During the week of February 27- March 3, 2017, The West Virginia University Natural History Museum will be offering a professional development course titled "Freshwater Mussels of West Virginia: Life History and Identification" to be taught by mussel biologist Janet Clayton of the WV DNR. The course consists of one week of intensive work on all aspects of freshwater mussels. Topics include species identification, life history, ecology, conservation status, and management. The class will feature both lectures and hands-on identification of the freshwater mussels found in West Virginia's waters. The class fills a need for many natural resource professionals from a variety of state and private agencies to be taught the skills they need to assess streams and rivers for this sensitive taxa and its habitat.
While a test will be offered at the end of the course, the course is not designed to provide the novice the knowledge and experience to immediately become certified to conduct mussel surveys in WV. It is designed to give the novice a starting point in learning techniques for identification of mussels in WV. You would then take that knowledge and hopefully work with more experienced surveyors to continue to develop your experience. For those experienced individuals working in other parts of North America, this class will give you a chance to study shell forms found within WV and the upper Ohio River Basin. If upon passing the identification test and meeting the experience criteria, you may be certified to work in WV streams. The course will be taught at the North Bend State Park (http://www.northbendsp.com ) located in Harrisville, WV. The resort offers food and lodging to accommodate needs of class participants traveling from a distance. Cost of the course is $600. For additional details visit: https://wvu.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=32114&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0 For more information please contact : Ann Anderson Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design WVU Natural History Museum PO Box 6125 Morgantown, WV 26506-6125 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> 304-276-8950
