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Registration Open for 2022 BWSR Academy
Registration is now open for the 2022 BWSR Academy October 25-27 at Cragun’s Conference Center near Brainerd. Registration fee is $55 each day and will close at 4:30 p.m. on September 30. Registration includes lunch, breaks and materials for the sessions you register for. For more information and updates, visit the 2022 BWSR Academy page. Lodging reservations and breakfast reservations are made with Cragun’s. Tracks include Basic Technical, Advanced Technical, Programs, Outreach, Org Capacity, Fiscal Management and Workshops. Register early as many sessions reach capacity early and sessions are not recorded. BWSR staff are looking forward to seeing you at Academy!
Prioritize, Target, and Measure Application (PTMApp) Program and Training Updates
A significant number of updates have been made to PTMApp in 2021 and 2022. Information on PTMApp can be found on BWSR’s website here. Below are a few of those updates.
PTMApp GIS Desktop Model Updates
- Optimized for use in Arc Pro software version 2.8
- Note: BWSR is considering only supporting Arc Pro in future iterations of the desktop model
- Practices broken down by individual NRCS practice types instead of the original 6 treatment groups. For more information, go to the PTMApp Theory and Documentation page and read the Benefits Analysis Technical Memorandum.
- Updates to the economics of practices to look at useful life total costs (ULTC). See recently published paper from the International Water Institute.
- Updated PTMApp model manuals on the Theory and Documentation
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Updated Travel Time tool from MNIT@DNR posted to the MnGEO Commons (July 2022) and available for use in creating the Travel Time raster input data set for PTMApp desktop.
PTMApp Web Application Updates
- Creation of new watershed data and updates to several existing datasets to the newest version of the PTMApp Model.
- Addition of new Support Layers to the interactive map.
- Development of the Scenario Builder Tool that takes the user through a step-by-step process to filter out practices, create reports, and export tabular and GIS datasets.
Training Material Updates
Recently four new training videos were added to the PTMApp Learning Center page:
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PTMApp Web Interactive Map Overview: Learn the basics of navigating the interactive map and view new user-friendly features that have been added in the latest version of the application.
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PTMApp Web Scenario Builder - Part 1: Discover all the functions of the PTMApp Scenario Builder from creating a basic scenario to exporting data and reports.
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PTMApp Web Scenario Builder - Part 2: This video builds on Part 1 by demonstrating how to modify to default inputs of the Scenario Builder to customize outputs from the application.
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PTMApp Web Scenario Builder - Pivot Table Creation: Learn how to export data from the Scenario Builder module into a .csv file that can be brought into Microsoft Excel to create pivot tables to quickly sort and analyze your conservation practice data.
Additional videos on using the PTMApp Web Application to derive environmental outcomes for eLINK reporting will be added later in 2022 after the updated eLINK system has been deployed.
For more information about future PTMApp Future Work and Releases, click here.
 2022 Individual Development Plans Due September 23
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) are used by Minnesota’s Technical Training and Certification Program (TTCP) to identify priority technical training needs throughout the state. These training needs provide the foundation for TTCP’s annual training plan. Please complete your IDP by September 23.
Having an accurate assessment of technical training needs is critical to ensure our training delivery will address local needs. There are a couple things you can do to improve the accuracy of your training needs:
- Review and update your existing training needs. You identified a training need last year, but is it still a training need? It only takes a few moments to either remove outdated training needs or to update them as a current request. For the coming year, we will not consider any training needs dated prior to January 1, 2022. We’ve put together this short video showing you how to do this.
- Be as specific as possible. When requesting a technical skill, several have a space to enter additional comments to specify the kind of training you want. One example is GIS – what software or applications do you need training on? When identifying a practice as a training need you can select which phases – planning, design, construction – you are requesting training on. There is also an option to identify an On the Job Training (OJT) need versus traditional training methods. This short video demonstrates how to do this.
We have also assembled the following resources to assist you in completing your IDP:
If you still have questions or need assistance, please contact us.
Forest Trails and Landings Training
Skid trails and log landings are essential infrastructure for forest harvest. They also have the potential to negatively impact water quality, soil erosion, soil compaction and long-term forest productivity. Join us for a Forest Trails and Landings training on October 12 in the Brainerd area. This field based training will cover planning considerations for the Forest Trails and Landings practice standard (CPS 655) to determine appropriate placement of skid trails and log landings and timing of harvest that minimize detrimental effects to resources. More information and a link to the registration can be found here.
WASCOB Webinar
A new training video has been added to the WASCOB Training Series page. This video explains how to complete the I&E step and what to do for construction inspection on a WASCOB project. The video was part of an in-person field training course, so details on an actual site are used to show the viewer the process using site-specific information.
2022 Training Calendar
An updated version of the working training calendar can be found here. This 12 month view of training offerings will provide additional information about upcoming trainings, including potential locations and other information, and it will be updated monthly. The dates, locations, and other details are always tentative until the event is posted on the Training Calendar.
BWSR Sponsored Training Events
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Minnesota Wetland Professional Certification Program |
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October 5-6
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MWPCP Regional Training - Bemidji
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More information on all MWPCP classes can be found on the Wetland Training Opportunities page.
Technical Training & Certification Program Trainings
Related Partner Trainings
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September
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Sept 16
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50th Annual Crop Production Field Day, UMN Extension, Clarks Grove
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Sept 17
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Soil Health Field Day, BWSR/NRCS, Phil and Robin Smith, Renville SWCD, Hawk Creek Watershed Project, Sacred Heart
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Sept 21
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Soil Health Practices and Water Behavior: Efforts to Quantify Soil Function, Soil Health Nexus, Online
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Sept 28
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Wetland Restoration in SW Minnesota, PF, Worthington
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Sept 29
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Urban Agriculture 101 - Part 2: Supporting Urban and Innovative Agriculture through Production, Conservation and Risk Management, NRCS, Online
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October
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Oct 4
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Challenges and Opportunities in Organic Urban Agriculture, NRCS, Online
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December
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Dec 1-3
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2022 MAWD Annual Conference + Trades Show, MAWD, Alexandria
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Dec 12-14
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MASWCD Annual Convention, MASWCD, Bloomington
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Dec 15-16
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Soil Management Summit, UMN Extension, Waite Park
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Not all training takes place in a classroom. Check out the links below to learn at a time and place of your choosing.
We’ve also put together a searchable library of recorded modules, webinars, videos and other resources to help our staff and partners find professional development information on a variety of topics. You can visit BWSR's Online Learning page to find web-based technical training resources sorted by category.
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Program Contacts
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