See Below
RECURRING EVENTS
Tuesdays: South Sound Prairie Restoration Work Party, 9 am – 3 pm
Olympia City Council, 7 pm (Olympia City Council Chambers: 601 4th Ave E)
http://olympia.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
Tumwater City Council, 7 pm on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday (Tumwater City Hall: 555 Israel Rd. SW) www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/ccagendasTOC.htm
Wednesdays: Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Bird Walk, 8-11 am – Meet at Visitor Center Overlook at 8 am.
Nisqually Land Trust Work Party, 9 am – noon
Thursdays: Olympia Farmers’ Market, 10 am – 3 pm (700 N Capitol Way; Olympia 98501) http://olympiafarmersmarket.com.
Lacey City Council, 7 pm on the 2nd & 4th Thursday (Lacey City Hall: 420 College Street) Go to www.ci.lacey.wa.us/city-government/city-council/city-council-2/city-council-meetings/council-meetings for more information.
Fridays: Olympia Farmers’ Market, 10 am – 3 pm
Saturdays: Olympia Farmers’ Market, 10 am – 3 pm
South Sound Estuarium, 10 am – 3 pm (608 Washington St NE; Olympia 98501) http://sseacenter.wordpress.com/south-sound-estuarium
Sundays: Olympia Farmers’ Market, 10 am – 3 pm
South Sound Estuarium, 10 am – 3 pm
Help Save a Tree!
Every year, an estimated 33 million trees are sold for the holidays in the United States. After the festivities, all those trees must be collected for recycling into mulch or compost, or go into the landfill. This holiday Stream Team is offering another option: purchase a live potted tree from Puget Sound Plants in Olympia—and then after the holidays, keep the tree and plant it on your property OR give it to Stream Team to plant next to streams for salmon and wildlife habitat. For more information, go to http://streamteam.info/getinvolved/plant/holidaytree or contact Michelle Stevie at mstevie@ci.olympia.wa.us.
Tuesday, November 26
9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie Restoration Work Party
We will be planting at Glacial Heritage Preserve again! University of Washington grad student, Natalie Footen, will be planting on site for a golden paintbrush companion planting study. She also may need volunteer assistance planting for this study. Dress for the weather, and bring along a box lunch, gloves and plenty of water. Also bring ear plugs or headphones, because the auger we use to drill holes for planting is LOUD! Directions to Glacial Heritage: take I-5 to exit 95 (the Littlerock exit), ~10 miles south of Olympia; go west into Littlerock; continue going straight through Littlerock—do not take any turns, and follow the road (128th Ave) until it ends at Mima Road/Waddell Creek Road; turn south (left) on Mima Road and go 2.7 miles; take a left onto a gravel road with sign for Glacial Heritage—there will be a tractor sign shortly before the turn. Please obey the 15 mph speed limit, as there are often dogs and small children active nearby. Follow the road through the gate; take the first right, and then stay to the left to get to the house. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.
Wednesday, November 27
9:00 am to 12:00 pm – Yelm Burlap Weed Control
Join Nisqually Land Trust on Thanksgiving Eve for some noxious-weed control at a beautiful site in Yelm! Green Mountain Coffee has donated tons of burlap coffee bags to use for noxious weed control, and we need help placing them! The coffee bags will act as mulch in areas that we plan to plant in the future. Coffee, water, and some light snacks will be provided; please bring a water bottle and anything else you might need. Work parties are rain or shine. Bring layers, raingear, and close-toed shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. All minors MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian To register and get directions, go to www.nisquallylandtrust.org/events.php and click on the event, or go to https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e8kf5nv0dcf46794. For more information, contact Cris Peck (AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator, Nisqually Land Trust) at 360-489-3400 ext. 106 or at www.nisquallylandtrust.org.
Tuesday, December 3
9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie Restoration Work Party
We are going to continue planting at Glacial Heritage, but we are almost done! We will also be breaking out the weed wrenches and removing Scotch broom. Dress for the weather, and bring along a box lunch, gloves and plenty of water. Directions to Glacial Heritage: take I-5 to exit 95 (the Littlerock exit), ~10 miles south of Olympia; go west into Littlerock; continue going straight through Littlerock—do not take any turns, and follow the road (128th Ave) until it ends at Mima Road/Waddell Creek Road; turn south (left) on Mima Road and go 2.7 miles; take a left onto a gravel road with sign for Glacial Heritage—there will be a tractor sign shortly before the turn. Please obey the 15 mph speed limit, as there are often dogs and small children active nearby. Follow the road through the gate; take the first right, and then stay to the left to get to the house. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.
Wednesday, December 4
9:30 am – 12 pm – Priest Point Park work party
Help out with our continuing restoration efforts at Priest Point Park. Our focus will be to planting native species in an area previously cleared of invasive English ivy. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. Youth under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult and all youth under 18 years must have a signed Waiver and Medical Alert (available online at http://olympiawa.gov/~/media/Files/Parks/Volunteering/WAIVER%20Form.ashx) or have a parents’ signature on the sign-in roster at the project work site. Priest Point Park is located 2600 East Bay Drive. We will meet at Kitchen shelter #2. For more information, contact Mike Baker with City of Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation at mbaker@ci.olympia.wa.us or at 360.753.8365, or go to www.olympiawa.gov/parkvolunteer.
Saturday, December 7
7:30 am – Birding and Breakfast near Tumwater Historical Park
Bird with the Black Hills Audubon Society, and then enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant—or if you are a late riser, just join us for breakfast and we’ll give you the run down on what birds are in the area. At 7:30 we will meet at Tumwater Historical Park (north of Falls Terrace Restaurant on Deschutes Parkway about .2 miles, then take the unmarked road between Henderson House Museum and Crosby Road, down to the river.) At 9:00 we will meet for breakfast at River’s Edge Restaurant at the Tumwater Golf Course (4611 Tumwater Valley Drive Southeast, Tumwater). For more information, contact Leslie Lynam at 360- 402-9513 or Deb Nickerson at 360-754-5397.
10 am – 1 pm – 3rd Annual Bald Eagle Kayak Tour in Mud Bay
We will leisurely paddle Mud Bay into the mouth of McLane Creek to see eagles on their feeding grounds. Special guest biologist, Lindsy Wright, US Fish and Wildlife Service, will discuss eagle behaviors, habitat and new trends. The cost is $25, and kayaks and safety equipment will be provided. Children ages 12–16 may attend with an adult. Ages 17–18 may attend with signed permission. Moderate walking on uneven ground will be required. Space is limited to 15 participants, and you must register to attend. To register, call City of Olympia Parks, Arts, and Recreation at 360-753-8380, or go to http://olympiawa.gov/city-services/parks and click on “Experience It! Online – Program Registration”. (This is Program # 17467.) Staff contact: Mike Baker, at mbaker@ci.olympia.wa.us.
10 am – 1 pm – Twin Rivers Ranch Work Party
(Olympia) Capitol Land Trust is ramping up our second phase of restoration efforts on this beautiful Oakland bay shoreline property. Come help restore the tidal Sitka spruce forests and wetland habitat. A great chance to visit this unique and special place! To sign up and receive directions, email info@capitollandtrust.org. All are welcome; no experience is necessary.
10 am – 4 pm – Use it Wisely: Conserve Water & Energy
(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams ST NE, Olympia 98501) Come play our giant floor game, The Drip Stops Here, anytime throughout the day. You’ll learn how to conserve water at home, and take home fun prizes. At 2 pm, take the family on a tour of our LEED Platinum certified green building to learn about all of the ways we are conserving water and energy, including how we generate our own electricity using methane from the treatment plant.
8 pm – Pier Peer at Boston Harbor Marina
Peer below the waters of Puget Sound and discover the lives of mysterious and beautiful creatures. Jellyfish, colorful sea slugs, predatory worms and more visit us at the underwater lights. Pre-registration is required: go to https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e8agsyun9dc9dbba. Cost is $10 for persons 12 and older; children ages 6 to 11 are free.
Tuesday, December 10
9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie Restoration Work Party
Dress for the weather, and bring along a box lunch, gloves and plenty of water. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.
Wednesday, December 11
9:30 am – 12 pm – Yashiro Japanese Garden work party
Come out to the Beautiful Yashiro Japanese Garden for a morning of enjoyable stewardship. Our focus will be to spread bark and clean-up the park. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. Youth under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult and all youth under 18 years must have a signed Waiver and Medical Alert (available online at http://olympiawa.gov/~/media/Files/Parks/Volunteering/WAIVER%20Form.ashx) or have a parents’ signature on the sign-in roster at the project work site. Yashiro Japanese Garden is located at 1010 Plum ST SE. We will meet near the entrance. For more information, contact Mike Baker with City of Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation at mbaker@ci.olympia.wa.us or at 360.753.8365, or go to www.olympiawa.gov/parkvolunteer.
Thursday, December 12
7-9 pm – Presentation: Christmas Bird Count – From There to Here
(First Christian Church: 701 Franklin Street SE; Olympia 98507) This year, for the 114th time, 93% of all Audubon chapters across the country will brave snow, wind or rain to conduct their Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Recently at the Fall Audubon Council meeting, we learned just how valuable data from counts is to agencies. Each participant makes an enormous contribution to conservation through this longest-running wildlife census. These citizen scientists help assess the health of bird populations, predict trends, and guide conservation action. Come join us in hearing a bit of the history of this great citizen science success, and get inspired to participate in our own local event on December 15 (Sunday)! Arrive at 7:00 pm to socialize; the program will begin promptly at 7:30 pm. Sponsored by the Black Hills Audubon Society.
Saturday, December 14
9:00 am – 12 noon – Black Hills Audubon field trip: Downtown Ducks at Capital Lake
Burt Guttman’s Downtown Ducks quests are a beloved tradition in Olympia. Many different ducks, geese, grebes, and the occasional loon or swan, as well as passerines in the trees and shrubs, are possible at Capital Lake in late fall and winter. Meet at the Marathon Park parking lot on Capital Lake. Dress for the weather. Bring snacks and water as needed. This trip is especially oriented toward beginning birders, but all interested folks are welcome.
10 am – 4 pm – Ocean Bingo
(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams ST NE, Olympia 98501) Bring the family inside to escape the rain and play a fun and educational game of Ocean Bingo! There are many great prizes for adults and children to win. There will be bingo games and ocean inspired art projects in the classroom all day.
Sunday, December 15
From dawn to dusk, and anywhere in between! – Christmas Bird Count and Chili Feed
During this event, sponsored by Black Hills Audubon Society, volunteers spend the day (or part of the day) in the field counting birds in their group’s assigned count area. Folks new to birding, or those who prefer working with a more experienced birder, will be partnered with veteran group leaders. This is a serious commitment, as well as a whole lot of fun, and it’s a great way for amateurs to become familiar with our local birds. For more information, go to http://blackhills-audubon.org/fieldtrips-events.htm.
Monday, December 16
4-5:30 pm – Public invited to comment on Regional Transportation Plan
(Shelton: Commission Chambers, Mason County Building 1: 411 N. Fifth St.) The Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization invites the public to attend this public meeting to learn more about a Regional Transportation Plan and to comment on the future vision of transportation for the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas. The Regional Transportation Plan (www.wsdot.wa.gov/partners/prtpo/docs/materials/prtpo_rtp_draft2013.pdf) is designed to promote and guide efficient and sustainable transportation systems on the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas. It was developed as a shared vision of how strategic transportation planning can create a better future for residents and businesses on the peninsulas. Anyone can participate.
Tuesday, December 17
9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie Restoration Work Party
Dress for the weather, and bring along a box lunch, gloves and plenty of water. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.
Wednesday, December 18
9:30 am – 12 pm – Madison Scenic Park work party
Come on out to Madison Scenic Park for a fun and festive work party! We will focus on removing invasive species. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. Youth under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult and all youth under 18 years must have a signed Waiver and Medical Alert (available online at http://olympiawa.gov/~/media/Files/Parks/Volunteering/WAIVER%20Form.ashx) or have a parents’ signature on the sign-in roster at the project work site. Madison Scenic Park is located 1600 10th Ave SE. We will meet at the top of the paved walk-way. For more information, contact Mike Baker with City of Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation at mbaker@ci.olympia.wa.us or at 360.753.8365, or go to www.olympiawa.gov/parkvolunteer.
6:30 pm – Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve: Then and Now
(LOTT’s WET Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia 98501) Presented by Daniel Hull, Executive Director, Nisqually Reach Nature Center. Doors open at 6:30 pm; presentation is from 7-8:30pm. Sponsored by the South Sound Estuary Association in partnership with the WET Science Center.
Saturday, December 21
Winter Solstice at the ESTUARIUM
(Olympia) Join us at the Estuarium to welcome in the Winter Solstice! This will be an all-day free event at the Estuarium. Daniel Hull is bringing the Nisqually Reach Nature Center to the Estuarium with a marine-life touch tank. Learn about the moon’s gravitational pull on the ocean. Raise funds for the Estuarium by making your very own sand art with Seadazzle for holiday gifts, and so much more. If you would like to help out, please contact Nate Bernitz, nate@sseacenter.org. For more information, go to www.sseacenter.org.
10 am – 12 pm – Madison Scenic Park work party
Join us as we ring in the holidays for some much needed work at Madison Scenic Park! We will focus on, removing invasive species. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots that can get wet and muddy. Youth under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult and all youth under 18 years must have a signed Waiver and Medical Alert (available online at http://olympiawa.gov/~/media/Files/Parks/Volunteering/WAIVER%20Form.ashx) or have a parents’ signature on the sign-in roster at the project work site. Madison Scenic Park is located 1600 10th Ave SE. We will meet at the top of the paved walk-way. For more information, contact Mike Baker with City of Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation at mbaker@ci.olympia.wa.us or at 360.753.8365, or go to www.olympiawa.gov/parkvolunteer.
Saturday, December 28
2 pm – Groundwater 101
(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams ST NE, Olympia 98501) Groundwater, aquifers, wells – oh my! This presentation, with hands-on activities, will help you understand what groundwater is, how it can become contaminated, and what you can do to protect it.
Friday, January 3
7:00 – 9:00 pm – Sustainability in Exile and how it relates to Puget Sound
(LOTT Water Education (WET) Science Center: 500 NE Adams; Olympia) Speaker: Jonathan Scherch, Antioch University. Free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Sponsored by South Sound Estuary Association. For more information, please contact Leihla at at 360-888-0565 or leihla@sseacenter.org.
Sunday, January 5
2:30 – 5 pm – Cooking class: Improve Nutrition in the New Year
Do you want to improve your nutrition in the New Year? Are you looking for ways to add more vegetables and fruits to your diet? Come join Erin and learn to cook five high-fiber, plant-based dishes that you can incorporate into your plans for healthy eating. We will make one breakfast dish, one side dish, two main dishes, and one snack. For location and to register, go to www.olympiafood.coop/classes. (Why include cooking classes on a list of environmental events? Because learning to cook can greatly reduce the ecological footprint of your food—and it connects you to the sources of your food!)
Wednesday, January 8
7 pm – (talk) Know Your Grasses
(Tacoma Nature Center: 1919 South Tyler Street; Tacoma 98405) Grasses are critical to many fields of science and practice, including wetland identification and delineation, ecosystem restoration, erosion control, and interpretation of natural history. Beautiful and diverse, grasses are globally important in many ways—fundamental to the past and future survival of humans. In this presentation, Clay Antieau explores the grass language and distinguishing characteristics of the grass family. Featuring invasive grasses, rare grasses, and ornamental grasses, Clay will describe the remarkable adaptiveness of grasses as well as their habitat affinities, restoration roles, and associated conservation challenges. Clay Antieau is a horticulturist, botanist, and environmental scientist who enthusiastically combines these disciplines to offer unique abilities and perspectives in environmental education and science communication. He currently works for the City of Seattle as an environmental permit specialist. Clay’s a recognized local authority and educator in Northwest flora and has taught courses in plant identification, wetland science, restoration science, and related subjects at the University of Washington and numerous technical and community colleges around Washington. He has been teaching grass identification for more than 20 years. Free!
Monday, January 13
7 pm – (talk) Rare Plants: Endemics, Disjuncts, and Peripheral Species.
(Washington State Capitol Museum Coach House: 211 21st Avenue SW; Olympia 98501) Why is this plant growing here? Is it a native? How did it get here? Are there more of these plants nearby? What are our conservation priorities for this plant? These are the kinds of questions often facing Joe Arnett, rare-plant botanist for the Washington Natural Heritage Program. J oe will discuss selection of the plant species regarded to be conservation priorities in Washington, considering the different ways that they are distributed on the landscape. Aspects of distribution include evaluation of risk, genetics, and dispersal mechanisms. Joe Arnett has been the rare plant botanist for the Washington Natural Heritage Program since 2005 and has formally studied the plants of Washington since 1982. Free!
Tuesday January 14
7:00 pm – Great Ape Genetic Diversity and Species Conservation
(Olympia REI: 625 Black Lake Blvd. #410; Olympia 98502) Homo sapiens belong to a family of species called the great apes, which includes chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans in addition humans. Though much of the attention has focused recently on ‘personal genomics,’ the ability to cheaply sequence human genomes for medical records and ancestry tracking, far fewer resources have been focused on exploring the genomic diversity of other great apes. However, non-human great apes demonstrate far more genetic diversity than humans. Additionally, every species of great ape, with the exception of humans, is endangered, and some populations very critically. It is thus imperative to study these close relatives of our own species not only to inform conservation techniques, but, before some populations disappear forever. In this talk University of Washington doctoral student Peter Sudmant will discuss our recent effort to sequence the largest number of wild great ape genomes to date, and how this resource can be used in conservation efforts and to better understand human history. The talk is free, but space is limited and you must register by sending an email to Alison Beglin at alison@capitollandtrust.org or by calling (360) 943-3012. A collaboration between Capitol Land Trust and REI.
Wednesday, January 15
6:30 pm – Understanding South Sound Tides
(LOTT’s WET Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia 98501) Presented by Lynn Corliss, Professor, South Puget Sound Community College. Doors open at 6:30 pm; presentation is from 7-8:30pm. Sponsored by the South Sound Estuary Association in partnership with the WET Science Center.
Saturday, January 18
2:30 – 5 pm – Cooking class: Edible Weeds 101
Join Kate in exploring edible weeds which grow in our region. Learn about identifying, collecting and preparing those pesky plants that get in the way of what we choose to grow. Handouts will be provided, including recipes. Samples will be presented as available. For location and to register, go to www.olympiafood.coop/classes. (Why include cooking classes on a list of environmental events? Because learning to cook can greatly reduce the ecological footprint of your food—and it connects you to the sources of your food!)
Monday, January 20 (MLK Day)
10 am – 1 pm – Twin Rivers Ranch Work Party
(Olympia) Capitol Land Trust is ramping up our second phase of restoration efforts on this beautiful Oakland bay shoreline property. Come help restore the tidal Sitka spruce forests and wetland habitat. A great chance to visit this unique and special place! To sign up and receive directions, email info@capitollandtrust.org. All are welcome; no experience is necessary.
Friday, February 7
7:00 – 9:00 pm – Ocean Acidification and Fish: It’s not All about the clams.
(LOTT Water Education (WET) Science Center: 500 NE Adams; Olympia) Speaker: Scott Steltzner, Fisheries Biologist, Squaxin Island Tribe. Scott Steltzner has been a fisheries biologist with the Squaxin Island Tribe for the past nine years. Research interests include early marine survival of salmonids and assessment of nearshore habitats. He holds a degree in marine biology from San Diego State University. Free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Sponsored by South Sound Estuary Association. For more information, please contact Leihla at at 360-888-0565 or leihla@sseacenter.org.
Tuesday, February 11
Capitol Land Trust’s 10th Annual Conservation Breakfast
Join us for breakfast as we celebrate conservation leaders from throughout southwest Washington and raise vital funds for our work. If you’re interested in being a sponsor, table captain or volunteer for the Conservation Breakfast, please contact Alison at alison@capitollandtrust.org.
Wednesday, February 19
6:30 pm – Citizen Science in Environmentalism: What Can YOU Do?
(LOTT’s WET Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia 98501) Presented by Laura James (Videographer, Beneath the Looking Glass, LLC) and Janna Nichols (Outreach Coordinator, REEF Environmental Education Foundation) . Doors open at 6:30 pm; presentation is from 7-8:30pm. Sponsored by the South Sound Estuary Association in partnership with the WET Science Center.
Saturday, February 1
9:00 am – 12:00 pm – Nisqually Land Trust Volunteer Site Steward Workshop
Do you want to help take care of the special places you love? This is an opportunity to learn about the Land Trust’s volunteer stewardship program, best practices, and meet current stewards. Location to be determined. For more information, contact Cris Peck (AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator, Nisqually Land Trust) at 360-489-3400 ext. 106 or at www.nisquallylandtrust.org.
Friday, February 28
1 – 4 pm – Twin Rivers Ranch Work Party
(Olympia) Capitol Land Trust is ramping up our second phase of restoration efforts on this beautiful Oakland bay shoreline property. Come help restore the tidal Sitka spruce forests and wetland habitat. A great chance to visit this unique and special place! To sign up and receive directions, email info@capitollandtrust.org. All are welcome; no experience is necessary.
Wednesday, March 19
6:30 pm – Waterbirds & Shorebirds of Puget Sound: Observations From the Field
(LOTT’s WET Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia 98501) Phil Kelley and Whittier Johnson, Black Hills Audubon Society. Doors open at 6:30 pm; presentation is from 7-8:30pm. Sponsored by the South Sound Estuary Association in partnership with the WET Science Center.