Conservation Education

Visitors can enjoy bird, plant and nature tours and presentations by regional experts who will share fun facts and information about Southwest Washington's unique ecoregion. Archeologist-led walks will follow in the footsteps of Native Americans and Lewis & Clark to notable sites within
the refuge. These include a visit to a replica of a Cathlapotle plankhouse built by hand using ancient techniques
and tools. A traditional salmon bake will be held Sunday afternoon with complimentary samplings.
Children's activities in downtown Ridgefield will include the Audubon Society Live bird show and birds on display,
craft stations, games, a storytelling tent and more. Special offerings on both days include guided kayak and canoe tours, a night hike, Kiwa Trail tour and the spectacular sandhill crane tours at dawn and dusk. These tours are offered on a limited basis and fill quickly, with reservations and fees required. Visitors can also get an early start on Christmas shopping. An expanded birders' marketplace will offer great buys
on garden items, pottery, art, photography, birdhouses, clothes, books and other items. Food booths will be open
throughout the weekend.
 

Birdfest and Bluegrass is a non-profit festival hosted by Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge to encourage
appreciation for the wonders of nature and this special wildlife refuge.

Ahoy thar, matey! It's time to celebrate at Aquifer Adventure - our pirate themed groundwater festival! Join our volunteer crew for a swashbuckling adventure on the high sloughs, as the Portland Water Bureau and Columbia Slough Watershed Council team up to present a FREE, family-friendly event full of educational games, canoe rides, crafts and more! This is a big event for the Bureau and the Council - we've had over 800 pirates-in-training attend in past years - and we need your help to make this a huge success. Volunteers needed as parking lot greeters, welcome tent attendees, canoe and dock area hands (experience required) and as youth activity leaders! This is a great volunteer opportunity for groups and individuals age 14 and up! 

Volunteers are needed for the following shifts:

• Shift 1: 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM (Set Up)
• Shift 2: 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Event Shift)
• Shift 3: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Clean up)

Volunteer Roles:

• Set-up! (8am-11am): put up tents, unload canoes, set-up tables, put out signs, etc.
• Canoe Captains and Deck Hands: help with lifejacket fittings, boat loading, or canoe guiding (some experience required)
• Welcome Tent: greet visitors and explain event, have attendees sign waiver and give out wristbands
• Parking Lot Greeter: welcome visitors, field questions, monitor parking lot
• Games and Activity Leaders: guide participation for guests of all ages

And more! 

Online sign up available at www.bit.ly/AquiferVolunteer2015. Register by phone by calling (503) 281-1132. 

Learn more about Aquifer Adventure and join us as a guest!

Second Sunday event at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse:
"The Confluence Project, Exploring History, culture, and ecology along the Columbia River

Where:  Cathlapotle Plankhouse at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge:  28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642

When:  July 12, 2015
12pm - 4pm: Plankhouse Tours and Children's Activities
Tour the Plankhouse on your own or guided by our experienced volunteers. Children's activities will be available, and Refuge binoculars will be available to use on the trail.

1:00 pm: Naturalist Led Hike
2:00pm: The Confluence Project, Exploring History, culture, and ecology along the Columbia River, Presented by Colin Fogarty, Executive Director, the Confluence Project.

Cost: Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle

"Confluence is a bold and ambitious attempt to look back seven generations as a way to look forward seven generations on.... it is a call to reflect, discover and connect to this larger history. The first step in that process is to listen." 

- Colin Fogarty, Executive Director, Confluence

At 2:00 pm, Join Confluence Executive Director, Colin Fogarty, at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse as he shares the ways that the Confluence is connecting people to place through art and education. By collaborating with Northwest communities, tribes and celebrated artist Maya Lin, Confluence is able to share stories of the Columbia River through six public art installations, educational programs, community engagement, and digital experiences. At 1:00pm join a Refuge Naturalist for a hike down the Oaks to Wetlands trail, and learn about the plants and animals that call the Refuge home. From 12-4, the Plankhouse will be open for visitors, and there will be activities for families to connect with the culture and wildlife at the plankhouse. You can also check out the ample wildlife watching opportunities on the River 'S' Unit Auto Tour Driving Route. Check the Friends website ridgefieldfriends.org for maps of Refuge trails, or contact Plankhouse Director Sarah Hill at sarah_hill@fws.gov, or call (360) 887-4106.

For wheelchair access to this event, please contact Sarah prior to the event date.  

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, and the house will now be open weekends from12pm-4pm. Every second Sunday of the month the Plankhouse will host a special event with speakers, guided hikes, and children's activities. For more information on the upcoming events, visit www.ridgefieldfriends.org/plankhouse/programs . 

Funding for these programs has been generously provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, the Community Foundation for SW Washington, and Umpqua Bank. 

The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is a modern Chinookan Plankhouse built to interpret the Chinookan village of Cathlapotle that once existed on what is today Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge property.  At the time Lewis and Clark visited Cathlapotle, it had 14 large plankhouses and a population of over 900 people.  The modern Cathlapotle Plankhouse is used to provide educational programs to youth and the general public through our Lifeways, Landscapes, and Wildlife Interpretive Program.  To learn more about the Plankhouse visit www.ridgefieldfriends.org or contact Sarah Hill at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov or (360) 887-4106.

Celebrate Pollinator Week at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge!

For wheelchair access to this event, please contact Sarah prior to the event date.  

12pm - 4pm: Plankhouse Tours and Children's Activities

• Tour the Plankhouse on your own or guided by our experienced volunteers. 
• Children's cultural activities will be available, as will family activities. 
• Celebrate Pollinator Week by building a mason bee house & going on a pollinator scavenger hunt!  

1:00 pm & 2:00pm: Naturalist Led Hike 

• Explore the Oaks to Wetlands trail with a knowledgeable Refuge Naturalist

Cost:   Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle

Celebrate National Pollinator Week by visiting the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge June 14th for a day of connecting with wildlife and the cultural history of the Lower Columbia River. At 1:00pm join a Refuge Naturalist for a hike down the Oaks to Wetlands trail, and learn about the plants and animals that call the Refuge home. From 12-4, the Plankhouse will be open for visitors, and there will be activities for families to connect with the culture and wildlife at the Plankhouse. We will be building mason bee houses out of natural materials and going on a pollinator scavenger hunt.You can also check out the ample wildlife watching opportunities on the River 'S' Unit Auto Tour Driving Route. Check the Friends website ridgefieldfriends.org for maps of Refuge trails, or contact Plankhouse Director Sarah Hill at sarah_hill@fws.gov, or call (360) 887-4106.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, and the house will now be open weekends from 12pm-4pm. Every second Sunday of the month the Plankhouse will host a special event with speakers, guided hikes, and children's activities. For more information on the upcoming events, visit www.ridgefieldfriends.org/plankhouse/programs .

The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is a modern Chinookan Plankhouse built to interpret the Chinookan village of Cathlapotle that once existed on what is today Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge property.  At the time Lewis and Clark visited Cathlapotle, it had 14 large plankhouses and a population of over 900 people.  The modern Cathlapotle Plankhouse is used to provide educational programs to youth and the general public through our Lifeways, Landscapes, and Wildlife Interpretive Program.  To learn more about the Plankhouse visitwww.ridgefieldfriends.org or contact Sarah Hill at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov or (360) 887-4106.

Funding for these programs has been generously provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, the Community Foundation for SW Washington, and Umpqua Bank.  

Description:  Explore the rich diversity of this extinct cinder cone with your child. On Aug. 14, meet other families and play nature games. Then on Aug. 21, dive into the hidden secrets of the forested slopes of the volcano to search for signs of animals that live on the mountain.

Register:  www.oregonmetro.gov/calendar

Where:   Scouters Mountain Nature Park

When: 10a.m.-noon

Cost: Free program with pre-registration

Ages: target audience 6 to 10 years of age, accompanied by parent/guardian

Difficulty:   1 boot out of 3 boots

Wheelchair accessible: No

No-dogs policy: To protect plants, wildlife and people, Metro does not allow pets at regional parks and natural areas. Pets can damage sensitive habitat and threaten wildlife the region has worked to protect. In natural areas where dogs are not allowed, people see more wildlife and get closer to it. Seeing-eye dogs or other service animals are permitted with proper identification and cleanup materials. http://www.oregonmetro.gov/parks/dogs-hunting-policies