lecture

1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24

Have you ever wished you could tell one evergreen from another, or identify a tree in winter by its bark or buds? Can you read the history of a piece of land by looking at its forest? Join Metro naturalist Deb Scrivens for a walk in the woods to unravel these mysteries and more. The forest at this natural area is a living laboratory of Northwest trees. Suitable for ages 12 and older.

Registration and payment of $6 per adult or $11 per family required in advance. You can register and pay online for Metro activities. Go to www.oregonmetro.gov/calendar, find your event by searching or browsing, and follow the instructions. For questions, call 503-797-1650 option 2.

Want to learn more about habitat restoration in Forest Park and help lead projects at larger stewardship events? Sign up today for Forest Park Conservancy's annual Volunteer Crew Leader Training: Restoration Edition! This all-day training will focus on volunteer leadership skills, plant identification, invasive species removal and native species planting. Space is limited and commitment to volunteer crew lead at one or more 2013 restoration events is required.

Follow the link below to learn more and register on Forest Park Conservancy's website.

Wild in the City: Exploring the Intertwine Mike Houck, Executive Director, Urban Greenspaces Institute and Co-Founder, The Intertwine Alliance

For the past four decades, Mike Houck has been the leading voice in our community for the integration of nature in the city. He has served for more than thirty years as Urban Naturalist for the Audubon Society of Portland, and in 1999 he founded the Urban Greenspaces Institute. The Institute’s motto, “in livable cities is preservation of the wild,” speaks to his philosophy that only by creating livable cities will the rural landscape be protected and restored. And, to be livable, a city must provide urban residents with access to nature where they live, work, and go to school. He will discuss the importance of access to nature to our physical and mental health as well as the intrinsic values of nature in the city.

Mike is also co-founder of The Intertwine Alliance, an alliance of nonprofits, agencies and businesses working to create a world class system of parks, trails, and natural areas in the Portland-Vancouver region. His presentation will describe the evolution of The Intertwine and The Intertwine Alliance and efforts to protect biodiversity and watershed health inside and outside the region’s urban growth boundaries and across the urban and rural landscapes. Houck is co-editor of Wild in the City, a Guide to Portland’s Natural Areas (2000) and the new Wild in the City, Exploring the Intertwine released by OSU Press in the fall of 2011. His credits also include Wild on the Willamette—Exploring the Lower Willamette River (2003). He has been recognized for his contributions to urban green spaces locally, nationally, and internationally. A book signing will follow the lecture.

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge's annual celebration BirdFest is the weekend of October 13 &14. Every year it concludes with a traditional Chinookan-style salmon bake, complete with free tastings. You can also sample some delicious seafood soup, learn about Chinook culture in the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, attend talks, presentations, and there are activities for the kiddos too. Samples will be given out beginning at 2:30, and will be on a first come, first serve basis. Check out the schedule of events here: http://ridgefieldfriends.org/birdfest/schedule-of-events/. Hope to see you on this wonder filled weekend!

Join us for an immersion into the world of mushrooms and mushroom cultivation. Learn how to grow mushrooms at home, using simple, low-tech methods that utilize free and easily obtainable resources. Set up your back yard garden patch and keep your mushrooms thriving! Also learn basic mushroom taxonomy, ecological niches, and common edible and medicinal mushrooms that you can grow or harvest locally. Everyone receives printed instruction materials. A limited number of spawn kits will be available for purchase for $10-20.