Wetland Mapping Training

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is pleased to announce the availability of initial modules of an online Wetland Mapping Training course. NWI is providing the training to encourage and enable mapping partnerships with other organizations in order to increase the amount of current, modernized wetlands geospatial data available to all users. The training is geared towards image interpreters already skilled in GIS, who may need special training for mapping wetlands, to learn how to interpret and classify wetlands, apply the new standards and requirements, or learn tips and tricks (coming soon) to make the mapping more efficient. The training is designed to implement the new Wetlands Mapping Standard and ensure the quality of the data – and training is an effective way to make sure the data are collected accurately from the beginning. Currently only three modules are available, two technical modules are coming soon, and three additional modules on related topics are planned. NWI will continue to provide in-person training to partnering organizations as needed, as well as data verification tools, guidance, and quality control of the data before it becomes part of the NWI layer of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. To review or take the training, click here.

The training is evolving as we receive feedback. If you want to be part of the process, send comments to . This training was developed in cooperation with the Association of State Wetland Managers, supported by EPA and the FGDC.

Training Webinars

Mapping Standards & Requirements – Rusty Griffin, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, October 15, 2014

This presentation outlines data requests and submission procedures to ensure wetland data are compliant with federal standards and integrated into the NSDI. It also discusses wetland mapping standards and compliance with federally mandated statutes utilizing tools, models and expertise provided through a strong partnership with the NWI.

Wetlands Spatial Data 101: How to Access Data on NWI Mapper and Other Resources – Mitch Bergeson, USFWS, National Standards Support Team, March 25, 2015

This presentation provides a ground level introduction to the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) and the Wetlands Mapper. The webinar begins with an overview of the history, mission, goals and activities of NWI. Participants are shown where to find and how to use the Wetlands Mapper including how to create custom maps with layers, how to download data (including state, watershed, and other map services such as Google Earth, Data.gov, etc.) and how to decrypt the Cowardin codes.

From Fen to Floodplain: Steps in a Successful Landscape Level Wetland Inventory in Northeastern New Mexico – Andy Robertson, Saint Mary’s University and Maryann McGraw, New Mexico Environment Department, October 21, 2015

From Fen to Floodplain: Steps in a Successful Landscape Level Wetland Inventory in Northeastern New Mexico (Andy Robertson, Saint Mary's University and Maryann McGraw, New Mexico Environment Department, October 21, 2015): This webinar examines the various steps that were required to plan and execute a multi-year, area extensive, integrated wetland inventory project across Northeastern New Mexico. The presenters touch on initial planning, project design, integration with other state programs, funding, stakeholder engagement, data development, quality control, inventory enhancements, data delivery and accessibility.

NWI Standards & Dataset: A Cornerstone for Decision-Support – Mitch Bergeson, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Andy Robertson, Saint Mary's University; and Megan Lang, University of Maryland, December 9, 2015

This webinar informs participants about NWI's new direction, new Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures and trends in wetland mapping. Examples of other datasets that have been built up from the NWI layer are presented, and the webinar concludes with a discussion.

Changes in the FGDC Wetland Classification Standard – Cowardin 2.0 – Rusty Griffin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's, National Standards and Support Team, January 28, 2016

Changes in the FGDC Wetland Classification Standard - Cowardin 2.0 (Rusty Griffin, USFWS, January 28, 2016): This webinar provides an overview of the classification hierarchy and outlines the updates and revisions of the second version of the Cowardin Classification system that was adopted as the federal standard in 2013. It clarifies classification breaks between systems, classes, and subclasses, specific to mapping wetlands using the FGDC's wetland mapping standard; and also provides information regarding wetland data submission and inclusion in the national dataset.

Updated Data Collection Procedures and Requirements for Meeting FGDC Wetland Mapping Standards – Rusty Griffin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's, National Standards and Support Team, February 17, 2016

In June 2015, the National Wetland Inventory updated their data collection procedures and requirements. This webinar explains the major changes to data collection and elaborates on the data requirements for submission to the national dataset. Specifically the webinar will focus on new classification restrictions placed on water regimes and the updated quality control tools used to verify data consistency.

Return to top.