

Course participants are required to supply and bring field gloves, sturdy footwear, two or five-pound sledgehammer, single-hand and two-hand pruners, spade shovel, and bag lunch and refreshments.

These items can be rented at Canadian Tire, local gardening and hardware retailers.

NRTG will bring this course to any community or organization. To arrange a course delivery, please contact NRTG.

We offer this one-day fully online course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants need to provide their own computer or ensure computer access and internet connectivity. Writing utensils and notebooks are recommended, while NRTG will supply you with a course workbook.

This course is a one-day, fully online training program that provides participants with key skills in interpreting and applying regulations, planning and conducting salvages. Topics covered include, capture and handling techniques, species identification, considerations when relocating salvaged individuals, and best practices for preventing disease transfer. Although this course is online, there will be an emphasis on applying these skills in the field.

The Avian Nest Sweeps course will train personnel to perform efficient, effective, and ecologically responsible nest sweeps for breeding birds. After completing this course participants will understand the regulatory and environmental drivers behind this practice and be prepared to plan and conduct these specialized surveys. Being able to perform nest sweeps thoroughly and efficiently is a valuable and applicable skill for environmental professionals.

We offer this course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants need to provide their own computer or ensure computer access and internet connectivity. Writing utensils and notebooks are recommended, while NRTG will supply you with a course workbook. Students will also need a waterproof field notebook, binoculars and appropriate field clothing for the field practicums.

This course is offered in two formats: fully online (October to March each year) and online with a field component (March to October each year). Currently the course is only offered online with supplemental field exercises. Starting in September 2021, this course will be offered with a field component with the course length expanded to two days in duration. Each course day will include online instruction and student-led field activities. 

This course will train personnel to perform efficient, effective, and ecologically responsible nest sweeps for breeding birds. After completing this course participants will understand the regulatory and environmental drivers behind this practice and be prepared to plan and conduct these specialized surveys. Being able to perform nest sweeps thoroughly and efficiently is a valuable and applicable skill for environmental professionals.

This course will train personnel to perform efficient, effective, and ecologically responsible nest sweeps for breeding birds. After completing this course participants will understand the regulatory and environmental drivers behind this practice and be prepared to plan and conduct these specialized surveys. Being able to perform nest sweeps thoroughly and efficiently is a valuable and applicable skill for environmental professionals.

The Amphibian & Reptile Salvage Methods course is a one-day, fully online training program that provides participants with key skills in interpreting and applying regulations, planning and conducting salvages. Topics covered include, capture and handling techniques, species identification, considerations when relocating salvaged individuals and best practices for preventing disease transfer. Although this course is online, there will be an emphasis on applying these skills in the field.

We offer this course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants need to provide their own computer or ensure computer access and internet connectivity. Writing utensils and notebooks are recommended, while NRTG will supply you with a course workbook.

NRTG offers this course online almost monthly in an online format year-round. It can also be requested to be delivered in-person within a community or company. This course is offered in two forms: as three consecutive days or over five evenings spaced over two and a half weeks. The first approach is intended for students able to dedicate three days to the course and the second is for those that prefer to take the course outside of regular working hours. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations. 

The course is offered via two formats: online or in community. The on-line delivery includes students from a broad geographic region and consists of approximately half morning lectures (via Zoom) and half independent completion of assigned exercises outdoors in the afternoon. That is, exercises are completed by the individual, not as a group or class. Following exercises, the class reconvenes on Zoom to discuss the assigned activity and findings. In-community deliveries are structured similarly but the instructor is in the field with the class and the activities are group- or class-based rather than completed individually.

For online deliveries we do not require you to purchase equipment for this course, but please use personal field gear if you currently have it (e.g., binoculars, field tape, compass, clinometer). For in-person deliveries, NRTG will supply the required equipment.

The most important personal equipment you can have for this course are appropriate clothing for the weather, including head covering. 

Field gear is not required to be purchased for online or in-person deliveries.

Wildlife Survey Field Methods is an introduction to methods for a wide variety of mammalian species, from shrews to bears and includes ungulates. The course Wildlife Survey Field Methods: Ungulates then expands on and explored details of methods and issues specific to ungulate surveys. The ungulate course is intended for those that conduct primarily ungulate surveys, whereas the Wildlife Survey Field Methods is for the generalist interested in methods used for a wider variety of mammals.

NRTG offers this course online almost every two months in an online format year-round. It can also be requested to be delivered in-person within a community or company. This course is offered in two forms: as three consecutive days or over five evenings spaced over two and a half weeks. The first approach is intended for students able to dedicate three days to the course and the second is for those that prefer to take the course outside of regular working hours. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations. 

The course is offered via two formats: online or in community. The on-line delivery includes students from a broad geographic region and consists of approximately half morning lectures (via Zoom) and half independent completion of assigned exercises outdoors in the afternoon. That is, exercises are completed by the individual, not as a group or class. Following exercises, the class reconvenes on Zoom to discuss the assigned activity and findings. In-community deliveries are structured similarly but the instructor is in the field with the class and the activities are group- or class-based rather than completed individually.

For online deliveries we do not require you to purchase equipment for this course, but please use personal field gear if you currently have it (e.g., binoculars, field tape, compass, clinometer). For in-person deliveries, NRTG will supply the required equipment.

The most important personal equipment you can have for this course are appropriate clothing for the weather, including head covering. 

Field gear is not required to be purchased for online or in-person deliveries.

Wildlife Survey Field Methods: Ungulates expands on and explores details of methods and issues specific to ungulate surveys. In contrast, Wildlife Survey Field Methods is an introduction to methods for a wide variety of mammalian species, from shrews to bears, including but providing relatively shallow treatment of ungulates. Wildlife Survey Field Methods: Ungulates then expands on and explored details of methods and issues specific to ungulate surveys. The ungulate course is intended for those that conduct primarily ungulate surveys, whereas the Wildlife Survey Field Methods is for the generalist interested in methods used for a wider variety of mammals.

NRTG offers this course online approximately monthly in an online format year-round. It can also be requested to be delivered in-person within a community or company. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations. 

Technical Writing for Professionals is a two-day course comprised of lectures interspersed with exercises and examples. Several of the exercises use the student’s own writing so they can apply lessons directly to their own crafting of words, sentences, and paragraphs. Exercises range in length from five to forty five minutes. A short assignment (30-60 minute) is assigned in the days before the class and expected to be completed by each student.

Students are required to have some of their own writing available to them (2-3 pages; typically on computer) for some of the exercises. Apart from this, students will want a form of taking notes, whether they prefer pen-and-paper or computer is up to each individual.

Technical Writing for Professionals is intended to assist students improve their writing across a wide range of applications. It is, therefore, high level, and focussed on tools that are generalized across all technical writing. In contrast, NRTG’s remaining technical writing courses are focussed and specific to application. It is recommended that students take Technical Writing for Professionals, and then apply these skills and techniques to the other more focussed courses of their interest.

NRTG offers this course online approximately every two to three months in an online format year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing.

Technical Writing for Professionals: Proposals is a one-day course comprised of lectures interspersed with exercises and examples.

Students are requested, if possible, to have a proposal they are working on with them in order to apply the lessons directly to their own work. Apart from this, students will want a form of taking notes, whether they prefer pen-and-paper or computer is up to each individual.

Technical Writing for Professionals: Proposals is one in a series of specific and focussed courses (the two others being (i) report writing and (ii) resumes and cover letters) designed to assist students to write more effectively within a single application of technical writing. In contrast, the broader Technical Writing for Professionals is intended to assist students improve their writing across a wide range of applications. It is, therefore, high level, and focussed on tools that are generalized across all technical writing. 

NRTG offers this course online approximately every two to three months in an online format year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing.

Technical Writing for Professionals: Report Writing is a one-day course comprised of lectures interspersed with exercises and examples.

Students are requested, if possible, to have a report they are working on with them in order to apply the lessons directly to their own work. Apart from this, students will want a form of taking notes, whether they prefer pen-and-paper or computer is up to each individual.

Technical Writing for Professionals: Report Writing is one in a series of specific and focussed courses (the two others being (i) proposals and (ii) resumes and cover letters) designed to assist students to write more effectively within a single application of technical writing. In contrast, the broader Technical Writing for Professionals is intended to assist students improve their writing across a wide range of applications. It is, therefore, high level, and focussed on tools that are generalized across all technical writing.

NRTG offers this course online approximately every two to three months in an online format year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing. 

Technical Writing for Professionals: Resumes and Cover Letters is a half-day course comprised of lectures interspersed with exercises and examples.

Students are requested, if possible, to have a resume and cover letter they are working on with them in order to apply the lessons directly to their own work. Apart from this, students will want a form of taking notes, whether they prefer pen-and-paper or computer is up to each individual.

Technical Writing for Professionals: Resumes and Cover Letters is one in a series of specific and focussed courses (the two others being (i) proposals and (ii) report writing) designed to assist students to write more effectively within a single application of technical writing. In contrast, the broader Technical Writing for Professionals is intended to assist students improve their writing across a wide range of applications. It is, therefore, high level, and focussed on tools that are generalized across all technical writing.

We offer this two-day online course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

This is a two-day online review of Experimental Design in Ecology (EDE). This training program provides valuable insight and lessons learned to designing study objectives, selecting sampling sites, choosing specific equipment and recognizing and avoiding sampling biases. This course also introduces statistical analysis and interpretation of data in order to complete a scientifically defensible study.

We offer this online and field-based course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

The SRDD course is available for ‘in-house’ deliveries and contract training. Client groups can choose from a one or two-day training program. The one or two-day course includes both classroom theory and field-based exercises. This course is highly customizable and can include the following classroom and field topics and training: a review of the types of assessments, legal issues, fate and effects of spilled product, fuel transportation, storage and dispensing, a review of standards for response organization and advanced site sampling, cleanup, disposal and treatment.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment: Boots or waders, high visibility vest, hard hat, safety glasses, gloves and field notebook.

We offer this online course year-round. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

The two-day fully online Working in and About Water – Legislation, Regulations and Responsibilities course is a comprehensive, fully-online training program designed to address a long-time need to clarify the processes, regulations and constraints involved in working in and around water. This applied program includes online presentation, discussion, break-out groups and exercises.

Computer and internet access, as well as writing utensils and paper.

This course is directed at Intermediate and Senior staff that manage projects, people and programs. Course participants typically include government and First Nations representatives and professionals, ecology and biology professionals, natural resource and industry consultants and stakeholders.

The Aboriginal Guardian Program (AGP) is offered year-round with most training deliveries occurring in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

 Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective field clothing, waterproof field notebook, appropriate field clothing, own transportation, computer and internet access.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming AGP program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

A guardian role serves as the ‘eyes and ears’ on traditional territories. A guardian typically does not conduct environmental assessment work, but rather, they monitor and report upon the activities of other resource workers and related activities. 

The 120-hour (three-week) Environmental Field Skills (EFS) Certificate program provides course participants with high-quality, in-demand Environmental Monitoring field skills. EFS program ‘graduates’ are qualified and capable to lead or assist with environmental monitoring and assessment of mining, hydro-electric, oil & gas, forestry, road construction, and other natural resource-related programs and projects.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by Worksafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state Worksafe authorities for more information.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE): chestwaders (with no leaks), wading belt, non-slip footwear, polarized glasses, and a hat with a brim (e.g., ball cap), as well as the following equipment: clinometer, compass, waterproof field notebook, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, minnow trap, ziplock bags, meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters), and bucket.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

NRTG’s Environmental Field Skills (EFS) Certificate program is accredited by BC’s College of Applied Biology (CAB). CAB will recognize graduates of the EFS program as meeting the core academic requirements for entry as an Applied Biology Technician. An ‘Applied Biology Technician’ designation qualifies an individual as a B.C. provincially recognized and certified technician and helps to expand their industry credibility. 

NRTG also partners with post-secondary institutes across Canada, who offer their own non-credit Certificate of Completion for this program. Contact NRTG for further details.  

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming EFS program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by WorkSafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state WorkSafe authorities for more information.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE): chestwaders (with no leaks), wading belt, non-slip footwear, polarized glasses, and a hat with a brim (e.g., ball cap), as well as the following equipment: clinometer, compass, waterproof field notebook, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, minnow trap, ziplock bags, meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters), and bucket.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

First, always ensure your chestwaders don’t leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

NRTG’s Fisheries Field Skills (EFS) Certificate program is accredited by BC’s College of Applied Biology (CAB). CAB will recognize graduates of the EFS program as meeting the core academic requirements for entry as an Applied Biology Technician. An ‘Applied Biology Technician’ designation qualifies an individual as a BC provincially recognized and certified technician and helps to expand their industry credibility. 

NRTG also partners with post-secondary institutes across Canada, who offer their own non-credit Certificate of Completion for this program. Contact NRTG for further details.  

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming FFS program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

The 15-day Fish Habitat Restoration Certificate (FHRCP) is modular in design where students complete a series of short courses over time. The FHRCP is comprised of the following NRTG courses: 

1. Fish Habitat Restoration – Overview & Planning (in development) (one day)
2. Fish Habitat Assessment – Level One (two days)
3. Fish Ichthyology (one day)
4. Fish Habitat Restoration – Prescription Development (in development) (one day)
5. Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques (three days)
6. Fish Habitat Restoration – Instream Techniques (two days) 
7. Fish Habitat Restoration – Off-Channel Techniques (two days) 
8. Streambank Restoration Techniques (two days)
9. Stream Crossing Assessment & Restoration (one day) (in development)

NRTG will schedule and offer each course module throughout the year. Over time, students register in and successfully complete this series of courses to obtain an FHRCP Certificate.  All course modules are offered online except for our Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques course which includes a two-day field practicum. The online sessions include online presentations and student-led field exercises. Our instructors will provide direction and support for all field exercises, and students should identify and scout 2-3 local streams (within 20 minutes from your location) in advance of the course start date.

The individual course modules that comprise the FHRC Program are offered throughout the year. The online and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques course is scheduled for community-based deliveries beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants are required to provide chestwaders, waterproof field notebook, as well as optional equipment items: clinometer, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, and meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters).

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

The FHRC Program includes all NRTG Fish Habitat Restoration short courses and expands into new topics such as prescription development, Fish Ichthyology, and Stream Crossing Assessment and Restoration. These additional topics and courses provide students with a complete and comprehensive suite of skills and knowledge sets that qualify individuals to conduct and participate in a wide variety of fish habitat restoration projects.

The Land Guardian Program (LGP) is offered year-round with most field training deliveries starting in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule Page for course timing and locations.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment.

• Suunto PM5 Clinometer
• Waterproof Field Book
• Suitable outdoor clothing
• Bag lunch and refreshments each day
• Chest waders (with no leaks), 
• Non-slip footwear, 
• Hat with a brim (e.g., ball cap)
• Eslon or other 30m measuring tape
• Meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters)

NRTG can help with sourcing and identifying appropriate items.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming LGP program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

The three-day fully online Cultural Heritage Monitor course is offered year-round.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective field clothing, waterproof field notebook, appropriate field clothing, own transportation, computer and internet access.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming CHM program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

The CHM program explores topics that go beyond field archaeology. The Cultural Heritage Monitor (CHM) training program provides course participants with valuable applied field and research skills and experience in the expanding field of cultural resource management. 

The CHM program will introduce participants to Cultural Resource Management and provide ‘tools’ and skills well beyond the limitations of traditional archaeological methods.  This program provides community members with practical skills in field archaeology, heritage assessments, heritage site visits, local site and community visits, applicable laws & regulations, research techniques such as: meaningful community engagement, consultation & interviewing, archival research, and the use of mapping and GIS using radar, drones, photography and videography. The RISC course focuses on field archaeology and includes both daily classroom and field training and exercises, where participants learn skills and abilities in: site identification, survey design and procedures, and data and site recording procedures.  Upon successful completion, participants are registered with the BC provincial government as a Certified RISC Technician, and receive a certificate signed and endorsed by the BC Archaeology Branch.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by Worksafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state Worksafe authorities for more information.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE): chestwaders (with no leaks), wading belt, non-slip footwear, polarized glasses, and a hat with a brim (e.g., ball cap), as well as the following equipment: clinometer, compass, waterproof field notebook, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, minnow trap, ziplock bags, meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters), and bucket.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

First, always ensure your chestwaders don’t leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

NRTG’s Environmental Field Skills (EFS) Certificate program is accredited by BC’s College of Applied Biology (CAB). CAB will recognize graduates of the EFS program as meeting the core academic requirements for entry as an Applied Biology Technician. An ‘Applied Biology Technician’ designation qualifies an individual as a B.C. provincially recognized and certified technician and helps to expand their industry credibility. 

NRTG also partners with post-secondary institutes across Canada, who offer their own non-credit Certificate of Completion for this program. Contact NRTG for further details.  

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming EFS program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

The 15-day Fish Habitat Restoration Certificate (FHRCP) is modular in design where students complete a series of short courses over time. The FHRCP is comprised of the following NRTG courses: 

1. Fish Habitat Restoration – Overview & Planning (in development) (one day)
2. Fish Habitat Assessment – Level One (two days)
3. Fish Ichthyology (one day)
4. Fish Habitat Restoration – Prescription Development (in development) (one day)
5. Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques (three days)
6. Fish Habitat Restoration – Instream Techniques (two days) 
7. Fish Habitat Restoration – Off-Channel Techniques (two days) 
8. Streambank Restoration Techniques (two days)
9. Stream Crossing Assessment & Restoration (one day) (in development)

NRTG will schedule and offer each course module throughout the year. Over time, students register in and successfully complete this series of courses to obtain an FHRCP Certificate.  All course modules are offered online except for our Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques course which includes a two-day field practicum. The online sessions include online presentations and student-led field exercises. Our instructors will provide direction and support for all field exercises, and students should identify and scout 2-3 local streams (within 20 minutes from your location) in advance of the course start date.

The individual course modules that comprise the FHRC Program are offered throughout the year. The online and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques course is scheduled for community-based deliveries beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants are required to provide chestwaders, waterproof field notebook, as well as optional equipment items: clinometer, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, and meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters).

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, any flyfishing shop across Canada, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

First, always ensure your chestwaders do not leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

Felt soles can offer stable footing in most types of stream substrates but may be poor choices when working in areas of extensive clay stream bottoms or snowy banks. Felt soles will provide poor traction on clay and snow will stick to and accumulate on felt-soled wading shoes. Wading shoes with cleats (aluminum or tungsten) will provide stable footing in a variety of substrates (gravels, cobbles, clay, large boulders) and are less likely to transfer invasive species from waterbody to waterbody.

The FHRC Program includes all NRTG Fish Habitat Restoration short courses and expands into new topics such as prescription development, Fish Ichthyology, and Stream Crossing Assessment and Restoration. These additional topics and courses provide students with a complete and comprehensive suite of skills and knowledge sets that qualify individuals to conduct and participate in a wide variety of fish habitat restoration projects.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by Worksafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state Worksafe authorities for more information.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE): chestwaders (with no leaks), wading belt, non-slip footwear, polarized glasses, and a hat with a brim (e.g., ball cap), as well as the following equipment: clinometer, compass, waterproof field notebook, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, minnow trap, ziplock bags, meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters), and bucket.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

First, always ensure your chestwaders don’t leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions. 

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

NRTG’s Fisheries Field Skills (EFS) Certificate program is accredited by BC’s College of Applied Biology (CAB). CAB will recognize graduates of the EFS program as meeting the core academic requirements for entry as an Applied Biology Technician. An ‘Applied Biology Technician’ designation qualifies an individual as a B.C. provincially recognized and certified technician and helps to expand their industry credibility. 

NRTG also partners with post-secondary institutes across Canada, who offer their own non-credit Certificate of Completion for this program. Contact NRTG for further details.  

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming FFS program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We will do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

We offer this course throughout the year, and most commonly beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

First aid training may be obtained before or after this training program.

Ensure first aid training is recognized and endorsed by WorkSafe agencies in North America. This one-day training program may be referred to by different titles, such as “Occupational First Aid” or “Standard First Aid”. Consult with your provincial or state WorkSafe authorities for more information.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE): appropriate field wear, bag lunch each day, own transportation, as well as the following equipment: clinometer, compass, waterproof field notebook, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, D-tape and prism.

You can purchase forestry supplies from a Forestry supplies retailer, such as Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

The five-day RISC course is delivered during fair weather periods to avoid field conditions of snow, ice, frozen soil, hazardous or unsafe driving conditions. 

This five-day (35-hour) RISC course includes both daily classroom and field training exercises and practicums.  The daily training format is typically an 8-hour day that may include travel to field sites and a varied schedule given changing weather conditions. 

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective field clothing, waterproof field notebook, appropriate field clothing, own transportation, bag lunch and refreshments each day. 

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG.

 The CHM program explores topics that go beyond field archaeology. The Cultural Heritage Monitor (CHM) training program provides course participants with valuable applied field and research skills and experience in the expanding field of cultural resource management. 

The CHM program will introduce participants to Cultural Resource Management and provide ‘tools’ and skills well beyond the limitations of traditional archaeological methods.  This program provides community members with practical skills in field archaeology, heritage assessments, heritage site visits, local site and community visits, applicable laws & regulations, research techniques such as: meaningful community engagement, consultation & interviewing, archival research, and the use of mapping and GIS using radar, drones, photography and videography. The RISC course focuses on field archaeology and includes both daily classroom and field training and exercises, where participants learn skills and abilities in: site identification, survey design and procedures, and data and site recording procedures.  Upon successful completion, participants are registered with the BC provincial government as a Certified RISC Technician, and receive a certificate signed and endorsed by the BC Archaeology Branch.

We offer this course beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

Course participants are required to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE): chestwaders (with no leaks), wading belt, non-slip footwear, polarized glasses, and a hat with a brim (e.g., ball cap), as well as the following equipment: clinometer, compass, waterproof field notebook, Eslon or other 30m measuring tape, and meter stick (1.2m wooden doweling, marked in centimeters), and bucket.

You can purchase chestwaders from Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or industry suppliers such as Dynamic Aqua Supply (Surrey, BC), IRL Supplies (Prince George, BC), Winners Edge (Lillooet, BC), Surplus Herby’s (Williams Lake, Kamloops, Vernon BC), Forestry equipment suppliers across Canada, and other outdoor equipment outfitters. Chestwaders can also be purchased from any flyfishing shop across Canada.

First, always ensure your chestwaders don’t leak! You can do this easily by holding a flashlight (or your phone) in your waders in a dark room. Beams of light coming out in small pinholes might indicate a small hole. Patch using Aqua seal or Shoe Goo.  

Neoprene chestwaders are appropriate for spring, fall and winter conditions but may be too warm for summer field work. Nylon chestwaders and Gore-Tex ® or breathable chestwaders are excellent choices for most seasons, where crew members wear warm layers (e.g., fleece, polypropylene) underneath during colder field conditions.

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming FHRC program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We’ll do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

We offer this course year-round, and most commonly beginning in February in coastal regions and March in interior regions throughout North America. Please refer to our Schedule page for course timing and locations.

There is no personal equipment requirement for this program as this is an online program. 

No, there is no requirement to recertify for this program. If there is a significant pause in your environmental monitoring fieldwork (e.g., four years or more), we would recommend that you recertify with NRTG. Note: all NRTG courses include free, lifetime certification. Enrol once – come back anytime.

Absolutely! First, identify an upcoming AGP program of interest and notify NRTG well in advance of the start date. We’ll do our best to create a free seat for past NRTG students and coordinate your attendance during the program.

Week 1 has a special Padlet for introductions, and the other weeks have Padlets for sharing your field experiences. Once the course starts, you can access it from the Week 1 Getting Started page to post a greeting and photo, if you wish to connect with others!

There is an ‘Ask a Question’ form in the sidebar of each page in the course. When you submit a question it goes to the course instructors, who may answer it directly, or address it in one of the Zoom sessions.

Feel free to use this question form as often as you need!

The required gear depends on the activity, but here’s a personal field gear checklist:

• Leak-free chest waders
• Wading belt
• Wading staff
• Wading shoes (optional)
• Felt-soles or wading cleats
• Hat with a brim
• Polarized-lens sunglasses
• Personal Flotation Device (PFD)

Yes, as long as your compass has a sighting mirror and the declination set.
For example, something like this compass:

Your personal field gear should be enough to get you through the job, but it will also depend on the client and the job. Often if there is a higher standard set by the client then they will provide the gear that is needed.

It’s recommended that over time you set yourself up with enough gear to be ready for a wide variety of jobs.

At the start of the course, anything will work for a field site. Later on you’ll need to see some specific areas like forests, bodies of water, or other places that will be mentioned in class.

It’s always best to put your name on your submissions.

No. As long as you watch the recordings, you’re good. Questions can be sent in prior to Q&A sessions too.

Yes, there will be a different field work activity assigned each week. Check the weekly course instructions to find out more.

Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) is a plane coordinate grid system, or another way to measure latitude and longitude.

A resource activity is any activity that might interfere with your work. If there is any other work happening in the area you’ll be doing your field work in you should do the following:

• Communicate with resource companies well in advance of field work
• Obtain radio frequencies for all road activity
• Equip all vehicles with suitable radio communication and verify radio channels and/or stations
• Provide field crews with hand-held, two-way radios (e.g. FRS or VHF radios) ensuring that the range of radios is sufficient
• Provide crews with backup communication (e.g. satellite phones)
• Conduct radio checks at the time of drop-off
• Acquire permission to access or travel across private property

Find an area that interests you. This is the base platform for learning a wide range of areas, from here you can pick one and pursue additional training. Talk to your teachers about what area(s) might be right for you.

There are a number of challenges that vary a lot depending on your situation. Trying to do the best work you can with limited support (either in resources, people, or training), working out in uncomfortable weather conditions, or having to reschedule work due to the weather and site conditions are all challenges you may have to face when doing field work.

We teach the principles of the job here. Other places might use specific tools or do things a certain way but the principles are the same across the board.

Watch this video to hear an instructor’s answer.

To add any missing files, go through submission process again and upload any that weren’t included the first time.

It’s not about the quantity of notes. As long as you include all the vital information to meet the criteria for the task then your notes are good, and try to make sure you manage your time well.

Include enough information that you can do the math or identify what you’re talking about later. Plant or animal identification and equations can be done indoors.

No. Field notes are just for observations and measurements while out in the field. Use different notes if you want to add any other information or work through equations.

Either one is acceptable, just be consistent and include units. You can always convert them later.

Sometimes. There’s some uncertainty in our measurements. Go to two decimal points but keep everything for what you’ve measured in case you need to double check.

Use your best estimation, whether it’s half a pace or quarter of a pace. When using paces you’re not looking for exact measurements, so your best estimation will work.

Estimate first, then measure. This will train you to get better results.

Your work starts when you leave the office so make sure you take good notes of travel time, time spent on-site, and anything else related to the job. Include details in case you or anybody else needs to refer back to those notes.

The compass will still point to magnetic North, though the declinations can vary quite a bit depending on location.

The answer involves compass use, map reading, and field notes.

When out on a trail or old road, pick a start point and take a compass bearing as far as the trail goes before turning. Measure that distance, and you’ve found the first leg (compass bearing & distance) of the trail. Then head to where the path turns and get a bearing facing back towards the starting point. Repeat this process for each leg.
You’ll also want to measure the width of the trail in two or three places on the first leg, and any other leg where the width noticeably changes.

A scale map is a drawing of a large area done on a piece of paper. The scale tells us what our measurements on the paper represent in the actual area being mapped.
ex) A 1:500 scale means that 1cm on the piece of paper represents 500cm in the area being mapped.

Put a dot on the bottom of the page and place the pivot point of your compass directly on top of that aligned to the North.
From there you’ll be able to mark off your first bearing and start creating the trail you mapped out previously.

Yes. Writing the degrees will help you keep track of where you are.

Using a backshot verifies our measurements and confirms that our first bearing was correct. The backshot should always be 180 degrees off of the first bearing.

By taking three different measurements, or bearings, from three different locations towards a signal (radio or other) you’ll have an overlapping area between these measurements. Where those three lines overlap is the area where that signal is coming from.

Yes. Each location will have its own declination.

Find a central location for the object or landmark and estimate the distance to both ends from that one location.

Using your watch, point the hour hand at the sun. Halfway between the hour hand and 12 on your watch is South.

Identify the stress. Is it the content? Or is there too much going on around you?
If it’s content, reach out to one of the teachers. They’re always willing to talk to you and help out.
Also, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The best way to learn is to try.

Take 10 steps, measure the total distance traveled, the divide that distance by 10. This will give you the average distance traveled with one step.
Keep this number in your field book to use when estimating other distances through pacing.

It’s recommended that you go for a walk and try to find a location where somebody or something has already cut into the ground so you can see the layers. Possible locations to keep an eye out for are trails, construction sites, or stream banks.

Remove an big organic pieces such as sticks, twigs, or leaves. It should be the dirt below the organic layer that you use for assessing a soil sample.

The contour lines on the map will show the vertical distance from one line to the next. To determine slope angle, add up the number of contour lines crossed to get the vertical distance, then measure the horizontal distance on the map with a ruler and check it against the scale on the map. Once you have these two values, use the Rise and Run formula to determine the slope angle.

There are a wide variety of areas where environmental impacts are considered. One example is when putting up wind turbines for alternative sources of energy, you need to consider the migratory patterns of birds and bats. There are many studies being done to determine the impact wind turbines have on these habitats and the ecosystem around them.

Using a background is often the best way to get a good picture. This can be your field notebook or a piece of cardboard, whatever you have with you that provides a solid background.
This separates it from other plants, leaves, or anything else that could obscure what you’re taking a picture of.

For any sort of high vegetation cover, carefully run a string across the area to do a line transect. If you come across this scenario and want to get it done there, it can help to have a second person with you. If you’re on your own you can use two shovels to elevate the string off the vegetation but you’ll have to use a plumb bob to weigh down the center of the line.

In any quadrant over 1m you’re better off averaging samples.
Take a look at this example from the course manual:

If you’re getting close to 50% coverage, or more, it can help to look at how much sky you can see or how much ground you can see, then work backwards from there to get the amount of coverage.
When averaging make sure that you not only average the overall area but also the individual plants because they may look like they take up more room than they actually do.
Keep in mind that averaging is an estimation. Get as close as you can, practice with pictures to hone your estimation ability, but know that it isn’t an exact science. There is no equation to follow to calculate coverage.

Yes. Always try to dry everything out. The better you treat your gear, the longer it lasts.

First, do not enter the water. This course is for training and even when on the job there are safety precautions that need to be taken for creeks over 8m wide. For the purpose of this course activity, you should estimate the depth as best as you can.

For this assignment we want you to find a body of water and take a picture of it. Then, come up with a recommendation for how you would propose catching fish there based on what age and species you suspect would be in that body of water.
Try to come up with a few different methods for this activity.

We don’t grade you on your artistic ability, just on getting the main components of what you’re drawing on paper. It’s more about getting the labels correct than anything else.

The standard is about 4 meters as the minimum height of a waterfall.

Yes! Angeline is the best person to write in for that.

It is not currently available remotely but it is something that’s on our To-Do list.

Watch this video to hear an instructor’s answer.

Watch this video to hear an instructor’s answer.

Watch this video to hear an instructor’s answer.

What would happen is that if a company went bankrupt, any work that needs to be done to clean the area falls to the public trust, which is gathered through taxes. There often wasn’t enough money there so the issue would get ignored.
Now there are what’s called Reclamation Bonds, which is usually the cost that would be needed to reclaim 100% of the area the company plans to work with. A company is required to put up half of that amount before they start, then the other half on the day they break ground. That way if the company declares bankruptcy, the money in the Reclamation Bond can be used to fix up the affected areas.

If you can’t make it, send an email to an instructor and let them know. They’ll help you make sure you don’t miss anything while you’re away.

Common conversion formulas for metric

Perimeter formulas used with common shapes

Area formulas for common shapes

Volume formulas for common shapes

Percent Slope

Slope in Degrees

Soil Terminology:
Forest Floor: The entire thickness of organic material overlying the mineral soil, consisting of litter and humus.
Litter: Undecomposed or only partially decomposed organic material that can be readily identified (e.g., plant, leaves, twigs, etc.).
Humus: The dark organic matter that forms in soil when dead plant and animal matter decays. Humus lies under the litter layer and is a more decomposed form of the litter.
Mineral Soil: A soil consisting predominantly of inorganic material (e.g., sands, silts, and clays).
Organic Soil: A soil containing a high proportion of organic matter. These soils are often common in wetland areas such as bogs, marshes, and swamps, or found on top of restrictive layers such as permafrost.
Peat: An accumulation of partially decomposed plant material deposited under saturated soil conditions.
Ped: An individual unit of soil structure. A natural agglomeration (‘clump’) of soil, formed as individual soil particles have a tendency to “stick” together to form larger masses of soil particles.
Soil: The upper layer of earth in which plants grow, a black or dark brown material typically consisting of a mixture of organic remains, clay and rock particles.
Soil Characterization: The process of determining the physical properties of the soil such as horizon thickness, color, structure, texture and consistency through observation and a series of simple hand and equipment tests.
Soil Horizon: A layer of soil or soil material approximately parallel to the land surface and differing from adjacent layers in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics such as color, structure, texture, and consistency.
Soil Profile: A cross section through the soil which reveals its horizons.

This course requires that you finish the Electrofishing Certification Self-Paced Training at least 5 days before your Electrofishing Field Studies session. If you cannot complete the Self-Paced Training in that time, please contact NRTG.

Alternatively, you can wait for NRTG to automatically deregister you from the course and you can use the tuition fee held by NRTG to schedule another course, or defer your Field session registration to a future date when the Self-Paced Training will be successfully completed.

This course is available via our website schedule, or on contract to industry or community groups. NRTG’s Electrofishing Certification course is offered in two formats:

1. A blended approach through the Electrofishing Certification Self-Paced Training and subsequent Electrofishing Certification Field Session.
   • Please note that students MUST successfully complete the Electrofishing Certification Self-Paced Training at least 5 days prior to attending the mandatory ‘day two’ Electrofishing Certification Field Session.
2. A classroom-based ‘day one’ presentation with an in-person instructor, followed by a scheduled ‘day two’ Electrofishing Certification Field Session. This option is available for contract deliveries only.

Our Electrofishing Certification courses are regularly scheduled for community-based deliveries throughout the year (February to late October, providing suitable weather). Interested groups or organizations can also arrange for an in-house or contract delivery of this course. Please contact NRTG for further information.

The focus of this course is on instream fish habitat restoration techniques and methods, stream hydrology and river engineering principles, and the planning and evaluation of fish habitat restoration projects. You will also learn about funding and scheduling considerations for these projects.

In-channel restoration techniques refer to methods that aim to restore or improve the natural functioning of a stream or river channel, such as reshaping the channel, installing structures to promote the development of diverse habitat types, or planting vegetation along the banks. These techniques may be used to restore habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and to improve water quality and flow.

In-stream habitat offset and compensation/mitigation projects refer to projects that aim to compensate for the loss or degradation of fish habitat due to human activities, such as development or resource extraction. These projects may involve creating new habitat, enhancing existing habitat, or protecting habitat from future degradation.

Some good ways to examine physical habitat include looking at depth, velocity, temperature, wetted channel width, bankfull width, and substrate. These measurements can provide important information about the habitat and the conditions that fish and other aquatic species need to survive and thrive.

Water chemistry, nutrient concentrations, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and conductivity/salinity. These measurements can provide important information about the quality and health of the stream, and can help to identify potential problems or issues that may need to be addressed.

To describe the biological characteristics of a stream, you can document which plants (riparian and aquatic) and animals (such as fish, mussels, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and insects) are present or absent. This information can provide important insights into the overall health and functioning of the stream ecosystem, and can help to identify any potential issues or concerns that may need to be addressed.

Some potential threats to fish and fish habitat include oil spills, screens in channels, point source discharges, erosion, and dams. These threats can have various impacts on fish and the ecosystem, including toxicity, smothering, barriers to migration, alteration of flows, and disease. It is important to identify and address these threats in order to protect and restore the health and functioning of aquatic ecosystems.

• Make sure the project is well designed, as a poorly designed project can cause more harm than good.
• Avoid causing damage to other essential habitat during or after the construction of the project.
• Work with nature to restore habitat diversity and productivity, rather than against it.
• Adequately consider the physical, hydrological, and biological properties of the waterbody in your design.
• Include experts with the required expertise (such as aquatic biologists, hydrologists, and/or engineers) in the planning and implementation of the project.
• Consider the social aspects of the project, as not everyone may see it as a benefit.

Other stakeholders may not view the project as a benefit and conflicts may arise if the project affects the goals, expectations, or risk perception of these stakeholders. It is important to consider and reconcile these conflicting goals and perceptions during the planning and implementation of the project in order to ensure its success and minimize negative impacts.

Desktop analysis is a tool that helps us to understand the functioning of a river, evaluate potential restoration sites, and identify potential threats to fish and fish habitat. It can help us to prioritize sites for field visits and use resources efficiently, but does not replace the need for a field visit.

You can examine the area around the river and look for features related to forestry or agriculture, developments such as bridges, dams, weirs, and culverts, and habitats such as scour holes, riffles, and erosion sites. You can also measure the wetted width of the channel, evaluate the stability of the channel’s meanders by measuring their radius, and measure the meander length to see if it falls within the expected range of 10–14 times the channel width. By comparing the predicted and observed characteristics of the river, you can identify areas that may be candidates for restoration due to unstable banks or other potential habitat issues.

A rock riffle is a structure in a river channel that helps improve fish passage and stabilize banks. It consists of a rock pyramid with specific slope ratios (3:1 or 4:1 upstream & 20:1 downstream). When built across a river, it can raise water levels upstream, which can help with bank stabilization, but may also increase flood frequency.

Rock riffles have several benefits for stream restoration, including channel stability, improved water quality, enhanced fish passage, and creation of fish habitat for spawning, foraging, and rearing. Rock riffles control the velocity of flow and reduce downstream sediment movement, which helps create bank stability. They also create turbulence that aerates the water, and raise the upstream stage to flood culverts, channel constrictions, or launching pools.

There are nine key aspects to consider when designing a rock riffle: location, sizing your material, keying, grading, flow through, backwater creation, flanking, sediment trap efficiency, and hydraulic jump. It is important to ensure that the chute geometry and rock size are matched with the expected flow conditions, establish a footing or foundation for the structure using a range of rock sizes, create a backwater to raise the upstream water level and improve fish passage, stabilize the banks with flanking, and design the riffle to effectively trap sediment and create a hydraulic jump for fish passage.

Groynes are structures built perpendicular to the shoreline of the coast of an ocean or river. They are built from stone, wood, or steel and are used to deflect flows away from the bank, thereby preventing erosion. They are typically shaped like a hockey stick.

There are generally two orientations for groynes that you’ll observe – they’ll be orientated in either an upstream or downstream facing direction. The downstream orientated “hockey stick” design creates an area of low velocity between the groynes where sediment is deposited, while the upstream orientated design may be used to create pool habitat but requires the structure to be keyed into both the bed and bank to remain stable.

Four key considerations for designing a groyne are shape, length, spacing, and direction. The groyne should be shaped like a triangle with a base along the shore and a “hockey stick” end, which is a downstream facing bend in the groyne. Groyne’s should be spaced so the flow can’t reach the banks, and they should be installed using a field fit technique, meaning they are adjusted and modified based on the river’s response in the field. Direction is also important, as a downstream groyne is the preferred design.

Gabion baskets provide bank stabilization and reduce erosion, and can provide shelter for young fish and baitfish while also reducing sediment load. However, they may require heavy equipment for installation, are not suitable for use in areas with high wave action, and may not be permitted in some locations if they are not viewed as creating fish habitat. It’s important to ensure that gabion baskets are properly anchored to the bed and bank and cover the full area of active erosion, and are made from strong materials that can withstand waves, debris, and ice. Poor design of gabion baskets can make them vulnerable to river meandering and lead to failure.

A live crib wall is a frame built with untreated timers and filled with rocks, soil and live cuttings. It is a very common bank restoration technique that provides bank stabilization and reduces erosion. Live crib walls reduce the sediment load and establish vegetation, which provides shade, leaf litter, and habitat for insects, which become food for fish. Live crib walls can also be used in areas where grading the bank to a more gradual slope is not possible. However, their installation requires heavy equipment and they may only last for about 5 years.

The advantages of brush mattresses are that they generally don’t require heavy equipment to build, look natural, are biodegradable, and use readily available onsite materials. However, full stabilization of vegetation takes time to develop and is required for long-term bank stabilization, they are labour intensive to build, and if the plants do not grow, they may need to be replaced, meaning more time and money.

A fascine is a bundle of brushwood or other material that is used to stabilize streambanks, reduce erosion, or help vegetation get established. Fascines are beneficial because they reduce siltation, allow vegetation to colonize or be planted along the streambank, and provide leaf litter, shade, and a food source for instream insects through their established vegetation.

Tree revetments are structures placed on streambanks that are used to absorb the energy from incoming water. Their purpose is to reduce streambank erosion by slowing the current along the bank and to capture sediment within and behind the tree revetment.

Boulder groupings are clusters of large rocks placed in streams to control water flow and provide cover and resting areas for fish. They have several benefits, including increasing cover and habitat for fish, enhancing substrate for invertebrates, and they can be easily adjusted in the field. However, they can also cause erosion if placed near unstable substrate and can be a navigation hazard. When designing boulder groupings, consider using angular boulders, placing them in or near the thalweg, filling less than 10% of the flow area, using 3 to 5 boulders in a triangular configuration, and spacing clusters apart.

Lunkers provide overhead cover and shade for fish, create a low velocity resting place, and function as an ambush site for predatory fish. They can be used with other bank stabilization measures, are easy to construct, and can be used by a variety of fish species and age classes. However, lunkers that aren’t placed properly can catch debris and ice, constrict flow and cause damage downstream, and require annual maintenance if they get filled in with debris over time.

Root wads are used in streambank protection to reduce velocity, erosion, and siltation, and to provide fish habitat. They can tolerate high flows when anchored properly and can be designed for bank protection or scour holes. However, they can be expensive and require heavy equipment to install and may need to be replaced if vegetation does not establish.

Digger logs provide desirable scouring and sorting of channel materials, creating or enhancing an existing pool downstream of a riffle. They provide pool habitat for fish, support larger insect populations, and create a low velocity resting place with overhead cover and shade. Digger logs can be built with on-site materials in remote or poorly accessible areas, and are simple to design and effective at creating desirable fish habitat. However, they can cause bank erosion and the formation of unwanted silt bars downstream of the structure, as well as trap debris and cause debris dams to form. They may also disturb habitat if not positioned and anchored correctly.

Large woody debris provides many benefits for stream restoration. It creates refuge for young-of-year and juveniles, breaks up water velocity to create resting habitat and shelter, especially for young Coho salmon, creates scour pools and high velocity streams to flush away fine substrate, creates a foraging habitat, and provides shade.

The purpose of fertilization in stream restoration is to provide nutrients to a depleted food web in order to improve the survival of young-of-the-year salmon and increase food availability. Fertilization is intended to provide an interim supply of nutrients until the ecosystem recovers to a healthy state.

Spawning shoals increase spawning habitat and add resting and invertebrate habitats, but may only be used seasonally and may not always increase fish recruitment. They should be designed based on target species, be permanently wetted, include a nearby nursery habitat, stratify depths in lakes, and avoid burying existing habitat.

Restoring fish passage can be costly and may require the construction of physical structures or the founding of a population of fish. Careful planning and consideration of potential disadvantages can help mitigate these challenges.

Instream flow refers to the amount of water that flows through a river or stream, and it is important because it helps to protect the aquatic environment and support the needs of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Instream flow assessments aim to determine the minimum flow in rivers and streams that will provide the desired level of protection for the aquatic environment. This protection can be described in terms of the proportion of historic flows, the wetted area, or the area of suitable habitat for a particular species. The historic flow method, also known as the Tennant Method, assumes that a certain percentage of the mean annual flow is required to maintain a healthy stream environment. This method is based on the observation that stream width, water velocity, and depth all increase rapidly from zero flow to 10% of the mean flow, and that the rate of increase declines at flows higher than 10%. The hydraulic method predicts water depth and wetted channel width throughout a reach as discharge is varied, and it is used to optimize the quantity of habitat created. The habitat method, on the other hand, focuses on the quality of the habitat and determines the flow required to match the specific biological requirements of fish and other organisms. If there are conflicting minimum flow assessments from these different methods, it may be because they are based on different environmental goals and levels of protection.

The channel-forming discharge concept suggests that there is a specific flow rate that will produce channel dimensions similar to those shaped by natural long-term hydrological processes. This concept can be used to establish instream flow criteria by finding a reference reach with a healthy fishery and using the flow in that reach as a model for an impacted reach with a struggling fishery. The idea is that by reproducing the flow conditions that create and maintain the habitat features needed for a successful fishery in the reference reach, those same habitat features can be created and maintained in the impacted reach over time.

The measure of the mass of an element entering a water body over a defined period is called loading. Loading tends to be expressed in large numbers, but these numbers do not necessarily equate to an environmental disaster. Even the most pristine water bodies can have massive loads of nutrients or other elements entering them on an annual basis and not experience water quality issues. This is because loading does not account for dilution.

Concentration, on the other hand, is a measure of the amount of a substance present in a particular volume of water. It is the concentration of an element that determines the environmental and biological effects on a water body, not the load. For example, two systems can have the same load of phosphorus, but if one system has a higher concentration of phosphorus than the other, it will likely have a worse water quality outcome due to increased algae growth.

Success in a restoration project can be measured by evaluating whether the desired change has been achieved. This involves comparing the current results to the baseline numbers. Measurement criteria may include improvements in water quality, reduction in meander migration, establishment of a new fish population, successful fish passage, increase in fish numbers, and the creation of a certain amount of habitat. One way to measure the success of increasing the fish population is through the use of techniques such as mark and capture, virtual population analysis, length and age distribution, or recruitment success.

There are four techniques for measuring population size: the mark-recapture method, length-age relationships, age distribution, and growth increment analysis. The mark-recapture method involves capturing and marking a sample of animals, then recapturing a portion of them and using statistical calculations to estimate the size of the entire population. Length-age relationships involve using the size of an animal to predict its age, assuming that older animals are larger, but this method is limited by species-specific growth patterns and sexual dimorphism. Age distribution involves analyzing the age structure of a population to estimate its size, and growth increment analysis involves counting the rings on structures such as otoliths or scales to determine the age and size of an animal.

There are several reasons why a restoration project may not result in a measurable change in fish numbers. One reason is that the response to a restoration is rarely immediate and may take years to observe. Another reason is that the restoration may not have been large enough to effect change or may not have targeted the correct habitat needs of the species.

There are several Federal, State, and Provincial programs that fund habitat restoration projects. These programs may be species specific, such as those focused on species at risk like salmonids, or project specific, such as those focused on restoring fish passage. It is important to review the mandate of the funding agency before applying to ensure that your project is eligible. Many programs require matching funds, usually in the form of a 50:50 cost sharing arrangement, although the matching dollars may also come from in-kind contributions such as donated labor, materials, and equipment. In addition to these formal funding sources, it is also worth reaching out to local organizations and businesses, as they may be willing to donate materials, equipment, and labor to projects they support.