This 2-day workshop will focus on upland and wetland plant identification as part of the requirements for state and federal jurisdictional wetland boundary determination. You'll learn to identify species using plant characteristics, determine the plant wetland indicator status, and perform a plant dominance test for wetness (as outlined in the "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual, Technical Report Y-87-1 (1987 Manual revised)" and "Delineating Bordering Vegetated Wetlands under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act: a Handbook (March 1995)."
Students must have a smartphone and download the Picture This App prior to coming to class. The app will be used to identify plants, and the online site "Go Botany" (Native Plant Trust) will be used for verification. Several books will be recommended during the class as plant keys for further plant ID verification.
Dr. Romano is a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) and Certified Forester (CF), and holds a Ph.D. in Plant Biology, M.S. in Botany, and a B.S. in Forest Resource Management. She is a retired professor of wetland and forest landscape ecology and has owned and operated 2 environmental consulting businesses. Dr. Romano serves as a board member for Bear-Paw Regional Greenways land trust, is a member of the Town of Northwood Conservation Commission, and is on the state and regional boards for the Society of American Foresters. She enjoys hiking, singing jazz, and traveling in her spare time.
