Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Webinar: Quantifying the Economic Contributions of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Management

Presented by the U.S. Forest Service and the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

Abstract: The presentation will illustrate currently existing opportunities for the economic valuation of wildlife and fish management. This will include a description of how agencies and partners are well-positioned to apply concepts from economists to inform natural resource management decision-making, enhance reporting, and gauge whether agencies are meeting changing public demands. We will touch on the many challenges state and federal agencies face in trying to articulate social values, despite overwhelming public support for parks, forests, monuments and wildlife areas and a substantial amount of relevant economic research. We will share some tangible U.S. Forest Service products as models for the conservation community, and will have time to discuss how agencies and partners can collaborate to bring about a comprehensive economic narrative.

Presenter:
Jonas Epstein
Economic Research Fellow
U.S. Forest Service
National Forest System
Washington, DC

When:
Monday, November 6, 2017
1 pm EST/12pm Central/11am Mountain/10am Pacific

To join the webinar:
Step 1: For the Audio: Dial-in: 800.768.2983, access code: 8383462
Step 2: For the Slide Presentation: Web login: https://cc.callinfo.com/r/1db9ke77n0be6&eom

Monday, October 2, 2017

Climate Academy 2018

Training Announcement: Climate Academy ALC3193
Natural resource and conversation professionals are tasked with understanding climate change impacts and using this knowledge in making decisions. This 8 week online course is designed to cover the fundamentals of climate science, provide an overview of tools and resources for climate adaptation, and increase climate literacy and communication skills. The course is designed to encourage networking among conservation professionals engaged in the management of fish, wildlife, habitat and cultural resources and provides participants an opportunity to interact with experts as they address case studies across multiple habitat types.

Beginning in January 2018, a webinar session with leading experts in these topics, will be held every week for 8 weeks, for a total of 8 sessions. There is a break the week of February 5th. Pre-webinar assignments, class resources and discussion forums will be accessed through Moodle, a distance learning platform (no special software required). Course participants will then develop a final product addressing climate change in their management of natural resources.

Objectives

  • At the conclusion of this course, participants should be able to:
  • Explain the scientific basis of climate change.
  • Understand biological impacts of climate change.
  • Understand the role of vulnerability assessments and select decision support tools.
  • Identify principles and tools of adaptation planning and examples of adaptation action.
  • Effectively communicate climate change impacts to co-workers, stakeholders and management.
  • Demonstrate how climate change integrates into their work.

Date
Webinars: Jan 10th 2018 - March 7th 2018
Break: week of February 5th
Wednesdays 1:30 -3:00 PM Eastern
Final project: due no later than March 23, 2018

Length
An estimated 3hrs/week will be spent towards participation in in lectures, discussions, and to complete reading assignments. Additional time for the final project will vary.

Location
Online

Who Should Attend
Natural resource and conservation professionals. Course is suitable for individuals or group participation.

College Credit
One semester hour is available on request.
CEUs are available through TWS.

Tuition
Tuition is $200.00
There is no tuition for FWS or NPS.

To Register
Register online at: http://training.fws.gov
NOTE: Please disregard the number of available seats. You will be notified via email concerning your enrollment status.
Registration closes October 27, 2017

Availability
Course offered annually.

Contact for Registration Questions
Jill Del Vecchio at (304) 876-7424 or
jill_delvecchio@fws.gov

Contact for Content Questions
Ashley Fortune at (304) 876-7438 or
ashley_fortune@fws.gov