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• ALTERNATIVES TO BULKHEADS: Course #1 - General Concepts Related to Shorelines and Stabilization (self-paced)

  • Start
    Tuesday, January 13, 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    Wednesday, February 25, 2026
  •  
    5:00 PM
  • Location
    Self-paced Online
  • Spaces left
    148

  Register

  
  

  
  

  

  This self-paced course will help you identify key aspects of shoreline and coastal processes relevant to sites within Puget Sound. It is especially geared toward shoreline planners, consultants, and marine contractors who are interested in implementing projects considered to be “soft” alternatives to bulkheads or armoring.  This course will help you become familiar with general topics related to coastal processes, shoreline vegetation, marine habitat, weather impacts, and climate change. This overview of shoreline and coastal processes forms the basis of understanding all other aspects of shoreline stabilization and the alternatives to armoring.

  
  

  This course will available to registrants from January 13th, 2026 - February 25th, 2026. The course will take about 5 hours to complete. Upon completion, you will receive certificate for 5 AICP CM credits. 

  
  

  This course is offered as part of a series of six courses related to Alternatives to Bulkheads. Course 1 is recommended for as a pre requisite for courses 1-6. Courses 1-6 will be offered throughout 2026.

  
  

  Please email the Coastal Training Program (ecyrectpadmin@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Additionally, the program can offer a couple of scholarships to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.

  
  

  
  

  Instructors

  
  

  Jeff Adams works on a wide range of aquatic and watershed issues from his field office in Bremerton. With colleagues from Washington State University and numerous other partnerships, Jeff develops and supports beach naturalist and watershed stewardship programs as well as their associated outreach and citizen science opportunities. He also works to encourage low impact development practices that help protect the region’s waters from stormwater runoff. Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in Oceanography and a master’s degree in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, both from the University of Washington. 

  
  

  Ben Alexander is co-owner of Sound Native Plants. He oversees SNP installation and maintenance programs, and provides professional consulting on project planning, design and permitting. Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Planning from the Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, and is qualified to conduct the Riparian Function and Fish Habitat modules for Washington Department of Natural Resources Watershed Analyses.

  
  

  Wendy Gerstel is a licensed Engineering Geologist and Hydrogeologist and owner /principal scientist of Qwg Applied Geology. She has over 30 years of experience working with Federal, State, and local jurisdictions, Tribes, non-profit groups, and private landowners throughout the U.S. and extensively in the Pacific Northwest.  Since 1992 Wendy has provided coastal geologic, geomorphic, and hydrogeologic input to a range of research, mapping, mitigation, and restoration projects. She obtained a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of New Hampshire in 1980 and her MSc. in Geology from Humboldt State University, California, in 1989.

  
  

  Dr. Ian Miller is Washington Sea Grant’s coastal hazards specialist, working out of Peninsula College in Port Angeles. Ian works with coastal communities and public agencies on the Olympic Peninsula to strengthen their ability to plan for and manage coastal hazards, including tsunamis, chronic erosion, coastal flooding and other hazards associated with climate change. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Marine Ecology from Western Washington University’s Huxley College of Environmental Studies and a Ph.D. in Ocean Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

  
  

  Corey Morss is an Environmental Engineer working for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Habitat Program.  Corey provides technical assistance to WDFW Habitat Biologists statewide, as well as designing and constructing restoration projects in marine and freshwater environments.  Corey has developed and delivered trainings on water crossings, marine shoreline protection (MSDG), fluvial geomorphology, reading engineering plans, and fish friendly construction considerations. Corey is passionate about the outdoors and spends most of his spare time hiking, camping, backpacking, hunting, fishing, boating or dreaming about those things.

  
  

  
  

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• Winter Tree and Shrub Identification for Western WA Puget Lowland Habitats - in-person on January 28, 2026

  • When
    Wednesday, January 28, 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mt Vernon
  • Spaces left
    9

  Register

  This one-day class will emphasize winter field character identification of the wetland species and associated upland buffer species found in the Puget lowland region of Washington (approximately 12 trees and 60 shrubs, including willows). Class instruction will be oriented towards the needs of shoreline planners, delineators, and those involved with Ordinary High Water Mark determinations, and restoration.

  
  

  The format will be a lecture/laboratory setup and taxa examined will include common lowland, freshwater (and a few estuarine) species. Fresh material will be provided if in season, and winter characteristics (buds, leaf scars, pith, and bark) will be covered in the winter season. Each class will begin with a short lecture covering the terminology and salient morphological characteristics needed for a taxonomic identification of the species of choice, field characteristics, some ecological aspects of the species’ common habitat, commonly associated species, distribution, potential use for restoration purposes, and any special ecological requirements. Lecture materials will include drawings, slides, and plant material. (6.5 CM AICP Credits/CEP Points)

  
  

  Lunch is provided. 

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Additionally, we can offer a couple of scholarship to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.
  

  
  

  Suggested texts: Cooke. 1997. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwestern Oregon. Seattle Audubon. Available through University Books Store, Audubon Books Store and Amazon.com.

  
  

  Not required but recommended. (Dr. Cooke will supply much of the information) Gilkey, Halen. Winter Twigs. revised Edition: A Wintertime Key to Deciduous Trees and Shrubs of Northwest Oregon and Western Washington.

  
  

  Instructor: Dr. Sarah Cooke specializes in wetland creation, restoration and enhancement projects, both in design and implementation. She excels in permitting assistance on the local, state, and national level. She has conducted scientific research on wetland ecosystems for the Puget Sound Wetland and Stormwater Management Manual. Her expertise includes restoration designs, wetland inventories, wetland delineation, OHWM studies, baseline studies, impact assessments, monitoring programs, rare plant surveys, soil surveys, vegetation mapping, and watershed analysis in the region.
  

  
  

  
  
  

  Show details
• Winter Tree and Shrub Identification for Western WA Puget Lowland Habitats - in-person on January 29, 2026

  • When
    Thursday, January 29, 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mt Vernon
  • Spaces left
    10

  Register

  This one-day class will emphasize winter field character identification of the wetland species and associated upland buffer species found in the Puget lowland region of Washington (approximately 12 trees and 60 shrubs, including willows). Class instruction will be oriented towards the needs of shoreline planners, delineators, and those involved with Ordinary High Water Mark determinations, and restoration.

  
  

  The format will be a lecture/laboratory setup and taxa examined will include common lowland, freshwater (and a few estuarine) species. Fresh material will be provided if in season, and winter characteristics (buds, leaf scars, pith, and bark) will be covered in the winter season. Each class will begin with a short lecture covering the terminology and salient morphological characteristics needed for a taxonomic identification of the species of choice, field characteristics, some ecological aspects of the species’ common habitat, commonly associated species, distribution, potential use for restoration purposes, and any special ecological requirements. Lecture materials will include drawings, slides, and plant material. (6.5 CM AICP Credits/CEP Points)

  
  

  Lunch is provided. 

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Additionally, we can offer a couple of scholarship to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.
  

  
  

  Suggested texts: Cooke. 1997. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwestern Oregon. Seattle Audubon. Available through University Books Store, Audubon Books Store and Amazon.com.

  
  

  Not required but recommended. (Dr. Cooke will supply much of the information) Gilkey, Halen. Winter Twigs. revised Edition: A Wintertime Key to Deciduous Trees and Shrubs of Northwest Oregon and Western Washington.

  
  

  Instructor: Dr. Sarah Cooke specializes in wetland creation, restoration and enhancement projects, both in design and implementation. She excels in permitting assistance on the local, state, and national level. She has conducted scientific research on wetland ecosystems for the Puget Sound Wetland and Stormwater Management Manual. Her expertise includes restoration designs, wetland inventories, wetland delineation, OHWM studies, baseline studies, impact assessments, monitoring programs, rare plant surveys, soil surveys, vegetation mapping, and watershed analysis in the region.
  

  
  

  
  
  

  Show details
• How to Explain Science, Share Data, and Build Trust: Presentation Skills for Scientists and Public Officials (virtual, 2nd day on February 25)

  • Start
    Thursday, February 12, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Wednesday, February 25, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual (via Zoom)
  • Spaces left
    2

  Register

  

  This popular two-day class has shifted the paradigms of hundreds of people and raised the science communication bar at conferences, public meetings, and educational events. It features best practices for designing presentations and is especially geared towards scientists, educators, and professionals who work in the public and private sectors.

  
  

  On Day 1, you’ll learn about best practices in message development and slide design - with several opportunities for hands-on application. Over the following 2 weeks, you’ll design a 5-minute presentation applying what you’ve learned. When you return to class on Day 2 (February 25), you’ll give your presentation and receive valuable feedback and coaching. As you witness the other presentations, you’ll see how much more interesting and engaging it is to view slides that are designed without excessive text and bullet points. The ultimate goal of the training is to improve your science communication skills, while making your presentations more enjoyable for you and more engaging for your audience.

  
  

  In this class, you will learn how to:

  • Transform the way you do PowerPoint
  • Deliver a crystal-clear message
  • Present data in a way that sticks in people’s brains
  • Keep your audience interested and engaged

  This two-day class features best practices for designing presentations and is especially geared towards scientists and professionals who work for local and state agencies.
   

  The classes will be held two weeks apart. In between, you will develop a short presentation to present to the class on Day Two. This is an opportunity for you to immediately apply what you've learned and to receive positive coaching and feedback (12 CM AICP Credits/ CEP Points).

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Washington State Department of Ecology staff, if you need a reasonable accommodation to successfully attend this training, please contact the Core Training Team.

  
  

  Additionally, we can offer scholarships to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship to participate in the training. 

  
  

  
  

  Instructor:
  Cathy Angell is a presentation coach and trainer with Cathy Angell Communications. She recently launched her own business after coordinating the Coastal Training Program for 18 years. Cathy is nationally known for her transformative methods of presentation design and delivery. She specializes in presentation skills for educators, scientists, and public officials. In 2015, she received a communications award from NOAA named in her honor.

  
  

  Nicole Faghin is a land use and environmental planner and educator, mediator and lawyer with over 30 years of experience working with local, state and federal governments, tribes, ports, non-profits and consultants. Her work focuses on education, outreach and training on current issues related to coastal management in Washington state. She is a frequent lecturer for Ecology’s Coastal Training Program and has also taught courses at the UW Seattle Urban Planning Program, UW Tacoma Urban Studies Program, and has been a guest lecturer at the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. Nicole is a member of the University of Washington Department of Urban Design and Planning Professionals Council. She received a master’s in Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Mass
  
  

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• How to Explain Science, Share Data, and Build Trust: Presentation Skills for Scientists and Public Officials (virtual, 2nd day on February 26)

  • Start
    Thursday, February 12, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Thursday, February 26, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual (via Zoom)
  • Spaces left
    11

  Register

  

  This popular two-day class has shifted the paradigms of hundreds of people and raised the science communication bar at conferences, public meetings, and educational events. It features best practices for designing presentations and is especially geared towards scientists, educators, and professionals who work in the public and private sectors.

  
  

  On Day 1, you’ll learn about best practices in message development and slide design - with several opportunities for hands-on application. Over the following 2 weeks, you’ll design a 5-minute presentation applying what you’ve learned. When you return to class on Day 2 (February 26), you’ll give your presentation and receive valuable feedback and coaching. As you witness the other presentations, you’ll see how much more interesting and engaging it is to view slides that are designed without excessive text and bullet points. The ultimate goal of the training is to improve your science communication skills, while making your presentations more enjoyable for you and more engaging for your audience.

  
  

  In this class, you will learn how to:

  • Transform the way you do PowerPoint
  • Deliver a crystal-clear message
  • Present data in a way that sticks in people’s brains
  • Keep your audience interested and engaged

  This two-day class features best practices for designing presentations and is especially geared towards scientists and professionals who work for local and state agencies.
   

  The classes will be held two weeks apart. In between, you will develop a short presentation to present to the class on Day Two. This is an opportunity for you to immediately apply what you've learned and to receive positive coaching and feedback (12 CM AICP Credits/ CEP Points).

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Washington State Department of Ecology staff, if you need a reasonable accommodation to successfully attend this training, please contact the Core Training Team.

  
  

  Additionally, we can offer scholarships to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship to participate in the training. 

  
  

  
  

  Instructor:
  Cathy Angell is a presentation coach and trainer with Cathy Angell Communications. She recently launched her own business after coordinating the Coastal Training Program for 18 years. Cathy is nationally known for her transformative methods of presentation design and delivery. She specializes in presentation skills for educators, scientists, and public officials. In 2015, she received a communications award from NOAA named in her honor.

  
  

  Nicole Faghin is a land use and environmental planner and educator, mediator and lawyer with over 30 years of experience working with local, state and federal governments, tribes, ports, non-profits and consultants. Her work focuses on education, outreach and training on current issues related to coastal management in Washington state. She is a frequent lecturer for Ecology’s Coastal Training Program and has also taught courses at the UW Seattle Urban Planning Program, UW Tacoma Urban Studies Program, and has been a guest lecturer at the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. Nicole is a member of the University of Washington Department of Urban Design and Planning Professionals Council. She received a master’s in Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Mass
  
  

  Show details
• Grass, Sedge, and Rush Identification for Western WA Puget Lowland Habitats - in-person on February 18-19, 2026

  • Start
    Wednesday, February 18, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Thursday, February 19, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mt Vernon
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  

  The two-day class will emphasize field character identification of the most common freshwater, estuarine wetland, and associated upland buffer species found in the Puget lowland region of Washington State. The format will be a lecture/laboratory setup. Ample dried material will be available for everyone to practice their keying skills.

  
  

  Each class will begin with a short lecture covering the terminology and salient morphological characteristics needed for a taxonomic identification of the species of choice, field characteristics, some ecological aspects of the species’ common habitat, commonly associated species, distribution, potential use for restoration purposes, and any special ecological requirements. Lecture materials will include drawings, slides, and dried plant material. The class instruction will be oriented towards the needs of shoreline planners, delineators, OHWM determinations, and restoration ecologists.

   (14 CM AICP Credits/CEP Points)

  
  

  Lunch is provided.

  
  

  Recommended text: There is a second edition of Hitchcock and Cronquist published in 2018 and edited by David Giblin, Ben Legler, Peter Zika and Richard Olmstead. That would be preferred if you can get it. If not bring the older version.

  
  

  Hitchcock, c. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press.

  
  

  If you have or can get a hold of a copy of A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwestern Oregon Sarah Cooke (Ed) 1997. It is out of print but there will be a few copies to share. Much of the material Dr. Cooke discusses is in this book.

  
  

  Please bring a plant dissecting kit (at least a pair of forceps and dissecting needle).

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Additionally, we can offer a couple of scholarship to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.
  

  
  

  
  

  Instructor: Dr. Sarah Cooke specializes in wetland creation, restoration and enhancement projects, both in design and implementation. She excels in permitting assistance on the local, state, and national level. She has conducted scientific research on wetland ecosystems for the Puget Sound Wetland and Stormwater Management Manual. Her expertise includes restoration designs, wetland inventories, wetland delineation, OHWM studies, baseline studies, impact assessments, monitoring programs, rare plant surveys, soil surveys, vegetation mapping, and watershed analysis in the region.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  Show details
• How to Administer Development Permits in Washington’s Shorelines - virtual

  • Start
    Tuesday, March 03, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Wednesday, March 04, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual - Zoom
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  
  

  

  This practical, hands-on virtual class is intended for local government personnel and consultants engaged in shoreline permitting activities.

  
  

  The class will take an in-depth look at the permit process and consider both procedural and substantive shoreline management issues. The Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and Revised Code of Washington (RCW) will be reviewed. 

  
  

  This class is appropriate for both beginners and more experienced planners. To prepare for the class, participants will complete a 30-minute pre-assignment by March 3rd. Additionally, between March 3rd and March 4th, the participants will complete a 30-minute permitting exercise on their own and spend about 10 minutes identifying a specific shoreline permitting question for the instructors.(7 CM AICP Credits/ CEP Points)

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other).  Washington State Department of Ecology staff, if you need a reasonable accommodation to successfully attend this training, please contact the Core Training Team. Additionally, we can offer a couple of scholarship to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.

  
  

  Additionally, we can offer scholarships to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) out if you need a scholarship to participate in the training. 

  
  

  Instructors:
  

  Zach Meyer came to Ecology in 2015 from the University of Washington where he got his Master’s Degree in Marine and Environmental affairs and taught introductory biology. At Ecology, Zach has served as a shoreline planner, wetland and shoreline specialist, and since June 2022 has had the role of Wetlands and Shorelands Technical and Regulatory Lead.

  
  

  Tess Brandon is the Senior Regional Shoreline Planner for Ecology's Southwest (SouthBEST) Region. In that role, she helps cities and counties develop and implement shoreline master programs. Prior to coming to the role in 2021, Tess worked in land use and environmental planning in the private sector. She has master’s degrees in marine affairs and urban planning from the University of Washington.

  
  

  Lizzie Carp is a Wetland/Shoreline Specialist for Ecology’s Southwest Region. She reviews wetland and shoreline permits and helps local governments implement their shoreline regulations and review wetland projects. Before she came to Ecology, Lizzie was a soil scientist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

  
  
  
  

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• Designing and Installing Wetland Mitigation and Restoration Projects - March 11 - March 12

  • Start
    Wednesday, March 11, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Thursday, March 12, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 )
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  This two-day class is geared towards those who already have basic knowledge of plants, soils and hydrology and who design and implement compensatory mitigation and restoration projects, and/or those who  review  and  condition  mitigation  plans and want  more technical information. This class focuses on factors to consider when designing wetland projects and protocols to help ensure their success.

  
  

  
  

  Participants will learn:

  •      Factors to consider for site selection
  •      How to develop realistic site-specific goals and objectives and measurable performance standards
  •      Water (hydrology sources and potential hydroperiods - what to look for and evaluate)
  •      Soils (salvaging, amendments, compaction)
  •      Vegetation (source of plant material, salvaging, planting specifications, improving survival, establishing appropriate vegetation communities)
  •      Invasive species (techniques for control and maintenance)
  •      Habitat (design considerations)
  •      Plan specifications (mulches, irrigation, plant materials, habitat features)
  •      Construction and installation considerations
  •      Contingencies, maintenance, and monitoring
  

  
  

  Lunch will be provided both days. (12 AICP CM credits/ CEP Points)

  
  

  The registration fee is $400. 

  
  

  The two-day, in person course will be held on the following days:

  • Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Thursday, March 12, 2026, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

  
  

  Class Location: Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273)

   

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other).  Washington State Department of Ecology staff, if you need a reasonable accommodation to successfully attend this training, please contact the Core Training Team.

  
  

  Additionally, we can offer scholarships to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship to participate in the training. 

  
  

  
  

  Instructors:

  Susan Buis: Susan is a restoration ecologist and native plant horticulturist currently working for the US Army Corps of Engineers and the WA State Dept of Transportation.  She is also co-founder and former co-owner of Sound Native Plants, an Olympia company that provides a full spectrum of restoration services including design, installation, native plant propagation, maintenance, and monitoring. Before founding her company in 1991, she worked for Yosemite and Olympic National Parks, where she developed and managed restoration projects and native plant propagation.  Ms. Buis has been teaching workshops in restoration design and installation to professional groups and agencies since 1996 and has published articles on creating restoration plant specifications in Hortus West and in Native Plants Journal.  She is a regular guest lecturer on native plant topics in the coastal NW.

  
  

  Lisa Palazzi: Lisa is an Certified Professional Wetland Scientist (SWS-PCP) and a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (SSSA).  She has over 32 years of professional experience evaluating wetlands, soils and hydrology in the Pacific Northwest.  Ms. Palazzi has provided expert advice and expert witness services on many hydric soils and wetlands hydrology functions in the Puget Sound region to many different municipalities and agencies.   She consistently receives high marks as a teacher from her students and from workshop participants in these subjects, and she has taught in many different settings, ranging from University-level certification courses to professional conference workshops and even as a guest speaker in elementary, middle school and high school classes.  Therefore, she is not only technically competent in her field of expertise, but capable of explaining that knowledge to a wide range of audiences.  She is familiar with the most common mistakes and misinterpretations of soils and hydrology characteristics made that can cause a restoration project to fail. 

  
  

  Show details
• Grass, Sedge, and Rush Identification for Western WA Puget Lowland Habitats - in-person on March 25-26, 2026

  • Start
    Wednesday, March 25, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Thursday, March 26, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mt Vernon
  • Spaces left
    14

  Register

  

  The two-day class will emphasize field character identification of the most common freshwater, estuarine wetland, and associated upland buffer species found in the Puget lowland region of Washington State. The format will be a lecture/laboratory setup. Ample dried material will be available for everyone to practice their keying skills.

  
  

  Each class will begin with a short lecture covering the terminology and salient morphological characteristics needed for a taxonomic identification of the species of choice, field characteristics, some ecological aspects of the species’ common habitat, commonly associated species, distribution, potential use for restoration purposes, and any special ecological requirements. Lecture materials will include drawings, slides, and dried plant material. The class instruction will be oriented towards the needs of shoreline planners, delineators, OHWM determinations, and restoration ecologists.

   (14 CM AICP Credits/CEP Points)

  
  

  Lunch is provided.

  
  

  Recommended text: There is a second edition of Hitchcock and Cronquist published in 2018 and edited by David Giblin, Ben Legler, Peter Zika and Richard Olmstead. That would be preferred if you can get it. If not bring the older version.

  
  

  Hitchcock, c. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press.

  
  

  If you have or can get a hold of a copy of A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwestern Oregon Sarah Cooke (Ed) 1997. It is out of print but there will be a few copies to share. Much of the material Dr. Cooke discusses is in this book.

  
  

  Please bring a plant dissecting kit (at least a pair of forceps and dissecting needle).

  
  

  Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Additionally, we can offer a couple of scholarship to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.
  

  
  

  
  

  Instructor: Dr. Sarah Cooke specializes in wetland creation, restoration and enhancement projects, both in design and implementation. She excels in permitting assistance on the local, state, and national level. She has conducted scientific research on wetland ecosystems for the Puget Sound Wetland and Stormwater Management Manual. Her expertise includes restoration designs, wetland inventories, wetland delineation, OHWM studies, baseline studies, impact assessments, monitoring programs, rare plant surveys, soil surveys, vegetation mapping, and watershed analysis in the region.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  Show details
• ALTERNATIVES TO BULKHEADS: Course #2 - An overview of Local, State and Federal Permit Requirements (virtual)

  • Start
    Tuesday, March 31, 2026
  •  
  • End
    Wednesday, April 01, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual - Zoom
  • Spaces left
    4

  Register

  

  This class addresses local, state and federal permitting associated with the implementation of alternatives to bulkheads or armoring shoreline projects. It is especially geared toward shoreline planners, consultants, and marine contractors who are interested in the permits required to restore shorelines to natural conditions or to implement projects considered “soft” alternatives to bulkheads or armoring. This class will help you understand which permits are required for different activities in the marine shoreline and how they relate to different levels of government. You will learn whom to contact, what steps are involved in the permit process, what to include in a permit package, and how the different permits relate to one another.
  

  
  

  Permits reviewed in this class include: local government shoreline master program permits, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Hydraulic Project Approval, US Army Corp of Engineer permits, FEMA and floodplain permits, and Endangered Species Act review by National Marine Fisheries Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Additional permit-related issues include Department of Natural Resources (DNR) leases and cultural resources reviews and coordination with the Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP). The role of tribes in the permit process is also included.

  
  

  This class will be held virtually over two half-days from 1 PM  - 3:30 PM (6 AICP CM credits/ CEP Points).

  
  

  This course is offered as part of a series of six courses related to Alternatives to Bulkheads. Courses 1-6 will be offered throughout 2026.

  
  

  Please email the Coastal Training Program (ecyrectpadmin@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other). Additionally, the program can offer a couple of scholarships to cover the registration fees with each training. Please reach out if you need a scholarship in order to participate in the training.

  
  

  Instructors

  
  

  Jennifer Rotsten graduated from Huxley College of the Environment in 2003 with a degree in Environmental Economics and came on board that same year to handle project permitting. Since then, she continues to coordinate the design of projects based on the local, state and federal regulations applicable to the project along with contract and submittal requirements for projects. She currently holds a seat on the Hydraulic Code Implementation Citizen Advisory Group in Olympia for Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, representing contractors working within the water bodies of the State.

  
  

  Diane Hennessey is a Senior Ecologist and Wetlands Specialist for the Washington State Department of Ecology on assignment with the Environmental Protection Agency. At EPA, she leads a federal and state multi-agency team that is evaluating and implementing a streamlined permitting process for beneficial marine shoreline projects.  At Ecology, she worked with other government partners on Critical Areas Ordinance updates, Wetland delineation and Stream Ordinary High Water Mark delineations, Clean Water Act Section 401 permits, and wetlands policy development. She is also an instructor in the Wetland Science and Management Program at the University of Washington.

  
  

  Rebecca Rothwell is a Shoreline Planner with Ecology’s headquarters office and represents the SEA Program in the development and review of statewide guidelines, policies, and regulations related to protecting and managing the state’s shorelines. She has 11 years’ experience with reviewing shoreline permits, providing technical assistance to applicants and consultants, and coordinating with property owners to resolve SMA violations. Rebecca has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in environmental studies from The Evergreen State College. She has worked at Ecology for 15 years.
  

  
  

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