The Swamp School

This is a new approach to understanding wetland design. This week long class will prepare you to diagnose and understand how a wetland should function as well as ways to improve wetland projects in peril.

Class syllabus ==> HERE

Identification of the critical wetland functions will be presented including:

• Shoreline bank erosion control
• Sediment stabilization
• Water quality
• Wildlife
• Fish (tidal, non-tidal stream/river, and non-tidal pond/lake), and
• Uniqueness/heritage.

The next phase of the assessment includes the development of the methods and calculations necessary to properly plan for wetland hydrology. A water budget will be established to enable students to understand how water circulates though a wetland. Upon completion of the class students will be able to prepare a water budget and properly size a proposed wetland system.

The topics covered in this class include:

• Water Cycle Principals
• Understanding Groundwater
• Surface Runoff Calculations
• Evapotranspiration
• Wetland Water Budget Development

Once the target wetland functions have been identified and the water budget is established it is time to start putting the wetland together. This phase includes:

• Wetland planting schedules
• Soil amendments
• Project construction planning
• Monitoring protocols

In an idealized situation if the aforementioned protocols were followed, a pretty successful wetland would result. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. So the next thing we will discuss is how to take apart an existing wetland project to identify what might not be working. Sometimes this is the water budget. Sometimes it is an issue with conflicting goals. Sometimes it is just something dumb. Our forensic approach will highlight what could be fixed to restore the design back to its intended functions.

This class includes a combination of lecture, field inspections, hands on design and functional assessments. At the end of the class students will have designed a wetland using a functional approach, develop a water budget and prepare an analysis of a number of successful and poorly functioning wetlands.

Join us in September for a terrific week in the wetlands!

The class is being offered at:
Sweet Briar College
Sweet, Briar Virginia

From:
September 19 – 23, 2011

Tuition: $1,200 (includes all supplies, texts and other class materials)

Class Syllabus/Schedule