Letter of Proficiency
Wetland Delineation and Assessment
StrongerBC future skills grant eligible
This program is eligible for the StrongerBC future skills grant, which is open to most BC residents aged 19 years or older and covers up to $3,500 for eligible programs at public post-secondary institutions.
Applications are now open. Seats are limited.
Read more about eligibility and the registration process.
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
Wetlands are highly productive, diverse environments that provide critical habitat for specialist plants and wildlife, mitigate flooding, remove excess nutrients from water and provide natural fire breaks in the landscape. Though wetlands are protected and regulated in Canada, the loss and degradation of wetland habitats have been extensive.
The Wetland Delineation and Assessment (WDA) non-credit, micro-credential courses address an urgent need for rigorous, unbiased training on the assessment and delineation of wetland boundaries, with topics including wetland classification, functions and values, impact assessment and wetland policy.
OFFERED BY:
OUTCOMES
By the end of this program, you’ll be able to:
- Interpret causal factors influencing the occurrence of wetlands and explain protocols for delineating wetland boundaries.
- Identify and explain field indicators confirming the presence or absence of wetlands.
- Evaluate aerial photography to identify wetlands and use wetland function assessment tools applicable to BC wetlands.
- Use the Canadian Wetland Classification System, other common classification systems, and the Wetlands of British Columbia: A Guide to Identification Guidebook.
- Explain how BC regulations apply to wetlands and assess potential impacts from proposed development, identifying mitigation measures.
- Identify key field safety considerations for working in wetlands and complete a wetland impact and assessment report.
- Professionals with a university degree or college diploma in a science or engineering discipline
- Individuals seeking professional development (e.g., for a professional association or society)
- Practicing resource professionals: agrologists, biologists, engineers, hydrologists, industrial managers, foresters, technologists and planners
- Land managers employed in forestry, agriculture, fisheries, hydrology, water treatment, land development, and wildfire resiliency
- Different levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal, and Indigenous)
- Conservation organizations and agencies
- Individuals seeking employment in an environmental field
- Post-secondary students seeking to gain practical experience
WDA 1: Fundamentals of Wetland Delineation and Assessment
This is the first course in the Wetland Delineation and Assessment program. Held in an online classroom environment, this course builds foundational knowledge that complements the hands-on experience that will take place in the Field Training course.
- Course Start Date: February 27, 2025
- Orientation; Introductory Activities; Pre-Reading
- Online Synchronous Classroom to run the week of April 28, 2025:
- April 28/29/30, 2025 (9 am – 4 pm online)
WDA 2: Wetland Delineation and Assessment Field Training and Capstone Project
This is the second course in the Wetland Delineation and Assessment program and involves two days of fieldwork and a further 10 hours of coursework to complete an assessed capstone project.
- Field Component to run the week of May 12, 2025:
- Session on May 13/14, 2025;
- A second session may be scheduled contingent upon enrollment.
- These field dates will take place in Kelowna/Vernon.
- Session on May 13/14, 2025;
- Capstone Project from May 17 – June 27, 2025:
- Draft Due: June 1, 2025
- Final Due: June 27, 2025
- Course End Date: June 30, 2025
Please note: These field dates are tentative and may be subject to change due to instructor availability or environmental factors. We will notify you as soon as possible if there are any changes.
Delivery Mode:
Hybrid
Structure:
The WDA micro-credential consists of online and in-person learning activities, delivered through the following two courses that stack to earn a credential.
Technology Requirements:
- Access to a computer with a recent operating system, web browser and updated version of Zoom
- High-speed internet connection
- Microphone, speakers and webcam
Transportation:
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to the field sites. (Kelowna; Vernon)
Kristen Andersen, PWS, P.Biol., CPESC. Kristen Andersen is a wetland scientist and restoration ecologist with 25 years of professional experience as an environmental consultant specializing in wetland delineation, functional assessment, remote sensing, wetland restoration design and monitoring.
Much of her experience was based in the US, which provided an extensive background in field application of wetland delineation protocols and jurisdictional determinations across a variety of landscape and site conditions.
Kristen has knowledge and experience of wetlands and their role in both ecological and business/regulatory contexts. She is certified as a Professional Wetland Scientist by the International Society of Wetland Scientists and as a Professional Biologist by the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists. She has worked with the Government of Alberta to develop wetland assessment protocols and has been teaching wetland courses since 2010.
Carrie Nadeau, R.P.Bio., CERP. Carrie Nadeau is a senior ecologist with more than 18 years of experience as an environmental consultant specializing in restoration ecology, environmental assessment, wetland classification, and environmental regulation.
Carrie manages multi-disciplinary teams completing environmental impact assessments, riparian and wetland restoration programs, restoration monitoring, rare and endangered species habitat restoration, vegetation ecology, restoration planning, and fish and fish habitat inventories and assessments. She works with many stakeholder groups, industry and First Nations communities across B.C. She co-authored the Constructed Wetlands for Stormwater Management: An Okanagan Guidebook, and the Okanagan Wetland Action Plan for the Okanagan Wetlands Strategy lead by the Okanagan Basin Water Board.
She is a Registered Professional Biologist, and obtained her Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner status with the International Society of Ecological Restoration in 2020. For the past eight years, Carrie has volunteered on the Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology Board of Directors, she is currently serving as the Past-President.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, learners are awarded a UBC Okanagan Letter of Proficiency (a non-credit credential).
The credential is provided in paper format. Learners will also receive a verifiable digital badge (which has descriptive metadata about the learning achievement) for sharing through digital channels.