Press Release: Comprehensive Water Harvesting Certification Training Expands to Phoenix in Spring 2010
January 11th, 2010
Developing a green economy requires building skills, knowledge, and resources from the ground up in concert with the local environment. To facilitate green job training in Arizona, Watershed Management Group (WMG) is expanding its Water Harvesting Certification program to the Phoenix area in partnership with a Phoenix-based non-profit, Arizona Home Grown Solutions (AzHS).
The WMG Water Harvesting Certification program is the only one of its kind in the nation, providing some 60 hours of hands-on training in design and installation of water harvesting earthworks, cisterns, greywater systems, and sustainable landscaping. The program is geared towards educators, professionals, business entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Courses are taught by WMG staff along with distinguished professionals in the field. A curriculum advisory board made up of water harvesting designers, consultants and contractors provides guidance for the course’s curriculum.
Entering its third year, the program has attracted a diverse range of participants from professional hydrologists and landscape architects to educators, contractors, and people starting their own water harvesting businesses. Phoenix resident, Nick Irvine, a water harvesting entrepreneur and graduate of WMG’s Level 1 certification program, has been instrumental in bringing WMG and Arizona Home Grown Solutions together to offer the certification program in Phoenix. AzHS provides a social community building forum to address and implement solutions to resource conservation issues including sustainable use of water and energy, and food security.
WMG’s “hands-on train the trainers” model, the high quality of its programs, and a growing interest in green job training have all contributed to the program’s popularity. WMG offers a Level 1 course which covers all the fundamentals of water harvesting and a Level 2 course which builds on the Level 1 to teach more advanced system designs. To meet increasing demand for training, WMG will offer for the first time the Level 1 course in Phoenix.
WMG is now accepting applications for its Level 1 Water Harvesting Certification program, which will take place in Phoenix over eight weekends from March 20th through May 8th of 2010. Applications must be received or postmarked by Friday, February 5th, 2010.
Applications and full details on the program are now available on WMG’s website at www.watershedmg.org. For more information on the program, please contact Catlow Shipek at catlow@watershedmg.org or 520-396-3266. Watershed Management Group is a Tucson-based nonprofit organization that provides programs to equip local residents and community groups with the knowledge and skills necessary to sustainably manage their natural resources.
Contact: Watershed Management Group
Catlow Shipek
520-248-9315 (cell)
catlow@watershedmg.org
www.watershedmg.org
Arizona Home Grown Solutions
Jennifer Wadsworth
602-252-8977 (cell)
phoenixhomesteader@gmail.com
http://azhomegrownsolutions.ning.com/