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Training and Support

Over the last 7 years the WATER Institute’s Basins of Relations program has trained participants representing over 27 community watershed groups in Northern and Central California. The core four-day workshop provides the education, support and resources to empower participants to begin citizen-based watershed groups to restore and protect their watersheds.

During the training, and with a year or more of follow-up support from OAEC staff and associated partners, the watershed teams become increasingly fluent in the techniques they will need to conduct watershed system research and monitoring. They learn how to organize participatory community education projects and implement hands-on restoration efforts. We will offer our eighth annual Basins of Relations training in 2007, and continue to provide technical support, site visits, consultations and networking to sustain those groups that have attended trainings since 2000.

Marin Conservation Corps staff at days end after finishing an educational service work exchange performing erosion control and forest fuel load mitigation projects at OAEC.

In order to reach a broader community unable to attend our Basins of Relations workshops, we conduct other training and education activities such as providing expert testimony and educational presentations at public meetings, conferences and for the media; providing consultation services to landowners, agencies and organizations; and, providing resource referrals to landowners, farmers, contractors, and schools wanting to implement restorative practices. See Speaker's Bureau for more information.

Basins of Relations training participants map out their watershed