Introduction to Wetland Identification

Get the basic skills you need to identify a wetland’s presence, including plant identification and soil recognition, as well as an introduction to wetland delineation.

Main Content

Wetlands course instructor Ralph Tiner showing students a wetland plant

Course Status: Not Currently Scheduled

We do not have an offering of this course scheduled at this time. Please join our email list to be notified when the next offering is scheduled!

Jump to: Overview | Instructor | Reviews | CE Credits | Contact Us | Related Courses | Join Email List

Register Now

Pay with Credit Card:

Pay with Check, PO, or Money Order:

Course Details

Course Name: Introduction to Wetland Identification
Course Code: EH0102WB23
Date of Most Recent Offering: February 1 & 2, 2023

Date & Time:
TBD, TBD pm – TBD pm EST (Login time: TBD pm EST)
TBD, TBD am – TBD pm EST (Login time: TBD am EST)

Location: Online
Format: Live, instructor-led

Registration Fee: $TBD per person
Early Bird Discount Fee: $TBD per person (expires TBD)

Registration Closes: TBD

Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Course Overview

Virtually all activities conducted in and around wetlands are regulated – from excavating underground storage tanks to soil compaction for paving a driveway or patio to pruning of overgrown vegetation – and violators are subject to hefty penalties and fines from the NJDEP.

Knowing if a wetland is on your property or a site on which you work is incredibly important! But how do you determine if a wetland is present?

Why not educate yourself? Take our online class to get the basic tools you need to identify a wetland’s presence. Once you make a determination, you will know if you need to go further and hire an environmental professional to evaluate the site and assist you with the permit process.

In this course, a nationally recognized wetlands expert will review the skills you need to identify freshwater wetlands and their boundaries and introduce you to wetland plant identification and soil recognition. You will learn:

  • Why Wetlands Are Important
  • How They Differ
  • What Indicators Are Used for Wetland Identification
  • About the Current Regulations in New Jersey

You’ll also find out how to access and use government maps in order to identify wetlands on your property, on lands you may be interested in purchasing, or on properties on which you conduct environmental, landscaping, or other site development or remediation work. You’ll even get you a simple introduction to the practice of wetland delineation (the technical skill of determining a wetlands precise boundaries) – all in two half-day sessions!

NOTE: For those interested in advancing their wetland knowledge, this course will provide the essential background material needed for further study in the step-by-step regulatory and delineation techniques covered in the Methodology for Delineating Wetlands course.

  • Wetland Definitions and Concepts
  • Wetland Functions and Values
  • Introduction to Wetland Regulations
  • Wetland Hydrology Indicators
  • Wetland Vegetation – Hydrophytic Plant Indicators
  • Wetland Soils – Soil Colors, Hydric Soil Indicators
  • Wetland Types – Wetland Classification, Wetland Maps
  • Review of Wetland Plant Characteristics

Who Should Attend?

This class is a great source of information for anyone who wants to learn how to identify a wetland’s presence. Past participants have included:

  • Developers
  • Ecologists
  • Environmental Consultants
  • Environmental Scientists
  • Geologists
  • GIS Analysts
  • Industrial Hygienists
  • Landscape Architects
  • Landscape Designers
  • Permitting Specialists
  • Project Planners
  • Registered Environmental Health Specialists
  • Township Engineers
  • Wetland Scientists

Meet Your Instructor

Ralph Tiner, M.S., M.P.A., SWS Fellow

Wetlands Instructor Ralph Tiner

Ralph Tiner has more than 40 years of practical experience in wetland delineation and is a nationally recognized authority in the field. He recently retired from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service where he directed wetland mapping in the Northeast United States as part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). He is a nationally recognized expert on wetland delineation and has been actively involved in improving wetland delineation techniques for decades. In addition, he was compiler and principal author of the Federal Interagency Wetland Delineation Manual, which was published in 1989 and is the standard for identifying and delineating wetlands in New Jersey.

Ralph has written extensively on the subject of wetlands and is the author of several field guides including: Field Guide to Non-tidal Wetland Identification, Maine Wetlands and Their Boundaries, A Field Guide to Coastal Wetland Plants of the Northeastern United States, and In Search of Swampland, as well as an update of the Wetland Indicators book entitled Wetland Indicators: A Guide to Wetland Formation, Identification, Delineation, Classification, and Mapping. His most recent books are: Tidal Wetlands Primer: An Introduction to Their Ecology, Natural History, Status, and Conservation and Remote Sensing of Wetlands: Applications and Advances (for which he is senior editor and authored several chapters).

In addition to writing about wetlands, he has been teaching wetland identification and delineation courses through the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education Office since the mid-1980s.

Student Reviews

Mark Hood, Introduction to Wetland Identification course attendee

“Please thank Ralph Tiner for me. He gave the most informative, concise, and entertaining online presentation I’ve seen since COVID made everything go online.”

– Mark Hood

Transportation Planner

Headshot of Julie Hargrave, Introduction to Wetland Identification course attendee

“Dr. Tiner is a rock star! The span of his knowledge, from soils to vegetation and regulations, is unparalleled. His expertise and generosity to share his understanding/experiences is a major draw for anyone interested in learning about wetlands.”

– Julie Hargrave

Principal Environmental Planner, Central Pine Barrens

Rutgers University Shield

[On instructor Ralph Tiner]: “Ralph is the dude! Entertaining and excellent teacher. Ralph has a deep knowledge of wetlands and much more (is a joy to listen to).”

– Thomas D’Angelo

Environmental Consultant

Continuing Education Credits

The most recent offering of Introduction to Wetland Identification was approved for 0.7 Rutgers CEUs, as well as the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.

The Introduction to Wetland Identification course is approved for 0.7 Rutgers CEUs, as well as the following credits from professional organizations.

State of New Jersey map iconNew Jersey

NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 3 Technical and 3 Management CEUs

NJ Health Officers and Registered Environmental Health Specialists (HO/REHS): Rutgers University, NJAES, Office of Continuing Professional Education has been approved by the New Jersey Department of Health as a provider of NJ Public Health Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs). Participants who complete this education program will be awarded 7.0 NJ Public Health Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs).

NJ Landscape Architects: Pending

NJ Professional Engineers: 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits

State of New York map iconNew York

NY Landscape Architects: 4.0 hr CL; 2.5 hr  EA

NY Professional Engineers: 6 PDHs

United States map iconNational

Society of American Foresters: Pending

Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program (SWSPCP): Pending

The Wildlife Society: Pending

Course Requirements and Policies

stack of books iconRequired Textbook

The required course textbook is included in your registration fee – a $40 value!

In Search of Swampland: A Wetland Sourcebook and Field Guide (Second Edition) [ISBN 0813525063], Ralph W. Tiner

electronic devices iconTechnology Requirements

This online course will be delivered via Zoom. Registrants will receive a link to access the course on January 30, 2023.

Please login to the course 30 minutes before the start time (12:30 pm on February 1, 2023 and 8:00 am on February 2, 2023).

Equipment you will need to access this training:

  • Laptop or desktop computers are required for this class.
  • Speakers and microphone are not necessary as a call-in option is available.

email iconEmail Requirement

A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.

  • If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
  • If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
    • Your full name
    • The shared email address that needs to be changed
    • Your unique email address
    • A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions

camera iconPhoto ID Requirement

Each registrant will be asked provide a photo of him/herself holding their government-issued photo ID. This is required by credit boards so that you may receive credits for participating in this online course.

  • You will receive a reminder email prior to the start of the class with further instructions. Wait to receive these instructions before you attempt to upload your ID.
  • The photo must be clear enough that we can read your name and verify that the person pictured on the ID is in fact the person holding it.
  • After an OCPE staff member reviews the picture and verifies your identity, you will have access to participate in the course when it begins.

x icon with circle around itCancellations and Substitutions

A $100 cancellation fee applies for this course. Substitutions are permitted. View our cancellation policy.

Attention U.S. Veterans

American flag icon

This course is approved by the New Jersey State Approving Agency for Veterans Training for educational benefits through the GI Bill®. Learn more.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions about Introduction to Wetland Identification, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Headshot of Rutgers Program Coordinator Suzanne Hills

Program Coordinator: Suzanne Hills
848-932-7234
suzanne.hills@rutgers.edu

For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Wetland students and instructor Ralph Tiner consult their field guides to identify wetland plants

Wetland Delineation Certificate Program

Wooden boardwalk through wetlands area

NJ Wetlands Management for LSRPs

Excavator and dump truck at a wetland construction site

Wetland Construction: Principles, Planning, and Design

white envelope icon with @ sign representing email

Join Our Email List!