2013 Natural Areas Celebration Week

Natural Areas Celebration WeekMay 4-12, 2013Sat, May 4 Sun, May 5 Mon, May 6 Tues, May 7 Wed, May 8 Thurs, May 9 Fri, May 10 Sat, May 11 Sun, May 12

Native Plant AppreciationWeek — Apr 28–May 4 Migratory Bird Day Mothers Day

May is Historic Preservation Month

MORNING

9am: Turtle Walk at Little Willamette

Greenbelt Land Trustmeet: GLT office, 101

SW Western Blvd

8am: Beginning Birding Workshop

Neighborhood Naturalist

registration required, (541) 753-9211

9am - 2:30pm: Evergreen Field Day

Marys River Watershed Council registration required, [email protected]

9am: Jackson Frazier Wetlands Tour Neighborhood

Naturalist meet: end of Lancaster

St.

10am: Preschool Storytime

Corvallis-Benton County Public

Library

7:30am-12pm: Birding Field Trip

Audubon Society of Corvallis

meet: Benton Center, 757 NW Polk Ave

10am: East Thornton Lake Walk

City of Albanymeet: East Thornton Lake, N Albany Rd

10am: Avery Park Birding Walk


meet: Avery House on Avery Dr

10am: Toddler Storytime


Library

10am: Infant Storytime


Library

10am: Wobbler Storytime


Library

10am-3pm: Finley NWR Open House US Fish & Wildlife

Service meet: Fiechter House,

Finley Rd

10am: Peavy Arboretum Tree Walk

Sierra Club, Marys Peak Group

meet: Peavy Lodge paved lot

10am: Finley Barn Clean-up Work Party PreservationWORKS, USFWS, Benton Co. meet: Fiechter House,

Finley Rd

9am-4pm: Madison Ave. Spring Garden

FestivalMadison Ave Task

Force meet: 7th & Madison

11am: Outdoor Playdate

meet: Central Park

10am-2pm: Wildlife Center Tour & Baby

Shower Chintimini Wildlife

Center meet: 311 NW Lewisburg

Ave

MIDDAY

11am: Man in Yellow Hat Storytime


Library

1pm: Central Park Tree Tour

Corvallis Parks & Recreation

meet: Central Park Gazebo

1pm: Beazell Butterfly Walk Benton County Natural Areas &

Parks meet: Beazell Memorial

Forest, 37309 Kings Valley Hwy

2pm: Franklin School Neighborhood & Tree

TourJobs Addition Neighborhood

Association meet: Franklin School, 750 NW 18th Street, E entrance under oak

2:45pm: Wildlife Youth Summit OSU Extension meet: Jefferson

Elementary, 1825 NW 27th Street

12:30pm: Bald Hill Natural Area Wildflower Walk

Institute for Applied Ecology

meet: Oak Creek Dr parking lot

2pm: Finley Wildflower Walk

Native Plant Society of Oregon

meet: Woodpecker Loop Trailhead, Finley Rd

1pm: E.E. Wilson Pond & Prairie

Wildflower Walk Institute for Applied

Ecology meet: main parking lot,

Camp Adair Rd

1pm-5pm: Finley Photo Workshop &

Walk USFWS

registration required, [email protected]

EVENING

6pm: Nature Walk in Willamette Park

Natural Areas Action Team

meet: upper parking lot at old campground, SE

Goodnight Ave

6pm: Peavy Arboretum

Wildflower Walk Sierra Club, Marys

Peak Group meet: Main parking lot at

Road 500 gate

5:30pm: Bike Ride to Bald Hill Natural Area

City of Corvallis meet: arch on Campus Way, Ag./Life Sciences

building7pm: Backyard

Habitat Presentation Chintimini Wildlife

Center meet: Public Library main meeting room

6pm: Peavy Hall OSU Campus Tree Walk Sierra Club, Marys

Peak Group registration required,

(541) 207-5878

6pm: Tyee Wetland Walk, Wine Tasting &

Bonfire Tyee Wine Cellars

meet: Tyee Wine Cellars, 26335 Greenberry Rd

8:45pm: Bat Night at Starker Arts Park


meet: end of 45th St., parking lot near

amphitheater6pm: Corvallis Forest

Presentation City of Corvallis

meet: Public Library main meeting room

6pm: Bald Hill Farm Evening Walk

Greenbelt Land Trust meet: Oak Creek Dr

parking lot

NATURAL AREAS CELEBRATION WEEK 2013 SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, MAY 4th Turtle Walk, Little Willamette Saturday, May 4th - 9am-12pm Join Greenbelt Land Trust for a walk at the Little Willamette property, permanently protected by Greenbelt Land Trust along Willamette River, between Corvallis and Albany. This property is home to the endangered rare Western pond turtle. We will be viewing turtles, walking the 200acre property, and the tour guide will teach participants about the importance of wildlife habitat. This event has limited spaces available. RSVP for a spot to GLT. Meeting Location: Greenbelt Land Trust Office (101 SW Western Blvd.) for carpooling and directions to site Contact Information: Jessica McDonald - (541) 752.9609 or [email protected] Sponsor: Greenbelt Land Trust Past, Present, and Future: Albany’s East Thornton Lake Natural Area Saturday, May 4th – 10am-11:30am Participants will be treated to a short walk through ETLNA, hearing talks on the natural resources, early human occupation, and the settlement of the Thornton Lake area by Jessy Quinn Thornton and others. Participants will also hear of progress toward site development plans. Meeting Location: On the ETLNA site (Parking is limited at the site. Parking at North Albany Village shopping center is available, approximately 200 feet south of the ETLNA.) Contact Information: Ed Hodney, Director of Albany Parks and Recreation, 541/917-7769 or [email protected] Sponsor: City of Albany Man in the Yellow Hat Saturday, May 4th- 11am A special storytime for dads (or father figures) & their young children at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library where the group will be honoring Natural Areas Week by reading books that celebrate the beautiful natural world around us. Meeting Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Contact Info: www.thebestlibrary.net Sponsor: Corvallis Public Library Work Party at Finley Wildlife Refuge’s Fiechter House & Cabell Barn Saturday, May 4th - 10:00 am This is the annual fluff 'n buff before Finley’s Open House the following weekend. Come sweep out the 1910 barn and gather owl pellets, or vacuum the 1850s Fiechter House and clean the windows! This volunteer event is sponsored by the City of Corvallis and Benton County Historic Resource Commission and PreservationWORKS. Meeting Location: Fiechter House (Finley Wildlife Refuge). South on 99W to mile marker 93; follow signs for Finley Refuge. After crossing Muddy Creek look for Fiechter House on the left. Park by the picket fence. Contact information: Molly Monroe (541) 757-7236 Sponsor: USFWS William Finley National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Nature Walk in Willamette Park Saturday, May 4th - 6-7:30pm This family-friendly stroll will take us through Corvallis' best remnant of Willamette River floodplain forest. The walk will showcase wildflowers, a heron rookery, and restoration efforts as well as discussions about migratory birds, endangered salmon, and invasive species. Meeting Location: Upper parking lot (old campground) on SE Goodnight Ave Contact Info: Molly Monroe, [email protected] Sponsor: Natural Areas Action Team, Corvallis Sustainability Coalition

SUNDAY, MAY 5th Beginning Birding Workshop Sunday, May 5, 8am - 10am Join Neighborhood Naturalist for a beginning birding workshop! The class will cover the basics of binocular use and bird identification. This free workshop will be held at the Avery House Nature Center in Avery Park, and registration is required. Participants are encouraged to stay after the workshop for a Birding Field Trip at Avery Park. Meeting Location: Avery House Nature Center, Avery Park Contact Information: To register contact The Avery House ([email protected] or (541) 753.9211). For more information about the class, contact Don Boucher ([email protected] or (541) 753.7689) Sponsor: Neighborhood Naturalist Birding Field Trip Sunday, May 5th, 10am – 12pm Please join Neighborhood Naturalist for a family-friendly birding field trip at Avery Park immediately following the Beginning Birding Workshop. Field Trip participants do not have to take the workshop. Free, no registration required. Meeting Location: Avery House Nature Center, Avery Park Contact Information: Don Boucher with Neighborhood Naturalist ([email protected] or (541) 753.7689) Sponsor: Neighborhood Naturalist Spring Garden Festival Sunday, May 5th - 9am-4pm Mark your calendar for the 26th Annual Madison Avenue Task Force’s Spring Garden Festival on The Arts Center Plaza, 7th and Madison. Each year the Festival features dozens of vendors and information booths offering gardening products, advice and inspiration that will help you limber up your green thumb. We hope to see you there! Contact Information: www.madisonavenuetaskforce.org Sponsor: Madison Avenue Task Force Corvallis Parks and Recreation's Tour of Trees Sunday, May 5th - 1-3pm Discover "Tree City, USA" on this Central Park to lower campus tour with tour leader Pat Breen, OSU Professor Emeritus of Horticulture. This event is organized with the Civic Beautification Urban Forestry Commission. No Registration required - just show up at tour. Meeting Location: Meet at the Central Park Gazebo Sponsor: Corvallis Parks and Recreation

mailto:[email protected]

Finley Digital Photo Workshop and Walk Sunday, May 5th – 1pm – 5pm Join experienced photographer Paul Rentz for an in-depth workshop experience, which will focus on advanced photography techniques. Photographing birds and other wildlife has become increasingly popular with vast improvements in digital technology. Following the in-class session, participants will take a walking tour of Finley Wildlife Refuge, putting their new photo skills to the test! Spaces are limited to 18 for this free event, so make your reservation today! Meeting Location: Finley Wildlife Refuge Main Headquarters: Travel South 10 miles from Corvallis on Hwy 99 to milepost 93. Turn west on Finley Refuge Road. The Refuge headquarters is about four miles up the road. Contact Information: To reserve your spot, email [email protected] Sponsor: USFWS William Finley National Wildlife Refuge

MONDAY, MAY 6th

Peavy Arboretum Wildflower Walk Monday, May 6th- 6-8pm Hike with the Sierra Club along the Forest Discovery Trail - The event will again be mentored by an enthusiastic and very knowledgeable botanist and an excellent teacher, Ian Silvernail, from the Institute of Applied Ecology. In early May, we’ll have the opportunity to identify some four dozen flowers, plants, and shrubs along the 3/4-mile trail. Meeting Location: We will meet in the Arboretum’s main graveled parking area (at the Road 500 gate) at 5:45 for the 6:00 PM start. Contact Information: Robert Verhoogen, [email protected] or 541 207-5878 Sponsor: Sierra Club, Marys Peak Group Know Your Forest – The Corvallis Forest Monday, May 6th – 6pm How much do you know about the Corvallis Forest? This 2,352 acre property in the Rock Creek Watershed provides a third of the drinking water to Corvallis residents, and is actively managed to build a healthy ecosystem with a diverse forest and productive habitat for all species native to the watershed. Come and learn about the fascinating history and future of our City’s Forest! Meeting Location: Corvallis Public Library, Main Meeting Room Contact Information: Jennifer Ward, City of Corvallis ([email protected]) Sponsor: City of Corvallis

TUESDAY, MAY 7th Toddler Storytime Tuesday, May 7th - 10am Bring your toddler to storytime at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library where the group will be honoring Natural Areas Week by reading books that celebrate the beautiful natural world around us. Meeting Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Contact Info: www.thebestlibrary.net Sponsor: Corvallis Public Library Evergreen Field Day Volunteer Event

Tuesday, May 7th - 8:30am-2:30pm (shifts available throughout) Come and help Marys River Watershed Council with their annual Evergreen Field Day, an event that brings 8th graders from Philomath Middle School out to Philomath property Evergreen Creek, a property protected by Greenbelt Land Trust. The Field Day is a fun, hands-on learning experience to engage students with ecological education. Volunteers are needed to assist students at educational stations on their student-planted riparian restoration. To sign up as a volunteer, email Kathleen Westly by May 1st. Meeting location and event details will be emailed out to volunteer participants. Contact Info: Kathleen Westly at Marys River Watershed Council - [email protected] Sponsor: Marys River Watershed Council Restoration and Butterfly Hike Tuesday, May 7th – 1 pm Join the Benton County Natural Areas and Parks on moderate terrain to hike through mixed forest, where you will experience larkspur, exotic wild ginger, trillium and Indian pipe. The loop trail leads to an upland prairie where restoration efforts are expanding habitat for Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. Discover why this butterfly is so unique and rare. If conditions allow, we might get lucky and observe them in flight! Meeting Location: Beazell Memorial Forest, 37309 Kings Valley Hwy (Hwy 223), approx. 5 miles north of Wren. Contact Information: Al Kitzman, 541-766-6018 Sponsor: Benton County Natural Areas and Parks Bald Hill Farm Evening Walk Tuesday, May 7th – 6pm-7:30pm Join Greenbelt Land Trust for a twilight walk at Bald Hill Farm. This family-friendly outing will take participants beyond the public pathways, providing an opportunity to see hidden portions of the property, with unparalleled views. Greenbelt Staff will talk about the history of this property, and its ongoing efforts to purchase and landscape to permanently protect the Farm for our community. Meeting Location: Oak Creek Parking Lot – Bald Hill Natural Area Contact Information: Jessica McDonald ([email protected] or (541) 752.9609) Sponsor: Greenbelt Land Trust

Drive Less/Connect: Join fellow hikers on this outing in a leisurely warm-up bike ride to this walk at Bald Hill! Meet between 5:00 and 5:30 at the Agricultural and Life Sciences building on the OSU campus (arch on Campus Way) for free bicycle lights provided by the City of Corvallis. We'll depart promptly at 5:30 and ride 3.5 miles to the start of the hike. Open to all ages (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). A helmet is required and please bring a lock. Register for the ride by emailing [email protected]

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8th Infant Storytime Wednesday, May 8th - 10am Bring your infant to storytime at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library where the group will be honoring Natural Areas Week by reading books that celebrate the beautiful natural world around us. Meeting Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Contact Info: www.thebestlibrary.net Sponsor: Corvallis Public Library Jackson-Frazier Wetland Tour Wednesday, May 8th - 9am-Noon

All kinds of plants and a variety of wildlife live in this seasonally-flooded habitat. Join Neighborhood Naturalist for an easy boardwalk loop (ADA accessible) that allows us to observe beaver activity, see marsh birds, and explore some unusual wetland plants. Bring binoculars and dress appropriately for the weather. Meeting Location: Jackson-Frazier boardwalk at the end of Lancaster St. Contact Information: Don Boucher, 541-753-7689, [email protected], www.neighborhood-naturalist.com Sponsor: Neighborhood Naturalist Franklin School Neighborhood & Tree Tour Wednesday, May 8th - 2:00 pm Go green; take a neighborhood walk! Celebrate the enduring companionship of heritage trees in the historic Franklin School Neighborhood. This one-hour guided tour includes the 1889 Franklin Square Park, Corvallis' oldest park and home to more than 15 different tree species. This event is sponsored by the Jobs Addition Neighborhood Association (JANA) Meeting Location: Franklin School, 750 NW 18th Street, east entrance under the Oak. Contact information: Lyn Larson (541) 768-3312 Sponsor: Jobs Addition Neighborhood Association (JANA) Building Backyard Wildlife Habitat Wednesday, May 8th – 7pm Whether you have an apartment balcony or a 20-acre farm, you can easily create valuable wildlife habitat that will attract and benefit a wide range of wildlife species. By providing food, water, cover and a place for wildlife to raise their young you not only help wildlife, but can also enjoy the presence of these wonderful animals. Join Jeff Picton, Executive Director of the Chintimini Wildlife Center, as he talks about simple steps you can take to provide habitat for Oregon’s wildlife. Meeting Location: Corvallis/Benton Public Library Main Meeting Room Contact Information: Jeff Picton ([email protected]) Sponsor: Chintimini Wildlife Center

THURSDAY, MAY 9th Pre-school Storytime Thursday, May 9th - 10am Bring your preschooler to storytime at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library where the group will be honoring Natural Areas Week by reading books that celebrate the beautiful natural world around us. Meeting Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Contact Info: www.thebestlibrary.net Sponsor: Corvallis Public Library 4-H Wildlife Stewards Youth Summit Thursday, May 8th – (9:30am - 2:00pm Participants only) 2:45-4:00 Open to Public A one-day natural resource educational event designed to give youth in grades 1-5 an opportunity to share their research about a local species or science investigation conducted in their schoolyard habitat or local natural area. Students work together in teams to create an educational display, give an oral presentation, take a student led habitat tour and rotate through hands-on learning stations by our local natural resource partners. Meeting Location: Jefferson Elementary, 1825 NW 27th Street in Corvallis Contact Information: OSU Extension Service, Benton County 4-H – Maggie Livesay ((541) 766.6750) Sponsor: OSU Extension

Peavy Hall (OSU Campus) Tree Stroll Thursday, May 9th - 6pm – 8pm Ed Jensen, Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Forestry and author of TREES To Know in Oregon (2010), will teach us how to identify and distinguish some two dozen trees commonly seen in our state, in the area immediately to the east of Peavy Hall. The number of participants is limited to 30. Meeting Location: We will meet at 5:45 PM for a 6:00 PM start at the east entrance to Peavy Hall, located at 30th Street and Jefferson. Parking is on the south side of Peavy and Richardson Halls (conjoined buildings). Contact Information: To register for a spot, contact Robert Verhoogen, [email protected] or (541) 207.5878. Sponsor: Sierra Club, Marys Peak Group

FRIDAY, MAY 10th Wobbler Storytime Friday, May 10th- 10am Bring your little wobbler to storytime at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library where the group will be honoring Natural Areas Week by reading books that celebrate the beautiful natural world around us. Meeting Location: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Contact Info: www.thebestlibrary.net Sponsor: Corvallis Public Library Outdoor Play Date Friday, May 10th – 11am Following the Library’s Wobbler Storytime, families are encouraged to meet up at the Central Park’s playground for a fun time outdoors! Meeting Location: Corvallis Central Park Contact Information: Molly Monroe, [email protected] Bald Hill Natural Area Wildflower Walk Friday, May 10th – 12:30pm – 3pm Walk the trails of Bald Hill Park and explore the wildflowers and local plant ecology with Tom Kaye, Executive Director of the Institute for Applied Ecology. Bring water and appropriate clothes for the weather. Suitable for all ages that can walk or roll on the trails! Meeting Location: Bald Hill Park parking lot, off Oak Creek Rd Contact Information: Tom Kaye, (541) 753.3099 Sponsor: Institute for Applied Ecology Tyee Wine Cellars Bonfire and Wine Tasting Friday, May 10th – 6-8pm Come enjoy an evening at Tyee Wine Cellars along Muddy Creek south of Corvallis. This unique landscape is being actively restored to historic wetlands and marshes by the landowner, Dave Buchanan along with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Institute for Applied Ecology, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Come learn about restoration efforts and hopefully take a tour of the Restoration Loop if conditions are appropriate. Bring a picnic and stay after for an evening of wine tasting, and storytelling around the bonfire. Meeting Location: Directions to Tyee Wine Cellars from Corvallis: Take Hwy 99W south 7 miles and turn right onto Greenberry Road. Go 2.3 miles to Tyee Wine Cellars on your right Contact Info: Call Tyee Wine Cellars at (541)753.8754 or www.tyeewine.com

Sponsor: Tyee Wine Cellars

SATURDAY, MAY 11th Audubon Society of Corvallis second Saturday Field Trip Saturday, May 11th - 7:30am to noon Join the Audubon Society of Corvallis for an easy walk at Finley Wildlife Refuge to look for birds at the peak of spring migration. This is a good walk for all skill levels. Remember to dress appropriate for the weather. Meeting Location: Benton Center north parking lot (757 NW Polk Ave.) Contact Information: Audubon Society’s Bill Proebsting, [email protected] Sponsor: Audubon Society of Corvallis Finley Wildlife Refuge Open House Saturday, May 11th – 10am – 3pm Join us at William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge for a day full of adventure and activities. Start your journey at the Complex Headquarters near Bellfountain Road, or from the east entrances at Prairie Overlook or McFadden’s Marsh near Hwy. 99W. Pick up your Wildlife Passport and continue through the designated stations earning your stamps. Learn how fire can help wildlife. Look back to a time before Oregon became a state with a tour of the historic Fiechter House. Learn about local wildlife from the Audubon Society of Corvallis. See how experts take photographs of wildlife! Watch how horses are used to remove logs in sensitive areas on the Refuge. Catch a glimpse of raptors above the open fields or blooming native wildflowers. Take a guided Behind the Scenes tour with Refuge staff at 10am, 12pm or 2pm. (registration required – sign-up ahead of time by calling 541-757-7236). Restroom facilities and light refreshments (while supplies last) will be available. Present your stamped Wildlife Passport, and select from several mementos to take home. Keep a look out for the Blue Goose! Meeting Location: Fiechter House, south on 99W to mile marker 93; follow signs for Finley Refuge; after crossing Muddy Creek look for parking area on left by Homer Campbell Trail Contact information: Molly Monroe (541) 757-7236 Sponsor: USFWS William L Finley National Wildlife Refuge Woodpecker Loop Wildflower Walk Saturday, May 11th – 2pm Join the Native Plant Society of Oregon’s Esther McEvoy for a Wildflower Walk at Finley! For those attending the Refuge Open House, simply extend your visit to this beautiful natural area with walk and discussion about the abundant wildflowers that grace Finley’s prairies, wetlands, and oak savannas. This one mile loop is fun for all ages with many species of plants and wildlife to observe along the way. Meeting Location: Woodpecker Loop trailhead, Finley Wildlife Refuge Contact Information: Esther McEvoy, NPSO ([email protected]) Sponsor: Native Plant Society of Oregon Bat Night! Saturday, May 11th - 8:45pm-10pm Join Neighborhood Naturalist for family-friendly night of ‘batting’! We’ll see lots of bats hunting over the duck pond and wetlands at Starker and Sunset Parks. We’ll use a bat detector to convert the bats’ sonar to audible clicks, and a spotlight. Bring binoculars and an extra layer to wear as the evening gets cooler. Meeting Location: Bruce Starker Arts Park parking lot (near duck pond and amphitheater) Contact Information: Don Boucher, (541) 753-7689, [email protected], www.neighborhood-naturalist.com Sponsor: Neighborhood Naturalist

SUNDAY, MAY 12th Chintimini Wildlife Center Tour and Baby Shower Sunday, May 12th – 10am – 2pm Come and join us for self-guided tours of the Chintimini Wildlife Center’s educational facilities and ash swale wetland. Live birds of prey will be on display as well as live webcams featuring baby animals in our care! We will also be sharing information about rescuing injured and orphaned wild babies. Donations of animal baby care supplies and food welcome. Meeting Location: 311 NW Lewisburg Ave, Corvallis, OR Contact Information: Jeff Picton; (541) 745-5324 Sponsor: Chintimini Wildlife Center Peavy Arboretum’s Oregon Trees Sunday, May 12th, 10am-12pm Sara Lynch, one of two individuals responsible for the "labeling" of the trees in the large area adjacent to the Arboretum entrance, will mentor the half-mile tree walk. The focus will be on the trees found in Oregon: in the Valley, Coast Range, Klamaths / Siskiyous, Cascades, Blues and in the northeast quadrant. In other words, the focus would be on trees that Oregonians might encounter when traveling in their home state and not just locally, although the event will be local in the Arboretum. Meeting Location: We will meet shortly before 10:00 AM at the asphalted parking area in front of Peavy Lodge (located near the entrance on Arboretum Rd). Contact Information: Robert Verhoogen, [email protected] or 541 207-5878 Sponsor: Sierra Club, Marys Peak Group Pond and Prairie Walk at EE Wilson Wildlife Area Sunday, May 12th, 1pm-4pm Enjoy a 3 mile round trip tour to view native plants and wildflowers at Pipit Prairie restoration area and to view wildlife at nearby ponds. Tour led by the Institute for Applied Ecology and Audubon Society of Corvallis. Bring good walking shoes. Meeting Location: The main car park, Camp Adair Road, at EE Wilson Wildlife Area Contact Information: Peter Moore, [email protected] or (541) 753.3099 X 505 Sponsor: Institute for Applied Ecology

Documents

2013 Natural Areas Celebration Week