Photo By Patrick Moes | Faye Healy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District senior ecologist, and...... read more read more
A team within the district’s regulatory division recently took matters into their own hands amid the many challenges and setbacks provided by 2020.
Faye Healy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District senior ecologist with the regulatory division, said her and a small team of senior regulators developed a wetland delineation short course for recently
hired employees after COVID-19 travel restrictions caused the cancelation of traditional training opportunities provided within the Corps of Engineers.
Healy said the training was developed to help the Department of the Army interns learn more about practical applications of wetland delineations.
Maria DeLaundreau, regulatory division project manager and Department of the Army intern, said the training afforded her a better understanding of how to accurately determine wetland boundaries, which is important in deciding whether a location is, or is not, a wetland and whether it is subject to federal rules and regulations. For DeLaundreau, the most exciting part of the training opportunity was digging in the soil. Having limited background with soils, DeLaundreau said, “It was definitely exciting to get in the dirt and see that there are different stories being told by the soils.” She added that the various colors and textures found within the soil can help determine whether a specific area is a wetland.
In addition to a better understanding of soils, Healy said the training was valuable for many other reasons. “It really helps with communication and collaboration,” she said. “It also makes sure that everybody is on the same page when we see a delineation come across our desk… we are all looking at the same things and finding the same outcomes.” She added that having a staff with a lot of institutional knowledge such as the team here in the St. Paul District helps because a few of them helped develop the wetland delineation manuals the district uses to identify where a location is a wetland. “They give you some background and knowledge that you never previously could have found, and it really helps.”
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2020 12:14 |
| Story ID: | 385714 |
| Location: | LA CROSSE, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Regulators adapt to conditions, train new employees, by Patrick Moes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT