University of Nevada Cooperative Extension invites local green-industry professionals, including landscapers and nursery workers, to attend Extension's first-ever Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) training Oct. 15-16. The training will prepare participants to take the certification exam on Oct. 17, becoming some of the first ever QWEL-certified professionals in northern Nevada.

The training is part of Extension's new Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper Certification (QWEL) Program. Professionals certified by the program, which was designed by the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership and is recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency, will be listed on the QWEL website, where local landowners can find them for hire. In addition, certified QWEL professionals can use the QWEL logo on their trucks and business cards as a means of marketing their qualifications with their customers.

The training will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Oct. 15 and 16, with the water audit 9:30 a.m. to noon, Oct. 17. Classes are taught by Cooperative Extension and Truckee Meadows Water Authority faculty and staff, and industry professionals. Participants will be provided with local water, soil and plant information; basic and advanced irrigation principles; and hands-on water audit skills they can use in the field.

Cost for the training is $100 and includes the water audit, class supplies, lunches for Oct. 15 and 16, and refreshments. The certification exam is 1-4 p.m., Oct. 17, and the cost is $50. Both the training and the certification exam are at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension office, 4955 Energy Way in Reno.

Registration is a two-step process, beginning at the QWEL-Reno webpage. For more information on classes or certification, contact Jenn Fisher at fisherj@unce.unr.edu or 775-336-0249. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should call at least three days prior to the class they intend to attend.