Workshops
Venomous reptile ecology awareness and safe handling training
Monday, September 12, 1-5 pm, Fee: $35
Organizer: Erika Nowak, Northern Arizona University, School of Earth and Sustainability and Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes
Dr. Erika Nowak will lead this workshop, which is intended to help participants learn how to safely handle venomous reptiles in a controlled, carefully supervised environment. More than half of the envenomations in the United States occur because of improper handling of venomous reptiles, owing in part to misunderstanding normal animal behavior and improper handling techniques. Prior to handling live animals, the instructor will conduct an interactive presentation about venomous reptile identification, ecology, and behavior. The lecture section will be followed by a hands-on demonstration and class participation in supervised handling of non-venomous and venomous snakes, using snake-safe tongs and snake-proof holding containers. Participants will be provided handout materials that reinforce training concepts and additional resources for living safely with venomous reptiles.
This training is designed for resource managers, park rangers, wildlife managers, field biologists, and others who may be called on to remove a venomous reptile from a dangerous situation.
Cultivating wonder in the world beneath our feet: biocrusts, soils, and restoration tools for a changing environment
Monday, September 12, 1-3 pm, free
Organizers: Sierra Jech, University of Colorado Boulder; Jasmine Anenberg, Northern Arizona University; Julie Bethany Rakes, Arizona State University; and John Bacovcin, Colorado State University
This workshop will provide basic background information about biocrusts, including: What is a biocrust? What are biocrusts composed of? Where are biocrusts found? What do biocrusts do in ecosystems? The workshop includes several distinct active-education modules that were developed with the goals of teaching core science skills such as observation, experimentation, data collection, hypothesis testing, and use of taxonomic keys. We will also share a recently developed citizen science tool in which users can document their biocrust observations. The modules span multiple areas of inquiry ranging from: (1) effects of disturbance on biota, (2) physiology and functional traits of diverse biota, (3) transformation and flow of energy and matter through ecosystems, (4) biodiversity, and (5) restoration. Participants will have an opportunity to observe natural biocrusts and brainstorm additional outdoor educational activities with the instructors. The workshop will include tools for land managers to determine the health of their soils and whether biocrust restoration (and what kind of restoration) is an option at their sites.
Workshop on co-management of ancestral public lands: sharing outcomes from the 2022 Bears Ears field school
Tuesday, September 13, 11:30 am – 1 pm, free
Organizers: Melanie Armstrong, Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, Tobias Nickel, Lizzy Bauer, Jojo Matson, Addie Mandeville, and Whitney Stewart, Western Colorado University, Center for Public Lands, and Steph Wacha, Grand Canyon Trust
The Co-Management of Ancestral Public Lands Curriculum Project seeks to prepare current and future public land managers to work with tribes to create resilient ecological management practices needed to effectively adapt to rapid environmental change. As part of the workshop, workshop organizers will introduce and discuss lesson plans, visual aids, videos, interviews, case studies, and learning resources from the curriculum. The workshop seeks to increase participants’ understanding of co-management principles and awareness of Indigenous knowledge and its potential to transform land management. The workshop is also intended to garner valuable feedback on curriculum design and create a space for continued discourse over Bears Ears National Monument and the concept of co-managed public lands. Attendees will end the session with a toolkit and a list of resources to teach and implement strategies for co-managing landscapes between government agencies and tribes. After this workshop, participants will be better prepared to communicate and build relationships with tribal groups and implement practices of sharing power between tribes and agencies in their organizations.
Using PhenoCam to monitor dryland ecosystems
Tuesday, September 13, 11:30 am – 1 pm, free
Organizers: Alison Post, Andrew Richardson, Northern Arizona University, ECOSS and SICCS, and and Oscar Zimmerman, Northern Arizona University, ECOSS and Department of Biological Sciences
With more than 700 digital cameras mounted over the plant canopies of diverse ecological systems across North America and the world, including more than 50 across the Colorado Plateau and Southwest region, the PhenoCam Network is a powerful tool for remote ecological monitoring. PhenoCam provides a crucial link between satellite images and on-the-ground measurements by providing remotely sensed data at a finer temporal and spatial scale. This workshop will introduce to scientists, managers, educators, and private citizens to the unique capabilities of the PhenoCam Network (phenocam.nau.edu). This workshop includes an overview of the PhenoCam Network and how it works, followed by step-by-step instructions for interacting with the PhenoCam website and accessing and downloading data. Participants will be guided through an interactive activity on their laptops using PhenoCam data and will receive information about how to set up a new PhenoCam site to remotely monitor their own site.