WETLANDS CERTIFICATION TRAINING FOR NOVA SCOTIA

WETLANDS CERTIFICATION TRAINING FOR NOVA SCOTIA FROM: SUBJECT: MARITIME COLLEGE OF FOREST TECHNOLOGY WETLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION The Maritime College of Forest Technology s, Department of Continuing Education is pleased to offer Wetlands Certification Training for NS. These courses will teach people to identify, delineate and assess function of wetlands. This suite of courses was developed in conjunction with Nova Scotia Environment and provides all required elements for individuals to be included on the list of qualified delineators made available to the public. Please keep in mind that regulated criteria is still up for review, and are yet to be finalized. The courses start out with the foundational elements of hydric soils and wetland plant identification, building to a Basic Identification and Delineation course. In addition, an Advanced Wetland Delineation course will allow participants to assess problem areas, function, and mitigation options. MCFT offered the first delineation course in the Maritimes in August, 2008. Participants evaluations told us this was an excellent course but contained far too much information for such a short period of time. In order to facilitate learning in a structured manner, we ve developed four modules that can be taken individually, or as an entire suite of courses. Individuals who are competent in any of the individual elements can challenge for credit in the given course; thereby allowing them to apply for the next module in the laddered structure. People with prior wetland training from other institutions may be accredited on an individual basis. Instructors for these modules are leading experts in their fields and are also excellent instructors and communicators. Please see the following announcement for course details. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Julie Singleton at jsingleton@mcft.ca N. Tim Cameron, Director Department of Continuing Education

WETLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP DATES: Course dates are June 25, 26 & 27, 2013 LOCATION: The course will be held at the Best Western Glengarry, which is located at 150 Willow Street in Truro. The toll free number for reservations is 1 800 567 4276; please advise them you are taking a course with the Maritime College of Forest Technology to receive a group room rate. OBJECTIVES: This program is designed to impart basic knowledge on the wetland flora of the Maritimes provinces develop basic plant identification skills, including appropriate terminology and use of plant identification keys impart knowledge on the key diagnostic features of many common wetland species, enabling accurate identification in the field or quick identification using keys CANDIDATES: Wetland Plant Identification Workshop will provide participants with the knowledge and skill to identify and/or key out wetland plants. It will be used by land surveyors, consultants, and forestry personnel (among others) who need to AVOID and/or delineate a wetland. This course is a prerequisite for the Basic Wetland Identification and Delineation Course *Level 1. Participants may opt to challenge the exam, rather than attend the full course, if they feel they have the required knowledge. FORMAT: Good basic knowledge of wetland plant communities and the species they contain is an essential tool in the detection and delineation of these diverse ecosystems. Developing the skills necessary to recognize and correctly identify plant species will also enhance your capacity to detect rare species of conservation concern. This two-day course, consisting of both indoor sessions and field outings, will focus on the identification of common wetland species of the maritime provinces. In addition to an overview of common trees, shrubs, forbs and grass-like species, sessions will cover the use of plant identification keys and will present useful diagnostic features aiding in quick field identification. At the end of the course, participants will undergo a practical exam.

INSTRUCTORS: Liz Mills (BSc, BEd) is a freelance Botanical Consultant and Naturalist who has been active on the botany scene for over 20 years. She managed the UNB Biology Department Greenhouse for over 10 years and was responsible for starting and maintaining an indigenous plant collection that was needed for both lab-based and field courses. Part of this work involved identifying and collecting native plants for teaching purposes. Her background includes several years of teaching Plant Propagation where a major component of the course was propagation of indigenous plants. Liz has also co-taught Introduction to Vascular Plants of New Brunswick and conducted numerous workshops on Edible Wild Plants. As volunteer manager of the Connell Memorial Herbarium at UNB, Liz continues her involvement with the University by coordinating the ongoing data basing and digital imaging of the herbarium s 60,000 specimens. Gart Bishop (BSc) has worked as a field botanist since 1994, conducting numerous rare plant surveys, property and park inventories, and wetland delineation. He has co-taught courses on wetland rare plants, willows and the vascular plants of New Brunswick. He is a Research Associate with the New Brunswick Museum, and a frequent volunteer and contributor to the Museum s herbarium and the herbarium at the University of New Brunswick. An avid naturalist he has been involved with Nature NB since 1995 and is the current president. ENROLMENT: Enrolment for this course is limited to 24 participants. Subsequent courses will accept fewer applicants. The Maritime College of Forest Technology may limit enrolment of individual organizations or companies in order to allow participation from as many interested groups or individuals as possible. ACCOMMODATIONS: The Glengarry has reserved a block of rooms for course participants. Please advise them that you are taking a course with the Maritime College of Forest Technology to receive a group rate.. TUITION: Course participants are expected to make their own reservations. The Glengarry is located at 150 Willow Street in Truro. The toll free number for reservations is 1 800 567 4276. Tuition for the program including supplies is $650.00 + 13% HST. WETLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP is equivalent to 21 Continuing Forestry Education Credits.

COURSE OUTLINE Please note: This course has an important field component and each day includes a field trip to a nearby relatively accessible site. Participants are therefore expected to bring appropriate clothing and equipment, including proper footwear, raincoat, hat, sunscreen and insect repellent. Participants are also required to provide their own magnifying hand lens (10X or 16X is recommended). Daily Schedule (subject to change in case of bad weather) Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 8:30am Introduction, hand lenses, basics of plant identification, terminology, using keys, reference books available 9:30 Using Newcomb s Wildflower guide 10:30 Common Wetland habitats: swamp, bog, ombrotrophic bog, fen, poor fen, brookside, lakeside, pond, vernal pools, salt marsh, marsh 11:00 Collecting Plants, why and how, using the field notebook, use of digital photography, wetland indicator status 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Graminoids 1:30 Field trip and in field plant identification 5:00 supper 7:00 Written and specimen id quiz 7:30 Common wetland trees and shrubs 8:00 Identification of collected specimens, Proper care and preservation of specimens 9-9:30 Plant identification and processing of specimens. 8:30am Quick review of species covered on day 1 9:00 Common wetland forbes (wild flowers) [lecture and lab] 11:00 Ferns [lecture and lab] 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Field trip and in field plant identification 5:00 Supper 7:00 Written and specimen id quiz 7:30 Aquatic plants [lecture and lab] 8:30 open lab 8:30am Quick review of species covered on day 1 and 2 9:00 Rare plants and their ranking 9:30 Practicing using Newcomb s and Flora of Nova Scotia 11:00 working on collected specimens 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Field trip and in field plant identification 3:00 Identification of collected specimens 4:00 Review and identification of collected specimens 4:30-5 Practical plant id quiz

REFERENCES Excellent online listing of Nova Scotian vegetation guides: Resources for Identifying the Plants of Nova Scotia. http://versicolor.ca/nativeplants/ Nova Soctia or Maritime Guides Blouin, G. 2004. Weeds of the Woods: Small Trees & Shrubs of the Eastern Forest. Nimbus Publishing, NS. (Photographs and descriptions) Boland, T. 2012. Trees & Shrubs of the Maritimes. Boulder Publications (Newfoundland) 234 pages. Campbell, C.S.,, F. Hyland & M.L.F. Campbell. 1975. Winter Key to Woody Plants of Maine. University of Maine Press, Orono Maine. (Keys and many line-drawings. 52 pages text & 63 plates) Crowley, M. & L. Beals. 2011. Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora in Nova Scotia. Identification and Information Guide. Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute. (91 pages, photographs, line drawings, descriptions, also available online http://www.speciesatrisk.ca/coastalplainflora/guide/) Donly, J.F. 1960. Identification of Nova Scotian Woody Plants in Winter. Nova Scotia Dept. of Lands and Forests. ( 56 pages, keys, line drawings) Fielding, R. R. 1998. Shrubs of Nova Scotia. A guide to native shrubs, small trees and woody vines. Nimbus Publishing & the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. (170 pages, line drawings, descriptions and keys for 115 species) Gibson, M. 2003. Seashores of the Maritimes. Nimbus. (346 pages, line drawings and descriptions of plants and animals; pages 251-339 cover flowering plants (many of the saltmarsh and dune species) and seaweeds) LaRue, D. 2004. Common Wild Flowers & Plants of Nova Scotia. Nimbus. (164 pages, photographs and descriptions of common wildflowers, shrubs, grasses and grass-like plants, ferns, lichens and bryophytes with focus on roadside plants) Munden, C. 1999. Native Orchids of Nova Scotia. A Field Guide. Iniversity College of Cape Breton Press Inc. (96 pages, photographs, distribution maps, descriptions) Nova Scotia Nature Trust (The), 2005. Guide to the Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora of Nova Scotia. http://nsnt.ca/pdf/acpf_field_guide.pdf NS Natural Resources. Available 2013. Interactive Guide to common native trees of Nova Scotia http://novascotia.ca/natr/forestry/treeid/trees_of_acadian_forest2.pdf Roland, A.E. & A.R.Olson. 1993. Spring Wildflowers. The Nova Scotia Museum ( 138 pages, line drawings and descriptions set out in three sections - early spring, mid-spring and late spring and by plant type) Roland, A.E. & D.A Benson. 1955. Summer Key to the Woody Plants of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Dept of Lands and Forests, 1955. (42 pages, keys, line drawings) Saunders, G.L. 1970. Trees of Nova Scotia, A guide to native and exotic species. Nimbus Publishing & Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. (102 pages, line drawings and descriptions) Floras Crow, G.E. & C.B. Hellquist. 2000. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America, Vol 1 & 2. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison WI.

Gleason, H.A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, Second Edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Haines, A. 2011 Flora Novae Angliae, A Manual for the Identification of Native and Naturalized Higher Vascular Plants of New England. New England Wild Flower Society and Yale University press. Hinds, H.R. 2000. Flora of New Brunswick, Second Edition. Dept. of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist s Manual. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Zinck, M. 1988. Roland's Flora of Nova Scotia, 3rd Ed. Nimbus & Nova Scotia Museum. (1297 pages, in 2 volumes) Lists Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre: Species Ranks http://accdc.com/webranks/nsvasc.htm 2012 USDS Wetland Plant Indicator List http://plants.usda.gov/wetland.html NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ Integrated Taxonomic Information System (IT IS) http://www.itis.gov/ Other Helpful Guides Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. 2010. Forest Ecosystem Classification for Nova Scotia Part I: Vegetation Types. Available online (lists of common species in different forest vegetation types) http://novascotia.ca/natr/forestry/veg-types/pdf/vegtypes.pdf Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society website http://www.nswildflora.ca/ Grass Manual on the Web http://herbarium.usu.edu/webmanual/default.htm Clubs, Short Courses & Workshops Introduction to Vascular Flora of New Brunswick (Biol 1846) University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB. August 24-30, 2013. Halifax Field Naturalists (monthly talks and field trips) Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society (monthly talks and field trips) (Keep an eye on the Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society website for announcements of other workshops) The Seaside Program at Dalhousie University offers a 3-week class on the Flora of Nova Scotia. August 12-30, 2013. The Harrison Lewis Coastal Discovery Centre in Port Joli offers an assortment of workshops. Currently listed workshops pertaining to plants: May 11-13, 2012: Spring Mushroom Foray/Grow your own June 8-10, 2012: Introduction to Plants and Ethnobotany

WETLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP June 25, 26 & 27, 2013 If you plan to challenge the exam (rather than take the full course) please check the box below: Challenge Exam = $250.00 + 13% HST. Name Job Title Employer Employer s Address Postal Code Business Phone Fax E-mail Contact Person Please circle one: How do you rate your ability to identify wetland plants? BEGINNER or INTERMEDIATE Charges must be paid in full, two weeks prior to the course dates. Payment can be made by cheque and Visa or MasterCard. If payment is not received in advance then you will not be permitted to take the course. Please indicate method of payment: Visa Card No. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Exp. / / / Mastercard Card No. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Exp. / / / Cheque Amount enclosed Please forward-completed application to: Loretta Phillips Maritime College of Forest Technology 1350 Regent School Fredericton NB E3C 2G6 Phone: (506) 458-0643 Fax: (506) 458-0652 E-mail: lphillips@mcft.ca