a project of  Extended Studies Summer Teacher Institute

River Ecology Course (3 days)
Monday-Wednesday June 18-20, 2018, 2 credit course: $260; additional $10 course fee
During this interdisciplinary field-based course, participants will explore the three major components of a river ecosystem: aquatic life, water quality, and riparian habitat. Field experiences include field trips to local riverside parks, Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery, and Curecanti National Recreation Area.

Water Management Course (2 days)
Thursday-Friday June 21-22, 2018, 1 credit course: $150; additional $10 course fee
During this interdisciplinary field-based course participants will explore western water management, water law, and watershed geography. Field experiences include a Blue Mesa Dam and Hydropower Plant tour and Taylor Reservoir tour.

Insiders Tips
1. If you sign up with a group everyone gets a discounted rate, the bigger the group the larger the discount for all. 
2. Western State makes the dormitories available during the workshops at a very affordable rate for lodging. 
3. Come and stay all week for both classes and then enjoy the Gunnison River Festival at the end of the week. 

Wild Rose Education coordinated this 2nd annual bioblitz in collaboration with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and the landowner John Powers.

The first annual Gunnison River Teacher Institute was a success! Western State Colorado University's Extended Studies Program and the Colorado Water Workshop collaborated to create the teacher institute.  Teachers participated from the Gunnison, South Platte, and Arkansas Basins. Through many hands-on interactive activities they learned how to incorporate watershed thinking into their curriculum to create relevant context and connections for their students.

The fast paced week long rigorous 3 graduate credit course included  tools for teaching western water management, river ecology, fisheries, and geography of the Colorado River Basin.  Field experiences included a hike to Morrow Point Reservoir and up East Elk Creek with Curecanti National Recreation Area, Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery tour, Spring Creek river ecology field day with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado Trout Unlimited, tour of Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, whitewater rafting on the Taylor River, and a visit to Coldharbour Ranch.

The second half of the week teachers participated in the 42nd annual Colorado Water Workshop conference engaging with water resource professionals from across Colorado learning about current water issues and innovative management strategies. Participating in the Gunnison River Festival was also included throughout the week including water trivia night, live music, and a celebration at the Gunnison Whitewater Park.

• This course has motivated me to go from wanting to learn more about my own back yard to the actually doing.
• Another thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. The class was wonderful.
• Great info, speakers and field trips! 
• Well thought out and planned. visiting Coldharbour was the perfect mix of "think" and "brain break" activities. So enjoyable!   Wow, I soaked in and thoroughly enjoyed the entire workshop. I wish we had more time to delve deeper. I look forward to building on to the new knowledge through possible future workshops.
• I will use activities learning during the workshop in lesson plans for MS. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems.
• I will make my lessons more relative to CO water
• I want more ‘at the river’ experiences
• I am in Alaska now and much more observant of my surroundings because of the class.
• I feel that everything was well planned out and packed to overflowing in order to get as much out of the course as possible; and I was still left wanting more. Maybe a two week course with more hands on projects to help solidify learning? 
• The workshop was attended primarily for personal gain to broaden my general watershed knowledge. The information will be very useful as I become more involved in school and community projects regarding water. This course has encouraged and motivated me to want to be a more inquisitive person regarding my surroundings. I am so EXCITED to use the new skills learned to "play" in my own backyard. Thank you for that!

View all story maps created by teacher participants and their feedback. 

The 2018 River Teacher Institute planning is underway and details will be announced in January 2018. Sign up here to get information about upcoming workshop details. 

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Environmental Issues Forums (EIF) provide tools, training, and support for engaging adults and students in meaningful, productive discussions about sticky issues that affect the environment and communities.  -NAAEE, 2016
 
Beginning in November 2015, three members of the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) worked with fellow environmental educators across the country, the Kettering Foundation, and the North American Association for Environmental Education to create a framework for deliberation on national and state-specific water issues. The team included Sarah Johnson of Wild Rose Consulting, Kellie Gorman of Yampatika, and Hillary Mason of CAEE.  In May 2016, the Colorado team tested their draft Colorado framework with two test forums where high school and college-level stakeholders engaged in deliberative decision-making processes focused around water availability across the state. A comprehensive test forum report was produced to contribute to further developing the Colorado Water Issues Deliberation Framework. The team's work culminated in September 2016 with the completion of a deliberative forum guide for navigating Colorado water quantity issues in high school and post-secondary learning environments. 
 
The Colorado team is presenting the new deliberation framework at the October 2016 Western Slope Environmental Education Conference in Ridgway, Colorado. They will also be part of a panel presentation at the North American Association for Environmental Education's annual conference in Madison, Wisconsin in mid October 2016 where they will share the results of the test forums and the final published deliberation framework. 

Download a free pdf of the Colorado Water Availability Deliberative Forum Guide to use with high school and post-secondary learning environments, and click here for  more information about Environmental Issues Forums.