Atttendees at the February, 2005 NCED Stream Restoration Partners Group Workshop (see Summer 2005 edition of the Stream Restoration Networker for more info) identified the following training issues relating to stream restoration:

Major themes:

1. Need to bring academics and practitioners together on curriculum
2. There is a vary large and very diverse market for training since “stream restoration” covers a broad range of objectives and scales
   1. Need different levels of training, and a method of knowing what you are qualified to do with each level
   2. Need training specific to different restoration project types
   3. (a) and (b) may be different sides of the same coin
3. Need to create a sense of community among Stream Restoration stakeholders as best way to improve standards and interdisciplinary cooperation and researcher-practitioner communication
4. Although a lot of training material exists out there, in particular among agencies, there’s no central place to make it available and no overview to tell prospective recipients which training is good for what and where its offered.

Summary of discussion:

• Market analysis (what are the categories/levels of learners to be reached with restoration training?)
  • K-16
  • Practitioner
    • Informed managers and policy makers
    • Those who do applied work
    • Both groups also have continuing/updating training needs
  • Graduate (master’s level) students
    • Masters program in applied stream restoration being developed by NCED for testing at the University of Minnesota
  • Advanced training
    • Training PhD’s in practice
    • Training everyone on teamwork and adaptive management
    • Short courses on emerging topics
  • Is the market already saturated? 
    • With so many niches, who should serve which niche?
• Training coordination
  • This part of the discussion focused on describing agency and Rosgen training: what role exists for NCED; and is there room for cross-pollination?  The group recommends the CURE idea (Consortium of Universities (and agencies) for Restoration Education.)
• Possible NCED coordination roles:
  • Match students to training opportunities
  • Match students to agencies for internships
  • Put teams together
  • Match various training opportunities into curricular paths
  • Match competencies with training needs