OCE is pleased to announce that Andrew Sample has earned his Professional Wetland Scientist Certification and will hereby be referred to as Andrew Sample, PWS! Wetland Delineation is an important process that helps identify the boundaries of wetlands and protect a vital environmental resource by reducing potential on- and off-site pollution. By earning his Professional Certification, Andrew can provide delineation services in-house for OCE projects that have wetlands near project sites.
Andrew initially became interested in wetlands on his many adventures in waterfowl hunting. Andrew then had the opportunity to assist with delineations during his undergraduate education. Once he was employed, he worked on a large, constructed treatment wetland project, which showed him how wetlands can provide many benefits simultaneously, like water treatment, water/flood storage, recreation and education, and wildlife habitat. That project inspired Andrew to learn more about wetlands and their many ecosystem services, which led him to go to graduate school to do so.
After learning more about wetlands on the job and how they can improve water quality, Andrew became interested in wetland restoration as a tool for water quality improvement. He decided to go to graduate school and pursue a master’s in biology. He was a student in the wetland plant ecology lab at Mississippi State University’s Biological Sciences Department and wrote his thesis on wetland plant and water quality interactions. Alongsude the wetland-specific courses Andrew took during his master’s program, he also conducted wetland research and attended and presented at wetland-related conferences. He recently finished the requirements for certification, which include qualifying experience (5 years) and education, references from current PWSs, and a statement of expertise essay.