On February 28th, Channel Islands Restoration (CIR) staff gathered at Fillmore City Hall for professional development and knowledge sharing. The workshop aimed to provide field techs with some bilingual skills and riparian knowledge, supporting effective communication between crews in the field and enhancing their understanding of restoration work and related topics such as ecology and natural resource protection.

The morning session by Marianne and Alikio Parra included insight into Chumash culture, past and present, and the Chumash’s stewardship of the land. This session provided a unique perspective on the restoration work that CIR handles, helping the field techs gain a greater sense of involvement with the restoration of the Santa Clara River and forming connections to professionals and stakeholders working in other aspects of the field. 

One of the main goals of the workshop was to provide professional development opportunities for CIR field techs and landscapers, allowing them to gain new skills, knowledge, and experiences related to their work. This workshop also provided an avenue for sharing knowledge among colleagues and coworkers, which can be challenging due to time constraints.

The workshop also highlighted the collaboration between CIR and other organizations providing similar programs. For instance, 

CIR has connected with Theodore Payne, who sponsored this training for free, further demonstrating the commitment of CIR to promoting professional development and continuous learning among its field techs. 

Overall, the workshop at Fillmore City Hall was a successful event that provided CIR staff with valuable professional development opportunities, including gaining bilingual skills and riparian knowledge, learning about Chumash culture and language, and connecting with other professionals in the field. 

It further emphasized the importance of ongoing learning and knowledge sharing in restoration work and fostered a greater sense of involvement and connection among staff.

CIR field techs and staff gather for a group photo after the professional development workshop