Professional Development at the Environmental Learning Center

Dates: Thur-Fri and Mon, Oct. 8-9 and 12, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Location: Zoom and Fanno Creek in eastern Washington County

Cost: $240

Cost for college students: $96

Limited scholarships: We have a limited number of scholarship dollars available that reduce the cost of your registration by 30% for those eligible. These dollars are for those with limited resources. If you are interested in applying, please select the "Apply for Reduced Pricing" ticket and we will follow up with you.

Description: An understanding of plant ecology coupled with beaver behavior is integral to effective beaver management. Workshop participants will learn to evaluate vegetation based on beaver preferences and potential impacts on water systems, as well as to develop strategies for modifying a site's vegetation with specific beaver outcomes in mind – whether that be to encourage beaver habitation, or to discourage negative impacts at a particular location. Consists of 12 hours of classroom instruction and an independent field investigation of beaver activity and its effects on vegetation and floodplain function. Participants will be guided to identify, observe and document beaver dams and their elements, off-channel habitat, preferential feeding, and primary and secondary plant community responses to beaver activity.

Professional Credit: Clackamas Community College, 1.3 CEU, certificate of completion will be provided.

Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this workshop, students should be able to:

• Identify native species that will discourage beaver
• Identify native species that are particularly attractive to beaver
• Describe vegetation management strategies for attracting beaver habitation
• Describe vegetation management strategies for discouraging negative beaver impacts

Instructor: George Kral

George Kral, forester and project developer at Ash Creek Forest Management, is a regionally recognized expert in the flora of the northern Willamette Valley and a field forester in the broad sense. He has worked in the field for the past 30 years, managing riparian areas, upland forests, prairies and wetlands throughout northwest Oregon. George and his wife Sara own and manage a 60-acre farm in western Washington County where they grow over two million native plants every year, representing over 126 species. George has pioneered the field of restoring specific vegetation types for beaver management, including large, successful projects on Fanno Creek and Beaverton Creek in Washington County. Due to their restoration efforts, George and Sara now host the largest beaver dam (averaging over 6 feet high and nearly 1000 feet long) in Washington County on their farm. He has a B.S. in forest management from Oregon State University, and has returned to Oregon State to complete a Ph.D. program investigating landscape genomics of the alders of the Willamette Valley.

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Date: Monday-Friday, Nov. 11-13, 2020

Time:

• Monday-Wednesday: 8 a.m.-noon
• Thursday: 8-11 a.m.
• Friday: 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
  

Location: This is a virtual workshop, hosted by the Environmental Learning Center

Cost: $400

Cost for college students: $160

Limited scholarships: We have a limited number of scholarships available that will reduce the cost of registration. These are for those with limited resources. If you are interested in applying, please select the "Apply for Reduced Pricing" ticket and we will follow up with you.

Description: This workshop will provide an introduction to the science and protocol of wetland delineation. The intended audience includes environmental professionals who work with wetlands, streams and watershed management. Participants will learn about standard methodology, data sources, wetland indicators and regulations, as well as the practical components of an onsite inspection. Consists of 15 hours of classroom instruction and four hours of virtual field practicum.

Professional Credit: Clackamas Community College, 2 CEU or 20 PDH, certificate of completion will be provided

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this workshop, students should be able to:

• Conduct a wetland delineation independently, with or without assistance, in all common situations encountered in the Pacific Northwest, at any time during the annual growing season
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of wetland indicators
• Identify jurisdictional regulations that influence a project
• Access relevant data sources
• Discuss pros and cons of various protocols

Instructor: Phil Quarterman

Phil Quarterman has over 40 years of experience as a wetland scientist, working in local and state government and since 1995 in consulting with WHPacific, Inc. He has worked on many types of projects delineating and assessing wetlands, obtaining state and federal permits, and crafting and implementing wetland mitigation plans. His fieldwork has taken him to diverse wetland types from alkaline wetlands in arid areas of Oregon and Nevada, to Oregon estuaries, to the tundra and boreal forests of Alaska.

He has been teaching Society of Wetland Scientists certified classes on wetland delineation for the past six years in locations from Portland, OR to Walla Walla, Wash. to Anchorage, AK.

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This event has been cancelled as part of the college’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Please check back for details regarding its rescheduling.

Date: Tuesday-Wednesday, May 12-13, 2020

Time: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Location: Lakeside Hall, Environmental Learning Center, Oregon City campus

Cost: $380 

Cost for college students: $114

Limited scholarships: We have a limited number of scholarships available that will reduce the cost of registration. These are for those with limited resources. If you are interested in applying, please select the "Interested in Reduced Price" ticket and we will follow up with you.

Description: This hands-on course is designed to improve the ability of field staff to identify local species of fish, and to use the resulting data for assessment of waterway health. Participants will learn to identify species commonly encountered in this region, practice using various sampling gear and techniques, and determine best approaches to analyzing the data. Approximately half the time will be spent in the field collecting and identifying fish.

Pre-approved CEUs:

• Clackamas Community College: 1.4 CEU or 14 PDH. Certificate of Completion will be provided.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this workshop, students should be able to:

• Accurately identify about 45 local fish species by using key morphological characteristics.
• Use standard techniques and equipment to properly collect, identify and count specimens.
• Explain how the goal might influence the approach to sampling fish populations in local waterways.

Instructor: Jonathan Cox

John Cox is the Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program (STEP) biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Clackamas. John grew up in Portland, and he began exploring the outdoors as a kid, hiking, camping and fishing. This led to a fascination with water and fish, and eventually, a career! John has a degree in General Science from the University of Oregon, and a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. He has worked in fisheries in Oregon since 2011, and his work has taken him all over the state; including previous positions out of Crater Lake National Park, Central Point, Newport, St. Helens, and The Dalles.