Our program is designed to equip you with the skills you need to be current, knowledgeable, and competitive in a very fast-changing career area. Our goal is to provide affordable training that promotes:
- Technical skills while addressing sustainable natural function
- Contacts, connections, and partnerships
- Ethical, fiscal, and regulatory responsibility
- Regulatory compliance
EPP courses are developed and taught by practicing experts from government agencies, universities, consulting firms and non-governmental organizations. Please see our list of current instructors and their bios.
We offer three professional certificate programs: River Restoration, Advanced River Restoration, and Wetland Delineation (listed below).
River Restoration Certificate
The Environmental Professional Program’s River Restoration Certificate is the first of its kind in the country and is designed to extend the knowledge and skills of environmental professionals working on river restoration or mitigation projects. The Restoration Program offers courses across a range of topics in river science and management including stream ecology, site evaluation and assessment, and restoration design. Instructed by both regional and national experts and practitioners, the River Restoration curriculum is focused on collaborative planning, restoration theory, and field expertise using actual restoration projects. Graduates are awarded a certificate of completion once they have finished all the required coursework. Please see our list of EPP graduates.
Technical Director: Dr. Janine Castro, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
River Restoration Certificate Total Cost (2024): $3,999
River Restoration Core Courses
Electives
- EPP 231 - Principles of Streambank Analysis & Stabilization
- EPP 232 - Streambank Soil Bioengineering Technical Training
- EPP 233 - RiverRAT: River Restoration and Analysis Tools
- EPP 234 - HEC-RAS: Steady Open Channel Flow Modeling
- EPP 235 - Applied River Restoration Field Course
- EPP 725 - Freshwater Mussels of the Pacific Northwest
- EPP 726 - Using Beavers to Restore Stream
River Restoration Certificate Details
The courses can be taken in any order, except for 224 (prerequisite 221). Students must complete all required courses within a three-year timeframe.
In addition to the five core classes, students must take two elective courses. Elective courses can be taken through EPP, other programs, other universities or volunteer activities or conferences. The only requirements are that each class must be at least one-day long, that both together must total at least three days (for example, a one-day course plus a two-day course), and that they must be related in some way to river restoration. Students must be able to show proof they attended (certificate of completion, registration, note from instructor, etc.).
Electives should be completed within three years of starting the program and three years of completing the core certificate courses. If students are uncertain of what qualifies as an elective course, they can contact EPP at 503-725-5388 or epp@pdx.edu.
Back to Top
Advanced River Restoration Certificate
The Advanced Certificate in River Restoration at Portland State University is intended for professionals who wish to increase their knowledge and skills in the latest river restoration techniques. The Advanced River Restoration program offers cutting-edge courses taught by senior practitioners or academics with recognized names and respected track records of innovation in river restoration both nationally and internationally.
The Advanced River Restoration certificate program is taught in conjunction with River Restoration Northwest and offers rotating courses each year. The courses can be taken individually or collectively can be used to earn the Advanced River Restoration certificate from Portland State University. Students seeking to earn an Advanced River Restoration certificate must have previously earned the EPP River Restoration Certificate.
Students seeking to earn the Advance River Restoration certificate must successfully complete one advanced course from each of three topic areas: biologic, physical and applied restoration. Each year, two courses in each topic area will be offered.
Technical Director: Dr. Colin Thorne, University of Nottingham's Department of Geography
Advanced River Restoration Certificate Total Cost: $2000-$3000
Back to Top
Wetland Delineation Certificate
The Environmental Professional Program's Wetland Delineation Certificate provides in-depth and field-based training in the delineation, evaluation and restoration of wetlands. The certificate and related course work are based on the US Army Corps of Engineers standards and focused on wetland soils, plants and hydrology. The certificate is also recognized by the Society of Wetland Scientist for professional certification. Student who earn the certificate will acquire the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary to conduct wetland delineations and implement environmental projects in wetland ecosystems. Though the information covered in these courses is nationally applicable, they will be of greatest benefit for those working on wetlands in the Pacific Northwest.
Technical Director: Phil Scoles, Terra Science
Wetland Delineation Certificate Total Cost (2024): $3,350
Benefits
- Provide good service to clients with thorough field experience and the necessary academic background
- Demonstrate to employers and clients that the certified individual uses up-to-date delineation techniques
- Easier to obtain permits from local, state, and federal agencies
- Continuing education credits
- Recertification credits
Learning Objectives
- Study the fundamental relationship between soil formation and hydric soil indicators
- Examine hydrologic conditions that form and sustain wetlands
- Develop identification skills for common species of wetland plants in the Pacific Northwest
- Receive extensive field training and experience with current technology and delineation methods
- Obtain skills to properly evaluate and document problematic situations that often occur in urban areas
Required Coursework
- EPP 716 - Basic Wetland Delineation
- EPP 717 - Hydric Soil Indicators for Regional Supplements
- EPP 719 - Wetland Hydrology Indicators and Problem Situations
- EPP 701 - Wetland Plants of the Pacific Northwest
Wetland Delineation Certificate Details
To earn the Wetland Delineation certificate, all four courses must be completed within a three-year timeframe. Students are strongly encouraged to take EPP 716 (Basic Wetland Delineation) prior to taking EPP 717 and 719.
Back to Top