WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

This workshop focuses on collecting, identifying, and managing invertebrate data sets. Topics include:

• asking the right question
• sample design
• collection methods
• sample handling
• identification
• and data analysis.

We have successfully conducted one to two day workshops to groups of varying ages and backgrounds, from high school students to wetland scientists, who are interested in using invertebrates to monitor and assess wetland integrity.

Participants in this workshop will learn the pros and cons of various invertebrate collection methods, how to choose sample sites, how to identify common insect orders and families, and how data can be organized and analyzed.

Half or Full day workshops are offered. Half day workshops include a short overview and approximately 3 hours of hands-on experience identifying collected material. Full day workshops include a more in-depth overview and discussion of designing a monitoring project to fit your group's needs. We supply microscopes, taxonomic keys, and collecting materials. The workshops are conducted at your facility. Two instructors will conduct the workshop with a maximum of 18 students. This allows participants to make the best use of their time to hone their skills.

Optional days may be added to the workshop so that participants can collect and work with material collected from their own study areas.

Call or email (workshops@ earthdesign.com) for pricing (PDF Brochure)

Many watershed groups are spending considerable time and effort developing geographic information systems (GIS). What exactly are the ins and outs of GIS? What can GIS do for you? How can results from a GIS analysis be misleading?

Participants in this workshop take a step back and look at GIS with fresh eyes. We will discuss how natural features are represented with GIS, what to look for in a spatial data set, and how to develop questions that can be answered with GIS. We also discuss the many pitfalls of GIS and how to avoid them.

The goal of this workshop is not to teach you how to use the GIS software. Rather, we focus on teaching participants to ask questions that can be answered using GIS and how to 'think spatially.'

This workshop is suitable for persons who have little or no computer experience to those who are regular GIS users.

This is a one day workshop. A 1-2 hr overview of GIS is followed by a lab session where participants get a chance to use GIS to answer their own questions using available spatial data.

Call for dates or schedule a workshop of your own! Email (workshops@ earthdesign.com) for details and pricing.