Blue Thumb Training in Stillwater

Blue Thumb is having a training for new volunteers from 8:30am to 4:30pm on Saturday, January 27, 2024 and 8:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at Oklahoma State University in Ag Hall at 164 N Monroe Street in Stillwater, OK.

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 get to learn about water quality, watersheds, nonpoint source pollution and other topics through a series of educational activities which you can then use to educate members of your own community. Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) will be included and all participants will receive a WET activity guide at the end of the day. The day will also include a visit to a local creek to discuss the creek’s ecology and biology, including getting into the water and looking for bugs and fish.

The second day of training will cover all of the monthly chemical tests conducted by volunteers at their local creek or stream. We will also discuss the test results, what they mean and what they reveal about water quality and nonpoint source pollution. The day will include visiting a local creek to perform all of the required streamside testing procedures and then returning to the indoor location to perform the chemical tests volunteers conduct every month. This monitoring training is mandatory before you can begin to monitor your creek.

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 candice.miller@conservation.ok.gov if you have any questions or would to attend this day’s training.

*Refunds will be available until January 20*