The Youth Water Leadership Program was selected and awarded a 2020 Award for Excellence in Environmental Education: Innovative EE Program from the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education. 

You will be going on a river and riparian exploration near your home on your own. While out in the riparian ecosystem, you will be working on identifying common riparian plant species and recording your findings on iNaturalist. 
Follow these steps to use iNaturalist

1. Visit https://www.inaturalist.org and create an account
2. Join this project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/home-river-bioblitz-youth-water-leadership-program
3. Download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone
4. Go explore a local river and riparian area near your home 
   1. Make at least 12 different plant observations
      1. Feel free to also record other species - birds, animal tracks, insects, etc.

You're going to need to use plant field guides to help you identify riparian plants in your region. A few online resources include: 

• Field Guide for the Identification and Use of Common Riparian Woody Plants of the Intermountain West and Pacific Northwest Regions  (NRCS)
• Colorado Wetland Field Guides and App (CNHP)

Download the GLOBE Observer app to your smartphone. 

• Smart phone
• Email address and password​

Get Started - Start Making Observations

1. Download the Globe Observer App to your smart phone
2. Create a unique account (you'll need an email address for this)
3. Join Wild Rose Education's Home River Bioblitz observation team using this referral code  -  GLIDRIKN (that's an i not a 1). 
4. Take the tutorial within the app on your phone for the Clouds and Land Cover protocols. 
5. Start taking observations everywhere you go!

Though all the Western Rivers Teacher Workshops and Public Lands of the United States educator graduate courses had to take on a virtual reality during the summer of 2020, participants still are actively exploring outside and collecting important citizen science data. While out exploring public lands and riparian corridors (riverfront property) the participants are using the iNaturalist and GLOBE Observer smartphone apps to collect, record, and share their observations. These courses are part of the 2020 Western Colorado University's Teacher Institute typically hosted in and around Gunnison, Colorado. 

As of July 29, teacher participants have collected 284 observations of plant and animal species across Colorado and in Florida (one participant lives near Orlando). Sharing these observations in iNaturalist not only contributes to the scientific community, but also builds a sense of shared community among the participants during this time of virtual learning. View the class findings. And if you know more about the species observed join our learning community and feel free to make comments or suggest an identification after logging into iNaturalist. 

In addition to conducting riparian surveys during the on-your-own field trips, the particiaptns are taking Land Cover and Cloud observations using NASA's GLOBE Observer app. Taking note of disturbed areas, areas with recent change or those with upcoming planned development are the types of areas participants are recording in GLOBE Observer. So far the group has collected 207 observations. View the data points and the observation photos. You too can get outside and collect observation data and contribute it to GLOBE; here's how. 

In light of the current pandemic, we're shifting to the hybrid virtual course format. Wild Rose Education offering four educator summer workshops in partnership with Western Colorado University, The Wilderness Society, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Colorado School of Mines Teacher Enhancement Program, and the Youth Water Leadership Program.
​Courses and workshops include:

• Public Lands: Designations, History, and Today
  • June 9-29, 2020, hybrid virtual course,  more details and register
• Western Rivers Teacher Workshops
  • Rivers and Geography, June 9-29, 2020, hybrid virtual course, more details and register​
• Leave No Trace Trainer Course for Educators
  • July 20-31, 2020, hybrid virtual course, more details and register
• Youth Community Civic Action Process Educator Workshop
  • July 27 - August 7, 2020, hybrid virtual course, more details and register

Download the flier below and share with colleagues. ​

***  These courses are not exactly 'at your own pace on your own'. There will be specific assignment deadlines, synchronous online meetings/classes, and lots of asynchronous on your activities/readings. We're going to wait to decide on the virtual meeting times to get input from registered participants so we can find a time that works best for most. We'll be starting with a virtual meeting on the first day of the course listed above at a specific time that has not yet been set. Thanks for your patience as we switch these courses from regular in-person field trip courses to hybrid virtual versions in light of Covid-19. Let me know what other questions you may have. 

Instructor: Sarah R. Johnson MAEd
ENVS 510, 2 Credits, $340
Virtual Hybrid Course
Course date: June 9-29, 2020​*
course materials available June 8 - August 1, 2020
Audience: 3rd -10th grade Educators
​Register at Western Colorado University

Learn how to utilize rivers and riparian habitat as the context to meet the Colorado 2020 Science standards (NGSS) through observations, explorations, discussions, and journaling to create three-dimensional, phenomenon and problem-driven science learning experiences. During this hybrid course, participants will explore the three major components of a river ecosystem: aquatic life, water quality, and riparian habitat as well as watershed geography. Interdisciplinary experiences include self-directed field explorations at your home, engaging with free data visualization tools and labs, and mapping explorations. Curriculum resources will be shared from BEETLES, Aquatic WILD, Project WET, Population Education, NASA's GLOBE Observer, Library of Congress teaching tools, and Denver Water’s Water Education Resource Guide. Participants will also create an online Google My Maps streamside field trip asset map for their school using tools from Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots curriculum.

***  This course is not exactly 'at your own pace on your own'. There will be specific assignment deadlines, synchronous online meetings/classes, and lots of asynchronous on-your-own activities/readings. We're going to wait*** to decide on the virtual meeting times to get input from registered participants so we can find a time that works best for most. We'll be starting with a virtual meeting on the first day of the course, June 9, 2020 at a specific time that has not yet been set. Thanks for your patience as we switch from offering two Western Rivers regular in-person field trip courses to one  combined hybrid virtual version in light of Covid-19. Let me know what other questions you may have. 

*** Course Live Zoom meeting times: Tuesday/Thursday 8am-10am MST, June 9-25, 2020. 

Instructor: Sarah R. Johnson MAEd
$90 early registration, $115 after July 15, 2020
Course Date: July 27 - August 7, 2020*
course materials available July 25 - August 21, 2020
Hybrid Virtual Course
Register here
​
Live synchronous virtual meetings and asynchronous independent homework woven together for a meaningful educational experience for participants using Canvas and virtual discussion technology.

Course will be open from July 27-August 7 with live virtual meetings interspersed throughout the two week period. Course live video meet via Google Meet - Monday/Wednesday 10am-noon July 27-Aug. 5 and Thursday Aug 6. 

Learn from the Youth Water Leadership Program a process for creating student-centered learning opportunities for secondary students. Through interactive activities and discussions we will explore nationally proven tools to help you get started with student lead community action projects. Dive into the process with a real-world issue you are passionate about. Get access to free tools that incorporate youth voice, student-driven inquiry, democratic decision-making, and place-based authentic problem-solving. Prepare students for life-long environmental stewardship, civic engagement, and collaborative action.

Registration: $90 early registration, $110 after July 15, 2020. Inquire about partial scholarships.
Optional 1 graduate-level relicensure hour is available from the Colorado School of Mines for additional $55.

***  This course is not exactly 'at your own pace on your own'. There will be specific assignment deadlines, synchronous online meetings/classes, and lots of asynchronous on-your-own activities/readings.  We'll be starting with a virtual meeting on the first day of the course, July 27, 2020 at 10:00 am (MST). Thanks for your patience as we switch this course from regular in-person interactive discussion heavy course to a hybrid virtual version in light of Covid-19. Let me know what other questions you may have. 

Instructor: Sarah R. Johnson MAEd
ENVS 510, 2 Credits, $340
Course dates: June 9-29, 2020*
course materials available June 8-August 1, 2020
Virtual Hybrid Course
Audience: Secondary Educators, Community
Register at Western Colorado University

Expand your knowledge of public lands in America. Through interactive discussion based hybrid online learning experience, participants will gain a stronger understanding of federal land designations, history of these lands, and the context in which these places were protected. Participants will get free access to a brand new public land high school curriculum. The course aims to build connections between people and America’s public lands as well as awareness that the lands and waters we love today were once and still are Indigenous lands. Through this virtual format, agency staff from the BLM, US Forest Service, National Park, and Colorado state lands will be guest speakers throughout the course. We will explore the many uses and benefits of public lands, as well as the threats they face locally and nationally. Students will also collect citizen science land cover and tree data from their homes for NASA’s GLOBE Observer program. Activities from other nationally proven curriculum will also be interwoven throughout the course.

***  This course is not exactly 'at your own pace on your own'. There will be specific assignment deadlines, synchronous online meetings/classes, and lots of asynchronous on-your-own activities/readings. We're going to wait to decide on the virtual meeting times*** to get input from registered participants so we can find a time that works best for most. We'll be starting with a virtual meeting on the first day of the course, June 9, 2020 at a specific time that has not yet been set. Thanks for your patience as we switch from two sections of this course that were going to be field-trip based courses to one hybrid virtual version in light of Covid-19. Let me know what other questions you may have. 

*** Course Live Zoom meeting times: Monday/Wednesday 8am-10am MST, June 10-29, 2020.

Instructor: Sarah R. Johnson MAEd
ROE 510, 1 Credit, $170
Course Date:  July 20-31, 2020; 
Virtual Course meetings: July 20, 21, 28, 30, 31; 8am-10am (mountain standard time) 
Location: virtual course
Audience: Outdoor Educator Leaders
COURSE FULL - see other courses 
Using the unique online alternative format developed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, 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. Participants will prepare a lesson to teach virtually during the course (topics organized by the instructor). This virtual alternative curriculum fulfills the requirements of the standard Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics Trainer Course only during the 2020 summer.

***  This course is not exactly 'at your own pace on your own'. There will be specific assignment deadlines, synchronous online meetings/classes, and lots of asynchronous on-your-own activities/readings. We'll be starting with a virtual meeting on the first day of the course, July 20, 2020 at 8am MST. Thanks for your patience as we switch from offering two Western Rivers regular in-person field trip courses to one  combined hybrid virtual version in light of Covid-19. Let me know what other questions you may have. 

Wild Rose Education is excited to offer seven educator workshops during 2020 in partnership with Western Colorado University, The Wilderness Society, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Colorado School of Mines Teacher Enhancement Program, and the Youth Water Leadership Program. Workshops include:

• Public Lands for Secondary Educators: Designations, History, and Today
  • February/March 2020, Carbondale - register
  • June 2020, Gunnison more details and register
  • July 2020, Gunnison (based at group campground) more details and register
• Western Rivers Teacher Workshops
  • Rivers as Text: Ecology, June 2020, Gunnison more details and register
  • Water in the West, June 2020, Gunnison more details and register
• Leave No Trace Trainer Course for Educators
  • August 2020, Marble more details and register
• Youth Community Civic Action Process Educator Workshop
  • August 2020, Carbondale more details and register

Download the flier below and share with colleagues.