Wildland Weed Field Courses

Calendar | Cost & Registration | Course Details | Past Courses

Looking to hone your wildland weed management skills? Our full-day courses provide expert instruction on core topics for your work. Courses are designed for professional land managers and restoration volunteers — newcomers and old-timers, professionals and committed volunteers alike.

Thanks to the continued generous support, Cal-IPC is able to offer discounted rates for restoration volunteers for the 2010 Field Course Season!

We are now in our sixth year of offering field courses - learn more about our past courses.

Register Now!

2010 Field Courses

In 2010, we are offering courses on five topics:

  • Know your Wildland Weeds: Biology and Identification
  • Know your Tools: Control Methods for Wildland Weeds
  • Wildland Weed Mapping
  • Integrated Control Methods New!
  • Strategic Approaches New!

Calendar

San Diego -
Mira Costa College, San Elijo Campus
   March 30 - Biology & Identification
   March 31 – Control Methods

San Francisco Bay Area -
Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, Fremont
   April 28 - Control Methods
   April 29 - Wildland Weed Mapping

Northern California-
McLaughlin Natural Reserve, Clear Lake
   June 8 &9 - Integrated Control Methods

Ventura - Camarillo Ranch
   October 13 - Strategic Approaches

Costs and Registration

Regular fees are $145 (Cal-IPC member)/$165 (Non-member) per course (each topic/day is a different course, thus registering as a member for both courses in San Diego would cost $290). This year we are able to offer a discounted rate of $45 per course for restoration volunteers, thanks to special grant funding. You qualify as a "restoration volunteer" if weed management is not part of your profesional work and you volunteer for an organized restoration efort.

All courses include lunch, snacks and reference material. We have applied to receive "Other" CA Department of Pesticide Regulation and International Society of Arboriculture continuing education credits for all courses, the specific amounts of hours given will be listed with the courses below. Pre-registration is required for all courses, and we are not able to handle any payments on the day of the course.

 

2010 Course Details

San Diego

March 30 – Biology & Identification
March 31 – Control Methods

Site
The San Diego courses will be hosted at the San Elijo Campus of Mira Costa College, directly adjacent to the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, the largest coastal wetland in San Diego County. The lagoon is home to over 400 plant species and six plant communities: coastal strand, salt marsh, freshwater marsh, riparian scrub, coastal sage scrub and chaparral.

Register | San Elijo Ecological Reserve | Directions

Instructors
Featured instructors include Mike Kelly, Friends of Penasquitos Canyon Preserve and Cal-IPC Founder; Bill Neill, Riparian Repairs; Sandy DeSimone, Audubon CA Starr Ranch Sanctuary; Bill Winans, San Diego County Agriculture; Mark Hoddle, UC Cooperative Extension; and others.

 

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San Francisco Bay Area

April 28 - Control Methods
April 29 - Wildland Weed Mapping

Site
San Francisco Bay Area courses will be held at the Don Edwards S.F. Bay National Wildlife Refuge, spanning 30,000 acres of open bay, salt ponds, salt marsh, mudflat, upland and vernal pool habitats located throughout the southern San Francsico Bay.

Register | Don Edwards S.F. Bay National Wildlife Refuge | Directions

Instructors
Featured instructors include Ken Moore, Wildlands Restoration Team; Bob Case, CNPS; and others.

 

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Northern California

June 8 & 9 - Integrated Control Methods

Site
Our Northern California course will be held at the McLaughlin Natural Reserve, which protects serpentine habitats, riparian woodlands, blue oak woodland and savannah, grasslands and chaparral.

Lodging

Camping in a lush riparian corridor is available at no cost. The camp site is one-half mile down the hill from the field station, or you can set up camp next to the field station, which more industrial. Dormitory style rooms, complete with bunkbeds, are at the field station at no cost as well. Solar powered composting toilets are available outside, and fully plumbed bathrooms are available inside. Shower facilities are similar to college dormitories.

Local hotels are 30 minutes away from the natural reserve, and located in Clear Lake:
      • Best Western, El Grande Inn, 707-994-2000
      • Travelodge Clearlake, 707-994-1499

Meals

Breakfast cereal and coffee will be provided. Tasty catered lunch will be provided. Potluck style dinner - Cal-IPC will be provide pasta and red sauce, please bring something to contribute to dinner. Refrigerator and kitchen space is limited, but available. All common kitchen appliances, utensils and dishes are available on-site.

Register | McLaughlin Natural Reserve | Directions (second paragraph - referenced by location)

Instructors
Featured instructors include Joe DiTomaso, UC Davis; Paul Aigner, UC Natural Reserve System; JP Marie, UC Davis, Putah Creek Reserve, and others.

 

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Ventura

October 13 - Strategic Approaches New!

      • Course content

Our pre-Symposium Field Course is always a great way to start the Symposium. Natural resource managers from around the state come together to learn about and share information about a focused subject. We bring in expert instructors to lead you through a great learning experience. Join Cal-IPC this year in Ventura when we focus on Strategic Approaches for Managing Weeds.

Register with the Symposium | Camarillo Ranch | Directions

Instructors
Featured instructors include Gina Darin, California Department of Water Resources; Steve Schoenig, California Department of Fish and Game; and more.

E-mail Heather Brady with any questions on 2010 field courses.