JULY 12th, 2020: Design a Rain Garden | Headwaters Institute | 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Learn how to create your own rain garden oasis! Rain gardens are beautiful gardens, full of native plants, that are watered only with the rain. This workshop will cover design, sizing, and plant choice to conserve water and save money on your water bill! For more information and to register, click HERE.
JULY 19th, 2020: Rain Barrels 101 | Headwaters Institute | 1:30-3:30 p.m. To increase safety, this educational workshop will be held online and a rain barrel and conversion kit will be available for curbside pick-up on July 18th. Join for a fun afternoon of learning about rainwater harvesting and how to install a rain barrel in your home! For more information and to register, click HERE.
JULY 14th, 2020: COVID-19: Professional Development and Capacity Building | CAEE | 10:00 a.m. Every month CAEE talks about how to use this time for making organizations stronger and more resilient by improving practice and capacity. This week will discuss and brainstorm ideas for improving curriculum and programs by enhancing culturally-responsive teaching practices, aligning to standards, and more. For registration click HERE.
JULY 20th-31st, 2020: Leave No Trace Trainer Course | Western Colorado University | Virtual. This LNT Trainer Course will give participants LNT skills and ethics as well as techniques for effectively sharing these low impact practices with students of all ages. This course is specifically for educators who take youth outdoors for single or multi-day courses. Research has shown that this course significantly improves participant knowledge and understanding of how Leave No Trace protects the outdoor places we love. Register HERE.
JULY 22nd-24th, 2020: Virtual Stay-In-stitute for Climate Change Education | Climate Generation | 8:00-3:00 p.m. MDT. Co-hosted by Climate Generation, NOAA’s Climate Program Office, and The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program! The Youth Water Leadership Program is building a cohort for the Institute from the Upper Colorado River Basin. Join the cohort and bring your unique perspective to a group of educators from across the basin. This three-day experience will take you beyond your computer screen, and into your backyard and neighborhood to do authentic scientific and social data collection, move your body, and make observations of the world around you. On-screen time will be segmented into at most two-hours at a time, and small group online experiences will occur daily, as well as optional evening events. Stay tuned HERE.
JULY 23rd & 24th, 2020: Certified Stormwater Inspector (Municipal) Training WEBINAR | National Stormwater Center | 8:30 - 4:30 p.m. | Denver, CO. All classes are being conducted as live, interactive webinars. Designed specifically for municipal personnel, this course offers training and certification to demonstrate, for the record, that inspectors are qualified. Inspectors will learn: how to inspect construction, commercial, and industrial, and municipal activities; what to inspect; the limits of their authority; appropriate demeanor; appropriate discretion. They also learn about the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, the six Minimum Control Measures, and how to better implement and support their MS4 stormwater program. All course instructors have stormwater enforcement experience at the Federal or State level. You will receive a discount of $50.00 for registration forms submitted 30 days or more prior to the training date. Payment is not due at the time of registration. Please download the announcement HERE with course details and registration information. Graduates of the Certified Stormwater Inspector course receive certification for 5 years and continuing education units, and ongoing, unlimited support of the National Stormwater Center. Register HERE.
JULY 27th-AUGUST 7th, 2020: Youth Community Civic Action Process Educator Course | Wild Rose Education. Join the Youth Water Leadership Program for a hybrid virtual educator professional development course! Participants will learn how to guide their learners in community-focused civic action projects. Register HERE.
AUGUST 3rd-5th, 2020: “Public Lands of the United States: Designations, History, and Today” | Wild Rose Education. During this 3-day virtual professional development workshop, expand your knowledge of public lands in America and how you might teach others about federal public land. For more information and to register, click HERE.
AUGUST 20th & 21st, 2020: Water Educator Symposium—"Equipping Learners for Action in a Climate of Uncertainty” & Project WET Workshop—"Activities for Hydrology, Climate & Colorado’s Water Future” | Water Education Colorado | Virtual. The annual symposium includes training and professional development as well as a time for educators around the state to gather, share best practices, learn from each other and problem-solve to overcome challenges in water education. Educators, water professionals and decision-makers are encouraged to attend. In the workshop, facilitators will model four activities and participants plan and teach a lesson to peers and receive feedback from workshop facilitators. Participants who successfully complete the training receive a Project WET Educator certification and Project WET Curriculum Guide 2.0. Find out details and register HERE.
“We Can Make A Lot Happen When We Have A Plan” | American Rivers | Podcast. Learn more about Colorado's Stream Management Plans, an innovative planning tool prioritized in Colorado’s Water Plan, from people working with stakeholder groups and communities across Colorado to put them in place. Listen to the full podcast on Soundcloud HERE.
Returning Rapids Project: A discussion with Peter Lefebvre and Mike DeHoff | Colorado River Studies. The Returning Rapids Project seeks to document the recovery of river resources once inundated by a full Lake Powell, and now being exposed as reservoir storage declines. Peter Lefebvre and Mike DeHoff, principal investigators of the Returning Rapids project and professional river guides in Moab, Utah, are working to record these changes. They will share their preliminary findings and matched photographs in the talk. Watch the full video HERE.
Webinar: History, Release, and Spread of the Tamarisk Beetle | Rivers Edge West. Hear from Ben Bloodworth, the Tamarisk Beetle Program Coordinator for RiversEdge West, as he discusses the history, release, and spread of the tamarisk beetle. Click HERE to watch the full video now.
The Society of Outdoor Recreational Professionals opened recent, relevant past webinars and made those available to all for free during this challenging time. Some of the recent topics include inclusivity in the outdoor recreation community, strategies to influence visitor behavior, visitor use management, partnerships, effects of climate change on outdoor recreation, monitoring, and many more. This is an opportunity to keep your skills sharp and view a webinar that you may not have had time for previously. Access recent, free SORP webinars HERE.
Water & Wastewater Online Training. With TargetSolutions, water agencies can cost-effectively deliver quality courses to employees designed to increase safety comprehension, achieve compliance and decrease claims. Staying compliant with mandated training and continuing education requirements is critical. TargetSolutions comprehensive catalog offers online, state-approved water and wastewater continuing education. See the course catalog HERE.
Online Courses Available Through Colorado Rural Water Association. Industry studies have shown employee-training budgets for most water and wastewater utilities are tighter than ever. Web-based operator certification and license renewal training provides employers and their employees the flexibility of taking training courses at their own pace without the hassle and cost of attending live classes. Check them out HERE.