The implementation of this plan will be an interagency, nationwide effort and will complement ongoing HGM work through the Corps Wetlands Research Program. Proposed new WRTC wetland courses offered for survey of student training needs in FY 95, and to be conducted in FY 96, include the new constructed wetland and the wetland soils courses. Only U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Defense personnel are eligible to attend. The course is directed towards biologists and engineers concerned with wetlands and seagrass development on dredged material, restoration of disturbed wetlands and seagrass beds, and techniques for reducing engineering impacts. The Corps has a goal, set by law, to achieve no net loss of wetlands and ultimately increase the amount of the nation's wetlands.
Course emphasizes wetlands functions and values in an ecosystem perspective.
Both saltwater and freshwater wetlands will be addressed. Provides an introduction and overview of basic wetland concepts and principles in the context of planning and operating Civil Works Environmental restoration and mitigation projects. In addition to providing a basic overview, the course may also serve to update students in the current wetlands science and ecology of the 1990's. Provides an in-depth introduction and overview of existing wetland evaluation procedures and case study application to wetland systems for environmental impact assessment and evaluation purposes. Methods to identify and evaluate the functions of wetlands and their corresponding values to the ecosystem and society will be discussed.