Workshop on the Biology & Management of the
California Red-legged Frog
March 28 – 29, 2012 
The Alameda County Conservation Partnership and Los Vaqueros Reservoir & Watershed are pleased to host this workshop for the 8th consecutive year. California red-legged frog specialists Norman Scott, Ph.D. and Galen Rathbun, Ph.D. will be returning as instructors. The workshop includes day and night-time field sessions in small groups to allow for a more interactive experience with the presenters and species. Class size is limited to 24 participants, with each night-time field session limited to 12 participants. The classroom session will be held at the Martinelli Center, 3585 Greenville Road, Livermore, and the field sessions will be held at Los Vaqueros.
$395 – Includes breakfast and lunch. Confirmed registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, upon receiving payment, through our online registration form below. Information on required equipment can be found below.
 Workshop Objectives
This is a great opportunity to receive training in species identification, field sampling techniques, and the habitat requirements of the California red-legged frog (CRLF). Workshop information will be useful for those working on projects and planning in CRLF habitat, and those who provide educational outreach to agricultural producers. It will also provide foundational knowledge for monitoring projects where potential impacts to CRLF have been identified. Intended audiences include biological consultants, land managers and planners, researchers, and resource agency personnel. Please note: regulatory topics will not be covered in detail.
Workshop Agenda
March 29
8 am to 2:30 pm – Classroom
Overview of biology and management of the California red-legged frog. Demonstration of equipment, frog identification, and PIT-tagging and radiotracking techniques.
2:30 pm to 6 pm – Field Site Instruction
Habitat requirements, corridors, pond designs, metapopulation dynamics, tadpole identification, and survey techniques.
March 28 OR 29: 8 pm to 12 am – Night Field Session (choose one of two sessions)
Night-time survey techniques. Norman and Galen will demonstrate catching, handling, sexing, and measuring of adult frogs.
Instructors
Norman Scott has academic interests in the biology, ecology, biogeography, and evolution of reptiles and amphibians. He has authored or coauthored more than 70 papers, mostly on tropical reptiles and amphibians, but also monkey populations, duck taxonomy, and bird faunas.
Galen Rathbun's research interests include the behavioral ecology of vertebrates, conservation biology of declining species, and the application of innovative field techniques. His recent research includes understanding the basic life history of California red-legged frogs and Pacific pond turtles, the impacts of cattle grazing on a community of small mammals in the San Joaquin Valley, and the evolution of monogamy in elephant-shrews (sengis) and dassie rats in Namibia (southwestern Africa).
Important Information
Field Supplies and Equipment
Please bring field-ready clothing and footwear. Waders or hip boots are required for surveying ponds, and waders are strongly recommended. A strong (and generally non-LED) headlamp or flashlight is essential for the night survey. A complete list of required and recommended equipment is below. Participants will also be required to sign the waiver below in order to participate in the field sessions.
Food and Beverages
Breakfast and lunch will be provided in the classroom session. We will do our best to accommodate special dietary needs if registrants notify us in advance. Please note that the classroom and field sessions are in rural locations with few restaurants and no stores nearby.
Please register by March 9th, using the secure form below. You do not need to have a PayPal account - simply enter your credit card information. We apologize that we are not able to hold spots until payment is received – we have consistently had trouble in the past receiving payment when spots were reserved before they were paid for. Please contact us with any questions.
Once the workshop is at capacity, you can add yourself to the waitlist. We are often able to add people from the waitlist. Please provide your most reliable contact information - cell phone, most-checked email, etc.
Alternate Workshop
The Elkhorn Slough Coastal Training Program is offering the same workshop, at the same price, on April 11th and 12th in Moss Landing, and again on April 25-26. For more information on these workshops, see:
http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/training/show_train_detail.php?TRAIN_ID=CaAD69W
http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/training/show_train_detail.php?TRAIN_ID=CaY53SF
Workshop Cancellation and Refunds
The Conservation Partnership reserves the right to cancel or postpone a workshop or a portion of an event such as a field session for any reason, particularly for the lack of sufficient registration, incapacity of leader/speaker, inclement weather, etc. In the case of cancellation, registrants will receive full refunds, and in the case of postponement those who are not able to attend the new date will receive full refunds.
Participants who wish to cancel their registration will receive a refund minus a $50 administrative fee if they inform Pete Van Hoorn by March 9. Partial refunds after March 9 may be granted at the discretion of the RCD Executive Officer.
If you have questions about the workshop or registration process, please contact Pete Van Hoorn.
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