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Wetlands Demystified!
Navigating the Complicated World of Wetland Delineation, Regulation, and Restoration
July 8-10, 2008, 8:30 A.M. to 5 P.M.
McMenamins Edgefield :: The Ballroom :: 2126 S.W. Halsey St. :: Troutdale, Oregon

Lead Instructor: Ryan W. Taylor, Wetland Ecologist

Esther Lev, Executive Director of The Wetlands Conservancy
and the author of "Heroic Tales of Wetland Restoration"
Will present a discussion on wetland conservation and restoration opportunities for private lands

John Marshall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wetland mitigation banking specialist for Oregon will discuss mitigation criteria and unveil
their new wetland health and condition monitoring software program

Mike Turaski, The United States Army Corps of Engineers
Jurisdictional issues specialist will discuss the Corps role in wetland regulation and recent
court cases that have affected the 404 Regulatory Program. Along with the Arid west supplement to the 1987
wetland delineation manual and unveil the NEW Western Mountain, Valley, and Coastal Supplement

Corey Owens, The Natural Resources Conservation Service
Acting Resource Soil Scientist for NW Oregon, who will discuss county soil surveys and field indicators of hydric soil types.
As well as assist with providing help during the field trip with hydric soils identification

Clyde Keebaush, The City of Troutdale Parks Department
The City of Troutdale Parks Department Supervisor will share success and pitfalls they have encountered in
conducting wetland restoration at each site, along with partnering/funding techniques.

Register Online | Course Catalog | Directions | Course Brochure PDF | Accommodations

This three day course will provide participants with a solid understanding of state and federal regulatory landscape affecting wetland resources in the NW. The US Army Corps of Engineer's Section 404 Permitting Process will be described in detail with a particular focus on changes to federal jurisdiction resulting from recent federal court cases. This discussion will highlight the influence of state wetland regulations on federal wetland regulations and the 401 water quality certification process's. It will also address the influence that local political and socioeconomic factors can have on the federal wetland permitting program.

Equal attention within this course will be given to providing participants with guided, hands-on experience identifying field-indicators of different types of wetland resources. Activities will provide opportunities to identify field indicators of hydric soils, key characteristics of hydrophytic vegetation, and hydrologic characteristics for palustrine, lacustrine, and riverine wetland habitats. Wetland delineation field-trips will include visits both to natural wetlands and artificially created mitigation wetlands, where successful mitigation construction techniques will be discussed. Soil probes, spades, and munsell soil charts will be used. Waterproof boots and clothing will be required.

Each participant will receive a copy of the "Heroic Tales of Wetland Restoration" by Esther Lev, which tells of 12 rural landowners, who changed their farming practices to reclaim wetlands, streams and rivers. The first section of this book includes these tales of vision, passion, perseverance, and economic survival. The second section describes land conservation options and a range of state and federal technical assistance and funding programs. The last section includes descriptions of the restoration techniques employed by the landowners, as well as recommendations for the future. It outlines difficulties experienced by landowners working with federal and state incentive programs.