July 26, 2010
Concord University Hosts Annual Watershed Protection Practicum for Regional Non-Profit
Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Athens, WV - July 29- August 1, 2010 - This year the Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable (ECRR) is moving their annual Summer Practicum to the campus of Concord University. This move reflects the growing interest in group capacity building and organizational sustainability of grassroots watershed groups in the eastern coalfields region. Over 100 trainees will be coming to Athens to take advantage of the knowledge and skills of 27 trainers coming from academia, non-profits, governmental organizations and private business.
Participants have the opportunity to select a training track, or choose individual classes throughout the 2-3 day training period from July 29th to August 1st. Once again the Summer Practicum will feature the Save Our Streams (SOS) water monitoring Training program and certification conducted by Tim Craddock and Jessica Dupree of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Concord University will also be the site for Wetlands Restoration Training. Under the guidance of National wetland restoration and monitoring experts Tom Biebighauser and John Byrd, participants will learn how to select sites for wetland construction and be involved in a hands-on wetland construction project on Concord University.
Watershed groups will have the opportunity to learn practical skills useful for the administration of the organizations. Mick Gilliam, a Business Development Specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Service, will train participants in the use of QuickBooks to encourage business accounting practices. Professional trainer and research associate at the Rahall Transportation Institute, Amy Blankenship will teach participants the tools of Geographical Information Systems to manage data collection and the visualization and presentation of environmental information through mapping.
Other courses available to participants include grant writing, environmental economics and several other topics relevant to organizational sustainability and watershed protection. Concord Board of Governors Chair Frank Blackwell said of this event: "Watershed protection is more critical today than it has ever been. Getting a handle on all forms of environmental damage and its remediation must happen. This is a turning point in the history of our economy: peoples' lives and jobs depend on the decisions that we make today. Insuring that our children and grandchildren have clean water to drink and clean energy to heat their homes is our responsibility now, and essential to the future of the Eastern coalfield states and our nation."
This new partnership between the Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable and Concord University is indicative of a longer term, mutually beneficial relationship. "Clean energy and clean water go hand-in-hand" said ECRR Executive Director Dvon Duncan. "Should the Watershed and Energy Institute at Concord become a reality, it would be housed in Concord University's Rahall Center and Small Business Incubator. Watershed groups could benefit from organizational training throughout the year, with both undergraduate and graduate programs providing the future energy leaders of America and the world."
Concord University students and volunteers from watershed groups throughout the Eastern coalfield states will have the opportunity to take part in future summer practicums, thereby developing key skills to become the next generation of experts in environmental protection. A Watershed & Energy Institute at Concord would be the site for the incubation of new ideas in energy generation, including renewable sources of energy and clean technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage and Clean Coal. Should the Watershed & Energy Institute at Concord University become a reality, Concord would be uniquely positioned to offer its students new avenues in undergraduate education, leading to new strategies and innovative business opportunities, creating jobs in the economically important field of energy technologies. "Concord University is excited about the many varied opportunities this dynamic partnership will create ", states Dr. John David Smith, Concord University's Vice President and Academic Dean.
Anyone interested in more information on this summer's practicum and future training events can go to: www.easterncoal.org. This year's practicum is provided under an EPA Targeted Watershed Grant with additional sponsorship from the Appalachian Community Fund.
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Concord University Hosts Annual Watershed Protection Practicum for Regional Non-Profit
Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Athens, WV - July 29- August 1, 2010 - This year the Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable (ECRR) is moving their annual Summer Practicum to the campus of Concord University. This move reflects the growing interest in group capacity building and organizational sustainability of grassroots watershed groups in the eastern coalfields region. Over 100 trainees will be coming to Athens to take advantage of the knowledge and skills of 27 trainers coming from academia, non-profits, governmental organizations and private business.
Participants have the opportunity to select a training track, or choose individual classes throughout the 2-3 day training period from July 29th to August 1st. Once again the Summer Practicum will feature the Save Our Streams (SOS) water monitoring Training program and certification conducted by Tim Craddock and Jessica Dupree of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Concord University will also be the site for Wetlands Restoration Training. Under the guidance of National wetland restoration and monitoring experts Tom Biebighauser and John Byrd, participants will learn how to select sites for wetland construction and be involved in a hands-on wetland construction project on Concord University.
Watershed groups will have the opportunity to learn practical skills useful for the administration of the organizations. Mick Gilliam, a Business Development Specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Service, will train participants in the use of QuickBooks to encourage business accounting practices. Professional trainer and research associate at the Rahall Transportation Institute, Amy Blankenship will teach participants the tools of Geographical Information Systems to manage data collection and the visualization and presentation of environmental information through mapping.
Other courses available to participants include grant writing, environmental economics and several other topics relevant to organizational sustainability and watershed protection. Concord Board of Governors Chair Frank Blackwell said of this event: "Watershed protection is more critical today than it has ever been. Getting a handle on all forms of environmental damage and its remediation must happen. This is a turning point in the history of our economy: peoples' lives and jobs depend on the decisions that we make today. Insuring that our children and grandchildren have clean water to drink and clean energy to heat their homes is our responsibility now, and essential to the future of the Eastern coalfield states and our nation."
This new partnership between the Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable and Concord University is indicative of a longer term, mutually beneficial relationship. "Clean energy and clean water go hand-in-hand" said ECRR Executive Director Dvon Duncan. "Should the Watershed and Energy Institute at Concord become a reality, it would be housed in Concord University's Rahall Center and Small Business Incubator. Watershed groups could benefit from organizational training throughout the year, with both undergraduate and graduate programs providing the future energy leaders of America and the world."
Concord University students and volunteers from watershed groups throughout the Eastern coalfield states will have the opportunity to take part in future summer practicums, thereby developing key skills to become the next generation of experts in environmental protection. A Watershed & Energy Institute at Concord would be the site for the incubation of new ideas in energy generation, including renewable sources of energy and clean technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage and Clean Coal. Should the Watershed & Energy Institute at Concord University become a reality, Concord would be uniquely positioned to offer its students new avenues in undergraduate education, leading to new strategies and innovative business opportunities, creating jobs in the economically important field of energy technologies. "Concord University is excited about the many varied opportunities this dynamic partnership will create ", states Dr. John David Smith, Concord University's Vice President and Academic Dean.
Anyone interested in more information on this summer's practicum and future training events can go to: www.easterncoal.org. This year's practicum is provided under an EPA Targeted Watershed Grant with additional sponsorship from the Appalachian Community Fund.
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