Professional Development at the Environmental Learning Center

Dates: July 25 and 26, 2019
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Environmental Learning Center, Lakeside Hall
Cost: $360
Cost for college students: $72 (Note: You will be asked to bring a current student ID card to the workshop.)

This intermediate level workshop is designed to improve the ability of field staff to identify common species of herbaceous wetland plants through the use of botanical keys. The emphasis is on field identification, although classroom instruction will also take place. Participants should have knowledge of basic plant terminology. Bring boots or waders for field work and a hand lens if you have one.

Pre-approved CEUs:  

• SER-CERP: 10 CECs
• Clackamas Community College: 1.6 CEUs

Learning Outcomes:

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

• Recognize selected herbaceous plant families that commonly occur in wetlands in this region.
• Accurately identify common herbaceous wetland plants to the species level by using key morphological features.
• Properly use botanical keys.
• Identify tools available to aid in the identification of native plants.

Instructor: George Kral

George Kral, Forester and Project Developer at Ashcreek 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 about two million native plants every year, representing over 126 species. George is currently studying emerging hybrids between native and non-native plant species, such as newly emerging hybrid roses and hybrid water-plantains. He has a B.S. in Forest Management from Oregon State University, and is midway through a Ph.D. program, where he is investigating landscape genomics of alders in the Willamette Valley.

Dates and Time:

• August 6, 2019: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Day 1)
• August 7, 2019: 8 a.m. - noon (Day 2)

Location: Environmental Learning Center, Lakeside Hall

Cost: $280

Cost for college students: $56 (Note: You will be asked to bring a current student ID card to the workshop.)

This workshop will provide information and hands-on experience related to current practices in the assessment of small to medium sized stream health. Advantages and disadvantages for a variety of methods will be explored to facilitate choosing the best approach in a given situation. Bring boots or waders for Day 2 field work.

Pre-approved CEUs: 

• Clackamas Community College: 1.2 CEUs
• Others in process

Learning Outcomes:

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

• Describe the various methods available for rapid, cost effective assessments of stream health.
• Implement survey techniques, with an emphasis on the Aquatic Inventory Field Survey (1/2 day in the field).
• Evaluate which method best suits a particular scenario.
• Recognize a quality stream habitat by appearance.

Instructors: Todd Alsbury and Ben Walczak

Todd Alsbury, Senior Fish Biologist at Cascade Environmental Group, has 20 plus years of experience in stream restoration and fisheries management. As Stream Restoration Biologist and then District Fish Biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Clackamas County, he assisted restoration partners with conceptual design, permit coordination, habitat assessment and monitoring, and fish salvage planning and implementation. He also managed regionally important fisheries in the Clackamas, Sandy, and Molalla rivers for the state of Oregon, which included coordinating with local watershed councils and other restoration partners, such as Portland General Electric, Metro, local municipalities, and the US Forest Service. Todd has extensive experience conducting habitat surveys, analyzing habitat related data, conceptualizing instream restoration actions, monitoring fish populations through a variety of techniques, and planning and conducting fish salvage operations associated with instream restoration projects. He has a BS in Aquatic Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana.

Ben Walczak is a Fish Biologist with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and has many years of experience with stream restoration and field assessments.

Dates: August 20 and 21, 2019
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Environmental Learning Center, Lakeside Hall
Cost: $360
Cost for college students: $72 (Note: You will be asked to bring a current student ID card to the workshop.)

This hands-on course for natural resources staff will provide an overview of aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling in the Willamette Valley, and guidelines for using the resulting data for assessment of habitat condition and responses to restoration. Participants will learn:

• to identify different families of aquatic invertebrates which are commonly encountered in our water bodies;
• to know which species are characteristic of running versus still waters;
• about the basics of designing and implementing aquatic invertebrate-based biomonitoring methodologies, including multiple sampling techniques;
• about the variety of data analysis options, and how to choose one based on the research goals.

We will use these techniques and equipment in the field, and do basic data analysis of the resulting macroinvertebrate communities collected. Dress appropriately for field work.

Pre-approved CEUs: 

• SER-CERP: 10 CECs
• Clackamas Community College: 1.6 CEUs

Learning Outcomes:

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

• Explain the importance of knowing why one would want to measure macroinvertebrate populations, and how the goal might influence the approach.
• Accurately identify aquatic macroinvertebrate specimens by family, using key morphological characteristics.
• Describe macroinvertebrate ecosystem services.
• Distinguish between different functional feeding groups and habit types.
• Recognize the value of indicator species.
• Use and identify a variety of sampling gear available to properly collect specimens.
• Properly preserve specimens.
• Determine appropriate types of data analysis for a given situation (EPT Index, Richness, Trophic groups, Percent dominance, IBI, Functional Feeding Groups).

Instructor: Celeste Searles Mazzacano, Ph.D.

Dr. Mazzacano is the Owner and Principal Scientist at CASM Environmental LLC, where her work focuses on insects, freshwater mussels, and other invertebrates. She has a B.S. in Genetics and Cell Biology and a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Minnesota. Her research and teaching has taken her from river bottoms to tree canopies and from universities to fish and wildlife agencies, non-profits, and independent consulting as she works to investigate and preserve insect species, characterize their impacts on habitats, and develop management plans that protect the overall ecosystem. Her field research includes species surveys, habitat delineation, population status and distribution assessment, and macroinvertebrate-based aquatic bioassessment. As an educator, she strives to impart her excessive enthusiasm about insects to others and engender a greater awareness and appreciation of their important ecological functions.

Date: Nov. 19, 2019
Time: 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Location: Environmental Learning Center, Lakeside Hall
Cost: $100
Cost for college students: $20 (Note: You will be asked to bring a current student ID card to the workshop.)

Description: This workshop will provide you with an understanding of the processes involved in erosion and sedimentation and their potential impacts as related to construction projects. This course will cover the best management practices and tools for erosion/sediment control, plan development, special provisions to specification editing, permit compliance and an introduction to navigating the Oregon standards specifications.

Pre-approved CEUs: 

• Clackamas Community College: 0.4 CEU
• Landscape Contractors Board: 4 CEH

Learning Outcomes: 

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

• Describe the processes of erosion and sedimentation, and anticipate how these processes may impact the environment during construction projects.
• Select and use appropriate erosion/sediment control products.
• Understand the requirements and responsibilities associated with compliance with the NPDES 1200-C/CA permit.
• Employ best management practices in the development of erosion/sediment control plans and follow the format in the development of special provisions to Oregon’s Standards Specifications for Construction.

Instructor: Robert Marshall, PLA, CPESC

Mr. Marshall is a Professional Landscape Architect (PLA) and a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC). He has 25 years of experience in the private sector providing erosion control plans and landscape plans for a wide range of project types, with an emphasis on transportation related construction. His role with the Oregon Department of Transportation, which he has held for 2 1/2 years, can be summarized as "technical expert." Mr. Marshall is a trainer for ODOT’s inspector training program and for ODOT’s Erosion and Sediment Control Manager training program.