Freshwater Mussel Training at the ELC
Environmental Learning Center
2-Day lecture/field experience
Day 1: September 18th | 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (7.5-hour Lecture/Practicum with 30 min. lunch)
Day 2: September 19th | 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (7.5-hour Lecture/Practicum with 30 min. lunch)
This hands-on course will provide an overview of freshwater mussel sampling in the Willamette Valley, including guidelines for using the resulting data for assessment of habitat condition and responses to restoration.
Limitations – uneven surfaces, not comfortable in stream, you can still participate and observe, etc
Lunch is provided.
Recommended items to bring: (contact us if you need help sourcing these items)
· Close toed shoes/neoprene boots, (old tennis shoes are fine also)
· Mask & snorkel
· Drybag for your phone/camera
· Trek pole for walking in stream or on uneven terrain
· Sunscreen
· Hat
· Dry clothes
· If you get cold easily, you may want to wear waders or a wetsuit. We will be sure to take breaks so people can warm up out of the water.
Instructor:
Zee Searles Mazzacano, Ph.D. (they/them) is the Owner and Principal Scientist at CASM Environmental LLC, and a NAUI-certified scuba Instructor. Their work focuses on terrestrial and aquatic insects, freshwater mussels, and other invertebrates. Zee has a B.S. in Genetics & Cell Biology and a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Minnesota. Their research and teaching has taken them from river bottoms to tree canopies and from universities to fish & wildlife agencies, non-profits, and independent consulting as they investigate and preserve invertebrate species, characterize their habitats, and develop management plans that protect the overall ecosystem. Zee has worked on freshwater mussels in the Pacific Northwest for almost 20 years, including snorkel, scuba, and eDNA surveys; population assessments; habitat management recommendations; and outreach and education.
