Society of Wetland Scientists
Professional Certification Program
Is an International Organization with Over 2,000
Professional Wetland Scientists Certified Since 1994

Home

Body Of Knowledge - 2015 Survey

The Professional Certification Program (PCP) of the SWS is accredited by the Council of Engineering & Science Specialty Boards (CESB). CESB accreditation requires that the PCP create and maintain a Body of Knowledge (document) that outlines specific skills, knowledge, and abilities that a Professional Wetland Scientist should possess. The Body of Knowledge (BoK) must be solicited from all who are certified by the program and be updated every five years. The BoK is a living guidance document for knowledge and skill requirements to be used by the PCP Certification Review Panel in assessing an applicant's experience towards certification as a Professional Wetland Scientist.

The Certification Standards Committee developed a questionnaire that was sent to all PWSs. The questionnaire consisted of a list of skills, abilities and knowledge all PWSs could potentially possess in order to be certified as a Professional. All PWSs were asked to rank each area relative to their importance for being a certified Professional Wetland Scientist. Ranking was from 1 to 5, with 1 being not important and 5 being most important.

The survey results given here represent the full current assessment of the PWS Body of Knowledge as of 2015 to be updated in five years. These results will be developed into a hierarchy of knowledge and skills used by the Certification Review Panel as part of an objective method to assess an applicant's experience.

Ratings are 1 being not important to 5 being most important.

General Science
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
1) Knowledge of statistics	43	88	186	76	6	2.78	399
2) Knowledge of general biology and ecology	1	0	17	70	311	4.73	399
3) Knowledge of general and organic chemistry	16	66	166	133	17	3.17	398
4) Knowledge of general physics	59	118	173	42	7	2.55	399
5) Knowledge of general calculus	139	139	104	13	3	2	398

Landscape and Watershed
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
6) Knowledge of watershed dynamics	0	5	64	172	158	4.21	399
7) Ability to identify watershed boundaries	0	11	70	145	173	4.2	399
8) Knowledge of watershed hydrology and water resources planning	0	8	86	180	122	4.05	396
9) Ability to understand the concept of a floodplain, find a source for floodplain maps and understanding of relationship between waterways, wetlands and floodplains	0	3	35	111	248	4.52	397
10) Ability to identify climate induced stresses, including climate change (greater extremes and projected regional changes in precipitation and temperature) on the watershed and their impacts to wetlands, streams and water bodies	19	68	157	118	37	3.22	399
11) Knowledge of historic land use and land cover types	3	21	85	153	137	4	399

Geology
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
12) Ability to identify geological and geomorphological features	3	36	119	166	72	3.68	396
13) Knowledge of geochemical affects on soils, wetland hydrology, and plant communities	1	22	105	159	107	3.89	394
14) Ability to recognize location of local bedrock depth	37	100	158	80	21	2.87	396
15) Knowledge of the nature and impacts of natural seismic events and processes	87	157	113	27	7	2.26	391
16) Knowledge of stratigraphy and soils and how they influence and are influenced by near-surface water movement	4	27	104	150	109	3.85	394
17) Knowledge of groundwater hydrology and how to locate water table(s)	1	11	54	151	179	4.25	396
18) Ability to identify physiographic region and geological formations using state geological maps	25	67	134	119	51	3.26	396

Soils
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
19) Knowledge of basic soil science (e.g., soil morphology and taxonomy)	1	12	46	129	208	4.34	396
20) Ability to describe a soil profile	1	8	41	101	245	4.47	396
21) Ability to use soil color charts	2	3	23	76	289	4.65	393
22) Knowledge of hydric soil indicator processes	1	1	18	86	286	4.67	392
23) Ability to identify hydric soil indicators according to USDA NRCS manuals, regional soil indicator handbooks, and Regional Supplements to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual.	2	2	21	59	312	4.71	396
24) Ability to use local soil surveys and/or locate and use soil survey data resources on the internet (e.g., Web Soil Survey)	1	7	39	94	253	4.5	394
25) Ability to classify soils according to USDA classification	12	65	124	112	83	3.48	396
26) Knowledge of the interactions between soils and surface water, and soils and groundwater (water movement within, through, and over soils)	1	6	39	153	196	4.36	395

Hydrology
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
27) Knowledge of wetland hydrology processes	0	1	11	87	299	4.72	398
28) Ability to identify field indicators of wetland hydrology	1	1	6	48	341	4.83	397
29) Knowledge of groundwater hydrology concepts	0	6	66	174	150	4.18	396
30) Ability to install, maintain, and interpret water table monitoring devices and data	13	58	139	129	59	3.41	398
31) Ability to estimate streamflow, baseflow and water budgets in order to classify streams accordingly as perennial, ephemeral, intermittent	9	59	123	136	69	3.5	396
32) Knowledge and ability to estimate seasonal high and normal pool elevations in coastal and freshwater wetland systems or a waterway	4	25	80	167	121	3.95	397
33) Ability to use WETS Tables to investigate wetland hydrology and mitigation wetland design.	29	73	130	114	51	3.21	397
34) Ability to use water budget calculations/models, such as WETBUD, Pierce & Gilbert, or WATBUG to investigate wetland hydrology and mitigation wetland design.	45	103	143	81	26	2.85	398
35) Knowledge of projected regional/local rates of relative sea level rise from climate change for coastal wetland investigations.	59	114	125	72	26	2.73	396

Plants
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
36) Ability to identify plants to species level and determine their current USACE wetland indicator status	1	5	15	64	313	4.72	398
37) Ability to identify and to differentiate plant community types	1	3	12	70	312	4.73	398
38) Ability to measure plant species dominance	1	5	24	90	276	4.6	396
39) Ability to develop and execute an efficient plan for monitoring components of natural or created wetland systems in accordance with regulatory requirements or for establishing changes in wetlands/uplands/transition zones	1	3	75	157	160	4.19	396
40) Ability to identify wetland plant morphological adaptations	1	9	50	132	206	4.34	398
41) Ability to determine dominant or contributing influencing factors on species occurrence (e.g., wetland hydrology vs. salinity)	2	14	81	161	140	4.06	398
42) Knowledge of metabolic and adaptive physiological changes caused by prolonged soil saturation and inundation	7	36	110	153	92	3.72	398

Fish and Wildlife
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
43) General knowledge of plant and animal kingdoms, and the ability to place organisms in proper taxonomic groups	11	34	90	134	126	3.84	395
44) Ability to identify fish and wildlife species, both terrestrial and those adapted to wetlands during some portion of their life history	8	34	118	153	81	3.67	394
45) Knowledge of fisheries biology	31	81	189	78	16	2.92	395
46) Ability to identify freshwater aquatic macroinvertebrates	28	87	154	101	25	3.02	395
47) Knowledge of and ability to formulate means to measure population dynamics	67	121	139	56	11	2.55	394

Protected and Invasive Species
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
48) Knowledge of current State and Federally listed regulations related to protected species	4	26	74	141	153	4.04	398
49) Ability to obtain information related to the natural history of protected species and their habitat	1	26	80	140	150	4.04	397
50) Ability to identify invasive species and general knowledge of their means of invasion and methods to manage	3	19	76	150	150	4.07	398
51) Knowledge of management and control of protected and invasive species	5	28	124	142	96	3.75	395

Ecology and Function
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
52) Knowledge of wetland ecology principles	1	0	9	86	299	4.73	395
53) Knowledge of the role of wetlands in nutrient cycling	2	9	68	167	149	4.14	395
54) Knowledge of biogeochemical processes in wetlands	2	18	93	160	122	3.97	395
55) Knowledge of the role of wetlands in wildlife habitat	2	5	51	147	190	4.31	395

Classification and Assessment
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
56) Knowledge of wetland functional assessment methods	3	11	61	145	175	4.21	395
57) Ability to use and interpret output from wetland assessment methods	3	19	59	163	151	4.11	395
58) Ability to use the Highways Wetland Methodology (FHWM)	62	95	134	80	25	2.78	396
59) Knowledge of Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) wetland classification & functional assessment	24	55	122	121	72	3.41	394
60) Knowledge of Evaluation of Planned Wetlands (EPW)	56	95	153	79	13	2.74	396
61) Ability to use Wetland Evaluation Technique or equivalent (WET)	51	80	149	91	23	2.89	394
62) Knowledge of Cowardin, et al wetland classification	6	15	53	107	213	4.28	394
63) Knowledge of local/regional wetland assessment methods or rating systems	3	14	62	139	177	4.2	395

Mapping/Imaging/Remote Sensing
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
64) Ability to identify the physical boundaries of a watershed on topographic maps and in the field	0	11	54	144	188	4.28	397
65) Ability to use topographic maps and soils maps to identify potential wetland areas	1	1	17	117	259	4.6	395
66) Ability to find and use Wetland maps, USFWS, EPA, state	3	3	31	99	261	4.54	397
67) Ability to identify and classify wetlands using aerial photographs	2	24	60	130	181	4.17	397
68) Ability to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to gather ecologically related information for purposes of identifying or managing wetland and watershed systems	3	28	98	137	131	3.92	397
69) Ability to interpret remote sensing images/data (other than aerial photos, e.g., LiDAR)	12	38	121	148	76	3.6	395
70) Ability to use historic and current aerial photographs to detect changes in wetland, stream or water body signatures or land use practices	3	9	61	150	171	4.21	394

Delineation
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
71) Ability to identify and delineate a wetland using federal, and, if applicable, state and local methodologies	2	3	13	56	321	4.75	395
72) Ability to define basic wetland delineation criteria, field indicators and methodology for delineation	1	1	8	53	330	4.81	393
73) Demonstrate knowledge of ACOE wetland delineation manual and regional supplements	1	6	30	70	286	4.61	393
74) Demonstrate experience in field wetland delineation.	3	8	26	64	289	4.61	390

Regulatory
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
75) Ability to differentiate between a jurisdictional and a non-jurisdictional wetland and wetland (Army Corps of Engineers/Environmental Protection Agency Section 404) other non-wetland Waters of the US (ACOE/EPA Section 10) under current regulations and guidance	7	14	44	102	229	4.34	396
76) Knowledge of terms related to USACE jurisdiction, like Navigable waters, Traditional Navigable Waters, contiguous, adjacency, isolated, connected, normal circumstances, atypical situations, water dependency, fill dredge, activities, structures, sufficient nexus, etc.	3	13	42	105	234	4.4	397
77) Knowledge of ACOE Regulatory Guidance Letters (RGLS)	9	26	84	147	131	3.92	397
78) Knowledge of state and local wetland regulations	2	8	40	98	249	4.47	397
79) Knowledge of the different Nationwide Permits (NWPs) versus Individual Permits	8	27	95	125	142	3.92	397
80) Knowledge of the Clean Water Act and the regulatory responsibilities of federal agencies and state agencies under it	6	13	72	133	173	4.14	397
81) Knowledge of National Environmental Policy Act	11	37	137	125	85	3.6	395
82) Knowledge of Endangered Species Act and the Cultural Resources Act, as well as other Acts and how they impact the Section 404 regulatory process	9	30	118	133	105	3.75	395
83) Knowledge of other federal/state/tribal regulations that have an effect on jurisdiction of wetlands and waters of the U.S.	7	31	90	149	117	3.86	394

Environmental Impact Assessment
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
84) Knowledge of NEPA and its relationship to the Section 404 Program	10	44	112	156	74	3.61	396
85) Ability to identify human activities that impact wetlands and waterways	4	5	55	152	181	4.26	397
86) Ability to describe alternatives to impacts or how to minimize impacts to wetlands	3	12	44	122	215	4.35	396
87) Ability to name examples of water dependent projects.	24	40	116	114	102	3.58	396
88) Ability to design and conduct a monitoring protocol	8	21	104	140	123	3.88	396
89) Ability to prepare an Environmental Assessment document	28	52	139	102	76	3.37	397
90) Ability to prepare the Natural and Water resources sections of an Environmental Impact Statement	19	51	112	136	78	3.51	396

Wetland Compensatory Mitigation Restoration, Creation and Enhancement
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
91) Knowledge of federal, state and local government guidance regarding aquatic resource mitigation and compensation	4	14	60	156	162	4.16	396
92) Ability to describe alternatives to impacts or how to minimize impacts to wetlands	1	8	61	125	203	4.31	398
93) Knowledge of compensatory mitigation design and construction techniques	6	20	90	147	135	3.97	398
94) Ability to develop and interpret a conceptual engineering and ecological design	5	23	98	170	102	3.86	398
95) Ability to set up a multiple year monitoring plan for a mitigation site	6	21	93	147	131	3.94	398
96) Ability to read and use an engineering plan	4	19	74	131	166	4.11	394
97) Ability to generate a sketch of a cross section and plan view to express a wetland mitigation design grading plan	10	40	113	115	119	3.74	397
98) Knowledge of the professional skills required for wetland and stream mitigation design	5	19	78	152	141	4.03	395
99) Ability to use and interpret data from monitoring tables	5	19	78	153	143	4.03	398
100) Ability to interpret data from a graph	6	7	67	124	192	4.23	396
101) Ability to develop a scope of work/plan for data gathering to develop a mitigation design	8	23	103	151	113	3.85	398
102) Use of water budget calculations in wetland creation/enhancement/restoration design.	12	36	141	143	66	3.54	398
103) Knowledge of current assessment/issues/problems in wetland mitigation design.	6	21	97	158	114	3.89	396
104) Knowledge of climate change (greater extremes and projected regional changes in precipitation and temperature) in wetland mitigation design.	32	75	154	97	39	3.09	397

Stream Assessment and Restoration
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
105) Knowledge of Stream Channel Assessment methodologies	10	59	136	127	63	3.44	395
106) Knowledge of Stream Classification Systems	13	43	135	130	73	3.53	394
107) Knowledge of the components necessary for a stable but Natural Stream Design	18	67	141	109	59	3.31	394
108) Knowledge of stream classification approaches/methods.	12	52	141	135	53	3.42	393
109) Knowledge of streamflow modeling methodologies	32	106	156	72	27	2.89	393
110) Knowledge of stormwater and erosion control best management practices (BMPs)	16	35	98	149	96	3.7	394

Wetland Education
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
111) Ability to develop educational materials to inform the public about basic wetland science principles, wetland values, regulations as well as impact avoidance and minimization	27	54	122	115	76	3.4	394
112) Ability to develop basic curriculum for interesting people in other disciplines and important points about planning for projects around wetlands, wetland values, wetland impacts and wetland regulations.	38	64	123	114	51	3.19	390

Professional Ethics
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
113) Knowledge of Current Ethics Issues in Wetland Science	3	9	57	126	203	4.3	398
114) Knowledge of the SWSPCP's Code of Ethics	3	9	53	93	239	4.4	397
115) Knowledge of the importance of adhering to SWSPCP's Code of Ethics	4	7	40	95	250	4.46	396
116) Knowledge of what to do when someone violates SWSPCP's Code of Ethics	8	10	73	113	194	4.19	398

Publications/Products
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
117) Experience in writing scientific papers for publication	51	89	159	70	28	2.84	397
118) Experience in writing/preparing technical reports and papers	7	17	55	131	188	4.2	398
119) Experience in presenting an oral presentation on Knowledge Points of wetland science and management	18	40	134	139	65	3.49	396
120) Knowledge of the scientific method and how to present data for publication	18	39	112	116	112	3.67	397
121) Ability to compile and organize a bibliography for scientific review	37	50	130	106	75	3.33	398
122) Knowledge of the peer review process	23	62	150	100	60	3.28	395
123) Knowledge of the current high quality technical journals and especially the Wetlands Journal	14	55	135	123	69	3.45	396
124) Experience in membership and active participation in professional societies and associations	26	51	140	109	70	3.37	396
125) Active participation in Continuing Professional Development courses, seminars, workshops, and conferences for currency in Professional Wetland Sciences.	8	36	72	139	143	3.94	398
126) Experience in researching scientific publications related to wetland science	25	54	141	103	73	3.37	396

Wetland Law
Answer Options	1	2	3	4	5	Ave	Count
127) Knowledge of how to provide Expert witness in legal proceedings	46	90	121	98	43	3.01	398
128) Knowledge of recent legal decisions affecting wetlands/water regulations	16	34	93	133	122	3.78	398

Certification Information

ProfessionalWetland Scientist

Resources

Body Of Knowledge - 2015 Survey

Professional
Wetland Scientist