VEGETATION AND WETLANDS MONITORING

The Vegetation and Wetlands Monitoring (VWM) program is an introductory vegetation field skills training course. The 80-hour VWM program is delivered over two, week-long modules. The program focuses on mastery of transferable vegetative field skills such as:

• introductory native plant and invasive species identification,

• navigation to remote sites,

• plot location and set-up, and

• vegetation data collection using standardized tools and forms.

These technical skills are gained within the context of a comprehensive overview of the components of vegetation program associated with a current or recent natural resource project in the program region.

 From pre-disturbance (baseline data collection, plant inventories, rare plant surveys), to operations (rare plant monitoring, wetland monitoring, compliance monitoring), to post-disturbance (planning and implementation of long-term vegetation monitoring), students will complete the course with a solid understanding of the revegetation commitments associated with natural resource projects. This will augment and enrich the technical field skills that they will master and support meaningful participation of individuals and communities in revegetation programs associated with reclamation in their region.

The VWM program is delivered as a scheduled course delivery or as a contract to organizations and groups.