Woodward Blue Thumb Training
Help your Local Streams and Rivers!
Would you like to know more about your local streams and rivers? Attend a training that will give Woodward area “citizen scientists” the opportunity to monitor local streams. The State of Oklahoma’s “Blue Thumb Water Quality Education Program” will train citizens on Saturday and Sunday, March 26 and 27, 2022, on Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Woodward Campus. NWOSU has an active monitoring program.
Participants will learn about watersheds, common pollutants, collecting data on streams, and educating the public about pollution prevention and sustainable land uses. Ages that participate are from middle school through retirement. Teachers who attend can request an abbreviated training session for their students.
Blue Thumb volunteer coordinator Cheryl Cheadle said, “People who enjoy the outdoors and want to help protect local waterways should attend the training. People with varying interests volunteer with Blue Thumb.” She added that participating in Blue Thumb activities provides important “insight” into what it means to be a scientist collecting data. Cheadle assured that participation numbers will be small enough so that safety during COVID time is observed.
Registration information and more about Blue Thumb can be found at www.bluethumbok.com. You can also phone Cheadle at 918-398-1804.
About this event
Blue Thumb is having a training for new volunteers from 8:30am to 4:30pm on Saturday, March 26, 2022 and 8:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, in Chem Lab room 152, at 2007 34th St in Woodward, 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 at 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 stream-side 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 bluethumb@conservation.ok.gov if you have any questions or would to attend this day’s training.
*Refunds will be available until March 19*
**If you miss the sign up, and would still like to participate, tickets will be available for an extra $10.00 charge until March 23 with no refund**
Registration: Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcalester-blue-thumb-volunteer-training-tickets-240431566287
FAQs
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
Parking is free! There will be a short trip to a local creek, but carpooling is encouraged!
What can I bring into the event?
Please bring a lunch, shoes and clothes that can get wet and dirty, and a change of dry clothes and shoes. Waders can be borrowed if you would like to do so.
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Please email bluethumb@conservation.ok.gov
What’s the refund policy?
Full refunds will be offered until March 19.