COURSES

Courses are offered in various locations in spring, summer, and fall. Dedicated courses can also be provided upon request. The curriculum will continue to expand so check back regularly.

Upcoming Offerings

Summer, 2010: June 25-26
Primer on Sedges, Rushes, and Grasses
Hiram College, Ohio

Summer, 2010: July 9 - August 14
Learn the Sedges Rushes and Grasses
Hiram College, Ohio

Fall, 2010
Advanced Wetland Assessment Methods
Hiram College, Ohio

Summer, 2011
Wetland Field Botany
Hiram College, Ohio

 

Primer on Sedges, Rushes, and Grasses

Course Instructor: John J. Mack
Course location: Hiram College, Ohio and nearby sites
Cost: $195.00 ($125 government)
Dates: June 25-26, 2010

Despite their abundance and critical importance in wetland ecosystems, little training is available in the identification of sedges (Cyperaceae), rushes (Juncaceae) and grasses (Poaceae). This is a two day class focusing on breaking into the difficult terminology of learning to identify sedges, rushes, and grasses typically found in wetlands of the midwest and northeast.

Texts and equipment:
Students are responsible for bringing the following texts to the class:
Manual of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2nd Edition,(Gleason and Cronquist 1991);
The Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist’s. Manual (Holmgren et al. 1998) [These can be purchased as a set for $150 directly from the publisher (New York Botanical Garden Press) by calling 718-817-8957]

How to Identify Grasses and Grasslike Plants (Harrington 1977).
Students should also have a 10x handlens, preferable a Hastings Triplet.

Location: The course will be taught at the James H. Barrow Field Station of Hiram College, Hiram. Hiram is only 10 minutes from Ohio Turnpike (I80) exit 193 and is less than 45 minutes from the Cleveland-Hopkins and Akron-Canton Airports. Lodging: Lodging is available on campus & at other nearby B&Bs and Hotels.
( more info)

 

Learning the Sedges, Rushes, and Grasses

This is an intensive, field based course on the identification of sedges, rushes, and grasses typically found in wetlands of the midwest and northeast. Despite their abundance and critical importance in wetland ecosystems, little training is available in the identification of sedges (Cyperaceae), rushes (Juncaceae) and grasses (Poaceae). Training that is available does not lend itself to gaining facility in learning the morphology and taxonomic keys of these difficult groups but usually consists of 2 or 3 consecutive days with too many species presented in too short a time for real learning. A simplified sedge key developed for the midwest will be provided and used. This course, while intensive, spreads the learning process over four weeks and focuses on learning the key morphological features need to navigate taxonomic keys like Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual of the Vascular Plants of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, so that the student acquires the skills necessary to identify unknown sedges, rushes, or grasses in the future. In addition, course members will learn the most commonly encountered wetland graminoids and as opportunity permits, other wetland species will be discussed and learned. Except for lectures on July 7 and 21, all sessions will be in the field and will involve collecting and keying specimens for constant practice with the taxonomic keys. This course presupposes some basic plant identification skills and some experience with wetland plant specimens. Students are responsible for bringing the following texts to the class: Manual of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2nd Edition, (Gleason and Cronquist 1991); The Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual (Holmgren et al. 1998; How to Identify Grasses and Grasslike Plants (Harrington 1977). Students should also have a 10x handlens, preferrably a Hastings Triplet. A plant press will be useful but is not required.
( more info)

 

Advanced Wetland Assessment Methods

Wetland regulation is moving beyond the stage of delineation (quantity) and into the realm of assessing the condition of wetlands (quality). Many states are developing scientifically based wetland assessment methods including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maine, California, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Arkansas. This intensive field-based course will explore the tiered approach to wetland assessment advocated by the U.S. EPA: Level 1 landscape level assessments, Level 2 on-site rapid assessments, and Level 3 detailed biological assessments. Illustrating this approach, the course will provide detailed training in the use of the Ohio Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands v. 5.0 (Level 2) and the Vegetation Index of Biotic Integrity (Level 3), as well as other equivalent methods from around the United States. This course begins (day 1) with an overview of 123 approach followed by an intensive review of ORAM v. 5.0 and other similar methods (e.g. Delaware and California). Day 2 is an all day field exercise on rapid assessment approaches focusing on ORAM v. 5.0. Day 3 begins with an overview of the development of Level 3 assessment methods including IBI, HGM, and the NatureServe Scorecard approaches and focusing on the Vegetation Index of Biotic Integrity (VIBI) for Wetlands, successfully used in Ohio to assess natural and mitigation wetlands. The afternoon of day 3 is a field exercise on quantitative vegetation sampling illustrated by VIBI methods. Day 4 includes intensive data exercises for reducing level 3 data and a second field exercise on selecting sampling locations and sampling for the VIBI. Finally, Day 5 brings it all together showing the interplay between all three assessment levels with applications for mitigation performance monitoring, ambient condition assessments, and development of wetland tiered aquatic life uses.
( more info)

 

Wetland Field Botany

Focusing on forbs, shrubs, and trees, this is an intensive, field based course on the commonly encountered midwest and northeast wetland species. Contrary to most training offered, which usually consists of 2 to 3 consecutive days with a flurry of species presented in too short a time for real learning, this course spreads the learning process over four weeks and focuses on learning the key morphological features need to navigate taxonomic keys like Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual of the Vascular Plants of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. This unables the student to acquire the skills necessary to identify unknown plants in the future. Except for two lectures, all sessions will be in the field and will involve collecting and keying specimens for constant practice with the taxonomic keys. Students are responsible for bringing the following texts to the class: Manual of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2nd Edition, (Gleason and Cronquist 1991); The Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual (Holmgren et al. 1998; How to Identify Grasses and Grasslike Plants (Harrington 1977), and The Woody Plants of Ohio (Braun 1961). Students should also have a 10x handlens, preferrably a Hastings Triplet. A plant press will be useful but is not required.
( more info)