If you and your family love science--who doesn't?--be sure to participate in the free workshop, “Life Begins in Water: A Workshop on Restoring Healthy Wetland Communities,” on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Capay Open Space Regional Park, Yolo County.
UC Davis entomologist Geoffrey Attardo is leading the hands-on workshop, set from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The park is located at 15603 County Road 85, just north of the town of Capay. It is not only accessible by vehicle, but by Yolo Transit Bus EB215 or WB215 (Highway16 at Road 85 stop).
The workshop will include "collecting water samples at the edge of Cache Creek and then using microscopes to examine the tiny organisms that are key to a clean. healthy environment," said Attardo, a medical entomologist-geneticist and associate professor with the Department of Entomology and Nematology, and chair of the Designated Emphasis in the Biology of Vector-Borne Diseases." It will be a combination of learning about traditional ecological knowledge and learning about aquatic invertebrates, their biology, and their functional roles in aquatic ecosystems. This will be a deep dive into the fascinating universe of aquatic invertebrates--tiny insects that don't have a spine but are essential to the whole web of life."
Wintun/Maidu Cultural Practitioner Diana Almendariz, known as an expert in the eco-cultural uses of tule and its essential role in a thriving marsh economy, will present a special introduction to Cache Creek. Storytelling for all ages is also planned.
Registration begins at 9:30 with refreshments of coffee, tea, fruit and pastries served.
Advance registration is appreciated. To register, access https://yolosol.org/life-begins-in-water/ To reiterate, the workshop is free and family friendly.
Workshop participants will learn:
- The importance of wetlands for a sustainable Yolo bioregion
- How traditional ecological knowledge contributes to good environmental stewardship
- Why mosquitos are an important part of healthy ecosystems and what keeps them in check naturally
- Opportunities for watershed restoration and climate action
The event is sponsored by YoloSol Collective and the Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, with funding provided by the Yolo County Sustainability Division to support the implementation of Yolo County Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
For more information contact info@yolosol.org or call (530) 902-8407.
Attardo, who joined the UC Davis faculty in 2017, served 13 years in the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at the Yale School of Public Health, first as a postdoctoral associate and then as a research scientist studying the reproductive biology of tsetse flies.
Cover Photo: Families examine the organisms they collected in Cache Creek following a UC Davis workshop in 2004 led by entomologist Geoffrey Attardo. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)