Workshop on 'Life Begins in Water: Restoring Healthy Wetland Communities'
UC Davis Entomologist Geoffrey Attardo to Lead the Nov. 15th Workshop at Capay Open Space Regional Park
“Have you ever wondered what keeps water healthy and naturally clean?”
UC Davis entomologist and invertebrate specialist Geoffrey Attardo will lead a free-and-family-friendly workshop, “Life Begins in Water: A Workshop on Restoring Healthy Wetland Communities,” on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Capay Open Space Regional Park, Yolo County.
The hands-on workshop, set from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 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. "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."
At the onset, 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. The park, located at 15603 County Road 85, just north of the town of Capay, is not only accessible by vehicle, but by Yolo Transit Bus EB215 or WB215 (Highway16 at Road 85 stop).
Advance registration is appreciated. To register, access https://yolosol.org/life-begins-in-water/
"There will be a short walk on flat ground," Attardo said, "and an optional walk to the edge of Cache Creek, where participants will collect water samples." The group will then use microscopes to examine the tiny organisms.
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.
