Sedge & Rush Identification

• Start Date: September 18, 2025
• End Date: September 19, 2025
• Time: schedule varries, see below
• City: Revelstoke BC
• Venue: classroom venue Okanagan College room 102: 1401 1 St W, Revelstoke. Various field sites
• Instructor: Dr. Ken Marr
• Registraton closes Sept 12

Course Description

Sedges (Cyperaceae) and rushes (Juncaceae) are integral components of every ecosystem in British Columbia, often dominating wetland communities. Accurate identification of these plants is crucial for environmental assessments, habitat restoration, biodiversity monitoring, and ecological research. This course is designed to provide hands-on training in the field and lab, equipping participants with the skills necessary to identify sedges and rushes at the species level. While family and genus identification can be straightforward, species identification requires specialized knowledge of terminology unique to these families, particularly the Cyperaceae. Magnification tools, at least a hand lens if not a microscope, are essential. Participants will learn to navigate the complexities of plant nomenclature and utilize identification keys effectively. By the end of this course, participants will be proficient in identifying unknown species, enhancing their capabilities in applied biology, environmental consulting, and ecological research.

Each day there will be a field component and a lab component.  We will start the day at the lab and discuss what to look for in the field, then proceed to the field site(s) to make observations and collections, then return to the lab for the afternoon.

Course objectives

By the end of this course students will be familiar with:

• Terminology specific to  sedges and rushes found in British Columbia
• Ideal resources to use for rush and sedge identification
• Dichotomous identification ‘keys’ and a clear understanding of how to use them
• How to properly press specimens for identification and to develop a reference collection

Day 1: 9am-5pm. Starting at Okanagan College, Okanagan College. 1401 1 St W

Day 2: 8am-5pm. Also starting at Okanagan College

*These are big days, we know! We are attempting to decrease your travel costs by packing a lot into 2 days. Please plan accordingly, and see the note below under “Where to stay” about the Luna Art fest (it’s worth staying for the weekend!)

Who is this course for?

Anyone involved in land management, environmental professionals, naturalists, science/environmental educators, and interpreters. These species often occur in wetlands, so folks working in wetland environments will benefit.

There is no minimum amount of knowledge necessary to participate although it is assumed that students will already by comfortable in field environments no matter what nature throws our way.

 

Our instructor

Ken Marr has been working in plant ecology for as long as he can remember, noting that every job he’s every had involved some aspect of botany. Thanks to his father who was a plant ecology professor, he had an early start tagging along on fieldtrips and getting familar with plant identification keys.

Ken just recently retired from his post as the Curator of Botany at the Royal BC Museum. His teaching experience includes lecturing for university courses in plant taxonomy at the University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, University of Montana and University of Wyoming. Ken has taught in both lab environments (University of Hawaii, University of British Columbia) and field environments in the delivery of workshops for ecology professionals and Master Gardeners alike.

You can read more about Ken and his work here.

 

What’s included in this course?

Course resources will be provided in both paper and digital form. All students are asked to purchase a copy of the Illustrated Flora of BC (volume 6) – in case some students already have a copy this will be included as an optional add-on upon registration (CMI will pre-order the texts).

Lunches are available for pre-order with registration. Coffee/tea and delicious snacks are provided for the classroom sessions.

A certificate of completion is provided to all students to aid with claiming professional development credits.

 

Preparation & what to bring

Publications

• Illustrated Flora of BC (volume 6) – as noted above if you have a copy please bring it. If not you can purchase one upon registration in this course (CMI will put in a bulk order)
• If participants have a plant taxonomy text or similar book, it would be useful to review the terminology for Cyperaceae flowers.

Classroom

• Recommended to bring a laptop or tablet to reference online resources such as The Flora of North America and the BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer

Field equipment

Each participant must have:

• Hand lens or magnifying glass
• pocket knife, small blade fine
• Sturdy hiking shoes (for uneven terrain and shovelling)
• Clean rubber boots and waders
• Notebook
• Mobile device or tablet with Avenza, or Gaia or Field Maps downloaded for viewing maps and additional field guides
• Pack or field vest to carry gear
• Water bottle (at least 1L, bagged lunches do not come with water)
• Packed lunch if you haven’t ordered the bagged lunches upon registration
• NOTE: All field gear should be cleaned and disinfected prior to the first site, and between sites. Instructors will bring disinfectant to use between sites. 

It would be nice if participants have:

• Vehicle for carpool: Please indicate in your registration form if you have space to take passengers in your vehicle, but can be solidified at the end of the classroom session.
• First aid kit
• Truck or hand radio with RR stations programed

Registration

Registration for this course includes catered breaks for the classroom session, an option to add a bagged lunches for all three days of the course, and an option to have CMI purchase the Illustrated Flora of BC for you. Lunches and all catering supplied by La Baguette.

*CMI memberships may be purchased upon registration – read more about CMI membership here.

REGISTER HERE

 

NOTE: Once registration fills, you will be welcome to join our cancellation list for the course. Anyone on this list will have the chance of filling registration cancellations as well as being the first to be notified when we open up registration for next season’s course. Please email office@cmiae.org to be placed on the list.

 

Where to stay?

The Luna Art Fest is scheduled Sept 19-21. This is exciting for people coming here from out of town – we highly reccommend extending your stay so you can take in this festival! BUT, it also means that we highly reccommend booking your accommodation right away.

We have numerous accommodation options that offer discounts to CMI registrants:

Basecamp Revelstoke: various locations and room rates

• Discount code of 15% via the online booking tool using the promo code “CMI”
• Basecamp Resort: Just outside of town towards Revelstoke dam. About a 15min drive to the School District 19 (SD19) admin building where this course starts each day
• Basecamp Suites: A brand new build downtown Revelstoke, about a 10min walk or 5min drive to the SD19 admin building
• Northwinds Hotel: A newly acquired hotel in the Farwell area of town, about a 25min walk to the SD19 admin building. Marketed as having affordable rates. (Reccommended – 2min walk from classroom and affordable.)