family friendly

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

When:    August 14, 2016

Join us for a day of demonstrations and hands on activities highlighting traditional technologies found across the world and throughout time.  The Cathlapotle Plankhouse will be open from 12:-4:00 and there will be activities for families to connect with local culture and wildlife. In the House students from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's Lifeways class will be demonstrating carving, weaving, and Native art design, while outside visitors can try their hand throwing an atlatl, shooting a bow and arrow, making cordage, friction fire, and watch stone tools being created by an experienced flintknapper.

12pm - 4pm: Experience traditional tools and technologies humans have used since time immemorial. Demonstrators will be at the Plankhouse showing various traditional skills found both around the world and in Indigenous cultures of the Lower Columbia River.

Carving, Weaving, and Native Art Design demonstrations by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Lifeways students
Chinuk Wawa, the heritage language of Chinookan Peoples
Cordage Making              
Atlatl Throwing          
Friction Fire        
Flintknapping
Natural Paints and Pigments

12:00pm: Naturalist Led Hike "Bird Language" - join us for a hike directed towards opening up participant's eyes to the world of Bird Language. Learn how to use bird calls and behavior to discover what is happening in the environment around you. 

2:00 pm: Naturalist Led Hike "A Walk through the Oaks" - join a us for a hike down the Oaks to Wetlands Trail and learn about how the Native Peoples of this area have been taking care of Oak and other Refuge ecosystems since time immemorial.

You can also check out the ample wildlife watching opportunities on the River 'S' Unit Auto Tour Driving Route.

Cost:   Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle

For more information: 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. 

Want to begin composting your yard and some of your kitchen waste? Turn your garbage into black gold at a Columbia Springs Composting workshop! This two hour class will get you started building soil health in your own backyard, and save you money on your garbage bill. Join us for an introduction to the science of composting and a visit to a composting demonstration site to see composting bins and systems in action.

Pre-registration is required. To learn more and register, visit: http://www.columbiasprings.org. For questions, please call 360-882-0936 x224 or email workshops@columbiasprings.org.

H3 is a new collaborative program between the OSU Extension 4-H Program, the Oregon Master Naturalist Program, and the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District. On the second Saturday of each month, a Master Naturalist will lead a nature walk in a metro region natural area. These events are open to all ages and levels of naturalist experience. This nature walk will start at Oxbow Regional Park at 9am (carpooling available from the new Washington County Extension Service Education Center (ESEC) at 8am). This month's hike will focus on salmon.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Follow this link to the registration page. 

Get ready for a night of beautiful fun! The 2016 Barn Dance Presented by Whole Foods Market is scheduled for Saturday, July 30th. Doors open at 4:30 pm.

The event kicks off with farm Scavenger Hunt for the kids and tours of the award-winning Sauvie Island Organics farm for the grown ups at 4:45 pm. Don't forget to grab a cold micro-brew from Widmer Brothers Brewing or a glass of Lady Hill wine before you head out!

Our Silent Auction, Presented by our long-time friends at Portland Nursery, will feature everything from artisan jewelry to outdoor gear. Get ready for a bidding war because there will be great stuff and all proceeds go to support the Sauvie Island Center.
Once again dinner comes courtesy of New American Restaurant and features ingredients from Tails & Trotters and Organic Valley. Order up a table, which includes family-style service, for six of your best buddies. Or just bring your picnic blanket and hit the buffet line. Dinner will be served at 6 pm.

Back by popular demand, Caroline Oakley and The Old Time Highway will host the square dance at 7 pm.

Get your tickets or reserve your table here online form. And don't wait

Clark County Parks and the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership will be joining forces to participate in Columbia Riverkeepers' "Love Your Columbia" event. We will be cleaning up the beach at Vancouver Lake Park, the Flushing Channel and Blurock Landing.

Fun for groups, families and individuals. Pre-registration is required. To register click this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beach-clean-up-at-vancouver-lake-registration-26227973575

This event is sponsored by the City of Vancouver, Clark County, and Port of Vancouver USA.

We provide: Garbage bags and gloves to those who need them. Light refreshments will be provided.

What to wear/bring: Please wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, and other weather-appropriate clothing. If you have gloves and a water bottle, please bring them.

Where to meet? Volunteers will meet at Vancouver Lake Park, 6801 NW Lower River Road in the grassy area next to the main restrooms. Signs will direct you to our white canopy and sign-in table. After a brief safety orientation, volunteers will break into groups to pick up litter at the different locations.

Questions?

Please contact the project coordinators at karen.llewellyn@clark.wa.gov or 360-397-6118 ext. 1627 or sdumont@estuarypartnership.org or (503) 226-1565 ext. 245.