Audiobook listeners need not walk alone!

Bring your audiobook of choice and meet the Camas Library each month at a new outdoor location for a community walk. We’ll walk for 60 minutes and wrap up with an optional 30 minutes of social time to chat with other book lovers and audio fans.

Walkers of all paces and experience levels are welcome — whether you’re a power walker, stroller pusher, or leisurely listener, there’s space for you here.

Walks are weather-dependent, so please check our social media channels or this event page for updates or cancellations.

Accommodations: The library strives to ensure our events are accessible to everyone. If you require special accommodations to join us, please call 360.834.4692 or email library@cityofcamas.us at least two weeks before the event.

Location Details:

Camas Public Library, 625 NE 4th Ave, Camas, WA 98607

See map: Google Maps

Contact Info

Name: Stacy Yakouba

Email: library@cityofcamas.us

Phone Number: (360) 834-4692

fourthplainforward

Art & Nature in the Park is BACK for 2026! 🎨🌿

Fourth Plain Forward can't wait to bring free art and nature activities to Vancouver Flex Academy and Downs Neighborhood Park this summer. A huge thank you to our amazing partners Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, and all of our community partners for making these special moments possible. Come join us for a summer full of fun, creativity, and connection! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Saturdays 11am–2pm | July & August
📅 July 11 at Flex Academy Park
📅 July 25 at Flex Academy Park
📅 August 8 at Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 August 22 at Downs Neighborhood Park

¡Arte y Naturaleza en el Parque está DE VUELTA en 2026! 🎨🌿 No podemos esperar para traer actividades gratuitas de arte y naturaleza a Vancouver Flex Academy y Downs Neighborhood Park este verano. Un enorme agradecimiento a nuestros increíbles socios Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, y todos nuestros socios comunitarios por hacer posibles estos momentos tan especiales. ¡Ven a disfrutar de un verano lleno de diversión, creatividad y conexión! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Sábados 11am–2pm | Julio y Agosto
📅 11 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 25 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 8 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 22 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park

vancouver.audubon & cameraderie.pnw

Grab your binoculars because Cameraderie is hitting Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge for a Birdathon!

Split into teams and spend the morning competing to spot as many bird species as possible throughout the refuge. We'll bring the event to a close with a species count, awards ceremony, and a celebration of everything our Wings of Change fundraiser has accomplished this summer.

• All ages and experience levels are welcome.

• Don't have binoculars or a camera? Ask about our equipment loan program!

• For more details and to register, tap the link in our bio or go directly to vancouveraudubon.org/cameraderie

Photos: Common Yellowthroat, American Kestrel, American Bittern, Crown House Vista Point as viewed from Steigerwald Lake NWR by Ken Pitts/Vancovuer Audubon

fourthplainforward

Art & Nature in the Park is BACK for 2026! 🎨🌿

Fourth Plain Forward can't wait to bring free art and nature activities to Vancouver Flex Academy and Downs Neighborhood Park this summer. A huge thank you to our amazing partners Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, and all of our community partners for making these special moments possible. Come join us for a summer full of fun, creativity, and connection! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Saturdays 11am–2pm | July & August
📅 July 11 at Flex Academy Park
📅 July 25 at Flex Academy Park
📅 August 8 at Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 August 22 at Downs Neighborhood Park

¡Arte y Naturaleza en el Parque está DE VUELTA en 2026! 🎨🌿 No podemos esperar para traer actividades gratuitas de arte y naturaleza a Vancouver Flex Academy y Downs Neighborhood Park este verano. Un enorme agradecimiento a nuestros increíbles socios Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, y todos nuestros socios comunitarios por hacer posibles estos momentos tan especiales. ¡Ven a disfrutar de un verano lleno de diversión, creatividad y conexión! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Sábados 11am–2pm | Julio y Agosto
📅 11 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 25 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 8 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 22 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park

Join the Fort Vancouver Regional Library White Salmon Valley library for a lively discussion about this month’s title Ocean by David Attenborough.

For adults 18+

Limited copies are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the library. You can also check the Libby App from OverDrive for the eBook or eAudio.

Online attendees: Register to receive the link. If available, a copy of the book will be sent to the library most convenient for you.

Titles related to this event

• Ocean: Attenborough,…

Registration required - Registration closes on August 7 at 4:00pm

Accommodations

Library events and programs are open to the public and provided at no cost. Special accommodations may be requested using our Disability Accommodation Request Form no later than 15 days prior to the event.

Los eventos y programas de la biblioteca están abiertos al público y se brindan sin costo. Se pueden solicitar adaptaciones especiales utilizando nuestro formulario de solicitud de adaptaciones para personas con discapacidades (en inglés) hasta 15 días antes del evento.

Особые условия могут быть запрошены с помощью нашей формы запроса на предоставление условий для людей с инвалидностью не позднее чем за 15 дней до мероприятия.

Location

White Salmon Valley Community Library

Sprint/Baker Gallery Room

Create your own miniature world inside a shadow box! Using one small figure as your starting point, you’ll build a unique scene using a variety of materials, textures, and miniature elements. Will your figure be exploring a forest? Standing on a giant cupcake? Floating in space? You decide. 

This workshop is designed for adults and kids who love miniatures and creativity, and makes a particularly fun experience to create together. Each participant creates their own shadow box project.

• Ages 8+ | $75 per participant (all supplies included)

• Small group setting — limited to 7 people.

• REGISTER HERE

• Learn more HERE

Writer's Workshop with Clark County Poet Laureate Susan Dingle

Join Susan Dingle, Clark County Poet Laureate 2024-2027, for a relaxing and reflective 1.5 hours on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

Walk the trails and use the time to write, draw, brainstorm, or however else you'd like to interact with the written word. Susan will lead the group through writing practices as you enjoy the beauty of summer at the Refuge.

• No experience or previous writing required

• All ages welcome

• There are accessible restrooms (including adult & child-sized changing tables) and paved trails at the Community Nature Center. Paved bridge over active railroad tracks connects to compacted accessible gravel trails.

• This is a FREE event

• Link to Register: Writer's Workshop Registration Link

Audiobook listeners need not walk alone!

Bring your audiobook of choice and meet the Camas Library each month at a new outdoor location for a community walk. We’ll walk for 60 minutes and wrap up with an optional 30 minutes of social time to chat with other book lovers and audio fans.

Walkers of all paces and experience levels are welcome — whether you’re a power walker, stroller pusher, or leisurely listener, there’s space for you here.

Walks are weather-dependent, so please check our social media channels or this event page for updates or cancellations.

Accommodations: The library strives to ensure our events are accessible to everyone. If you require special accommodations to join us, please call 360.834.4692 or email library@cityofcamas.us at least two weeks before the event.

Location Details:

Camas Public Library, 625 NE 4th Ave, Camas, WA 98607

See map: Google Maps

Contact Info

Name: Stacy Yakouba

Email: library@cityofcamas.us

Phone Number: (360) 834-4692

Join a Park Ranger and learn about the basics of nature photography! L.L. Stub Stewart State Park offers panoramic views, diverse plant life, and plenty of opportunities to see animals such as black tailed deer and song birds. This event is targeted at beginners who are curious to learn more about how to elevate their photography skills and will cover the basics of composition, perspective, and how to get the best shots. Participants can bring a camera or even use their cellphone cameras!

• Pets are welcome to join but must be on a leash no longer than six feet. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

• This event will involve walking approximately 1 mile including a combination of packed trails and forest undergrowth. The terrain is uneven and may include moderate elevation gain.

• Sturdy hiking shoes or boots are advised, as trail conditions may vary depending on weather. It is advised to bring a light source such as a flashlight or head lamp. 

• Oregon State Parks is committed to making our events accessible to everyone. If you require an accommodation or service to fully participate, please contact Park Ranger Jeremy Williams at (503) 528-4029 at least three days prior to the event.

• Register HERE for this free event.

fourthplainforward

Art & Nature in the Park is BACK for 2026! 🎨🌿

Fourth Plain Forward can't wait to bring free art and nature activities to Vancouver Flex Academy and Downs Neighborhood Park this summer. A huge thank you to our amazing partners Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, and all of our community partners for making these special moments possible. Come join us for a summer full of fun, creativity, and connection! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Saturdays 11am–2pm | July & August
📅 July 11 at Flex Academy Park
📅 July 25 at Flex Academy Park
📅 August 8 at Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 August 22 at Downs Neighborhood Park

¡Arte y Naturaleza en el Parque está DE VUELTA en 2026! 🎨🌿 No podemos esperar para traer actividades gratuitas de arte y naturaleza a Vancouver Flex Academy y Downs Neighborhood Park este verano. Un enorme agradecimiento a nuestros increíbles socios Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, y todos nuestros socios comunitarios por hacer posibles estos momentos tan especiales. ¡Ven a disfrutar de un verano lleno de diversión, creatividad y conexión! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Sábados 11am–2pm | Julio y Agosto
📅 11 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 25 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 8 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 22 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park

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.

Join professional Photographer Patrick Aalto and Mt. St. Helen’s Institute Guides on a photography hike to Spirit Lake, which was forever transformed by the 1980 eruption.

Patrick will offer practical photography instruction in the field while a naturalist guide will offer you insight into the incredible natural and human history of Spirit Lake. Train your cameras on the vibrant wildflowers in bloom, streams, waterfalls or the sun-bleached logs afloat in the lake since the 1980 eruption.

For detailed information, visit our Photography Hike program page.

• Register today!

• DISTANCE:   2.5 miles to 3 miles (4km - 4.8km)

• COST:   $125 per person

• ELEVATION GAIN:   630 feet (192m)

• PERMITS:   All permits provided

• MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE:   12

• MINIMUM AGE:   8. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Join Good Year Farms and Erin from Frog & Twig on how to create a playful willow flower from willow whips.

We will get hands-on learning by practicing important basketry skills; easy enough for a beginner, but still fun for the handy crafters already in the know.

The class will include information on how to grow, harvest, prepare, and store willows for basket weaving and everyone will leave with a fun handmade willow flower. QUE MAGNIFICO!

• Class starts at 10am and runs to 11:30am.

• 12 person max.

• Registration required HERE

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.

fourthplainforward

Art & Nature in the Park is BACK for 2026! 🎨🌿

Fourth Plain Forward can't wait to bring free art and nature activities to Vancouver Flex Academy and Downs Neighborhood Park this summer. A huge thank you to our amazing partners Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, and all of our community partners for making these special moments possible. Come join us for a summer full of fun, creativity, and connection! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Saturdays 11am–2pm | July & August
📅 July 11 at Flex Academy Park
📅 July 25 at Flex Academy Park
📅 August 8 at Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 August 22 at Downs Neighborhood Park

¡Arte y Naturaleza en el Parque está DE VUELTA en 2026! 🎨🌿 No podemos esperar para traer actividades gratuitas de arte y naturaleza a Vancouver Flex Academy y Downs Neighborhood Park este verano. Un enorme agradecimiento a nuestros increíbles socios Wellpoint, Molina, City of Vancouver NatureSpace, y todos nuestros socios comunitarios por hacer posibles estos momentos tan especiales. ¡Ven a disfrutar de un verano lleno de diversión, creatividad y conexión! 🌸☀️

👉🏽 Sábados 11am–2pm | Julio y Agosto
📅 11 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 25 de julio en Flex Academy Park
📅 8 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park
📅 22 de agosto en Downs Neighborhood Park

zen_mnm

🌲FREE Forest Bathing and Poetry (Shinrin-Yoku and Haiku) at Forest Park.

Join Zen_MNM for a restful, slow walk through the forest where we’ll awaken the senses and re-connect with the more-than-human world. Beginner friendly, no experience required. 🤗

Step into the slow rhythm of summer with this creative wellness experience that blends shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) with haiku writing. As we move mindfully through nature, you’ll be guided to awaken your senses, reflect on seasonal themes, and craft simple poems rooted in presence. No writing or hiking experience needed. Bring a notebook, pen, curiosity, and a willingness to pause.

We will meet at the Germantown and Leif Erikson trailhead. Parking is limited and we encourage carpool if possible.

Register for free at zenmnm.com

vancouver.audubon & cameraderie.pnw

Young photographers are invited to join @cameraderie.pnw as they explore one of our favorite birding hotspots in Southwest Washington: Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

This Field Trip is for youth Ages 10-18 with an interest in nature and wildlife photography. Look for Cameraderie outings on weekends and holidays when school is out! Accompanied by parents and led by seasoned photographer guides, we will head out into nature to hone our skills behind the camera and in wildlife identification. Don't have a camera? Ask about equipment available for loan when registering!

Registration is required so follow the link in our bio and tap "Young Birders & Cameraderie" or go directly to: forms.gle/SA9mEdBHaZHZa9AU7
--
Photos: American Bittern, Yellow-breasted Chat, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Marsh Wren by Ken Pitts/Vancouver Audubon

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.

View More Classes

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.

Youth Nature Photography Awards with the Vancouver Audubon Society: Nature Photography both Urban and Wild: AWARD CEREMONY

Vancouver Audubon Society (VAS) and HD Aluminum Prints are teaming up to sponsor the 2026 Youth Nature Photo Contest. In this photo contest’s 11 year history, this will be the first time photographs of nature will not be limited to Steigerwald Lake NWR, except in the Steigerwald category. VAS wishes to expand the boundaries where contest photos can be taken and invite a wider diversity of participants. Three of the four categories can be of nature found within the three counties VAS serves (Clark, Klickitat & Skamania).

Youth, ages 8-18 years of age, are invited to submit up to five photos of nature to be judged and be eligible for up to three cash prizes, 12″ by 18″ prints of their photos, and a free family membership to Vancouver Audubon Society (VAS). Photos must have been shot during the time period from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026 and within the boundaries of Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties.

Division Categories and Prizes:

• Honorable Mention in the SmartPhone Category by Ammon Caine “Licking Up Nectar”

• Participants can enter a total of 5 JPEG formatted images to any of the following 4 categories:

Steigerwald Lake NWR Nature – This category is for nature photos taken on trails at Steigerwald Lake NWR. Photos can include wildlife, beautiful landscapes, or people enjoying nature.

Wildlife, Plants, & Nature – This category showcases native wildlife (birds, mammals, fish, insects, or spiders for example), plants, fungi, and other life found in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties. Photos can be taken in backyards, parks, or wild areas like Ridgefield NWR, Salmon Creek, or Burnt Bridge Creek Greenways.

People in Nature – This category highlights how people interact with nature. It’s not about portraits of people posing, but capturing candid moments of people enjoying and engaging with the natural world in positive ways. Photos can be taken anywhere people appreciate nature in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties.

Smartphone Nature – This category is for photos taken with smartphones or tablets of any nature in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties. It includes photos suitable for all the other categories. If the photo was taken at Steigerwald, then the rules of Steigerwald Lake NWR Nature category apply here too.

Audiobook listeners need not walk alone!

Bring your audiobook of choice and meet the Camas Library each month at a new outdoor location for a community walk. We’ll walk for 60 minutes and wrap up with an optional 30 minutes of social time to chat with other book lovers and audio fans.

Walkers of all paces and experience levels are welcome — whether you’re a power walker, stroller pusher, or leisurely listener, there’s space for you here.

Walks are weather-dependent, so please check our social media channels or this event page for updates or cancellations.

Accommodations: The library strives to ensure our events are accessible to everyone. If you require special accommodations to join us, please call 360.834.4692 or email library@cityofcamas.us at least two weeks before the event.

Location Details:

Lacamas Creek Trail, NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607

See map: Google Maps

Contact Info

Name: Stacy Yakouba

Email: library@cityofcamas.us

Phone Number: (360) 834-4692

This just in—on NW 71st Ave/NW Lancaster Road, Plas Newdd Farm is planning the first annual Flora & Fauna Solstice Celebration. Picture a costumed bike ride with a host of your favorite creature and plant friends, followed by a community barbecue potluck, with cider for all! It's going to be amazing!

A handful of talented local artists will lead two costume-building workshops in May. More details to come, but if you'd like to participate:

• First though, we'll need all hands on deck for the big barn clean-out on May 9! The barn has been used to store farm equipment and tools for the past several decades, and it's long been a dream to tidy it up for events and more. There will be both light and heavy lifting jobs available. Click here to pick a shift!

• Want some guidance in your costume construction? Save Sundays May 17th and 24th in your calendar!

• And if you just want to join us for the ride (followed by the picnic on the lawn) mark out June 21st! This will be a great way to celebrate the fathers in your life, and the turning of the season!

To honor the planting of the Northwest's oldest apple tree and the launch of the region's fruit industry, Fort volunteer Richard Wing and talented artist Pamela Gunn have teamed up to publish a lovely illustrated book about the story of the "Old Apple Tree" planted in 1826.

The book recounts the tree's contributions through saplings that grew into orchards that contributed to Washington known as the "Apple State." The community's ongoing efforts at Vancouver help preserve the tree's legacy through - festivals, educational programs and the propagation of her cuttings. Join us to hear this wonderful story of a fruitful legacy that endures today.

Fees: This event is free to attend.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Register: https://www.friendsfortvancouver.site/

About the Book

For nearly 200 years, PiP grew from a seedling into a celebrated legend, her branches offering shade, sustenance, and a symbol of resilience for generations of families. Her saplings, contributed to the birth of Washington’s now-famous apple industry. The story highlights the community’s ongoing efforts to preserve PiP’s legacy—through festivals, educational programs, and the propagation of her cuttings—ensuring that her story continues to inspire. Today, PiP’s descendants still bear fruit, reminding visitors to Apple Tree Park that heritage and hope can flourish even when transplanted far from home. PiP’s tale stands as a testament to hope, endurance, and the lasting bonds between people and the natural world.

About the Author

He is a volunteer certified interpretive guide at Fort Vancouver National Historic Reserve who shares stories about the history, events, and peoples of the site. Look at things from different points of view and perspectives he visits the reserve on sunny days or in rain or snow.

Contact Information: Friends of Fort Vancouver, 360-816-6230

thimbleberrycollaborativefarm

Come catch the end of spring migration with nature artist, amateur bird watcher, native-plant enthusiast, and Thimbleberry Ambassador Board member Bryan Quintanilla at Whitaker Ponds.(https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1413967)This is the first of a series of late spring/ early summer Thimbleberry events that will take place all around the Portland metro area.

This event is FREE! Learn about the incredible natural ecosystem right in our own backyard that regenerative farms like ours aim to protect through responsible land and water management.

Portland Public Park’s Whitaker Ponds is known for its incredible transformation from junkyard to a thriving and diverse wetlands. Unique birds you may find include black phoebes, blue-winged teals, wood ducks, great egrets, great blue herons and more!

Bring your own binoculars though we’ll have a few extra for sharing.

Sign up HERE

Dive into the layers of meaning on the landscape!

In this workshop, participants will spend the day at select locations on Plas Newydd Farm with poet Christopher Luna and PN Farm Arts Initiator Abby Braithwaite exploring the poetics of place. We’ll dive into the layered ways the land holds metaphor, and the ways those layers come together in a collage of words, images and meaning. We’ll read selected poems on the theme, write to prompts, and have a chance to share our writing within the group. Participants will learn about Plas Newydd Farm’s past, present and future, and will leave the day with a handful of completed poems.

We’ll be getting out on the landscape for this one, so come prepared for some all-weather tromping!  

Coffee, tea, water and light snacks will be provided.

About our teacher: Christopher Luna is a poet, editor, teacher, writing coach, and artist who served as the Inaugural Poet Laureate of Clark County, WA from 2013-2017. Luna has an MFA from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. He is the co-founder, with Toni Lumbrazo Luna, of Printed Matter Vancouver, an editing service and small press for Northwest writers. He and Morgan Paige co-host the LGBTQ+ friendly, all-ages and uncensored Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic in Vancouver, WA, founded by Christopher in 2004.

Christopher Luna’s books include Voracity (Lightship Press, 2022), Exchanging Wisdom: A Guide for Parents of the Autonomous (The Poetry Box, 2021 with Angelo Luna), Message from the Vessel in a Dream (Flowstone Press, 2018), Brutal Glints of Moonlight, and The Flame Is Ours: The Letters of Stan Brakhage and Michael McClure 1961-1978 (Big Bridge). In 2025 Luna received an award from Humanities Washington for his contributions to poetry and literature.

Accessibility Note: This workshop takes place in an historic farmhouse that is not currently wheelchair accessible, as well as out on the land on rugged terrain. We will work to accommodate access however we can, but please email arts@pnfarm.com to confirm that the space will work for you before you commit to the workshop!

Join Marcus & Miranda for Zen Walk: Forest Bathing & Poetry!

This guided nature experience at Hoyt Arboretum will blend forest bathing, poetry, and mindful reflection. Participants will move slowly through the forest with simple invitations to breathe, observe, journal, and reconnect with nature. This experience honors the long tradition of rest, reflection, and healing in nature as essential forms of collective care. Light refreshments and connection in community will follow.

Body + Soul is an annual Black Wellness Weekend hosted and facilitated in Portland OR, by Yin Yoga Space LLC.  Their mission is to support the local Black community by creating fitness and wellness experiences that are accessible, and foster safety in trying new activities. We believe that gathering, connecting and healing in community is a part of our liberation.

Registration required HERE.