Learn to ID Shorebirds like a PRO!

Join the Bird Alliance of Oregon for a class that will show you how to identify birds by size, shape, color patterns, choice of habitat, and behavior.

Late summer is a great time to study shorebirds as they stop to feed and rest on their way from their breeding grounds in the Arctic to wintering grounds in the southern hemisphere. At first glance, many species look alike. But with a little practice, you will find that each has their own unique characteristics. Join BAO as we show you how to identify all the regularly occurring species using shape, pattern, and behavior.

Enroll separately in the companion Birding Day to this class, where you’ll practice your shorebird identification on the Oregon Coast.

Sanderling, photo by Rhett Wilkins

Register!

Online Class Details

• Class: August 11, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

• Class fee: $20 members / $30 non-members

• Note: Class recordings will be sent out automatically to everyone who registered post-class. Thank you!

Meet the Instructor: John Rakestraw

Born and raised in Indiana, John worked as a naturalist in Kansas and Ohio before settling in Oregon. He is freelance writer, author of Birding Oregon, and leads classes and workshops.

Wild Grief Online is an opportunity to come together for grief peer support and nature connection from the comfort of your own home.

We will start with an opening circle via video chat, similar to the opening circle on our in person hikes. We will introduce ourselves, share who we are carrying in our hearts, and offer some activities for your individual walk/hike. We will then ask everyone to find a place close by to be in nature for 30-45 minutes. This could be a walk around your neighborhood, a sit spot in your yard, or even just opening a window to feel the fresh air and see the sky. After our time in nature, we will reconvene for a closing circle.

This event is free and open for anyone to participate. Please register below!

Click here to register!

This event is from 11 AM - 1 PM Pacific time. We are located in Olympia, Washington, but love it when folks join from other time zones! Find your local time.

outdoorafro

Some of the best family memories don't require a road trip or a campground. Sometimes all it takes is a few blankets, a favorite snack, and time together.

That's what Little CampOut is all about. ⛺🔥

There's still time to join us this Saturday for Outdoor Afro's Live Virtual Campfire, an evening of storytelling, laughter, and connection with families from across the country.

Register through the Outdoor Afro app 🔗 👆🏾

📸 And one more thing! Have your camera ready. On Saturday, we'll be inviting everyone to share photos of their Little CampOut setups on social media, and we can't wait to see how you make Little CampOut your own.

Join the Washington Native Bee Society & Tony Dickey as he takes you through his path to bug photography and beyond — discovering where the bugs are has taken him in unexpected directions. While he recalls his journey, he'll also share a bit of guidance about enhancing your skills or exploring new ones.

This is a free event and available through Zoom, register HERE.

About this event:

Photography is an inherent part of pollinator advocacy. Knowing who visits what plant, and where, matters. Why someone pursues the craft differs from person to person. Tony Dickey takes you through his path to bug photography and beyond — discovering where the bugs are has taken him in unexpected directions. While he recalls his journey, he'll also share a bit of guidance about enhancing your skills or exploring new ones.

When Tony Dickey takes pictures at a location, he now hears, "I was hoping to see you again this year." You will also see him tabling at public events, sharing his and other photographers' pollinator pics. He loves talking about bees and other pollinators because he really wants people to know that helping these essential denizens of our ecosystems often requires just a bit of effort to produce long-term effects.

Like many native bee enthusiasts, his interest began with non-native honey bees. A constant supply of wildflower seeds from a local beekeeping non-profit began an adventure into pollinators and flowers. Living on a converted homestead, the more he planted, the more pollinators began to appear at his West Seattle location.

Limited success with smartphones and tablets led to acquiring a digital camera just as mirrorless ones were becoming more mainstream. From the beginning, the photography has always been about the joy and wonder of discovering the world of insects and other pollinators.

The hobby is turning into a profession. Along the way, Tony has had the honor of speaking to hundreds of people about bees, other pollinators, gardening, and photography. He is taking the next step into professional photography to continue this path, and his work as an advocate will continue. Ultimately, he seeks to create a career path that helps enthusiasts like him flourish.

Tony currently chairs the Washington Native Bee Society Education Committee. He oversees the Pollinator-Plus Guild at Beacon Food Forest in Seattle. He has guided pollinator-focused education across a wide demographic and age range, and he now has a growing passion to widen interest in pollinators with a focus on younger generations.

Botanical Drawing with Crystal Shin with Colored Pencils hosted by the Washington Native Plant Society

Have you ever wanted to draw beautiful wildflowers? They are a true wonder of nature and learning to draw them can be a very satisfying experience. Wildflowers can be challenging to document in the field, but working from photos is a good alternative to removing from their natural habitat. Enjoy the beautiful flowers of summer, and develop your skills in drawing. 

For this class, we will draw from photographs used in a poster of the “Alpine Wildflowers of Washington by Burke Museum”, graciously provided by Photographer Donovan Tracy, or draw similar species from your own wildflower photographs. This is a great way to spend evenings while reviewing your species photographs. This class is a repeat however, it will include new flowers from the prior classes, so it is okay to repeat this course and receive new content. 

We will work on one flower drawing per session which can be completed at home. You can follow along with my demonstration or choose a different flower of your preference. At the end of the course, you will have completed 4 wildflower drawings!

You will learn how to accurately translate a photo into a drawing by observing form, highlights, subtle changes of tone, shade and color to create dimensionality.

With the use of colored pencil techniques, you will learn and practice how to blend colors smoothly while learning to see the intricacies of beautiful wildflowers.

• Date & Time: June 25, 2026, July 2, 9 & 16, 2026   (Every Thursday evening 6:30-8:30 pm, for 4 weeks)

• This drawing class is presented virtually via Zoom, where you can participate from your drawing table. 

• Join Crystal Shin for the workshop series in Botanical Illustration with colored pencil.  Find the course supply list here.

The Alpine Wildflower Poster is available in our online store for purchase if you are interested:  Alpine Wildflowers of Washington - Poster (wnps.org)

Speaker: Crystal Shin, Botanical Artist and Scientific Illustrator

Crystal studied botanical illustration at Gage Academy of Art and the Center for Urban Horticulture, and earned Scientific Illustration Certificate from University of Washington. She worked as a primary illustrator on the second edition of “Flora of the Pacific Northwest” at the University of Washington Herbarium from 2015 to 2018, generating 882 new illustrations. She also illustrated new species for botanists at the herbarium for their research publications. Crystal is a Natural Science illustrator as well. She illustrates fossil drawings for a paleontologist at the Burke Museum. She is passionate about serving science as an artist. She loves working on any nature subjects found in flora and fauna. She works in graphite, pen and ink, color pencils, and watercolor. View her online portfolio at https://www.crystalshinart.com.

Wild Grief Online is an opportunity to come together for grief peer support and nature connection from the comfort of your own home.

We will start with an opening circle via video chat, similar to the opening circle on our in person hikes. We will introduce ourselves, share who we are carrying in our hearts, and offer some activities for your individual walk/hike. We will then ask everyone to find a place close by to be in nature for 30-45 minutes. This could be a walk around your neighborhood, a sit spot in your yard, or even just opening a window to feel the fresh air and see the sky. After our time in nature, we will reconvene for a closing circle.

This event is free and open for anyone to participate. Please register below!

Click here to register!

This event is from 11 AM - 1 PM Pacific time. We are located in Olympia, Washington, but love it when folks join from other time zones! Find your local time.

Botanical Drawing with Crystal Shin with Colored Pencils hosted by the Washington Native Plant Society

Have you ever wanted to draw beautiful wildflowers? They are a true wonder of nature and learning to draw them can be a very satisfying experience. Wildflowers can be challenging to document in the field, but working from photos is a good alternative to removing from their natural habitat. Enjoy the beautiful flowers of summer, and develop your skills in drawing. 

For this class, we will draw from photographs used in a poster of the “Alpine Wildflowers of Washington by Burke Museum”, graciously provided by Photographer Donovan Tracy, or draw similar species from your own wildflower photographs. This is a great way to spend evenings while reviewing your species photographs. This class is a repeat however, it will include new flowers from the prior classes, so it is okay to repeat this course and receive new content. 

We will work on one flower drawing per session which can be completed at home. You can follow along with my demonstration or choose a different flower of your preference. At the end of the course, you will have completed 4 wildflower drawings!

You will learn how to accurately translate a photo into a drawing by observing form, highlights, subtle changes of tone, shade and color to create dimensionality.

With the use of colored pencil techniques, you will learn and practice how to blend colors smoothly while learning to see the intricacies of beautiful wildflowers.

• Date & Time: June 25, 2026, July 2, 9 & 16, 2026   (Every Thursday evening 6:30-8:30 pm, for 4 weeks)

• This drawing class is presented virtually via Zoom, where you can participate from your drawing table. 

• Join Crystal Shin for the workshop series in Botanical Illustration with colored pencil.  Find the course supply list here.

The Alpine Wildflower Poster is available in our online store for purchase if you are interested:  Alpine Wildflowers of Washington - Poster (wnps.org)

Speaker: Crystal Shin, Botanical Artist and Scientific Illustrator

Crystal studied botanical illustration at Gage Academy of Art and the Center for Urban Horticulture, and earned Scientific Illustration Certificate from University of Washington. She worked as a primary illustrator on the second edition of “Flora of the Pacific Northwest” at the University of Washington Herbarium from 2015 to 2018, generating 882 new illustrations. She also illustrated new species for botanists at the herbarium for their research publications. Crystal is a Natural Science illustrator as well. She illustrates fossil drawings for a paleontologist at the Burke Museum. She is passionate about serving science as an artist. She loves working on any nature subjects found in flora and fauna. She works in graphite, pen and ink, color pencils, and watercolor. View her online portfolio at https://www.crystalshinart.com.

Botanical Drawing with Crystal Shin with Colored Pencils hosted by the Washington Native Plant Society

Have you ever wanted to draw beautiful wildflowers? They are a true wonder of nature and learning to draw them can be a very satisfying experience. Wildflowers can be challenging to document in the field, but working from photos is a good alternative to removing from their natural habitat. Enjoy the beautiful flowers of summer, and develop your skills in drawing. 

For this class, we will draw from photographs used in a poster of the “Alpine Wildflowers of Washington by Burke Museum”, graciously provided by Photographer Donovan Tracy, or draw similar species from your own wildflower photographs. This is a great way to spend evenings while reviewing your species photographs. This class is a repeat however, it will include new flowers from the prior classes, so it is okay to repeat this course and receive new content. 

We will work on one flower drawing per session which can be completed at home. You can follow along with my demonstration or choose a different flower of your preference. At the end of the course, you will have completed 4 wildflower drawings!

You will learn how to accurately translate a photo into a drawing by observing form, highlights, subtle changes of tone, shade and color to create dimensionality.

With the use of colored pencil techniques, you will learn and practice how to blend colors smoothly while learning to see the intricacies of beautiful wildflowers.

• Date & Time: June 25, 2026, July 2, 9 & 16, 2026   (Every Thursday evening 6:30-8:30 pm, for 4 weeks)

• This drawing class is presented virtually via Zoom, where you can participate from your drawing table. 

• Join Crystal Shin for the workshop series in Botanical Illustration with colored pencil.  Find the course supply list here.

The Alpine Wildflower Poster is available in our online store for purchase if you are interested:  Alpine Wildflowers of Washington - Poster (wnps.org)

Speaker: Crystal Shin, Botanical Artist and Scientific Illustrator

Crystal studied botanical illustration at Gage Academy of Art and the Center for Urban Horticulture, and earned Scientific Illustration Certificate from University of Washington. She worked as a primary illustrator on the second edition of “Flora of the Pacific Northwest” at the University of Washington Herbarium from 2015 to 2018, generating 882 new illustrations. She also illustrated new species for botanists at the herbarium for their research publications. Crystal is a Natural Science illustrator as well. She illustrates fossil drawings for a paleontologist at the Burke Museum. She is passionate about serving science as an artist. She loves working on any nature subjects found in flora and fauna. She works in graphite, pen and ink, color pencils, and watercolor. View her online portfolio at https://www.crystalshinart.com.

Perhaps more than any other branch of wildlife photography, macro / closeup photography offers the highest number of photo subjects in any given area. Armed with a macro lens and a little curiosity, you could spend days photographing the tiny ecosystems present in just your yard! But getting sharp, aesthetically pleasing images of all these subjects can be a bit tricky.

In this Bird Alliance of Oregon program, wildlife photographer Brian Magnier will discuss the gear, camera settings, framing, and animal behavior associated with getting high-quality closeup photos of small subjects – including the difference between a true “macro” photo and other close-up photography.

A macro photography portrait of a Katydid, photo by Tara Lemezis

Learn how to shoot macro photography!

In this program, wildlife photographer Brian Magnier will discuss the gear, camera settings, framing, and animal behavior associated with getting high-quality closeup photos of small subjects - including the difference between a true “macro” photo and other close-up photography.

Register!

Online Class Details

• Class: July 2, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

• Class fee: $20 members / $30 non-members

• Note: Class recordings will be sent out automatically to everyone who registered post-class. Thank you!

Meet the Instructor: Brian Magnier

My name is Brian Magnier, and I live in La Grande, Oregon. I studied ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University and got a Master of Professional Science degree in Exploration Science at the University of Miami. As was the case for so many people, birds were the gateway to my passion for wildlife. I have been an avid birder since elementary school and a nature photographer for almost as long.
I have been fortunate to be able to travel the world both for pleasure and for academic research. I have done fieldwork on mammals and insects in Alaska and New York and on birds in Borneo and Papua New Guinea. I have journeyed to Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Sweden, and Iceland, photographing wildlife in dense jungles and rugged deserts. I have led hiking and kayaking tours in Alaska and snorkel tours in Belize and Indonesia. I aim to inspire people to get outside, talk a walk, flip over some logs, and take a closer look at the world around them. I now live in La Grande, Oregon, where I can often be found wandering through deserts and forests, camera in hand, to find everything from birds to fungi to fossils.

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thewdfw

Join the Northwest Straits Foundation and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for an online crabbing workshop from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, June 29.

The workshop is a way to educate recreational Puget Sound crabbers on crab management, 2026 seasons and regulations, and best practices for how to properly set up your gear to have more success, when and where to set pots, favorite bait, techniques, how to avoid gear loss and more.

Guest speakers include Don Velasquez and Katelyn Bosley with WDFW and Northwest Straits Foundation staff.

Pre-registration is required. Learn more about the Northwest Straits Foundation at https://nwstraitsfoundation.org/.

#crab #crabbing #pugetsound #crabfishing #fishing

Botanical Drawing with Crystal Shin with Colored Pencils hosted by the Washington Native Plant Society

Have you ever wanted to draw beautiful wildflowers? They are a true wonder of nature and learning to draw them can be a very satisfying experience. Wildflowers can be challenging to document in the field, but working from photos is a good alternative to removing from their natural habitat. Enjoy the beautiful flowers of summer, and develop your skills in drawing. 

For this class, we will draw from photographs used in a poster of the “Alpine Wildflowers of Washington by Burke Museum”, graciously provided by Photographer Donovan Tracy, or draw similar species from your own wildflower photographs. This is a great way to spend evenings while reviewing your species photographs. This class is a repeat however, it will include new flowers from the prior classes, so it is okay to repeat this course and receive new content. 

We will work on one flower drawing per session which can be completed at home. You can follow along with my demonstration or choose a different flower of your preference. At the end of the course, you will have completed 4 wildflower drawings!

You will learn how to accurately translate a photo into a drawing by observing form, highlights, subtle changes of tone, shade and color to create dimensionality.

With the use of colored pencil techniques, you will learn and practice how to blend colors smoothly while learning to see the intricacies of beautiful wildflowers.

• Date & Time: June 25, 2026, July 2, 9 & 16, 2026   (Every Thursday evening 6:30-8:30 pm, for 4 weeks)

• This drawing class is presented virtually via Zoom, where you can participate from your drawing table. 

• Join Crystal Shin for the workshop series in Botanical Illustration with colored pencil.  Find the course supply list here.

The Alpine Wildflower Poster is available in our online store for purchase if you are interested:  Alpine Wildflowers of Washington - Poster (wnps.org)

Speaker: Crystal Shin, Botanical Artist and Scientific Illustrator

Crystal studied botanical illustration at Gage Academy of Art and the Center for Urban Horticulture, and earned Scientific Illustration Certificate from University of Washington. She worked as a primary illustrator on the second edition of “Flora of the Pacific Northwest” at the University of Washington Herbarium from 2015 to 2018, generating 882 new illustrations. She also illustrated new species for botanists at the herbarium for their research publications. Crystal is a Natural Science illustrator as well. She illustrates fossil drawings for a paleontologist at the Burke Museum. She is passionate about serving science as an artist. She loves working on any nature subjects found in flora and fauna. She works in graphite, pen and ink, color pencils, and watercolor. View her online portfolio at https://www.crystalshinart.com.

Your pollinator garden is visited by all sorts of beneficial insects, from bees to predatory bugs to lacewings.

In this webinar, Jennifer Hopwood and Aaron Anderson of the Xerces Society will discuss how to identify and monitor the amazing invertebrates that live in and visit your pollinator habitat. They will also talk through the habitat needs of beneficial insects, pesticide risks, and some simple suggestions for insecticide-free pest management.

Registration is required and the event is free

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

In this class, the Bird Alliance of Oregon will discuss not only how to identify Oregon’s butterflies but also what time of year they emerge and what plants they like to associate with.

With over 18,000 species, butterflies are one of the most diverse groups of animals on Earth. They have spread and adapted to almost every terrestrial habitat and are found pretty much everywhere except Iceland and Antarctica. Oregon has about 150 species of these delicate insects, and together we will go through many of the common species that can be found here. We will discuss not only how to identify Oregon’s butterflies but also what time of year they emerge and what plants they like to associate with.

Pale Swallowtail, photo by Tara Lemezis

Take a deep dive into the natural history of butterflies!

In this digital class, we’ll discuss not only how to identify Oregon’s butterflies but also what time of year they emerge and what plants they like to associate with.

Register

Online Class Details

• Class: June 17, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

• Class fee: $20 members / $30 non-members

• Note: Class recordings will be sent out automatically to everyone who registered post-class. Thank you!

Meet the Instructor Brian Magnier

My name is Brian Magnier, and I live in La Grande, Oregon. I studied ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University and got a Master of Professional Science degree in Exploration Science at the University of Miami. As was the case for so many people, birds were the gateway to my passion for wildlife. I have been an avid birder since elementary school and a nature photographer for almost as long.
I have been fortunate to be able to travel the world both for pleasure and for academic research. I have done fieldwork on mammals and insects in Alaska and New York and on birds in Borneo and Papua New Guinea. I have journeyed to Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Sweden, and Iceland, photographing wildlife in dense jungles and rugged deserts. I have led hiking and kayaking tours in Alaska and snorkel tours in Belize and Indonesia. I aim to inspire people to get outside, talk a walk, flip over some logs, and take a closer look at the world around them. I now live in La Grande, Oregon, where I can often be found wandering through deserts and forests, camera in hand, to find everything from birds to fungi to fossils.

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Wild Grief Online is an opportunity to come together for grief peer support and nature connection from the comfort of your own home.

We will start with an opening circle via video chat, similar to the opening circle on our in person hikes. We will introduce ourselves, share who we are carrying in our hearts, and offer some activities for your individual walk/hike. We will then ask everyone to find a place close by to be in nature for 30-45 minutes. This could be a walk around your neighborhood, a sit spot in your yard, or even just opening a window to feel the fresh air and see the sky. After our time in nature, we will reconvene for a closing circle.

This event is free and open for anyone to participate. Please register below!

Click here to register!

This event is from 11 AM - 1 PM Pacific time. We are located in Olympia, Washington, but love it when folks join from other time zones! Find your local time.

VIRTUAL BAT CLASSES

Join speaker Brandon Burger to earn about the diversity in bats and why they are the most amazing and beneficial animals on earth. Get tips on how to invite bats into your own yard.

This class will be held via Zoom.

Call 503-445-2699 ext. 4 to register - Registration Deadline:  June 9th at 4:30PM

Join the Bird Alliance of Oregon to learn about the life histories and adaptations of this diverse group of insects, from caterpillar chemical defenses to mimicry and reproduction.

You’ve seen butterflies flying around at the park and watched them pollinate and feed on flowers in your yard. But how much do you know about these ephemeral beauties? How do you tell butterflies apart from moths? When did they first evolve? Join us to learn about the life histories and adaptations of this diverse group of insects, from caterpillar chemical defenses to mimicry and reproduction.

Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly, Photo by Ted Thomas, USFWS

Take a deep dive into the natural history of butterflies!

Join this on-line workshop to learn about the life histories and adaptations of this diverse group of insects, from caterpillar chemical defenses to mimicry and reproduction.

Register

Online Class Details

• Class: June 10, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

• Class fee: $20 members / $30 non-members

• Note: Class recordings will be sent out automatically to everyone who registered post-class. Thank you!

Meet the Instructor Brian Magnier

My name is Brian Magnier, and I live in La Grande, Oregon. I studied ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University and got a Master of Professional Science degree in Exploration Science at the University of Miami. As was the case for so many people, birds were the gateway to my passion for wildlife. I have been an avid birder since elementary school and a nature photographer for almost as long.
I have been fortunate to be able to travel the world both for pleasure and for academic research. I have done fieldwork on mammals and insects in Alaska and New York and on birds in Borneo and Papua New Guinea. I have journeyed to Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Sweden, and Iceland, photographing wildlife in dense jungles and rugged deserts. I have led hiking and kayaking tours in Alaska and snorkel tours in Belize and Indonesia. I aim to inspire people to get outside, talk a walk, flip over some logs, and take a closer look at the world around them. I now live in La Grande, Oregon, where I can often be found wandering through deserts and forests, camera in hand, to find everything from birds to fungi to fossils.

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Join the Washington Trails Association and special guests for a webinar on Tuesday, June 9 from 6–7 p.m. where they will share: 

• What to expect for your summer hikes in the Western Cascades

• How WTA and land managers are working to restore outdoor access

• How damage to trails and outdoor places affects local towns 

• How you can help trails and lands get the care they need

 Register for this online webinar to learn more: SIGN ME UP

 This webinar is a special opportunity to hear directly from three experts with insider knowledge and unique perspectives on the state of our public lands: 

• Erin Uloth, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest’s supervisor

• Dan Rankin, mayor of Darrington, WA

• Jaime Loucky, WTA’s chief executive officer

If you aren’t able to join us live, register today and we’ll send you the webinar recording.

Thank you for being part of a community that shows up when trails need them most.

wa_nativebees

Coming up this month, join the Washington Bee Atlas team to learn about the Bee Stewards program from Oregon Extension!

Do you want to build bee habitat or take your existing habitat to the next level? The Bee Stewards program is an introductory course that will teach you about the diversity of bees and how to meet their various needs through careful landscape design and plant selection.

Learn more about this program with instructor and entomologist Dr. Jen Hayes:

Jen is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Oregon State University Pollinator Health Lab and leads the Extension Bee Stewards program. She's been studying bees for over 10 years; she started as a field teach collecting bees on Vermont berry farms and then moved around to survey bees across different ecosystems, including Ecuadorean cloud forests, prairies in North Dakota, and the Oregon Coast Range. She received her PhD while working in Dr. Gail Langellotto's Garden Ecology Lab, evaluating pollinator visitation to native plants and native plant cultivars. 

Learn more HERE

Join the Washington Trails Association to get inspiration for your outdoor adventures this year!

WTA staff will share fresh hiking recommendations and pro tips for planning great hiking experiences. There’s a little something for everyone at Hike the State. Whether you’re a multi-day backpacker or a neighborhood wanderer, join us and add something new to your hiking list.

Register HERE for this free on-line workshop

Washington Trails Association staff help you find and plan your next great adventure! Come away with 10+ hike ideas and tips for having a great hiking year.

Join WTA online to get inspiration for your summer hiking season. With 10 hike recommendations and hiking tips from WTA staff, there's something for everyone at Hike the State.

The WTA team is excited to help you find hikes and adventures that range from stunning views and alpine lakes to easygoing, lush river walks. In one jam-packed hour, we'll share plenty of ideas you'll want to add to your hiking list and help you prepare for the hiking season ahead. 

Register today!

Hike the State is a free, annual event hosted by WTA, a nonprofit committed to a future with trails for everyone, forever.

This year, attendees will hear from these four WTA staff member experts: 

• Nicole Masih-Théberge (she/her) - Senior Community Engagement Coordinator - Nicole grew up hiking and camping all around the Pacific Northwest. She has spent her career working in a variety of roles for nonprofits in youth development, volunteer management and grant writing. Leading several camping and hiking trips while working for Girl Scouts of Western Washington further ignited her excitement for increasing access to nature and outdoor recreation. Nicole is passionate about environmental and social justice and is thrilled to be working with WTA to support and grow community engagement with the outdoors. When she’s not working, you can usually find her on a walk, reading, or cooking. 

• Maryjo "MJ" Mahan (she/her) - Senior Community Partnerships and Leadership Development Coordinator - Maryjo, also known as MJ, was born and raised in the Bay Area but is now settling into her PNW roots. After graduating from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience she worked in academic research for several years. She is a certified Environmental and Outdoor Educator from California’s Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE) and has worked with various nonprofit organizations focused on environmental justice and empowering BIPOC youth through the outdoors. Her true passion is to continuously create equitable and accessible outdoor programs for underrepresented youth and communities. MJ's hobbies include reading, running, hiking, birding, silly dancing, playing ultimate frisbee, and talking about and watching sports (Golden State Warriors specifically). If she's not doing any of those, you can likely find her drinking kombucha and sitting in a camp chair by a body of water. 

• Brandon Tigner - Senior North Puget Sound Trails Coordinator - Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Brandon discovered his passion for the outdoors first as a volunteer and then as an assistant crew leader with the Maine Appalachian Trail Crew. Making his way to the Pacific Northwest he WWOOFed on an organic farm, conducted salmonid life cycle surveys and worked construction. Jumping back into the trail world, Brandon spent two incredible seasons with WTA as the Southwest Regional Trail Crew Leader before joining Trailkeepers of Oregon as their North Coast Stewardship Coordinator. Brandon is excited to be back with WTA working in the majestic Cascade Mountains as well as the North Puget Sound Region! Brandon’s other passions include playing guitar, eating pizza, and adventuring with his family! 

• Cassidy Giampetro (she/her) - Advocacy Manager - Cassidy experienced a true calling to the mountains when she moved to Washington in 2017 from flat Miami, Florida. She has served in a number of roles leveraging partnership-based work for community development and environmental policy outcomes, including previously leading a King County coalition and mobilizing voters during elections. Cassidy is passionate about environmental justice and strengthening equitable access to nature. She is excited to bring this experience to WTA to get more voices active and heard in the hiking community. She is a lover of biodiversity, wildlife, and sweets! 

Moths are the second largest group of animals on the planet, making up a tenth of all known organisms. They are also possibly the single most important food source for birds, in both their caterpillar and adult forms. And yet, they are generally thought of as pests, and not much else. 

In this class join Brodie to learn all about moths! we’ll explore the incredible diversity of moths, their fascinating ecology, and why their conservation is so important (and under-resourced). 

We’ll also look at an overview of the more than 2,000 species that have been found in Oregon, how we can observe them, and how we can contribute to community science efforts that are crucial to their scientific understanding.

 Bird Alliance of Oregon Members $20 – Non-members $30

Polyphemus Moth, photo by Tara Lemezis

Register!

Online Class Details

• Class fee: $20 members / $30 non-members

• When: May 19, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

• Note: Class recordings will be sent out automatically to everyone who registered post-class. Thank you!

Meet the Instructor: Brodie Cass Talbott

Brodie works as an educator with Bird Alliance of Oregon. After many years of wildland firefighting and leading river tours, he spent six years living and teaching across Asia, where his interest in birds became his passion. He has birded across five continents, and uses his experience in education and ecotourism to share his love of the outdoors with people from all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, with an eye towards increasing access to wild spaces for people from diverse communities.

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Free watercolor class with Claire Giordano!

Pictured above! This upcoming class will focus on techniques for painting dynamic mountain shapes, trees, and vibrant alpine meadows. 

A few times each year Claire hosts free classes focusing on a specific technique or fun landscape. They are a small way to give back to her online community, and she loves sharing the joy and fun of watercolor with so many folks. 

​Signing up with the form on this page will register you for any upcoming classes AND I will send you the the recording from the prior free lesson :) Recorded for anyone who can't attend the livestream

REGISTER FOR THE CLASS HERE

Sign up for the Mountain & Meadow class, and get the recording from the Mt. Baker lesson!

Join the Bird Alliance of Oregon for this fun and unique online art workshop.

Unlike other owls, the Burrowing Owl is a ground dweller. They are small with long legs and are active during the day. The slightly rufous brown with white spots and yellow eyes will be a great challenge to paint with watercolor, but Ronna has some tricks up her sleeve to paint these patterns with ease. Add this class to your list to learn about this unusual owl through watercolor.

The birds will be painted from a photo which will be sent to you before the class. Students will be painting alongside Ronna online, a step-by-step process she has mastered in painting birds.

Ronna strives to build an atmosphere of learning by encouraging students to take risks, showing support and encouragement, and working alongside the class to assist in the understanding of watercolor painting.

 Learn to paint watercolor birds! Paint a Burrowing Owl with us!

Register!

Online Class Details

• Date and time: May 14, 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 

• Fee: $25 members / $35 non-members

• Where: This is an online zoom class. Recordings will be sent after the class and are available for you to watch for up to two weeks. 

• Click here to download the Supply List

Meet the Instructor

Ronna Fujisawa

Ronna Fujisawa, MFA in Applied Craft and Design, from OCAC and PNCA/ BFA Miami University, Oxford, Ohio Artist, art educator, and outdoor enthusiast. Ronna’s creative practice focuses on painting, mixed media, fiber art, and growing indigo for natural dye and paint. She has been living in Portland for seven years. She has found a strong connection to nature and birds through plein air (painting outdoors), watercolor painting, hiking, and kayaking. Her teaching practice includes painting classes at Catlin Gabel School Community Program for adults, Portland Fine Arts Guild, online, and plein air (painting outdoors) watercolor classes for all ages. She has taught Bird Art to elementary school children in Portland Public Schools for six years before the pandemic. Over the last two years, her educational practice has shifted to adult classes, both in-person and zoom. Ronna has been passionately studying and painting birds and landscapes in watercolor for over a decade. Her classes cater to beginner and intermediate students.

For more examples of her work, please visit Ronna’s website: https://saltywaterart.com.

Register!

Wild Grief Online is an opportunity to come together for grief peer support and nature connection from the comfort of your own home.

We will start with an opening circle via video chat, similar to the opening circle on our in person hikes. We will introduce ourselves, share who we are carrying in our hearts, and offer some activities for your individual walk/hike. We will then ask everyone to find a place close by to be in nature for 30-45 minutes. This could be a walk around your neighborhood, a sit spot in your yard, or even just opening a window to feel the fresh air and see the sky. After our time in nature, we will reconvene for a closing circle.

This event is free and open for anyone to participate. Please register below!

Click here to register!

This event is from 11 AM - 1 PM Pacific time. We are located in Olympia, Washington, but love it when folks join from other time zones! Find your local time.

mshinstitute

Attention, educators! Curious about bringing your students to Mount St. Helens?

Join Mt. St. Helen’s Institute’s education team for a FREE one-hour virtual info session on Tuesday, April 14 at 4 p.m. Whether you're a teacher, principal, youth-serving nonprofit, or homeschool group we'll cover everything you need to know:

• Program variety (day vs. overnight or virtual field trips)
• What to expect during a Volcano Outdoor School (VOS) visit
• Activity options tailored to learning goals
• Financial aid opportunities

Learn more and sign up for the info session HERE

Parents and guardians, want to see your own child at VOS?
Send the educators you know the link to the info session registration!

Already ready to book? We still have some openings for day and overnight programs from mid-June through fall. Secure your spot, contact MSHI today!

Join Clark County Parks & Nature for an Online Presentation and Q&A:

Parks and Nature will host an online presentation with project details followed by a Q&A session via Webex. 

Online via Webex:

Meeting Link: https://clarkwa.webex.com/clarkwa/j.php?MTID=md227204f0f009f3f0376c5d55ba668fc

Password: Clark

The community is also welcome to provide feedback on the project via email at PWParksProjects@clark.wa.gov between March 7 and 17. 

About the project:

Play area updates

The play areas will be closed beginning in early January for the removal and replacement of play equipment. Other areas of the park will remain open during construction. Those visiting the park during construction are reminded to stay out of closed areas and watch for construction traffic. 

Community feedback was taken into consideration in the planning process for the concept. The replacement play equipment was selected based on community feedback from an online survey and several events. A castle/medieval theme was selected. 

Park plan update

In 2026, Parks and Nature will finalize the preferred park plan for the undeveloped five acres of Hazel Dell Community Park shown in the “master plan update – concept” above. Design and construction of this area is pending future funding. 

Access improvements project

Clark County Parks and Nature is working to update the park facilities plan and improve access at Hazel Dell Community Park. In 2024, we met with the community to discuss the project and gather feedback. The project design is nearing completion, and construction is currently scheduled to start later this summer. Construction will include paving the existing parking area and improving park pathways to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) criteria. 

This is a Washington Trails Association Q+A is for green hats (earned through participation in work parties) that are interested in becoming an ACL (Assistant Crew Leader).

Whether you are planning on applying soon, or if you are curious to hear the requirements and application process, all green hats are welcome!

What to Expect: Learn about the process of becoming an Assistant Crew Leader (ACL)! This session is a space to connect, ask questions, and learn more about the ACL Pathway — including what the role involves and how to pursue a volunteer leadership role with WTA.

Project Description: Learn more about what it takes to become an ACL, and what the application process is here! Once registered for this work party, you will receive the Zoom information. You will also receive one incentive day for your time.

Please note, you are not required to attend these sessions in order to apply as an ACL.

Special Event:We'll open the meeting at 5:55 pm to allow folks to set up audio/video.

What to Bring: Your questions, ideas, and concerns.

More Information: Contact us at volunteer@wta.org or 206.625.1367.

Registration is required: Join Work Party

On the first Tuesday of the month from September through June, please join us for some social time and a fun, educational, or informative program on Zoom. Anyone interested is very welcome!

Members will receive an invitation to register in their email. Anyone interested can contact the program chair for an invitation—you don’t need to be a member. Didn’t receive your Zoom invitation? Contact Don Rose for more information.

Social half-hour begins at 6:30pm, meeting and program will start at 7:00 pm. We hope you will join us!

Jim Danzenbaker - When you locate shorebirds, do you feel the need to run away because you can’t identify them? Do you watch them for a while and realize that you’ll never know what they are? This presentation will help demystify some of the identification challenges associated with shorebirds. We’ll look at bill shape, plumage, behavior, and habitat and incorporate some eBird data to help increase our knowledge of shorebirds. We’ll concentrate on shorebirds found in Clark and neighboring counties but may include a few from other spots in Washington. Jim has given shorebird identification workshops and led shorebird field trips in San Diego, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Ocean Shores, WA. He currently lives in Battle Ground, WA.

vancouveraudubon.org/vas-events/programs/