Blue Thumb Training in OKC

Blue Thumb will be hosting a training for new volunteers from 8:30am to 4:30pm on Saturday, June 3, 2023 and 8:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the Oklahoma Conservation Commission (Department of Ag Building) at 2800 N Lincoln Blvd in Oklahoma City, OK. The cost is $25.00. You may register for the training here.

The first day of training will include an introduction to the Blue Thumb program and an overview of various ways you can participate as a Blue Thumb volunteer, with a focus on volunteer education opportunities. You will also learn about stream ecology, nonpoint source pollution and related topics through a series of educational activities which you can then use to educate members of your own community. Project WET (Water Education for Today) will be included and all participants will receive at WET activity guide at the end of the day. The day will also include a visit to a local stream where we will discuss the stream’s ecology, seine for fish and look for benthic macroinvertebrates!

The second day of training will cover water quality monitoring. The day will include visiting a local stream to perform all of the required stream-side testing procedures and then returning to the indoor location to complete the chemical tests . We will also discuss the test results, what they mean and what they reveal about water quality and nonpoint source pollution. This monitoring training is mandatory before you can begin to independently monitor a stream site.

All volunteers who have been trained in the past but would like a refresher course on their chemical tests are also welcome and encouraged to attend. Please email bluethumb@conservation.ok.gov if you have any questions or would to attend this day’s training.