Biology and Management of California Tiger Salamander

Workshop description

Pete Trenham, Ph.D. and Chris Searcy, Ph.D. will present this workshop on the biology and conservation of the California tiger salamander (CTS). Dr. Trenham has published a variety of papers on the ecology and life history of the California tiger salamander and has taught this popular workshop annually since 2005. Dr. Searcy has authored 11 published papers on California tiger salamanders and continues to analyze long-term datasets from all three CTS distinct population segments.

The lecture portion of this workshop includes digital presentations by both presenters on the identification, life history, movements, conservation, and management of the California tiger salamander. Presentations will be held remotely and will be interspersed with discussion and small group exercises.

The field portion of the workshop will include hands-on training on habitat assessment and survey techniques as well as in situ discussion about habitat management. Although the class normally encounters CTS and participants are able to handle the species, we cannot guarantee handling or pond sampling experience due to the stochastic nature of planet Earth’s biota as well as potential for failure of human systems beyond our control. Participants will need their own field equipment including dip net and waders (preferably chest waders with no holes) to practice sampling methodology.

Workshop Format

The workshop fee includes two days of online lectures on May 15 and 16 from 10 am - 2:30 pm PST, and enrollment in ONE of four field training sessions, either May 20 or May 21, at the Dorrance Ranch, outside of Salinas. Field sessions will take place each day from 9 am - 1 pm and 3 pm - 7 pm.

Workshop Objectives

Increase participant understanding of:

• the biology of California tiger salamanders;
• habitat management for this species, and;
• how to apply information in large-scale and local conservation planning efforts.

Improve these participant skills:

• species identification;
• aquatic habitat sampling techniques, and;
• upland and aquatic site assessment.

Topics addressed

• Ambystoma californiense life history and natural history
• Basic genetics and evolutionary history of Ambystoma californiense
• Instruction on how to identify all stages of Ambystoma californiense
• Recommended sampling methods and seasons for detecting different life history stages - specifically detailing the joint USFWS/CDFG sampling guidance
• Permitting requirements for work with Ambystoma californiense
• Interactions of Ambystoma californiense with other species - burrowing mammals, prey, and predators
• Ambystoma californiense aquatic/breeding habitat characteristics and management and minimization discussion
• Ambystoma californiense upland/terrestrial habitat characteristics and management and minimization discussion
• Population ecology and demography of Ambystoma californiense
• Causes of Ambystoma californiense decline
• Ambystoma californiense landscape ecology and recommendations for regional management

Field training practicum

Participants will receive skills-based training in species identification, sampling techniques, and habitat requirements of the California tiger salamander. Pete and Chris will lead participants through hands-on skill building exercises for conserving the species.

***Important Registration Information***

It is important to note that no component of this workshop should be construed to apply to attendees’ ability to obtain permits related to the CTS; if you are interested in how workshop activities might be used for permitting, you are encouraged to contact your agency permitting representative.

After you register, please email Grant Lyon (grant@elkhornslough.org) your preference for the field session date. While we cannot guarantee your preference, we will do what we can to meet your desires. We will limit the number of people per field sessions to 12, so we have to make sometimes difficult decisions in breaking the group into four. We will notify you of your assigned field session date by May 1 at the latest.

Registration details

Please note - your registration will not be finalized until we receive your registration fee. Payment can be either in the form of a credit card through Eventbrite or a check made payable to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation and sent to:

Elkhorn Slough Foundation

ATTN: Coastal Training Program

1700 Elkhorn Road

Watsonville, CA 95076

Deadline for payment is Wednesday, April 24 at 5 pm. If we have not received your payment at that time, your place may be forfeit to someone on our waiting list.

We will refund cancellations prior to April 24 minus a $50 processing fee; we cannot refund any fees after that date. We reserve the right to cancel the workshop prior to April 26; in that event, we will give full refunds.

We ask you not to cancel after the registration deadline; if you sign up, please show up so as to not waste valuable resources. Repeated failure to adhere to these policies may jeopardize a person’s future ability to enroll in our programs.

We do not allow third party registration- register only yourself! Registration is email sensitive; registering others frequently results in cancellation, missed communication, and other issues.

With limited exceptions, we do not typically allow registration 'trading', even to persons within the same organization. This is because in the past, larger, wealthier organizations have reserved large blocks of seats, excluding others from attending, only to later cancel or re-assign those reservations to others in their organization.

Please let us know as soon as you know if you have registered and cannot attend as there is usually an extensive waiting list for our trainings and we use substantial funds to subsidize workshop expenses, helping to make them more affordable.