ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES! (Olympia, WA) |

THIS WEEK’S “HEADLINING” EVENT:

Tuesday, Feb 10, 7:00-8:30 am: Capitol Land Trust’s 11^th Annual Conservation Breakfast!

(For details, look below at that date.)

RECURRING EVENTS

3^rd Monday of each month: Birds and Beer (Olympia), 4:30 pm. For more information, go to http://blackhills-audubon.org/fieldtrips-events.htm

Tuesdays: South Sound Prairie work party, 9 am – 3 pm

Olympia City Council, 7 pm (Olympia City Council Chambers: 601 4^th Ave E)

http://olympia.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Tumwater City Council, 7 pm on the 1^st & 3^rd 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

Last Wednesday of each month: Birds and Beer (Shelton), 5:00 pm. For more information, go to http://blackhills-audubon.org/fieldtrips-events.htm

Thursdays: Lacey City Council, 7 pm on the 2^nd & 4^th 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 info.

3^rd Thursday of each month: Birding at Eagle’s Pride Golf Course at JBLM. For more info, go to http://blackhills-audubon.org/fieldtrips-events.htm

Fridays: South Sound Prairie work party, 9 am – 3 pm

Saturdays: Olympia Farmers’ Market, 10 am – 3 pm (700 N Capitol Way; Olympia 98501) http://olympiafarmersmarket.com.

South Sound Estuarium, 11 am – 4 pm (309 State Ave NE; Olympia 98501) http://sseacenter.wordpress.com/south-sound-estuarium

First Saturday of each month: First Saturday Birding and Breakfast. For more information, go to http://blackhills-audubon.org/fieldtrips-events.htm.

Sundays: South Sound Estuarium, 11 am – 4 pm (309 State Ave NE; Olympia 98501) http://sseacenter.wordpress.com/south-sound-estuarium

Other lists of volunteer events in Washington

Department of Fish and Wildlife: http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/volunteer/events

Washington Department of Natural Resources: http://www.dnr.wa.gov

Washington Department of Parks: http://www.parks.wa.gov/262/Volunteer-Program

Citizen Science Opportunity: Amphibian Survey Training

Are you someone who likes to get outside and explore the natural world? Do you have an interest in local amphibians? Would you like to help contribute to a real conservation project? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you should join Northwest Trek’s Amphibian Egg Mass Survey Program! Participants will be trained with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife protocols and taught how to identify the egg masses of 8 different amphibian species. Trained volunteers will have access to monitoring tools, including waders, digital cameras, and GPS units to monitor for the presence of egg masses monthly from February to July. Training and a monthly commitment is required to participate in this project. The training will be held: Saturday Feb 7^th 9am-noon (required in-class training) and Saturday Mar 7^th 10am-Noon (optional field training). Contact Rachael Mueller at Rachael.Mueller@nwtrek.org to learn more or to sign up for this training session.

Environmental Educators NEEDED!

South Sound Estuary Association is seeking 2 environmental educators to work with our Estuarium education programs. During 2015 we will provide the landforms science curriculum to a maximum of 28 classes, 2 at a time for 14 separate visits. There are two curriculum elements: one takes place in the Estuarium, using Budd Inlet historic dredging and landfill as a learning tool; the other is a walking tour of downtown Olympia’s historic shoreline. We will contract with 2 individuals to be responsible for a portion of the curriculum. These individuals will work as a team with Betsea Antonio, Estuarium Operations Manager. Desirable qualifications: BA/BS in environmental studies, with marine and estuary focus; experience with teaching/classroom instruction and working with 10 – 12 year olds; like working with kids; available weekdays; flexible schedule to fit the scheduling needs of school groups; reliable. Must pass a WA State Patrol background check. Reimbursement: $13/hour for 3 hours each scheduled session. To apply: Submit letter of interest with a completed volunteer form (found at sseacenter.org under Volunteering tab) and name/contact information for 2 references to center@sseacenter.org by Friday, February 13th, 5 pm.

Volunteer at the 23^rd annual Student GREEN Congress at TESC

On March 30th, South Sound GREEN and the Nisqually River Education Project are hosting the 23rd annual Student GREEN Congress at The Evergreen State College, and you could be there! Congress is an opportunity for 400 invited student delegates from grades 4-8 to present water quality data, compare notes with other students, and brainstorm recommendations to improve the water quality in the South Sound. South Sound GREEN has asked the WET Science Center to give a presentation in the afternoon, which is when we could use the help of a committed (and lucky!) volunteer. Duties may include: helping manage 30 middle school students, constructing an orca out of a paper plate, singing in a humpback whale choir, and being enthusiastic about science. If you are available to lend a hand that afternoon, contact Nelson Falkenburg at americorps@lottcleanwater.org.

Saturday, Feb. 7

9:30 – 11 am — Amphibians of the PNW Lecture

(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams St NE, Olympia) If you’re curious about frogs, toads, salamanders and newts, then join Stream Team with guest speaker Dr. Marc Hayes from 9:30 to 11 am for a fun, informative workshop on Pacific Northwest amphibians. Learn about common local species, their unique identifying characteristics, life history stages, and habitat requirements. We will address how to identify different life stages of PNW amphibians with an emphasis on egg mass identification. Space is limited. To register, visit www.streamteam.info and click on the event. (Amphibian egg mass survey training will be after the workshop, please register separately—see next listing.)

11:30am – 2pm — Salamanders, Newts & Frogs…Oh My!

(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams St NE, Olympia) For those who want to apply their new knowledge out in the field, there will be a field training after the presentation, from 11:30 am- 2 pm, at Hansen Elementary ( 1919 Road Sixty-Five, Olympia). Space is limited for both the talk and the field training. To register, visit www.streamteam.info and click on the event. For questions, contact Michelle Stevie at mstevie@ci.olympia.wa.us. WET Center visitors can explore the world of amphibians through arts, crafts, and inspirational media anytime throughout the day.

1 – 3pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Pie Workshop

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Intimidated by pie? Fear no more. Join Olympia Pie Guild members as they demonstrate and discuss the science and art of making the perfect flaky and tender crust and delicious filling for traditional homemade pie. The instructors will walk you step-by-step through the entire process of pie making and you will leave with the skills and confidence to make your own, and some tasty pie samples. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

8 February, Sunday

9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Plant Salvaging with Native Plant Salvage

We have confirmed our salvage site for this upcoming Sunday: it’s located in Hawks Prairie, in the Meridian Campus area. It is a beautifully wooded site with a wide variety of mosses available for transplanting! There are also lots of sword ferns and shrubs such as oceanspray, snowberry, sword ferns, hazel, bald-hip rose, small conifers and some small huckleberries we can salvage. We will salvage until about noon, break for a hot vegetarian lunch, then move to our nursery in West Olympia from about 1 to 3:30 pm to pot plants. Salvaged plants go to habitat restoration projects, NPSF-sponsored educational projects, and to volunteers who help at the event. Volunteers are welcome for any and all parts of the day (we love it when folks pop in for the afternoon of camaraderie around the potting table!). Give us a shout by phone or email to sign up for the salvage and receive all the details: (360) 867-2167 or nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com.

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: The Trouble with Truffles

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Virginia Lange, chocolate devotee and Co-op Staff, will guide you through vegan and dairy truffles, chocolate ganache, and chocolate mousse. Learn about why Fair Trade chocolate is important and so delicious. Leave class with recipes and a big chocolate smile. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Tuesday, February 10

7:00am-8:30 am – Capitol Land Trust’s 11^th Annual Conservation Breakfast!

(Marcus Pavilion at Saint Martin’s University: 5300 Pacific Avenue SE; Lacey 98503) This year’s Conservation Breakfast will feature keynote speaker Maia D. Bellon, Director of the Washington State Department of Ecology. We also will be recognizing conservation leaders, landowners, and supporters who have prioritized saving the special places in our communities. Breakfast is free (a donation will be requested during the program). Please invite your colleagues and friends! We also are seeking Table Captains, Volunteers and Event Sponsors: we can’t pull off this important event without the help of our great volunteers and supporters. For more information, go to http://capitollandtrust.org/breakfast or contact Alison Beglin, Event Coordinator, at alison@capitollandtrust.org or 360.943.3012. Timeline: 6:45-7:10 am, registration and breakfast buffet; 7:15-8:30 am, program. RSVP to your table captain or to Alison Beglin.

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Come out and check out the Fisher Prairie while we perform oak-release activities (burning piles). Fisher Prairie is one of CNLM’s more recent prairies, so it should be interesting to compare how prairies differ over management time periods. Directions to Fisher Prairie: take I-5 to exit 88; turn east on to Old Highway 99 heading towards Tenino. After 2.5 miles, turn left onto Gibson Road, just past the South Sound Speedway, and go ~0.3 miles and continue past Violet Prairie Seed Farm (on the left) and past a rental house—it will be the following gate on the left. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

Wednesday 11 February

9:00am – 12:00pm – Nisqually Land Trust Work Party – Lower Reach

(Near Yelm) We’ll be planting native trees. We hope you will join us! Contact Cris to RSVP and for more information, at Volunteer@NisquallyLandTrust.org.

Feb. 12 (Thurs.)

7 pm – Black Hills Audubon Society Monthly Program Meeting: “Experience T and T”

(First Christian Church: 701 Franklin Street SE; Olympia 98507) Sit back and be transported to a place far removed from the gray winter days of the Pacific Northwest. Join Sheila McCartan and Tom Schooley as they share their experience visiting and birding in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago off the coast of Venezuela. These tiny islands are home to over 420 species of birds. Learn about the important conservation work and education programs of the Asa Wright Nature Center. Arrive at 7:00 pm to socialize – the program will begin promptly at 7:30 pm.

Feb. 13-16 (Fri-Mon) 18th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count

Looking for a way to enjoy the great outdoors this February? Join millions of bird watchers across North America and the world to make your love of nature add up for science and for the future. Participate in the 18th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count during “Presidents’ Day” weekend. Sponsored by Audubon and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, anyone—expert or novice, all ages—can count birds from wherever they are, at home, in schoolyards, at local parks, or wildlife refuges. Participants enter their tallies online, see the results of their observations within minutes, and compare to those of thousands of others. In 2014, participants sent in over 140,000 checklists worldwide. These reports contribute valuable information for science and conservation. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux, as they are affected by short-term weather and long-term climate change. And while they are gathering data, participants—families, teachers, children—enjoy nature and have fun! Go to http://gbbc.birdcount.org for more information and to submit your observations during the Bird Count weekend.

Friday, February 13

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) If weather permits, we will be planting endangered Golden paintbrush on recently developed Bunk Farm. We will meet up at Violet Prairie and carpool to nearby Bunk Farm. This will be a great opportunity to work with the fastest recovering endangered species ever and work on our newest seed farm. Wow! Dress for the weather, and bring along a box lunch, gloves and plenty of water. Directions to Violet Prairie Farm: take I-5 to exit 88; turn east on to Old Highway 99 heading towards Tenino. After 2.5 miles, turn left onto Gibson Road, just past the South Sound Speedway, and go ~0.2 miles until you see Violet Prairie Seed Farm on your left. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Plant Salvaging with Native Plant Salvage

We will be salvaging in Hawks Prairie, in the Meridian Campus area. It is a beautifully wooded site with a wide variety of mosses available for transplanting! There are also lots of sword ferns and shrubs such as oceanspray, snowberry, sword ferns, hazel, bald-hip rose, small conifers and some small huckleberries we can salvage. We will salvage until about noon, break for a hot vegetarian lunch, then move to our nursery in West Olympia from about 1 to 3:30 pm to pot plants. Salvaged plants go to habitat restoration projects, NPSF-sponsored educational projects, and to volunteers who help at the event. Volunteers are welcome for any and all parts of the day (we love it when folks pop in for the afternoon of camaraderie around the potting table!). Give us a shout by phone or email to sign up for the salvage and receive all the details: (360) 867-2167 or nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com.

14 February, Saturday

8 am – 12 pm – Citizen Monitoring Opportunity: Forage-Fish Surveys

(Olympia) Come out to another forage-fish survey opportunity! Trained and untrained volunteers are welcome. Carpooling is available! Register online at www.streamteam.info and click on “Register.” For more information contact Michelle Stevie at mstevie@ci.olympia.wa.us.

9:00am – 12:00pm – Nisqually Land Trust Work Party – South Muck Creek

(Near Eatonville) We’ll be planting trees to enhance wildlife habitat. We hope you will join us! Contact Cris to RSVP and for more information, at Volunteer@NisquallyLandTrust.org.

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Ohop Creek

NatureMapping provides an opportunity for citizen scientists to observe, monitor and inventory their local habitats and use the information gathered to effect real change. The data collected can be used by scientists on state and local levels to help make decisions that determine a healthy future for fish and wildlife. NatureMapping Field Trips are free for participants, and you do not need prior NatureMapping experience. Participants should come dressed for the weather and for walking in a wet environment on uneven surfaces. For more information, go to https://www.nwtrek.org/classes-fieldwork and fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Salvage Plants with Native Plant Salvage

(Olympia area) For location and other details, go to http://www.nativeplantsalvage.org/calendar and click on the event.

10 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Show your love for prairies this Valentine’s Day: make butterflies your Valentine’s and set their heart aflutter through volunteering on the 14^th! We will be burning piles and pulling broom at Glacial Heritage. Let’s make this the largest volunteer day of the year! 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 (128^th Ave) until it ends at Mima Road/Waddell Creek Road; turn south (left) on Mima Road and go 2.7 miles. Shortly after you see a small tractor sign, you will see a brown sign marking Glacial Heritage preserve and a gravel road to the left—turn onto the gravel road and obey the 15 mph speed limit, as there are often dogs and small children active nearby. Follow the road through the gate, and then take the first right and follow the road, staying to the left until you get to the house. Park in the small lot by the volunteer office. Because we are only at the house at 9:00 am and at lunch time—and it can be difficult to find us once we are out in the field—volunteers should plan to arrive before 9 am or around lunch time. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

10 am – 4 pm — Puget Sound We Love You

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) Come celebrate Valentine’s Day with fun art projects expressing your love for Puget Sound and all the amazing creatures living in it. For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Bokashi Composting

Bokashi is Japanese for “fermented organic matter.” Bokashi composting is a safe, quick, convenient way to compost in your kitchen, using specific microorganisms to anaerobically ferment food waste (including meat and dairy). Since the process takes place in a closed system, insects and smell are controlled, making it ideal for urban or business settings. This is a very fast process, with compost usually ready to be integrated into your soil or garden in around two weeks. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

15 February, Sunday

1 – 3pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Pruning Fruit Trees

Have a wayward apple tree that you do not know what to do with? An Italian plum that is totally out of control? Join Zach to get an introduction to successful fruit tree pruning. This class is for beginners and those interested in managing the trees in their lives. Get ready for a long, fruitful relationship with your trees! For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Monday, February 16 (Presidents’ Day)

9am-1pm — Green Cove Creek Wetlands Planting Party

(Olympia Westside, near TESC) Our first president allegedly cut down a cherry tree. In honor of his birthday, let’s cut down something a little more annoying: non-native blackberries and ivy that are trying to choke out native plants! Join us at our Kaiser Preserve property near TESC as we work to create shady stream & wetland buffers. To RSVP and get more information, go to http://www.capitollandtrust.org/pages/events.html.

Tuesday, February 17

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

Wed, February 18

7:30 AM – BHAS Field Trip: Lobby Day Lift-Off Bird Walk – Tumwater Historical Park

(Tumwater Historical Park (down the hill from the Crosby House): 777 Simmons Road SW, Tumwater) Join us for a bird walk before Audubon Lobby Day activities begin. Meet at Tumwater Historical Park by the large play area at 7:30 am and walk the Deschutes River and Capitol Lake listening and looking for waterfowl, shorebirds, passerines, and raptors. Some may want to carpool or be dropped off so they can walk directly to the Women’s Club for the 9:30am start of Audubon Lobby Day. All are welcome; you do not need to be attending Lobby Day to join in this field trip.

9:30 am – BHAS Legislative Event: Return of Advocacy -Audubon Lobby Day

(Woman’s Club of Olympia: 1002 Washington St SE, Olympia) Here is our chance to collectively meet and talk with our legislators on issues of importance to our state, nation, and world. Audubon members from all over the state will be coming to Olympia on February 18th for this chance to have their voices heard in small group meetings with legislators and other governmental officials. Our Black Hills Chapter, along with Audubon Washington, will be organizing and hosting this one-day event. More volunteers are needed to prepare for the dozens of members we expect. For more information, please contact Deb Nickerson at debranick@gmail.com.

9:30am – 12pm — Yashiro Japanese Garden volunteer work party

Come out to this hidden beautiful park for these series of work parties. Our goal will be to clean up the park, weed the beds and rake leaves within the park. Yashiro Japanese Garden is located at 1010 Plum Street SE. 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 participants under 18 years must have a signed Waiver and Medical Alert (available at http://olympiawa.gov/community/parks/volunteering.aspx) or have a parent’s signature on the sign-in roster at the project work site. For more information, contact Mike Baker (Program Specialist, Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation) at 360.753.8365 or at olympiawa.gov/parkstewardship.

February 19

7:00 – 8:30 pm — Results from the Ruckelshaus Center’s Capital Lake Assessment

(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia) Chris Page from the Ruckelshaus Center will teach us about their approach to collaborative problem solving, how they applied the process for the Olympia’s Capital Lake assessment and a summary of the results. Free and open to the public.

Friday, February 20

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. 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.

Saturday, Feb. 21

9 am – 5 pm — Lichens Lecture, Field Trip & Bio-Blitz

(Priest Point Park Rose Garden: 2600 East Bay Drive NE, Olympia) Stream Team is teaming up with Northwest Lichenologists for a LichenBio-Blitz. Come play with us for the day to learn about lichens in the Pacific Northwest and their importance, and about the stressors affecting their survival. Special guests Dr. Lalita Calabria and Scot Loring will share their fascination with lichens, the importance of these unique symbiotic organisms and their relationship to the health of our environment. They will join Greg Eide and other members of Northwest Lichenologists to take us on a tour of discovery in our local parks. The day will start with an intro talk on what lichens are, how to collect them for identification, their ecology and lichen conservation. For the separate field portion, we will break into smaller teams led by the experts who will oversee lichen identification and their collection, while providing hands-on education on the specimens that are found. We will then break, and those wishing to continue can join us at The Evergreen State College lab to further our identification skills. The end result will be a species list of the lichens found and identified. Collected specimens may be added to TESC collections to be used as further teaching aids. To register for this workshop or bio-blitz, visit www.streamteam.info and click on “Register”. For questions, contact Michelle Stevie at mstevie@ci.olympia.wa.us

10:00 am – 12:00 noon — Tumwater Roadside Clean-Up

Help keep Tumwater clean and join the City of Tumwater for a roadside clean-up! The clean-up will begin at Tumwater City Hall (555 Israel Road SW). All equipment and light refreshments will be provided. Please register ahead of time for the event by contacting Monica Langford at (360) 252-5424 or mlangford@ci.tumwater.wa.us. Volunteers must complete a volunteer release waiver and be at least 15 years old to participate. Volunteer release waivers need to be completed by a parent or legal guardian for participants under 18 years old. If you have any questions, contact Monica.

10am-1pm — Yashiro Japanese Garden volunteer work party

1 – 3pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Crespelle – Italian Crepes

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Crespelle – Italian crepes are a great addition to your menu. Add slices to soups, or fill with savory leftovers, vegetables and meats of all kinds. Sample variations in class, including dairy/wheat; non-dairy & gluten-free with buckwheat. Tips for making and storing, as well as recipes for dinner and dessert crespelle, are included in class. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

2 pm — Extraterrestrial H₂O

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) Let’s go to space, the final frontier, and investigate water outside Earth! We’ll learn how astrobiologists use water to search for alien life forms. Then, we’ll see where water comes from on the International Space Station (hint: it’s gross). Finally, we’ll explore brand new scientific findings of Martian and asteroid water. Presentation at 2 p.m. and E.T. crafts all day! For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

22 February, Sunday

11am – 1pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Make Your Own Toothpaste

Learn about what is in most conventional toothpastes and how to pick the best one for your health. Then, learn how to make your own inexpensive, natural, and effective toothpaste. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Rendering Lard

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) The use of lard has made a comeback and for good reason. Come and learn why and how to render your own. When making your own from high quality, pasture raised pork, you’ll create a delicious, healthfully processed product for any cooking or baking. This class is hands on – please bring a clean tempered glass jar to take your lard home in. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Tuesday, February 24

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

February 25-27: GRuB Institute

For over 15 years, GRuB has been running agriculture-based alternative education, employment, and drop-out prevention programs that engage local teens in land & community-based projects, working to break cycles of hunger and poverty. This 3-day institute is a relationship-rich, hands-on experience offering powerful youth-engagement tools, established program design, strategies for strong partnerships, and a manual detailing GRuB’s Employment Program and GRuB School models. Most importantly, you will walk away with a tangible sense of the culture and environment that makes GRuB’s youth development model successful. The Institute is for: people who work with youth in farm or outdoor-based education seeking to deepen their impact; people who hope to start an organization that does this work and want to learn our successful model; and people who are looking for strategies to build successful school district partnerships. For more information and to register, go to http://goodgrub.org/youth/the-grub-institute. Questions? Contact Sara Finkle at 360-753-5522 or pollination@goodgrub.org.

Wed, Feb 25

9:00am – 12:00pm – Nisqually Land Trust Work Party – Red Salmon Creek

(Near DuPont) We’ll be pulling Scotch Broom and removing plant protectors. We hope you will join us! Contact Cris to RSVP and for more information, at Volunteer@NisquallyLandTrust.org.

9:30am-12pm — LBA Park volunteer work party

Join the crew from the Park Stewardship program at this well-loved park. Our goal for these work parties is to continue with our effort of spreading wood chips on the walking trail within the park. We will meet at 3333 Morse-Merryman Rd. SE. 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 participants under 18 years must have a signed Waiver and Medical Alert (available at http://olympiawa.gov/community/parks/volunteering.aspx) or have a parent’s signature on the sign-in roster at the project work site. For more information, contact Mike Baker (Program Specialist, Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation) at 360.753.8365 or at olympiawa.gov/parkstewardship.

Thursday, Feb. 26

6 – 8pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Book Discussion – High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America, by Jessica B. Harris

Acclaimed cookbook author Jessica B. Harris has spent much of her life researching the food and foodways of the African Diaspora. High on the Hog is the result, an engaging history of African-American cuisine. From chitlins and ham hocks to fried chicken and vegan soul, Harris celebrates the delicious and restorative foods of the African American experience. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

6-9:15 pm — Beyond Landscaping Part 1: Marine & Riparian Revegetation

(Tumwater Fire Hall) If you live along a stream, lake or Puget Sound, this workshop is for you! Living next to water requires unique landscaping methods and approaches. Attend this workshop to learn how to improve the habitat, stability and beauty of your shoreline. While this workshop is tailored especially for shoreline property owners, it is useful to anyone planning to restore large sections of their property. Topics include managing invasive species, choosing the right plants for revegetation, erosion and waterfowl control, tree care, view maintenance and how to make an affordable action and planting plan. (See listing on March 14 for details on the optional Part 2 of this class.) To register for one or both parts of this workshop, or for additional information, visit www.streamteam.info and click on “Register”, or contact Native Plant Salvage at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or (360) 867-2167.

6 – 7:30PM — LWVTC General Meeting: Water Quality / Fish Consumption

(Traditions Café: 300 5th Avenue SW, Olympia) We are delighted to announce that our speaker on February 26th will be Senator John McCoy. Senator McCoy, who represents the 38th District and is a Tulalip tribal member, will be giving us a presentation on fish consumption rates, a value that is directly tied to water quality. Over the past year, there has been a major initiative, led by our state’s tribes, to increase ‘fish consumption rates’ which would raise our water quality standards by requiring local governments and businesses to have more stringent discharge systems. A cleaner discharge means a decrease of pollutants in our waters, and in turn lessens the amount of toxins that we ingest when we eat fish. Our current standard is the lowest in the nation. The new standard will be set by the Department of Ecology. The current fish consumption rate is about a quarter of an ounce of fish per day. Everyone recognizes that average people, and high fish consumers, such as our state’s tribes, eat much more than ¼ of an ounce of fish per day. Last year, at the urging of the tribes, stakeholders and the Department of Ecology started negotiating a new rate. Local governments and businesses are concerned about the financial impact of having to install better technology in their discharge systems. Tribes and environmental groups remain apprehensive that the new proposed standards still allow too many toxins in the water, affecting fish and leaving too many carcinogens for human consumption. Come and hear Senator McCoy explain why fish consumption is the measure used to establish pollution controls and discharge rates, the current state of discussions, and why this measure is so crucial to our state’s tribes and environmental groups. Please join us at Traditions! http://www.lwvthurston.org.

6:30 – 8:30PM — Tiny (Carbon) Footprint Communities

(Eastside Urban Farm & Garden Center: 2326 4th Ave E, Olympia) Julie Rodwell, NWEBG member, author and urban planning/ transportation specialist, will be giving a talk about her forthcoming book, Tiny Footprints: Housing Ourselves Sustainably as We Grow and the Land Shrinks. Julie’s theme is that part of our construction to accommodate growth and displaced people and businesses should be in new Tiny Carbon Footprint communities. In these places, just by living there, individual carbon footprints are much smaller. Such communities could be nestled in special areas inside city limits, or they could be on brand-new sites. Tiny Footprint Communities are an essential, urgent part of the solution to the climate crisis. Sponsored by Northwest EcoBulding Guild and Olympia Federal Savings. Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/320154944849873 to RSVP. Contact: Barb Scavezze, barb@scavezze.com

Friday, February 27

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

Saturday, Feb 28

9:00am – 12:00pm — Nisqually Land Trust Volunteer Site-Steward Workshop

(Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge) Are wild places important to you? Do you want to help take care of the special places you love? Come to this workshop and learn about NLT’s protected areas, volunteer stewardship program, best practices, and also meet current stewards. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided. Please RSVP so we have an idea of how many people will be attending: we have room for 30. To sign up, go to https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eabb17yo6d45de21&oseq=&c=&ch=, or contact Cris Peck (AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator, Nisqually Land Trust) at 360-489-3400 ext. 106 or at volunteer@nisquallylandtrust.org. Directions will be provided in the registration confirmation email.

9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Salvage Plants with Native Plant Salvage

(Olympia area) For location and other details, go to http://www.nativeplantsalvage.org/calendar and click on the event.

10am-1pm — LBA Park volunteer work party

10 am – 4 pm — Game Day

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) Get out of the rain and play some games with us. Become the game piece for a giant board game called The Drip Stops Here, and learn how to save water at home. You can also play Oceanopoly, Ocean Bingo, Save the Sound, and more! For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

1 March, Sunday

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Composting Toilets!

Just what is a composting toilet? Why should everyone have one? Does it smell? What are the benefits? Composting toilets can use no water, no chemicals; they can be completely natural and organic. The toilet is a mini-ecosystem that separates the liquids and the solids, converting the solids into humus (not hummus, the dip made from chickpeas). Great everywhere, they are especially perfect for boats, RVs, and tiny houses. Join Zach for this fun and inspiring introductory class. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Tuesday, March 3

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

Thursday, Mar. 5

6-9 pm — Naturescaping for Water & Wildlife Workshop, Part 2: Landscape Plans

(LOTT WET Science Center: 500 Adams St NE,Olympia) In this class participants will receive a planting plan consultation with local landscape design professionals. Bring your draft landscape plan and receive feedback from several local experts who can answer specific questions about your plant choices and placement. Work on and/or revise your plan during this session. Prior participation in the Naturescaping Part 1 (see Feb 5^th listing) is required. Limited spots available. Register early! To register for both parts 1 and 2 of this workshop, or for additional information, visit www.streamteam.info and click on “Register.”

Friday, March 6

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

7 March, Saturday

10 am – 4 pm — Robotics for Kids Day

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) Come experience the amazing world of robots! This is a fantastic introduction to robotics and engineering, and great preparation for participating in local robotics clubs and classes. Between 12 and 4 p.m., staff from the Museum of Flight and student representatives from local robotics clubs will be onsite leading activities. At 2 p.m., attend the Museum of Flight’s “Robot Garage” workshop. No experience necessary. You’ll learn about the history of robotics along with the cutting edge robots currently being developed around the world. You’ll also design your own robot to complete a challenge. For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Delicious & Nutritious: Inexpensive and Healthy Foods for Families with Young Children

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) If you provide food for youngsters,toddlers to teenagers, this is a cooking class dream come true. Join Erin and get set for success with the picky eaters, eternal snackers, and vegi-phobics you feed on a daily basis. You will leave with recipes for fast and easy healthful snacks and meals that will be gobbled up by the kids without gobbling up your pocketbook. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

evening — Black Hills Audubon Society’s 28^th Annual Dinner and Silent Auction

(South Puget Sound Community College Student Union) The dinner is our major social activity of the year, giving members and friends of BHAS a chance to come together to celebrate the chapter’s achievements of the past year. Stay tuned for more details.

Sunday, March 8

9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Salvage Plants with Native Plant Salvage

(Olympia area) For location and other details, go to http://www.nativeplantsalvage.org/calendar and click on the event.

Tuesday, March 10

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

Friday, March 13

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

Saturday, Mar. 14

10 am – 2:30 pm — Beyond Landscaping Part 2: Landscape Plans

(Thurston County Courthouse, Room 152) This optional Part 2 of the class held Feb 26^th will allow a limited number of participants to meet with experts to review and discuss their personal revegetation plans. Following the plan review, the class will travel to a field site for a hands-on session on slope-planting techniques. Part 2 will include how to plant fascines and live stakes on a steep slope-site, as well as other practices to minimize impact and maximize stability. Please register separately for this class. To register for one or both parts of this workshop, or for additional information, visit www.streamteam.info and click on “Register.”

1 – 3pm — Scythe Class, Part 1

Want to mow tall grass and weeds with ease? This elegant peasant tool is an alternative to heavy, loud, polluting machinery so often used to work land. No fuel, no noise, no pollution! Ideal for small-scale farmers and homesteaders, this talk is an introduction to scything. Part 2, with a hands-on workshop, comes with later this year with the warm weather (and tall grass). Bring your questions, everyone welcome. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

2 pm — Septic System Care & Maintenance

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) Happy Groundwater Awareness Week! Did you know Thurston County has about 70,000 households served by on-site septic systems? These systems treat sewage and wastewater from rural and city households that aren’t connected to the central sewer system. To work properly, septic systems need regular care and maintenance to protect your family’s health, our community’s drinking water, and our lakes, rivers, streams, and Puget Sound. This class is great for people who live in homes served by a septic system. Learn simple, inexpensive things to keep your system working well now and in the future. For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

15 March, Sunday

1 – 3pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Make Your Own Deodorant

Learn how conventional deodorant is made and how to pick the best one for your health. Then, learn how to make your own inexpensive, natural, and effective deodorant. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Tuesday, March 17

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

March 19

7:00 – 8:30 pm — Discovery Speaker Series: Shorebirds of Puget Sound

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) South Sound Estuary Association’s Discovery Speaker Series presents Joe Evenson from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to teach about shorebird populations in Puget Sound—the science used to count shorebirds, the changing trends, and the relationship with forage fish populations. Free and open to the public.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

Friday, March 20

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

21 March, Saturday

11am – 1pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Miso 101

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Miso is a delicious healing food that is easy to make when you have access to the right starter culture. Join Meghan in this action-packed hands-on miso-making demo and lecture explaining the health benefits of miso fermentation. Miso samples will be provided. You will leave with recipes for making soy miso, other bean misos and recipes for cooking with miso as well. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

1 pm — Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) The Budd Inlet Treatment Plant has been cleaning up our urban wastewater since the early 1950s. Come and learn how we do it, including the extra steps we’ve added along the way to protect Puget Sound. A slideshow followed by a treatment plant tour will begin at 1 p.m. Tour participants must be ten years or older; please dress for the weather, and wear closed-toe, closed-heel shoes. For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Edible Weeds

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Join Kate in exploring the edible weeds growing in our region. Learn to identify, collect, and prepare these pesky plants that ‘get in the way’ of what we choose to grow. Handouts will be provided, including recipes. Weeds grow abundantly in the spring, and samples will be presented as available. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Sunday, March 22

10am-2pm — Green Cove Creek Wetlands Restoration Party

(Olympia Westside, near TESC) Join Capitol Land Trust at our Kaiser Preserve us as we spread mulch and install anti-deer and rodent protectors around recently planted trees and shrubs. RSVP for more information and directions (and so we know how many people are coming) by contacting Mike Leigh at mike@capitollandtrust.org or at 360.943.3012.

1 – 3pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Superfood Fruit & Nut Snack Bites

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Learn how to make your own delicious energizing snack bites out of raw nuts, dried fruits and other superfoods with a food processor. You will try some tasty treats, see how these morsels are created, learn about their nutrition content and receive some creative recipes, as well as a basic formula to create your own personalized snack bars. Great for on-the-go! Kids love them! For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Tuesday, March 24

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

(South Thurston County) Stay tuned for details. For more information, contact ssvolunteers@cnlm.org. Sponsored by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

26 March, Thursday

6 – 8pm — Book Discussion: Eating Animals, by Jonathan Safran Foer

Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his teenage and college years oscillating between carnivore and vegetarian. He kept returning to two questions: Why do we eat animals? And would we eat them if we knew how they got on our dinner plates? Eating Animals explores the many fictions we use to justify our eating habits-from folklore to pop culture to family traditions and national myth. Marked by Foer’s profound moral ferocity and unvarying generosity, as well as the vibrant style and creativity that made his previous books, Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, huge bestsellers, Eating Animals is a celebration and a reckoning. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

Friday, March 27

9 am – 3 pm – South Sound Prairie work party

28 March, Saturday

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Powell Pasture

12 – 2pm — Hugelbed Workshop

Hugelbeds (pronounced hoo-gull-beds) are no-dig raised beds with that hold moisture, build fertility, maximize surface volume. They are fantastic for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs in relatively small spaces. Come ready to work and learn by doing in this truly hands-on workshop. Bring your work boots, work gloves, and we will provide copious snacks and beverages. We will install a hugelbed, start to finish. You will gain knowledge and experience, just in time to build your own! For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

2 pm — Sea Changes: Ocean Acidification Lab

(LOTT Wet Science Center: 500 Adams Street NE; Olympia) Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air helps insulate our planet and keep it warm, but there can be too much of a good thing. Our oceans are absorbing a very large amount of CO2 every day and this is changing their chemistry. It’s making them more acidic, a process called ocean acidification. This hands-on chemistry lab gives an introduction to pH, the effects of CO2 on water, and the effects on local shellfish populations. Workshop is appropriate for 5th grade and older, great opportunity for parents and kids to explore science together. For more information, contact Amber Smith at (360) 528-5742 or ambersmith@lottcleanwater.org.

29 March, Sunday

2 – 4pm — Olympia Food Co-op Class: Super-Easy Super Salads

(Why include a cooking class on a list of environmental events? What better way to become connected with the food we eat and the land in which our food is grown? And this class is cheap!) Want to learn to make a few easy and fabulous salads for healthy eating and entertaining? Come join Erin and learn 5 simple and delicious salad recipes. We will focus on using seasonal produce and will also cover basic vinaigrette preparation and variations. For more information and to register, go to http://www.olympiafood.coop/classes.

April 4

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Ohop Creek

Sunday, April 19

10am-2pm — Celebrate Earth Day at Twin Rivers Ranch Preserve!

(near Shelton) Join Capitol Land Trust for an early celebration of Earth Day as we do critical maintenance of our many riparian buffer plantings. RSVP for more information and directions (and so we know how many people are coming) by contacting Mike Leigh at mike@capitollandtrust.org or at 360.943.3012.

April 25

9 am – noon — Parks Appreciation Day at Northwest Trek

Join Northwest Trek staff for a morning of native planting, trail work or other stewardship activities to help maintain the park’s native beauty. For more information, go to https://www.nwtrek.org/classes-fieldwork and fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

May 2

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Wilcox Flats

May 16

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Railway Road

June 13

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Braget Marsh

July 11

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Ohop Creek

August 1

9 am – noon — Habitat restoration & invasive species removal at Northwest Trek

August 15

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Van Eaton

September 5

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Red Salmon Creek

September 19

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Powell Creek

October 10

9 am – noon — NatureMapping at Ohop Creek

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