Volunteers Needed May 13 & 14 for Prairie Appreciation Day!
We need help with set-up on Friday May 13th, from 9-5 pm—setting up canopies and tables, and putting together paper guides. And on Saturday, May 14, volunteers are needed from 8:30-5:00 pm to help with the event—helping staff information stations, controlling parking, and working with children’s activities. No special knowledge is necessary for volunteering. Any amount of time you can volunteer is excellent; we would appreciate at least a half day commitment for Saturday. For details on the event, go to http://www.prairieappreciationday.org. Please email marionjarisch@comcast.net to volunteer for either day. All volunteers are welcome to join us for a celebratory potluck at the Welcome station starting after tear down on Saturday (usually starting about 5:30 to 6:00pm).
Volunteer with South Sound Estuary Association (SSEA)
SSEA will be at many fun family events this summer and we need your help! Please volunteer to help SSEA do community outreach at one (or many) of the following events:
• April 22: Earth Day at the Farmer’s Market
• April 30: Earth Day at Oakland Bay with a one-hour beach walk led by SSEA
• May 7-8: Wooden Boat Fair
• May 17: SSEA Speaker Series: On-the-Ground Salmon Habitat Restoration
• May 21-22: Lacey Spring Fun Fair
• June 3: SEA Cinema Street Party “Under the Sea”
• June 18: Father’s Day Sea Life Exploration Event
• August 27: Sand in the City
• September 24: Nisqually Watershed Festival
• October 2: Cruising for the Sound
For information about the events, go to http://sseacenter.wordpress.com/events-programs/community-events. To volunteer, contact Melanie at melanie@sseacenter.org.
Volunteer to promote Stream Team’s message at the beach!
Are you interested in helping promote Stream Team’s message of protecting our local streams, rivers, lakes and Puget Sound? Stream Team will have a booth at local beaches on days that South Sound Estuary Association has their beach naturalist walks, at which volunteers will give out informational brochures about Puget Sound, Stream Team newsletters, bags for people to pick up their dog poop (so it doesn’t pollute our water!), and telling people about pet waste stations they can install in their neighborhoods. We will give you all of the information and tools necessary to promote clean waterways! Sign up dates:
Frye Cove Park: June 4, 1-4pm; June 11, 8:30-11:30am; July 9, 7-10am; July 30, 11am-2pm; August 27, 10am-1pm
Priest Point Park: June 18, 12:30-3:30pm; July 2, 12:15-3:15pm; July 16, 12-3pm; August 13, 11:30am-2:30pm
Burfoot Park & Tolmie State Park: June 5, 1:30-4:30pm; June 12, 9am-noon; June 19, 1:30-4:30pm; July 3, 12:30-3:30pm; July 10, 8am-11pm; July 17, 12:30-3:00pm; July 31, 11am-2pm; August 14, 11:30am-2:30pm; August 28, 10:30am-1:30pm
To get more information or sign up for a date and location to volunteer, contact Laura Hurson at Streamteam@ci.lacey.wa.us or 360-438-2672.
Every Tuesday, 9am-3pm – South Sound Prairie Restoration Work Party
Contact: Ashley Smithers at 503.451.0824 or asmithers@tnc.org.
Every Wednesday, 8-10am – Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Bird Walk
Meet at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center Overlook at 8am, and join Phil Kelley from Black Hills Audubon Society for the entire walk or for as long as you wish.
Thursday, April 14
noon – 1 pm – Island Ecology and Community Participation in Mexico: a case study
(South Puget Sound Community College, Building 23, Room 220) SPSCC professor and biologist, Lourdes Flores, will discuss her work in Baja California involving local communities in the conservation of marine and coastal resources. She will focus on a case study that has been the basis for establishing marine protected areas, and for environmental organizations in Mexico to transform local resource users into stewards of their own communities.
5:30-8:00 pm – Climate Solutions 12th Annual Olympia Fundraiser
(Wine Cellar Room, Waterstreet Café; 610 Water St. SW, Olympia) Featured speakers: Rich Feldman, PNW Regional Manager, ECOtality North America; Gregg Small, Climate Solutions, Executive Director; and Lisa Smith, Enterprise for Equity. Come support Climate Solutions and hear Rich Feldman from ECOtality who’ll share the very latest news on their ambitious rollout of Electric Vehicle charging station infrastructure in our region. RSVP by April 4th to http://csolympiafundraiser2011.eventbrite.com.
April 18 (Monday)
7-9 pm – Preserving Agriculture in Thurston County
(Thurston County Fairgrounds, Exposition Center; 3054 Carpenter Road; Lacey 98503) Everyone is invited to this community meeting hosted by Thurston County to learn about Thurston County’s current efforts to develop a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program to preserve working agricultural lands. A PDR program provides a way for private property owners to realize the development value of their land without having to actually develop it. Representatives from local Land Trusts will be on hand to discuss the role land trusts can play in working with farmers to promote agriculture in Thurston County. in addition, information about local state and federal programs and grants to support farmers who want to explore options for preserving their lands for agricultural uses will be available. There also will be an opportunity for community members to share their ideas. For more information, go to www.co.thurston.wa.us/home/docs/PDR-program-public-meetings-2011_1.pdf.
8-9pm – South Sound Pier Peer Exploration: night dockside adventure with marine naturalists in Olympia
(Boston Harbor Marina, Olympia) Fall in love with Puget Sound again, or for the first time! Join People For Puget Sound naturalists out on the docks for a night time adventure. We’ll see the food web in action! We may be joined by giant marine worms, colorful sea slugs, sea stars, larval fish, jelly fish and maybe even the luminescent squid! AND you never know when the harbor seal might swing by for a snack. People For Puget Sound members free; non-member adults, $10. (Children free) This is a family-friendly event but we advise parents not to bring children under 8. All children must by supervised by an adult. Please dress for the weather (and damp docks) and bring your own flashlights. Advance reservations are required, and space is limited. To RSVP, go to http://pugetsound.org/forms/event_rsvp. For more information, contact Gabby Byrne, (360) 754-9177. EXTRA CREDIT
9 pm – film: Into Eternity
(Capitol Theater; 206 5th Ave SE; Olympia 98501) A disconnect exists between the brevity of recorded human history on the one hand, which extends back less than 10,000 years, and the dangerous long-term persistence of the hazards of nuclear waste on the other, which lasts for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s a problem that raises interesting questions about how to effectively manage the safe disposal of such materials in order to protect generations into the unimaginable future. This documentary, interviews scientists in Finland and Sweden about the thorny issues involved.” Advance tickets can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com—or shortly before the showing at the box office. Also showing Wed, 4/20, at 9 pm; and Th, 4/21, at 6:30 pm. EXTRA CREDIT
Tuesday, April 19
9:30 am – 3 pm – Mima Creek Plant Salvage with the Native Plant Salvage Project
Salvaging begins at 9:30 am at the site. We’ll dig until lunch, then move to our holding beds off RW Johnson Blvd. to pot up salvaged plants around 1 pm. For more information and to RSVP, contact the WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com. VOLUNTEER EVENT
7-9 pm – (movie) Fresh: New thinking about what we’re eating
(Olympia Unitarian Universalist Church, 2300 East End Street, in west Olympia) Fresh celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are reinventing our food system. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision of our food and our planet’s future. Fresh addresses an ethos that has been sweeping the nation and is a call to action America has been waiting for. Fresh recaptures our sense of agency and makes us believe that our individual actions in fact do matter. Throughout the film we encounter the most inspiring people, ideas, and initiatives around the US. And thus, Fresh showcases real people first and foremost, connecting audiences not with facts and figures or apocalyptic policy analysis, but with personal stories of change. Join us for a showing of the movie, followed by discussion and refreshments. Suggested donation: $3. For more information, call 943-2734. Co-sponsored by: OUUC Ethical Eating Committee; Earth Care Catholics; Sustainable South Sound; The Alliance for Community Transitions. EXTRA CREDIT
7-9 pm – Housing: Out of the Box!
(MIXX 96 Meeting Room, on the corner of State & Washington in downtown Olympia) Family size shrinking, population graying, housing market faltering, economy stalling . . . what’s a person to do? Come hear how local folks have said “no” to the McMansion trend and created unique homes and communities that meet their needs in beautiful, energy efficient ways. Free and open to the public. Please bring a mug for coffee or tea. For more information: Barb at 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com. Sponsored by Transition Olympia – Climate Action.
April 20 (Wednesday)
9am – 1pm – People for Puget Sound Cooper Point Restoration Work Day
Join us to restore this stretch of shoreline on the Cooper Point Peninsula! Your efforts will help to protect this beautiful native forest from aggressive, invasive weeds. We will be removing English ivy and other habitat-modifying invasive species and installing native plants. Bring a lunch and water bottle, and wear sturdy footwear and dress for the weather. If you have hand tools and work gloves, please bring them as well. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. This is a free, family-friendly event. (Children 10 and under must have adult supervision.) For more information and to RSVP, e-mail Christina Donehower at cdonehower@pugetsound.org. VOLUNTEER EVENT
6:30-8pm – Stormwater Pond Workshop
(Lacey City Hall, 420 College St SE) Learn how to maintain your neighborhood stormwater pond at this free workshop. Well-maintained ponds help prevent pollution, flooding and erosion. To register for the workshop, contact Erin Keith at 360-438-2687 or ekeith@ci.lacey.wa.us
9 pm – film: Into Eternity
See description in Monday’s listing.
Thursday, April 21
6:30 pm – film: Into Eternity
See description in Monday’s listing. EXTRA CREDIT
7-9 pm – Audubon Program: Whales in the Pacific Northwest
(Capitol Museum Coach House; 221 West 21st Ave; Olympia 98501) Local marine research biologist John Calambokidis will present some of the new insights into the status, movements, and behavior of some of the larger whales in the region as well as findings on the impacts of ship strikes and underwater sound. Program is hosted by the Black Hills Audubon Society; the public is welcome. Doors open at 7 PM, program begins at 7:30 PM. EXTRA CREDIT
April 22 (Friday)
8:30 am – 12:30 pm – Earth Day Scot’s Broom Pull!
(Yelm) To RSVP and get directions, email staff@nisquallylandtrust.org. Work Parties are rain or shine, so dress for Washington weather. RSVPs are required for directions—this ensures that we bring enough tools for everyone. All youths 16 and under MUST be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. NLT will provides tools, gloves, & some snacks, but you are welcome to bring your own. For more information, call 360-489-3400. VOLUNTEER EVENT
noon – 2 pm – SPSCC’s Earth Day Celebration
(Minnaert Center for the Arts)
9:30pm – Luminary Procession of the Species
(Downtown Olympia) For more information, go to www.procession.org
April 23 (Saturday)
10 am – 1 pm – Priest Point Park Volunteer Work Party
Join City of Olympia Parks and REI on a forest preservation project. We will remove invasive English Ivy and help preserve the trees in Priest Point Park. Meet at the Flora Vista entrance at 555 Flora Vista Rd NE. A shuttle will be available from the main parking lot at Priest Point Park between 9:15am and 9:45am. Carpooling is highly encouraged. For more information, contact Sylvana Niehuser at sniehuse@ci.olympia.wa.us or at 360-753-8365. VOLUNTEER EVENT
11:30am – 2pm – People for Puget Sound Thank-You Barbeque
(St. Martin’s Abbey lodge in Lacey) All of the volunteers who have helped with People for Puget Sound’s restoration work along Cooper Point are invited to enjoy a free barbeque lunch and gathering. St. Martin’s Abbey has organized this event especially for us as a thank you for our stewardship efforts. For more information and to RSVP, e-mail cdonehower@pugetsound.org.
4:30pm – Procession of the Species ! ! !
(Downtown Olympia). For more information, go to www.procession.org
Monday, April 25
7-9 pm – Preserving Agriculture in Thurston County
(Swede Hall; 18543 Albany Street SW; Rochester 98579) Everyone is invited to this community meeting hosted by Thurston County to learn about Thurston County’s current efforts to develop a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program to preserve working agricultural lands. A PDR program provides a way for private property owners to realize the development value of their land without having to actually develop it. Representatives from local Land Trusts will be on hand to discuss the role land trusts can play in working with farmers to promote agriculture in Thurston County. in addition, information about local state and federal programs and grants to support farmers who want to explore options for preserving their lands for agricultural uses will be available. There also will be an opportunity for community members to share their ideas. For more information, go to www.co.thurston.wa.us/home/docs/PDR-program-public-meetings-2011_1.pdf. EXTRA CREDIT
Tuesday, April 26
7:00 – 9:15 pm – Antonia Juhasz on her book, Black Tide: A Searing Look at the Human Face of BP’s Disastrous Oil Spill
(Olympia Unitarian Universalist Church; 2200 East End St NW; Olympia 98502) On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded fifty miles off the coast of Louisiana, killing eleven men, and unleashing an 80,000 barrel a day oil gusher. It became the largest oil disaster in American history, and it could happen again. It is more than a story of ruined beaches, dead wildlife, chemical dispersants, corporate spin, political machinations, and financial fallout. It is a riveting human drama filled with people whose lives will forever be defined as “before” and “after” the Gulf oil disaster. Black Tide is the only book to tell this story through the perspective of people on all sides of the catastrophe, from those who lost their lives, loved ones, and livelihoods to those who made the policies that set the devastating event in motion, those who cut the corners that put corporate profits over people and the environment, and those who have committed their lives to ensuring that such an event is never repeated. Free (donations accepted). EXTRA CREDIT
April 27 (Wednesday)
9am – 1pm – People for Puget Sound Cooper Point Restoration Work Day
Join us to restore this stretch of shoreline on the Cooper Point Peninsula! Your efforts will help to protect this beautiful native forest from aggressive, invasive weeds. We will be removing English ivy and other habitat-modifying invasive species and installing native plants. Bring a lunch and water bottle, and wear sturdy footwear and dress for the weather. If you have hand tools and work gloves, please bring them as well. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. This is a free, family-friendly event. (Children 10 and under must have adult supervision.) For more information and to RSVP, e-mail Christina Donehower at cdonehower@pugetsound.org. VOLUNTEER EVENT
7-8:30pm – Community Interfaith Celebration of Earth Day 2011 – Celebrating Earth’s Families
(Lincoln School Gym; 213 – 21st Ave SE; Olympia 98501—one block east of Capitol Blvd) This interfaith celebration will include the SongLight Children’s Choir, The Olympia Peace Choir, The Burren Boys, drumming, flutes, and spoken word from multiple faith traditions. Confirmed speakers will include Robert Satiacum of the Puyallup Tribe, the Reverend George Ann Boyle of St. Benedict’s Church, Lacey; the Reverend Carol McKinley of the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Koro Kaisan Miles of Open Gate Zendo and Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh. Additional leaders from a variety of faith traditions have been invited to participate. A collection will be taken to benefit the Nisqually Reach Nature Center and the programs of Interfaith Works. All are welcome! Light refreshments will follow the service. On the bus line for IT #12, 13 and 68. Contact for additional information: Leslie Romer, 357-7638, cell 402-0779
April 28 (Thursday)
noon – 1 pm – SPSCC Environmental Sustainability Committee
(Building 25, in Boardroom on 2nd floor) Want to help move SPSCC towards becoming a more environmentally sustainable college? Come join the Environmental Sustainability Committee! Composed of students, faculty and staff, the committee organizes educational opportunities to the campus and community on sound environmental practices (like this year’s Earth Day celebration), and works to reduce consumption and implement environmentally efficient technology on campus. The committee meets once a month and is open to all members of the SPSCC community.
6:30 pm – What’s New at LOTT
(LOTT Headquarters, 500 Adams Street NE in Olympia) Join the Thurston County League of Women Voters to see LOTT’s new office and learn the latest on what LOTT does to reclaim wastewater, including how demand for this reclaimed water is growing. Social period at 6:30 p.m. followed by presentation and discussion at 7:00 p.m.
6:30- 8:45 pm – Rain Garden Workshop
(Tumwater) Rain gardens provide natural beauty, food and habitat for wildlife, and they help improve water quality. A rain garden is a shallow depression that can be shaped and sized to fit your yard and planted with a variety of flowers, shrubs and grasses. Rain gardens act like a native ecosystem by collecting, absorbing and filtering stormwater runoff from rooftops, driveways, patios and other impervious surfaces that do not allow rainwater to soak in around our homes. Join us for a free, hands-on workshop to learn how to add one of these lovely features to your yard. The workshop will give you all the details you need to design and install a beautiful rain garden that will manage your home’s stormwater drainage while protecting our local water resources. Participants will receive a FREE, full-color rain garden poster and a FREE copy of WSU’s “Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners.” Those interested in learning more can join us for a rain garden installation field day in early summer for hands-on learning and practice! Workshops are FREE. Advanced registration is required. For more information, or to register, contact WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com. EXTRA CREDIT
Saturday, April, 30
9 am – Glacial Heritage County Park Hike
We will meet in Olympia, and carpool to our hike. Join Kevin Head to see the early flowers in the prairies in Thurston County. This hike is a three-mile round trip through prairie and oak habitats. Bring a lunch and rain gear plus sitting pad if you want. The hike is open to the first twelve people to sign up. To sign up and get more information, contact Kevin Head at khead@ekit.com or 360.943.3752.
10am – noon – McLane Creek Nature Trail Maintenance
(Olympia) Join volunteers from the Native Plant Salvage Project and Stream Team in maintaining the trails around McLane Creek. Snacks will be provided. For more information and to RSVP, email nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or call 360-867-2166. EXTRA CREDIT
Sunday, May 1
1-3 pm – Bresemann Forest Walk and Native Plant Survey
(Spanaway) Come join Bill Brookreson and test your plant identification skills with a walk and native plant survey of Pierce County’s Bresemann Forest. Bresemann Forestis located in Spanaway west of the Sprinkler Recreation Center, and consists of ~70 naturally wooded acres, featuring a network of pedestrian nature trails; a delightful assemblage of native plants; many bird species for the bird watcher; and Morey Creek. There are numerous plants of interest including a surprising number of Pacific yew and, in early summer, a glorious display of ocean spray. Our goal will be to see how many new plants, native and non-native we can identify and add to our plant list. Prizes will be offered to those finding the most new plant additions. Bring your favorite plant ID book. We will assemble on the west side of the parking lot. Directions: Bresemann is a short drive from Tacoma. From I-5, take exit 27 (Highway 512) east. Take the second exit (Parkland/Spanaway-Pacific Avenue.) Turn right on Pacific Avenue (SR 7). Head south for 2.7 miles then turn right on Military Road (152nd St.). Sprinker Recreation Center is 1 1/2 blocks down on the right. For more information or to sign up, contact Bill Brookreson at 253-564-1137 or b.brookreson@comcast.net. EXTRA CREDIT
Thursday, May 5
6-8pm – Fungal Ecology, Diversity and Identification
(WSU Extension Office, 5033 Harrison Ave. NW; Olympia 98502) Participants will receive a general overview of fungal biology and the diversity of the fungal kingdom, followed by a brief exploration of the ecological roles of fungi as decomposers, mutualistic symbionts, and pathogens in our forests. Actual mushroom specimens will be present to help with the identification component of the class. The workshop will be led by NPSF AmeriCorps member Tristan Woodsmith. The cost is $5-$10 (sliding scale). Space is limited, so be sure to register early to ensure your spot! For more information and to RSVP, contact the WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com.
May 7 (Saturday)
Black Lake Meadows Bird Walk
(Olympia). Part of the Bird-A-Thon sponsored by Black Hills Audubon Society. Contact Sheila McCartan at schooleymccartan@comcast.net or 360-951-7251 for more information.
9-11am – People for Puget Sound Waterbird Survey
(Titlow Park, Tacoma) Help People for Puget Sound identify and count waterbirds at Titlow Lagoon and beach. No experience necessary. For more information, e-mail Christina Donehower at cdonehower@pugetsound.org. EXTRA CREDIT
10 am – 4:30 pm – Naturescaping Field Class
(Olympia) Learn how to turn your yard into a lovely year-round landscape that attracts birds, butterflies and amphibians with beautiful plants that requires little watering and helps protect our water quality. Morning classroom session will be followed by site visits to local gardens. Bus transportation will be provided. The workshop will cover: water-wise ideas for your landscape; keys to attracting birds, butterflies, beneficial insects and amphibians; easy ways to minimize lawn space; how to solve drainage issues with on-site stormwater management; planting for four-season interest; landscaping for tricky areas like slopes; how simple landscape changes can save you time and money. Erica Guttman (WSU Native Plant Salvage Project) and Linda Andrews (owner of Patterns in Nature Landscape & Design) will teach the class. Both instructors bring decades of professional experience in horticulture and botany, plus a passion for protecting water and creating wildlife habitat. Registration is required, and space is limited. For more information or to register, contact WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com. EXTRA CREDIT
10 am – 3 pm – Native Plant Sale in Olympia
Includes berry-producing shrubs, evergreen groundcovers, perennials and drought-tolerant plants. Sales will be in the Coachhouse directly behind the Washington State Capitol Museum. Includes information cards for each type of plant and expert assistance to help you make the best choices. Bring trays/ boxes please! Cash or checks only. Sponsored by the South Sound Chapter of the WA Native Plant Society. For more information, contact Bonnie Blessing-Earle at (360) 943-6629 or at bonnie.blessing@gmail.com, or Bill Brookreson at (253) 564-1137 or at b.brookreson@comcast.net
May 10 (Tuesday)
7pm – Olympia Science Café: The magnitude 6.5 Puget Sound earthquake of Fall 2011 (that no one will feel)
(Batdorf & Bronson Coffee House, 516 Capitol Way S, Olympia) Prof. Emeritus Steve Malone and Past Director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, UW
May 14
9-10pm – South Sound Pier Peer Exploration: night dockside adventure with marine naturalists in Olympia
(Boston Harbor Marina, Olympia) Fall in love with Puget Sound again, or for the first time! Join People For Puget Sound naturalists out on the docks for a night time adventure. We’ll see the food web in action! We may be joined by giant marine worms, colorful sea slugs, sea stars, larval fish, jelly fish and maybe even the luminescent squid! AND you never know when the harbor seal might swing by for a snack. People For Puget Sound members free; non-member adults, $10. (Children free) This is a family-friendly event but we advise parents not to bring children under 8. All children must by supervised by an adult. Please dress for the weather (and damp docks) and bring your own flashlights. Advance reservations are required, and space is limited. To RSVP, go to http://pugetsound.org/forms/event_rsvp. For more information, contact Gabby Byrne, (360) 754-9177. EXTRA CREDIT
9 am – 4 pm – Master Gardener Foundation’s 19th Annual Plant Sale
(Dirt Works at Yauger Park, Olympia) Includes a wide variety of plants (including native and water-wise plants), tool sharpening and composting demo’s. Contact 360-867-2163 or visit www.mgftc.org for more info.
10 am – 3 pm – Prairie Appreciation Day!
(Glacial Heritage and Mima Mounds nature preserves, in south Thurston County) Join the fun during the 16th Annual Prairie Appreciation Day. Go on Prairie Wildflower walks, learn about native plant gardening and prairie restoration work. Native American uses of prairie plants, prairie pollinators and making ink from oak galls are also a part of this popular event. For more information, go to www.prairieappreciationday.org/index.html. EXTRA CREDIT
May 15
1-3pm – McLane Creek Maintenance
Join volunteers from the Native Plant Salvage Project and Stream Team in maintaining the trails around McLane Creek. Snacks will be provided! For more information, contact Tristan Woodsmith at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or at 360-867-2166. EXTRA CREDIT
Tuesday, May 17
3-7pm – Native Plant Salvage Project plant-salvage event
Looking for native perennials for your landscape? Our salvage site in Tumwater continues to be bountiful, and it will be cleared this summer. Join us any time between 3 and 7 pm. We’ll pot plants in the field, so bring your own pots or let us know if you need to borrow some. In addition to digging for your garden, we’ll collect plants for future NPSP projects, too. For more information and to RSVP, contact the WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com.
May 19 (Thursday)
6:30- 8:45 pm – Rain Garden Workshop
(Olympia) Rain gardens provide natural beauty, food and habitat for wildlife, and they help
improve water quality. A rain garden is a shallow depression that can be shaped and sized to fit your yard and planted with a variety of flowers, shrubs and grasses. Rain gardens act like a native ecosystem by collecting, absorbing and filtering stormwater runoff from rooftops, driveways, patios and other impervious surfaces that do not allow rainwater to soak in around our homes. Join us for a free, hands-on workshop to learn how to add one of these lovely features to your yard. The workshop will give you all the details you need to design and install a beautiful rain garden that will manage your home’s stormwater drainage while protecting our local water resources. Participants will receive a FREE, full-color rain garden poster and a FREE copy of WSU’s “Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners.” Those interested in learning more can join us for a rain garden installation field day in early summer for hands-on learning and practice! Workshops are FREE. Advanced registration is required. For more information, or to register, contact WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com. EXTRA CREDIT
Saturday, May 21
9 am – 4 pm – Master Gardener Foundation of Thurston County Plant Sale
(Dirt Works, in Yauger Park on the west side of Olympia) The sale features a wide variety of plants including great plant picks, perennials, shrubs/trees, grasses, native plants, heirloom tomato starts, and herb/vegetable starts. Along with the sale, Dirt Works garden is open to the public the whole day. Education of the community about plants, water-wise gardening, other related organizations and composting are major focuses of the event. Something else to look for is a demonstration on tool sharpening and maintenance. Bring your pruners, loppers or shears and learn as they are sharpened. The sharpening tool will be available for sale, with proceeds going to the Foundation. The Master Composters of Thurston County will be demonstrating yard and worm composting. There will also be bins on site for you to see and purchase from the MGFTC. Composting workshops the day of the sale: Yard Waste 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM; Worm Bin 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Sun. May 22
1 pm – 3 pm – McLane Creek Nature Trail Maintenance
(Olympia) Join volunteers from the Native Plant Salvage Project and Stream Team in maintaining the trails around McLane Creek. Snacks will be provided. For more information, email nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or call 360-867-2166. EXTRA CREDIT
June 3-4
Sea Cinema Film Festival
(Capitol Theater, 206 5th Ave SE, Olympia) Celebrate World Oceans Day locally with the Sea Cinema Film Festival. 15 FREE films on marine life and oceans, including Oceans from Disneynature. For more information, go to www.seacinema.org or contact Gabby at 360-754-9177 ext. 162. EXTRA CREDIT
June 4
10 am – Olympia Historic Shoreline Marking Event
Meet at Sylvester Park, located at the corner of Capital and Legion Ways SE
11 am – Olympia Historic Shoreline Walk
TBD – Sea Cinema Block Party in front of the Capital Theater
The Sea Cinema Block Party is a FREE Family-Friendly block party in celebration World Oceans Day. Includes live music, arts and crafts, hands-on activities, live marine critter touch tank and more! Go to www.seacinema.org for more information.
Wednesday, June 8
10am – noon – McLane Creek Nature Trail Maintenance
(Olympia) Join volunteers from the Native Plant Salvage Project and Stream Team in maintaining the trails around McLane Creek. Snacks will be provided. For more information, email nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or call 360-867-2166. EXTRA CREDIT
June 11
9-10pm – Night dockside adventure with marine naturalists in Olympia
(Boston Harbor Marina, Olympia) Fall in love with Puget Sound again, or for the first time! Join People For Puget Sound naturalists out on the docks for a night time adventure. We’ll see the food web in action! We may be joined by giant marine worms, colorful sea slugs, sea stars, larval fish, jelly fish and maybe even the luminescent squid! AND you never know when the harbor seal might swing by for a snack. People For Puget Sound members free; non-member adults, $10. (Children free) This is a family-friendly event but we advise parents not to bring children under 8. All children must by supervised by an adult. Please dress for the weather (and damp docks) and bring your own flashlights. Advance reservations are required, and space is limited. To RSVP, go to http://pugetsound.org/forms/event_rsvp. For more information, contact Gabby Byrne, (360) 754-9177. EXTRA CREDIT
10 am – 3:30 pm – “Meet the Trees of Washington” Field Class
Sponsored by Thurston Co. Stream Team. For more information and to RSVP, contact the WSU Native Plant Salvage Project at 360-867-2166 or at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com. EXTRA CREDIT
June 14 (Tuesday)
7pm – Olympia Science Café: Hair and the detection of breast cancer.
(Batdorf & Bronson Coffee House, 516 Capitol Way S, Olympia) Prof. Emeritus D. Lyman, Univ. of Utah.
June 23 (Thursday)
6:30 pm – Community Supported Agriculture
(Thurston County Courthouse, Bldg. 1, Room 280—2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW, Olympia 98502) Presentation by and discussion with several local CSA farmers regarding the social, economic and environmental benefits of the increasingly popular Community-Supported Agriculture. Speakers will discuss the benefits and how it works. Social period at 6:30 p.m. followed by presentation and disucssion beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 30
4:30-7:30 pm – McLane Creek Nature Trail Maintenance
(Olympia) Join volunteers from the Native Plant Salvage Project and Stream Team in maintaining the trails around McLane Creek. Snacks will be provided. For more information, email nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or call 360-867-2166.
Wed. July 13
10 am – noon – McLane Creek Maintenance
(Olympia) Join volunteers from the Native Plant Salvage Project and Stream Team in maintaining the trails around McLane Creek. Snacks will be provided. For more information, email nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or call 360-867-2166.