For 30 years, Nature Forward has been teaching the natural history of aquatic ecology and training volunteer stream monitors who track the health of our region’s streams. Learn from the experts: study stream science in our introductory classes, and you just might be inspired to become a stream monitor yourself!

SELF-PACED ONLINE CLASSES AVAILABLE ANY TIME

Stream Science Introduction: Part 1: Healthy Stream Biology*. An introduction to monitoring and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Part 2: How to Read Your Stream*. Learn about the influence of land uses on streams, stream character and dynamics, bank erosion, bar formation, substrate composition, different velocity-depth regimes, and the importance of riffles and riparian vegetation. *These classes are recommended for all volunteer monitors and those interested in joining the program.

Advanced Macroinvertebrate Identification Series: Our advanced classes are perfect for those interested in deepening their knowledge about biological stream monitoring and are taught by instructor Cathy Wiss. Each class runs 45 – 70 minutes and includes extensive photos and videos collected by our own monitoring volunteers and staff, plus several carefully curated recommended videos from other sources. The seven classes include: Caddisflies; Beetles; True Flies; Damselflies & Dragonflies; Mayflies; Stoneflies; and Megaloptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera.

REGISTRATION & FEE INFORMATION

Registration required: click here to register online for all classes. The fee for each class is $22 for non-members and $15 for Nature Forward members. There is a 15% discount when registering for the Full Series of 9 classes; the Full Series fee is $170 for non-members and  $110 for Nature Forward members. Learners who register for all 9 classes will receive access to a bonus review session.

Classes are FREE for Nature Forward water quality monitoring volunteers who have monitored at least twice over the past two years. Contact [email protected] if you qualify.