2007 "Phenology" Conservation Course Starts January 22nd
The Methow Conservancy's third annual "Methow Conservation Course" begins Monday January 22nd! This year's course will focus on Phenology, which is the study of the annual cycles of plants and animals and how they respond to seasonal and climate changes. Register now!

Participants in the course will explore the effects of seasonal changes, including variations in the duration of sunlight, precipitation, temperature, wildfires and other life-controlling factors on local plants and animals. Understanding the annual occurrences of blooming wildflowers, migrating birds, spawning fish, thunderstorms, falling leaves, harvest moons, rutting deer, frozen ponds, birth and death will all be explored as part of this study of Phenology. In addition, participants will learn the relationship between these things and weather patterns and seasonal and climatic change, as well as how to keep track of cyclical events.

This year's course instructors are a great group of local and Northwest natural history and climate experts, including: Danica Kaufman, Scott Fitkin, Libby Mills, Julie Grialou, Dr. Richard Gammon, Dan Russell, John Rohrer, Dana Visalli, and Dr. Dune Ives. Previous course students and new participants alike should find something new and interesting in this course! Read more about the course and get the full syllabus and registration form here.

The course runs from January 22nd to February 26th with one class per week on Mondays from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Twisp River Pub. The week of the President's Day holiday, class will meet on Tuesday Feb. 20th instead of Monday the 19th. The pub will open at 5:30 to give folks time to settle in.

Tuition is $125 for Methow Conservancy members. The tuition for non-members is $150, which includes a discounted membership. A limited number of scholarships are available to those who need financial assistance.

The syllabus and registration form are also available at the Methow Conservancy office in Winthrop or via email at info@methowconservancy.org . Registration is limited and the Conservancy expects the course to fill.

The Methow Conservancy initiated the Methow Conservation Course in 2005 to take a Methow-specific look at natural history and translate that knowledge into both local and universal conservation-based themes. Now in its third year, the Methow Conservation Course is designed for both the novice and the experienced naturalist (and for everyone in between). The course is offered with the goal of inspiring more observation of, interest in and connections with the natural world.
Contact Mary at info@methowconservancy.org or 509-996-2870 if you have questions.

5152 Acres and 16+ Miles of Shoreline Protected in Conservation Easements
2006 was a great year for conservation in the Valley! With the help of eight families and all our members we protected 447 acres in 2006. The end of the year brought us a 75 acre easement along the Methow River with the Pigott Family. This easement includes an active floodplain of the Methow River and production farmland. It protects riparian habitat for threatened Bull Trout and endangered Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout (among other animals). Over half of the protected property is prime agricultural land, presently irrigated and in grain and alfalfa production. The land also contains a Bald Eagle winter roosting site. The easement is situated at the southern end of a corridor of five existing Methow Conservancy conservation easements, protecting farmland and riparian habitat on over 200 acres and over 10,000 ft of both banks of the River. The property protects a distinct natural open-space area in a heavily traveled portion of the middle Valley, maintaining a rural view, productive farmland and pristine river corridor so treasured by residents and visitors alike. We thank the Pigott Family for their conservation vision and for their continued support in helping us save more pristine natural land in the Methow Valley.

Here is a brief photo essay of the 2006 conservation easements that private, willing landowners helped us protect for years and generations to come.

	Benson Creek Area 70 acres
Mazama 10 acres
	Middle Methow River 69 acres
Twisp River 83 acres
	Mazama 14 acres
East County Road Farmland 39 acres
	Mazama 20 acres
Big Valley Area 140 acres

Conservation easements are legal agreements the Methow Conservancy makes with private, willing landowners to protect land by limiting development.

Landowners choose to give up certain development rights, while retaining complete ownership, to protect wildlife habitat, agricultural land, forests, riparian areas and scenic views.

Each easement is individually tailored and is permanently tied to the land, regardless of who owns the property.

Good Neighbor Workshop, February 18th, Winthrop
Last year, we designed a workshop around some of the themes in our Good Neighbor Handbook: A Guide for Landowners in the Methow Valley. The program was so well received we are holding one again this year.

The free workshop, called Neighbor to Neighbor: Practical Advice for Building and Living in the Methow Valley is a great place to gain helpful information about the Methow Valley especially if you are thinking about building or are currently building in the Methow.Attendees will meet neighbors, share questions and perhaps similar situations, and learn about building, landscaping and restoration, energy efficiency and other property development concerns and opportunities. There will be a brief powerpoint presentation, a panel of experienced Methow landowners who have been through the building process, lots of time for questions and discussions, and refreshments and snacks! Even not-so-new landowners could glean some helpful tips. Contact Mary at 996-2870 or info@methowconservancy.org for more info or just show up.

If you can't attend the workshop but would still like a copy of our Good Neighbor Handbook or our new Restoring Shrub-Steppe in the Methow Valley, come by or call and we'll get one to you. The handbooks are free and available at various real estate offices, libraries, and other outlets in the Valley as well.

Have a Methow Conservancy House Party
Want to have your very own Methow Conservancy information session and social? Bring us to your home and ask us all the questions you want!

Our short "Roadshow" presentation is a great way to learn more about what we do, help introduce friends and neighbors to our conservation efforts and ask us questions.

We are looking to you to help us host more Roadshows - and it's super easy to do. You work with us to schedule a date and gather folks to attend. We can help send the invitations, and we bring all the info and the speaker. It is a great way to get friends together and help spread the word about our work. If you are interested having a Roadshow at your home or with a group you are involved in, contact us at info@methowconservancy.org or 509-996-2870!

Our goal is to share the information with small groups of people-gatherings of neighbors, co-workers, friends, or other Methow enthusiasts. The Roadshow is not a fundraising event - it is designed to help spread the word about our work and to inspire conversations with people about conservation and the future of the Valley. Thanks for your help!

Events
Below, you'll find announcements about events or publications (ours and those of other organizations) that we think you might find interesting.

January 18th: An Inconvenient Truth Follow-Up: The Science of Climate Change, Local Impacts of Global Warming, and Solutions - What Each of Us Can Do, 7pm at the Methodist Church. Dune Ives will present and lead this community discussion. There will be plenty of opportunity for questions during the evening and she will provide resources where individuals can go for more information.

February 5th – April 2nd Coached Planning: Forest Stewardship Shortcourse for Eastern Washington Absentee Landowner’s. Course will be taught at the WSU/ King County Extension office. To Register, Contact Andy Perleberg at (509) 667-6658