California Tiger Salamander Workshop May 29 and 30, 2013

The Alameda County Conservation Partnership is pleased to host this workshop on the biology and conservation of the California tiger salamander (CTS), for the 9th consecutive year, co-sponsored by the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Training Program. California tiger salamander specialist Pete Trenham, Ph.D. will be returning as the instructor. Dr. Trenham has published a number of frequently-cited papers on CTS ecology and life history, and has led this highly popular workshop numerous times. Class size is limited to 32 participants, to provide a focused learning environment. The workshop includes a classroom lecture session, as well as field sessions in smaller groups to allow for a more interactive experience with the presenter and species.

This workshop is a great opportunity to gain an understanding of CTS biology and ecology.  By completing this workshop, we hope you will also better understand how this information can be applied to habitat management for the species. The information will be useful in large-scale and local conservation planning efforts. Topics discussed by Dr. Trenham will include: the geographic distribution of CTS and hybrid populations; upland and aquatic habitats and their management; individual organism movement patterns, population and community ecology; survey methods; methods for assessing potential project impacts; and approaches for avoidance and minimization. The field session will include training in species identification, sampling techniques, and habitat requirements.  (If you are interested in how this workshop might apply to your ability to obtain CTS survey permits, contact your agency permitting representatives.)

Confirmed registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, upon receiving payment. The two field sessions are limited to 16 people each. Please see below to register.

Workshop Agenda

Classroom Sessions -- May 29, 9 am to 4:30 pm
- Basics of amphibian biology and conservation
- Evolutionary relationships among tiger salamanders
- How to identify CTS eggs, larvae, and adults
- Life cycle, demography, and population dynamics
- Predators and prey
- Habitats and ecology
- Movements, populations, metapopulations, and landscapes
- Threats
- Strategies for conservation and recovery

Field Session -- Choose either May 29, 5:30 to 8:30 pm OR May 30, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Training with field equipment use and cleaning
- Seining and dip-netting for CTS larvae
- Appropriate care and handling of captured CTS
- Approaches for detecting CTS in upland habitats
- Understanding the importance of gophers and ground squirrels 
 

Instructor

Pete Trenham, Salamander Research Institute: Pete Trenham received his Ph.D. in Population Biology from the University of California, Davis. His specialty is amphibian conservation, and his research focuses on upland habitat requirements and metapopulation biology. His published studies of the California tiger salamander have addressed population demography, metapopulation structure, upland distribution, and phylogeography.

Important Information

Course Locations and Equipment
The classroom sessions will be held at the Martinelli Event Center, 3585 Greenvillle Road, Livermore, CA 94550.  The field site will include both breeding and upland habitat (site will be emailed to workshop registrants). Although we cannot guarantee successful capture of CTS larvae or adults, our field sites have been highly reliable from year to year, and we do our best to select a field site with CTS present in the pond.

Please bring field-ready clothing and footwear. Waders are strongly recommended. Hip boots or waterproof boots will be adequate if participants do not wish to fully venture into the water, but waders are necessary for attendees to participate in thorough field investigations and fully benefit from the hands-on elements of the training. Participants are also required to sign a waiver in order to participate in the field session (the form will be available at the classroom session).

Food and Beverages
Beverages, breakfast and lunch will be provided in the classroom session. The Conservation Partnership will do its best to accommodate special dietary needs when registrants notify us in advance. Please note that the classroom and field sessions are in rural locations with few restaurants and no stores nearby.

Registration

Please register  through the secure form below. You do not need a PayPal account in order to pay through PayPal - 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.  But please contact us with any questions - we recognize that it can be difficult for agencies to approve payment before registration.

Waiting List
Once the workshop is at capacity (32 participants), you can add yourself to the waitlist through the online registration link above. Please provide your most reliable contact information (cell phone, most-checked email, etc.).

Alternate Workshop
The Elkhorn Slough Coastal Training Program in Moss Landing is offering the same workshop, with the same presenter and price, on April 25th. Although it is currently sold out, you can get on their waiting list. Please visit their website for more information.

Workshop Cancellation and Refunds
Participants who wish to cancel their registration will receive a refund minus a $50 administrative fee if they inform Haley Burgardt by May 10th. Partial refunds after that date may be granted at the discretion of the RCD Executive Officer.

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 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.

If you have questions about the workshop or registration process, please contact Haley Burgardt.



Thanks to our co-sponsor the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Training Program.