April 18th, 2023 | GrantCorps Government Grant Contracting | Community Resource Center. This training will provide nonprofits with an in-depth overview of the government grant contracting process, grant agreements preparing for a government grant audit, and indirect rates.
April 24th, 2023 | Best Practices Guidebook Update - West Slope Stakeholder Meeting. Come participate in some cutting edge dialogue on municipal water efficiency. Colorado WaterWise is updating Colorado’s Water Conservation Best Practices Guidebook which will capture the latest on municipal water conservation in the State. A big component of the work includes meeting with stakeholders in the water sector and hearing their ideas and feedback.
April 26th, 2023 | Advocacy for Nonprofits | Community Resource Center. Advocacy is an essential best practice for nonprofits. Engaging in advocacy looks different for different organizations--from deeply engaging communities around a particular issue, to educating elected officials about your community, to testifying at the state legislature-- advocacy positions nonprofits and communities to work towards more just and inclusive solutions. Join for an interactive virtual session to learn and engage around the role advocacy can play in achieving your mission.
May 2nd-4th, 2023 | Cross-Boundary Landscape Restoration Workshop | Colorado State University.This multi-agency and stakeholder gathering will build on the first Cross-Boundary Landscape Restoration Workshop, which took place in March 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 2020 workshop directed and empowered attendees to use future workshops to address the issue of climate change on cross-boundary restoration, and innovative mechanisms for accomplishing restoration, from implementation approaches to financing options. The 2020–2022 fire years have only increased the need to broaden post-fire restoration knowledge to better align with expected ecological and social climate futures.
May 5th, 2023 | Nature-Based Solutions: Cutting Edge Planning for Sustainability. Planners today are asked to respond to a complex set of community challenges, including the mitigation of extreme weather effects, provision of equitable open space access, beautification of public spaces, and collaboration with a diverse array of actors who build, maintain and regulate the built environment. “Nature-Based Solutions” or “NBS” is a term which refers to a broad set of practices that work with the natural environment to create healthier, better functioning, and risk-prepared urban places. In this session, you will hear from three professionals employing innovative NBS solutions in regions such as New England, the MidAtlantic, and Western plains states.
May 6th-7th, 2023 | Crew Leader Training | RMFI. The 2023 Pikes Peak Regional Crew Leader Training will take place Saturday, May 6th and Sunday, May 7th, 2023. Attendance during both days is required, this years training will occur on Pikes Peak - America's Mountain in the North Slope Recreation Area. Scroll down for more information. The Pikes Peak Regional Crew Leader Training is an intensive weekend-long training for experienced volunteers who are interested in becoming certified Volunteer Crew Leaders. The training is hosted in partnership by Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Trails and Open Space Coalition, and the City of Colorado Springs, Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department.
MAY 17thh-19th, 2023 | Scenario Planning for Urban Futures | University of Michigan. Scenario planning allows for forward-thinking urban plans that address external forces—such as climate change—that are not traditionally accounted for. The term refers to a family of different methods that include integrative, qualitative, and quantitative techniques tailored to different types of plans and projects. In the course, urban planning professionals will gain first-hand knowledge about scenario planning and concrete ideas for how to implement scenarios in their cities.
May 18th-19th, 2023 | Virtual CMAT Member Training. Join on March 3 to learn about CMAT and how it can benefit your community. A team of experts will discuss the program and provide information on how to access its resources. The CMATs are available to help your community develop and implement strategic plans, build partnerships, and provide training to enhance wildfire mitigation and preparedness. With the increasing threat of wildfires, it is essential that communities take proactive steps to mitigate risk and build resilience. By partnering with CMATs, you can take advantage of the support and resources to realize a more fire-adapted future. The deadline to apply is April 28th, the end of the day.
May 24th, 2023 | Nonprofit Board Leadership | Community Resource Center. This training is for Executive Directors, Board Members, and any staff interested in increasing their skills and knowledge of nonprofit governance. Topics to be covered include shared and separate roles and responsibilities, nonprofit lifecycles, board recruitment strategies, board meetings, tips for board chairs, and ideas for engaging board members. Opportunities for peer learning and support will be provided, so please bring a current board question or challenge to share and discuss.
June 7th-8th, 2023 | The Future of Forests. As wildfires continue to ravage the west, burning more and more of the landscape, many are left wondering, how will these fire-affected forests will recover? In this FREE teacher workshop, University of Colorado Boulder curriculum developers lead participants through “The Future of Forests”, a MS/HS curriculum connected to NGSS life science standards that explores patterns of post-fire recovery (or lack thereof) across the west and inspires classrooms to engage in citizen science using NASA's GLOBE Observer land cover app. Participants will engage with online interactives from the National Forest Service, authentic datasets, and App-based labs in this 2-day online teacher workshop.
July 10th-14th, 2023 | Durango: Crossroads of agriculture and education. If you’re new to Agriculture in the Classroom or if you’d like to learn about agriculture and natural resources in the southwest, this five-day course is for you. Ranching, farming, produce, water, and integrating agriculture into your school are just a few of the topics that you will learn about through on-site tours and presentations from industry experts. PreK-12 formal and informal educators in all disciplines from across the Four Corners region and beyond are welcome. Registration of $95 includes 2.5 Continuing Education Units (37.5 clock hours) and 3 graduate level credits from Colorado State University
July 17th-August 3rd, 2023 | Earth Corps Field Studies Program | RMFI. Earth Corps is an 18-day field studies course that provides motivated, environmentally conscious undergraduate students the opportunity to live and learn in the incredible natural classroom of the Colorado mountains. The program began in 2002 and in 2014, it won the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education Higher Education Award. The application deadline is April 10, 2023.
July 18-20, 2023 | Denver: The science of animal agriculture. A NEW, three-day professional development opportunity focused on immersive learning experiences in science education. From veterinary science to climate impacts of livestock production to food production, participants will learn directly from industry experts and be equipped with lessons and resources that can be immediately used in the classroom. While this session will be science-focused, it is open to all preK-12 grade formal and informal educators from Colorado and surrounding states. Registration of $45 includes 1.5 Continuing Education Units (22.5 clock hours) and 1 graduate level credit from Colorado State University.
August 10th, 2023 | Glenwood Springs Water & Fire Resiliency Tour | Colorado WaterWise. On this tour, we'll learn from Glenwood Water Department staff about the critical steps they took to protect their watershed and water quality in order to be able to continue to supply safe, clean water to their residents immediately following the fire and into the future. These actions have included a new pipeline to create a redundant system at the Roaring Fork pump station, a mixing vault outside the City's water plant to support water quality and provide additional system redundancy, upgrades to the water plant that allow for advanced water quality treatment given continued impacts from the burn scar area, and upgrades to No Name Creek's diversion structures to protect the raw water delivery system, reduce sediment load, and improve plant performance. Depending on weather and snowpack, this tour will visit the No Name Intake System or the City's Water Plant and Roaring Fork Intake.
Watershed Academy’s new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module Ready - The EPA Watershed Academy has released their new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module. This module is intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs), and highlights the benefits of working across water quality and hazard mitigation programs. Modules in this series can be used as training tools to help planners from both worlds explore activities of mutual interest and benefit. Case studies and examples are provided to assist hazard mitigation planners with integrating water resource programs into HMPs and help watershed planners understand the synergies between water resource plans and HMPs.Visit this link to begin the course!
Colorado Water and the American West teaches students about the rich history of water in the Western United States, how native communities used it, and the American approach to water management. The western United States is a region with a long history of water challenges. In the American West, over 40 million people depend on the Colorado River, now listed as one of the most endangered rivers in America. MSU Denver developed the non credit Professional Water Studies courses for people interested in safeguarding this precious resource. Taught by MSU Denver faculty, courses are one month long, fully online, and self-paced to accommodate the schedules of busy professional students.
The Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership presents 14 videos to help community members learn about how water is managed, restored and monitored in the upper Uncompahgre River watershed. Take advantage of this new education resource to learn about your watershed including mine reclamation, water monitoring, recreational use, water conservation, drinking water and waste water treatment and distribution, aquatic life, water scarcity, agricultural use, management, infrastructure, and more. Watch the video series here.
Master Irrigator Program- San Luis Valley. Over four sessions, this 32-hour program reviews water law and administration, history of water development, and gives participants the tools and strategies to improve water and energy use efficiency and conservation, soil health, and profitability on their operations. Those who complete the course will also receive a $2,000 stipend. To be eligible for this course you must farm in either Rio Grande, Alamosa, Costilla, Conejos, Saguache or Mineral County. Details will be available soon here.
The American Stormwater Institute, LLC now offers courses in a live setting and online that deal with developing the knowledge and skills required to conduct stormwater inspections. Our courses are based on a “Real World” attitude of finding implementable solutions to the challenges that stormwater inspectors face every day. The state and federal regulations require that “QUALIFIED PERSONS” conduct inspections related to stormwater permits. The overarching goal of the ASI classes is to ensure that our students are well qualified to conduct these inspections. For a list of all classes offered click HERE.
Non-standard MS4 Permit PDD Template and Program Strategy Templates. SPLASH members and SEMSWA worked with CP Compliance to create resources to educate permittees. It may also assist permittees with implementation of the new Non-standard MS4 Permit. Please click HERE to access the material.
San Juan Expedition Avy Course based at Thelma Hut. The AIARE Avy 1 Hut Course is designed to give you a full introduction to backcountry travel. Based out of the Thelma hut on Red Mountain Pass, you will spend day and night with your peers and instructors learning the foundation of avalanche education. In a hut format, you spend more time skiing, more time learning from and observing your instructors, and more time in the mountains—all with lodging and food included. When you take your level one with San Juan Expeditions you will get hands-on experience analyzing the avalanche hazard and using your observations to make decisions in the field. Click HERE for more information.
MSU Denver developed the noncredit Water Studies courses for people interested in safeguarding this precious resource. Students will learn history, law, management, and water trends in Colorado and the American West. The courses have recently been improved, offering the same high quality, but shortened to meet your busy schedules. The course structure has been redesigned for each class to be one month long to improve the learning experience and accommodate the schedules of busy professional students. Click HERE for more information.
Colorado Master Irrigator offers farmers and farm managers advanced training on conservation- and efficiency-oriented irrigation management practices and tools. This program is the product of efforts led by several local producers, district management representatives, and others. Colorado Master Irrigator is modeled on the award-winning Master Irrigator program created and run since 2016 by the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District in the Texas panhandle. Topic experts from Colorado and adjacent Ogallala states, serve as instructors over the 32 hours of the program. Colorado Master Irrigator's interactive class format is designed to encourage peer-to-peer exchange among participants and instructors, helping forge useful contacts that graduates can reach out to after their participation in the program. Click HERE for more information.
Silt Removal - Positive Impact on Crop Yields, Water Use Efficiency, & Irrigation Systems. Presentation from the 2021 World Ag Expo on sources of silt, its impacts, and current and new methods of removal. Watch the presentation here!