educational course

Birdfest and Bluegrass Nature Festival brings weekend of discovery Oct. 4th & 5th, invitation to explore the beauty of nature and wonders of our ecoregion.
RIDGEFIELD, WA - Again this year, on Saturday and Sunday, October 4th & 5th, 2014, Birdfest and Bluegrass offers the chance to discover nature right in the Portland metro area's own backyard, with a weekend packed with activities for visitors of all ages and interests. The annual festival is a celebration of the fall migration and opportunity to experience wildlife of the region and local history firsthand. Leading names in bluegrass provide musical accompaniment. Ridgefield with its small-town charm is a just a 25-minute drive from Portland. One of the festival's signature events is the opportunity to observe sandhill cranes fly in and out of their night roost in a special sanctuary that is otherwise closed to the public. Admission to the refuge is free during Birdfest and Bluegrass. Activities include guided bird and nature walks, live bird shows, tours of Cathlapotle Plankhouse, demonstrations of Native American life and traditions, and a salmon bake with samplings on Sunday. Children can learn about nature and have fun at the craft stations, storytelling tent and at the Audubon Society's live bird show. Special offerings on both days include guided kayak and canoe tours, 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. For more information and a schedule of events, go to www.ridgefieldfriends.org.

Weeds - we all have them. Come learn how to identify the most common garden and landscape weeds along with some of the other more notorious plant invaders of the region. We will walk you through how these aggressive plants take over in your yard and provide some simple yet effective tips that will help you get the upper hand without turning to synthetic herbicides. This workshop is FREE! Pre-register online at http://emswcd.org/workshops-and-events/upcoming-workshops/all-events/urban-weeds/

Making sense of "Cathlapottle": How Chinookans made (and said) names on the land
Special Guest Presenter Henry Zenk

May 11th, 2014, 2pm.
Cathlapotle Plankhouse at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge:  28908 NW Main Ave; Ridgefield, WA 98642           

Join us as at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse we explore how geographic names are formed in the Chinookan languages. The NW is covered in place names that come from local Chinookan Native American languages, and words like Memaloose, Skookum, Ilahee, and Tilikum continue to dot the landscape of our area. Henry Zenk, consulting linguist with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will summarize what we know about how Chinookans themselves constructed and pronounced the names they bestowed on their lands and on its original inhabitants. He draws especially on records left by linguists who worked with some of the languages' last fluent speakers. Many of these sources remain unpublished to this day.

This event is part of the Cathlapotle Plankhouse's Second Sunday Series of events.  Children's activities will be available from 12-4pm as well as guided Plankhouse tours, and information on International Migratory Bird Day.  For more information contact Sarah Hill at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov or call 360-887-4106.   

The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is located on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, 28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield WA 98604.  There is a $3.00 entrance fee per vehicle visiting the Refuge. To arrange wheelchair access to the Plankhouse, please contact Sarah Hill at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov or call (360) 887-4106.

Join wild food expert John Kallas and bushwhack through Portland's urban neighborhoods to find some of Fall's best and diverse delectables - nuts, fruits, and greens. Wild as well as landscaped edibles will be covered. Some eating may occur. You will later find most of this abundance in your own neighborhood. For information or to register visit the Wild Food Adventures workshops page.  Enrollment Limited! - Advanced registration reserves you a place in the workshop.

Join wild food expert John Kallas and learn how to determine if and when wild foods are desirable to use, which plants to seek, what are your priorities in both recreational and unplanned survival situations. See major poisonous plants. This core workshop provides information you can use in anything from normal camping and hiking to real survival situations and provides a deeper understanding of the real potential of today's use of wild foods. Anyone genuinely serious about wild foods will benefit from this seminar. Lecture/slides/resources. For information or to register visit the Wild Food Adventures workshops page.  Enrollment Limited! - Advanced registration reserves you a place in the workshop.