River Condition Assessment Training & Accreditation

Our River Condition Assessment (RCA) accredited training covers the field and desk study methods required to generate the River Condition inputs for calculating Net Gain using The Statutory Biodiversity Metric.

The 6-week CPD accredited RCA training course is delivered online as a structured learning programme that combines short videos, self-led field survey and desk study practical sessions, online assessments and trainer-led interactive group conferences and one to one sessions. The online programme (including the final RCA accreditation test) is equivalent to 3-day in-person training, with increased flexibility that allows learning activities and practical assignments to be fitted around other commitments. You can find more details of the RCA Course components and structure below.

RCA training includes access to a private workspace with RCA online tools and secure data storage via Cartographer. Each course is limited to a maximum of 10 places and are run subject to demand (Terms & Conditions are linked below).

RCA training is CPD accredited by the Royal Geographical Society. All qualified surveyors can choose to share their RCA qualification either by private link or via a Public RCA Qualifications Register so that details can be shared and verified as needed.

RCA Course Costs

Fees for individuals to attend one of our regular online courses for up to 10 delegates are £500 + VAT *

We also offer bespoke group bookings for up to 10 delegates for a reduced rate of £4,000 + VAT *

* Please be advised that the RCA training fees include:

• full RGS-IBG CPD accredited RCA training,
• a one year free trial of Cartographer, a software platform for recording RCA data and calculating outputs. A paid subscription is required for continued use after the trial period.

RCA Course Bookings

We run regular monthly online training courses aimed at individuals and small teams. You can enquire about forthcoming training course dates and availability on individuals’ courses by clicking on the link below.

We also offer private courses on demand for up to 10 attendees at a time. Get in touch if you’d like us to run a bespoke course for your team. or for any other questions:

Alternatively, join our Newsletter to hear about updates to MoRPh and new courses as soon as they’re announced:

Please note – RCA training does not cover the whole Rivers and Streams Metric for Biodiversity Net Gain assessments. Please visit CIEEM events for information about their Introduction to Biodiversity Metric Watercourse Module for calculating Biodiversity Net Gain.

Schedule for the 6-week Online River Condition Assessment Course

The time commitment for the self-led and interactive learning elements of the online course is equivalent to a 2-day ‘in person’ course, plus up to one extra day for your final RCA accreditation test undertaken at one of the RCA ‘calibration test survey’ sites. Please note that additional time to cover the essential field survey practical elements may need to be factored into the online training schedule, depending upon individual locations and other factors.

RCA Course components and structure:

Component 1: Weeks 1 to 4 – self led learning : online videos + local field practical + progress assessment

• Biodiversity Net Gain & River Condition Assessment Overview
• Component 1 – The MoRPh field survey
• Field trial and test of the MoRPh Survey method
• Uploading and downloading field survey data
• Joining MoRPh data to generate river condition indicators

Weeks 3 & 4 – self led learning : online videos + desk study practical + progress assessment

• Component 2 – The River Type desk study
• Desk study trial and test of the River Type method
• Joining MoRPh and River Type data to generate a Preliminary Condition Score
• Considering River Shape and connectivity

Weeks 5 & 6 – RCA trainer led learning : online videos + Live Events + progress assessment

• Component 3 – Final Condition Scores
• Trial and test of RCA baseline results and post-intervention forecasts
• 2 x 2 hr online group conference sessions
• 2 x 20 min individual 121 sessions

Weeks 6 to 12 – self led accreditation assessment

• Component 4 – Calibration Test Survey
• Baseline RCA accreditation assessment

For more information about the online course timings please get in touch.

Terms and Conditions

Modular River Survey training courses, including the River Condition Assessment course, are run by Cartographer Studios under their Training Terms.