Calendar, Stream Center, Adopt-A-Stream, Environmental Education

Volunteer Opportunities

CALENDAR
of
EVENTS

You can contact us at:

The Adopt-A-Stream Foundation
at the
Northwest Stream Center
600-128th Street SE
Everett, WA 98208-6353
Tel: 425-316-8592
Fax: 425-3381423
Email:
AASF@Streamkeeper.org

2008 Streamkeeper Academy Courses/Events

The Adopt-A-Stream Foundation’s Streamkeeper Academy is conducted in partnership with Snohomish County Parks and Recreation at the Northwest Stream Center in Mc Collum Park. “By attending our classes you can get a PhD’s worth of natural resource education at a very small price and have a lot of fun at the same time,” says Tom Murdoch AASF Director and WWU Adjunct Professor of Stream & Wetland Ecology.

The Washington Science Teachers Association accredits all courses and several are accredited by Western Washington University. Continuing education credits are also available to real estate agents, real estate brokers and attorneys for Stream and Wetland Ecology Basic Training classes.

All Classes Are Conducted At
The Northwest Stream Center
600 128th St. SE
Everett, WA 98208
The Northwest Stream Center is located in McCollum Park.

January 2008

"Eagles"
Meet "Freedom," a mature Bald Eagle, and her keeper Jeff Guidry from the Sarvey Wildlife Center -- a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation facility based in Arlington. Together they will will inspire you with their personal story, and share intriguing facts about Eagles and their habitat requirements.
Instructor: Jeff Guidry
Date: Saturday, January 12, 2008
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: All Ages
Photo: Presenter Jeff Guidry with Freedom.

"Wolverine Secrets"
A lecture and beautiful photographs of Washington's wilderness and one of its most secretive predators -- the Wolverine -- will be presented by Keith Aubry, USDA Forest Service. This program will dispel myths and misconceptions, and highlight for the first time the habits, habitat requirements, and range of the wolverine in the Pacific Northwest. Also learn about their history and niche in the environment, and the implications of global warming on this snow dependent species.
Instructor: Keith Aubry
Date: Friday, January 18, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: Middle School Age Children to Adults.
Photo: Instructor Keith Aubry and first Wolverine in Pacific NW to wear a radio collar, courtesy of U.S. Forest Service.

"FREE Movie Series: An Inconvenient Truth"
The first of the Free Streamkeeper Movie Series -- An Inconvenient Truth -- will be presented on the "big screen" in the Streamkeeper Academy Auditorium. From director Davis Guggenheim comes the Sundance Film Festival hit movie, which offers a passionate and inspirational look at the crusade to halt global warming's progress by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. Featuring Al Gore, this engaging film presents the stirring truth about our "planetary emergency." With wit, intelligence, and hope, An Inconvenient Truth brings home Gore's persuasive argument that while global warming is one of the biggest challenges facing our global civilization there is still time to make a difference.
Movie Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested).
Date: Thursday, January 24, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE. Donations Accepted and Appreciated. Advance Reservation Required.
Age Recommendation: Middle School Age Children to Adults.

February 2008

"Swans of Winter"
Come, share and learn the facts, myths, and legends of Washington's Swans of Winter. To many people, the Swan is the embodiment of grace, beauty, and unspoiled wilderness. Experience the majestic beauty of one of the world's largest waterfowl and learn about their life history, biology, habitat requirements, and migration patterns. Also learn about viewing guidelines and the best viewing sites in the Skagit Valley, where the largest concentration of Trumpeter Swans in the U.S. gather each winter. Explore lead-poisoning and other threats to their survival, controversies these birds face on their wintering grounds, and what is needed to insure their future. Instructor Martha Jordan is a well-known swan biologist, and will present spectacular photographs and a lecture on Washington's native Trumpeter and Tundra Swans. Martha is also director of the Washington Swan Working Group, an Affiliate of the Trumpeter Swan Society -- a non-profit organization dedicated to assuring the vitality and welfare of wild Swan populations.
Instructor: Martha Jordan
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Minimum Class Size: 15
Age Recommendation: Middle School Age Children to Adult.
Photo: Instructor Martha Jordan with Cygnet.

"Freshwater Mussels of the Pacific Northwest"
Freshwater Mussels are an intricate and important part of the ecology of our Pacific NW streams and lakes. Learn why these unobtrusive, long-lived sedentary creatures are so important to us. Mussels are some of the oldest living animals on earth. Part of their life cycle requires fish, and our local freshwater mussels are linked with salmon. How do they lure the fish they need to transfer juvenile mussels to new beds? What water quality role do they play in our streams? Where are they in your stream? You are invited to join an evening discussion about mussels to answer these questions and more. Presentation by Dick Schaetzel, former president of Water Tenders, a non-profit conservation group based in Woodinville. He also served on an advisory committee involved with the production of the booklet, Freshwater Mussels of the Pacific Northwest. A FREE booklet along with a beautiful Freshwater Mussels of the Pacific NW poster and a Field Identification Card will be provided to the audience. (Donations for these materials appreciated.)
Instructor: Dick Schaetzel
Date: Thursday, February 21, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: Middle School Age Children to Adult.

"FREE Movie Series: Winged Migration"
Hear a short lecture abou migration of bird habitat in Snohomish County and see a spectacular nature film. Winged Migration will be presented on the "big screen" in the Streamkeeper Academy Auditorium. Among all the vertebrates, birds are the only ones to have mastered the open sky. Academy Award Nominee, Winged Migration, is a result of four years following their amazing odysseys. Witness as film crews follow a rich variety of bird migrations over the vast seas and each of the seven continents. This is a film of staggering beauty that opens one's eyes to the ineffable wonders of the natural world. Rolling Stone described this film as "a movie miracle!" Come see why USA Today found it to be "one of the most beautiful films ..."
Movie Rating: G (General Audiences).
Date: Thursday, February 28, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE. Donations Accepted and Appreciated. Advance Reservation Required.
Age Recommendation: All Ages.

April 2008

"Public Meetings: Free Stream Survey Opportunity"
The Adopt-A-Stream Foundation is offering free stream surveys for landowners along four local streams to explore ways of improving salmon habitat and water quality. The stream surveys, sponsored by the Washington Department of Ecology, are available to landowners along Swamp Creek, North Creek, Little Bear Creek, and Quilceda Creek. After the survey is complete, AASF will prepare an enhancement plan and work in partnership with the landowner to find resources to correct any issues. Anyone interested in a free stream survey should call 425-316-8592 or attend one of the scheduled public meetings listed below:

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 (Swamp Creek)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Northshore Utility District, Tolt Room, 6830 NE 185th Street, Kenmore, WA

Date: Thursday, April 17, 2008 (Little Bear Creek)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Carol Edwards Center, Evergreen Room, 17401 133rd Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA

Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 (North Creek)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Northwest Stream Center in McCollum Park, 600 128th Street SE, Everett, WA

Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 (Quilceda Creek)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Marysville Fire District, Training Room, 1635 Grove Street, Marysville, WA

"In the Company of Crows and Ravens"
There's often an unease between humans and the
genus Corvus, which includes both crows and ravens. Humanity's fear/respect relationship with these birds goes back millions of years. Come, join presenter John Marzluff for an entertaining lecture, and learn more about these urbanized creatures. John Marzluff is Professor of Wildlife Science at the University of Washington. His recent book, In the Company of Crows and Ravens (with Tony Angell), blends biology, conservation, and anthropology to suggest an edgy scientific idea that human and crow cultures have co-evolved and changed one another's culture.
Instructor: John Marzluff
Date: Thursday, April 24, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary. Note, this program usually sells out.
Minimum Class Size: 15
Age Recommendation: First-Grade to Adults.

"Killer Whale Tales"
Instructor Jeff Hogan is the director of Killer Whale Tales, an environmental education program dedicated to promoting the understanding and active stewardship of the Puget Sound's killer whales and their habitat by students through experiential science activities and storytelling. By using a unique approach -- bringing the field directly to the classroom -- the program fosters informed decision-making as students explore their relationship and responsibility to the world and the whales around them. This program is ideal for the entire family!
Instructor: Jeff Hogan
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2008
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Minimum Class Size: 15
Age Recommendation: First-Grade to Adults.

May 2008

"Wetland Wigglers"
This program will introduce you to the connections between healthy watersheds, wetlands, wildlife, fish and aquatic insects. Aquatic insects are important indicators of wetland health and water quality, as well as vital parts of the wetland food chain. They are also beautiful and fascinating, as anyone who has ever watched dragonflies skimming the surface of a pond on a summer's day will attest. There will be a live exhibition of critters from the Northwest Stream Center resident pond, so you can view first-hand the critters that live in our local ponds and learn about their cycles and habitats.
Instructors: Naturalists Tom Noland and Lori Powlas
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-members. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Minimum Class Size: 15
Age Recommendation: First-Grade to Adults.

“Environmental Educators Institute: As if the Earth Matters”
The Environmental Educators Institute with Thom Henley
offers educators a rare opportunity to fully immerse themselves in experiential learning skills, to develop keener insights into cross-cultural understanding and to discover new ways to bring environmental concepts and lessons into the classroom. Thom will draw from his extensive travel experiences and 25 years of working with youth on Rediscovery programs (www.rediscovery.org) to provide an indoor/outdoor workshop that is both insightful and stimulating. He is considered by many to be one of the best in the world at training adults how to teach youth to appreciate nature and different cultures.
Instructor: Thom Henley
Date: Wednesday-Thursday, May 21-22, 2008.
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: $150.00. Advance Registration (by May 1st) Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Note: This workshop is geared to Environmental Educators, K-12 Teachers, Park Rangers, Zoo and Nature Camp Counselors, Boys/Girls Club Counselors, Scout Leaders, YMCA/YWCA Counselors, Home-school Teachers, 4-H Leaders, Parents and anyone else interested in learning how to teach kids to appreciate the environment and different cultures. Participants can earn 16 clock hours from the Washington Science Teachers Association or two credits from WWU. This lecture generally sells out. Register early!

June 2008

"Let's Hoot for the Owls!"
Owls will arrive this presentation on the arms of Sarvey Wildlife Center's Barbara Ogaard. This program will introduce you to the fascinating world of Owls. You will learn all about where they live, what they eat, and their adaptations for nocturnal hunting. Come to this event and you really can "Hoot with Owls!"
Instructor: Barbara Ogaard
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: All Ages

July 2008

"Native Plant Walk and Identification"
Join us for a walk in the woods and native plant gardens around the Northwest Stream Center. Naturalists Tom Noland and Lori Powlas will teach you how to identify plants you are likely to encounter in this area -- perhaps even in your own back yard. Learn why native plant buffers are critical to salmon habitat, and how Native Americans made use of plants for building materials, food, and medicine.
Instructors: Naturalists Tom Noland and Lori Powlas
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 15
Age Recommendation: First-Graders to Adults

“Environmental Educators Institute: As if the Earth Matters”
The Environmental Educators Institute with Thom Henley
offers educators a rare opportunity to fully immerse themselves in experiential learning skills, to develop keener insights into cross-cultural understanding and to discover new ways to bring environmental concepts and lessons into the classroom. Thom will draw from his extensive travel experiences and 25 years of working with youth on Rediscovery programs (www.rediscovery.org) to provide an indoor/outdoor workshop that is both insightful and stimulating. He is considered by many to be one of the best in the world at training adults how to teach youth to appreciate nature and different cultures.
Instructor: Thom Henley
Date: Thursday-Friday, July 17-18, 2008
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: $150.00. Advance Registration (by July 1st) Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Note: This workshop is geared to Environmental Educators, K-12 Teachers, Park Rangers, Zoo and Nature Camp Counselors, Boys/Girls Club Counselors, Scout Leaders, YMCA/YWCA Counselors, Home-school Teachers, 4-H Leaders, Parents and anyone else interested in learning how to teach kids to appreciate the environment and different cultures. Participants can earn 16 clock hours from the Washington Science Teachers Association or two credits from WWU. This lecture generally sells out. Register early!

"Bat Night"
Join bat expert Barbara Ogaard of the Sarvey Wildlife Center for a voyage into the mysterious world of bats. See live bats up close and discover how they hunt for food. Learn fact from myth. Are these creatures really as scary as the media depicts them? Discover how important bats are to the environment and the ecological role they play. Barbara and her bats will engage and entertain all ages. This is a fun even for the entire family!
Instructor: Barbara Ogaard
Date: Friday, July 11, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: All Ages

August 2008

"Sustaining Living Rivers: The Role of Biological Monitoring"
Interested in determining the biological effects of human development around streams? Here is a chance to learn how from one of the premier stream ecologists in the country and a terrific speaker -- Dr. James Karr. He will provide you with a thorough introduction to the use of underwater insects as a biological monitoring tool. See outstanding underwater video of salmon habitat! Experience a variety of interactive exercises (including a "macroinvertebrate card game") and check out local stream life. At the end of this event, you will understand how to gather field samples and evaluate the biological health of your stream -- a very valuable tool!
Instructors: Dr. James Karr
Date: Friday, August 15, 2008
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: $40 Members / $45 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: High School to Adult

"Junior Streamkeeper Training"
This "watershed" event begins with stream and wetland ecology terms. Habitat requirements and life cycle of salmon will be introduced, followed by a hands-on introduction to the bottom of the fish food chain -- aquatic insects. Students will role-play as polluters causing water quality problems and as a team explore solutions. The class will take a "walk on the wild side" next to North Creek for an introduction to native plant identification and to learn why native plant buffers are critical to salmon habitat.
Instructors: Tom Murdoch and Lori Powlas
Date: Monday, August 25, 2008
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: Fourth Grade to Adult

October 2008

"All About Beavers"
Do you know how important Beavers are to the environment? Beavers build a series of dams that improve water quality downstream, abate soil erosion, slow destructive floodwaters, and provide habitat for almost half the threatened and endangered species, including Bald Eagles and Salmon. Join Stillaguamish Watershed Steward Jake Jacobson for a presentation on Beavers -- nature's engineers. Find out whether beavers eat trees, why they dam streams and how to co-exist with them.
Instructor: Jake Jacobson
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: First-Grade to Adult

"Fall Foliage Raft Trip"
Come join us for a fall foliage raft trip on the Main Fork of the beautiful Nooksack River. Dave Button of Pacific Northwest Float Trips and his team of experienced naturalist guides will take us up close to nature in as we learn about the ecosystem, animal life, plant distribution and the history that exists along the Nooksack. Starting at the Highway 9 bridge in Nugents Corner, this guided 10-mile rafting adventure will take us past Suzanne Falls, impressive clay cliffs, and spawning salmon. This trip is suitable for all ages (6 and up) as there is no white water.
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2008
Time: 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Fee: $60.00. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Age Recommendation: Ages 6 to Adult. Kids, be sure to bring your parents.
Note: Bring your lunch and drinking water, and dress for the outdoors. A list of what to bring, where to meet, and driving directions will be provided.

"Bat Night"
Join bat expert Barbara Ogaard of the Sarvey Wildlife Center for a voyage into the mysterious world of bats. See live bats up close and discover how they hunt for food. Learn fact from myth. Are these creatures really as scary as the media depicts them? Discover how important bats are to the environment and the ecological role they play. Barbara and her bats will engage and entertain all ages. This is a fun even for the entire family!
Instructor: Barbara Ogaard
Date: Friday, October 17, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 Members / $7 Non-Members. Advance Purchase Required.
Minimum Class Size: 20
Age Recommendation: All Ages

November 2008

January 2009

" Skagit River Eagle Raft Trip "
This rafting adventure is offered during the time of year when the largest concentration of wintering Bald Eagles found anywhere within the lower 48 states visit the Skagit River. You can expect to see 20 to 200 or more eagles in their natural habitat. Dave Button of Pacific Northwest Float Trips and his team of experienced naturalist guides are adept at spotting wildlife and will share information about Bald Eagles and the history and ecology of the Skagit River. This 8-mile trip is suitable for all ages (6 and up) as there is no white water.
Date: Saturday, January 3, 2009
Time: 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Fee: $60.00. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Age Recommendation: Ages 6 to Adult. Kids, be sure to bring your parents.
Note: Bring your lunch and drinking water, and dress for the outdoors. A list of what to bring, where to meet, and driving directions will be provided.

"Swans of Winter: Lecture and Field Trip"
Come, share and learn the facts, myths, and legends of Washington's Swans of Winter. To many people, the Swan is the embodiment of grace, beauty, and unspoiled wilderness. Experience the majestic beauty of one of the world's largest waterfowl and learn about their life history, biology, habitat requirements, and migration patterns. Explore lead-poisoning and other threats to their survival, controversies these birds face on their wintering grounds, and what is needed to insure their future. Instructor Martha Jordan is a well-known wildlife biologist, and will present spectacular photographs and a lecture on Washington's native Trumpeter and Tundra Swans. Also learn about viewing guidelines, and after the presentation join Martha on a guided field trip to the one of the best "night roost" viewing sites in the Snohomish Basin. Martha is also director of the Washington Swan Working Group, an Affiliate of the Trumpeter Swan Society -- a non-profit organization dedicated to assuring the vitality and welfare of wild Swan populations.
Instructor: Martha Jordan
Date: Saturday, January 17, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Meet at Northwest Stream Center for morning presentation, followed by afternoon field trip to Snohomish Basin. Transportation will be provided. Dress appropriately for the weather!
Tickets: $75.00. Advance Purchase Necessary.
Lunch: Bring Sack Lunch.
Minimum Class Size: 15
Age Recommendation: Middle School Age Children to Adult.
Photo: Instructor Martha Jordan with Cygnet.

FOR TICKETS OR INFO CALL 425-316-8592

Email: aasf@streamkeeper.org

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