May 18th: Methow Conservancy Weed & Native Plant Education Table at the Methow Valley Farmers’ Market, 9am – Noon. Get free advice, plant ID help, and useful resource materials.
May 23rd: Wildflower Walk at 4pm, free but space is limited. Join Mary Kiesau, the Methow Conservancy’s Educational Programs Director, on a native plant “after-work” walk. Contact Mary to reserve your spot at mary@methowconservancy.org or 509-996-2870.
May 25th: Mazama Days, 8am to Noon at the Mazama Community Club.
The Mazama Pancake Breakfast and 5 & 10K runs have been Memorial Day traditions for years. This year they’ll be bigger and better than ever with the addition of a fun celebration of the unique Mazama Community. Stop by the Mazama Community Club, Saturday morning, May 25th for “Mazama Days.” Learn about all the creative and energetic groups who help to make these the “good old days” of Mazama. We’ll be participating with an information booth about our work to preserve and protect the Mazama Corner – a truly inspiring story of a lot of extraordinary people coming together to protect an extraordinary place. We’ll offer a tour of the conservation property at 11:30am. You can read the Mazama Corner Story here.
Hope you’ll join us and many others for Mazama Days!
May 25th: Methow Conservancy Weed & Native Plant Education Table at the Methow Valley Farmers’ Market, 9am – Noon. Get free advice, plant ID help, and useful resource materials.
May 30th - June 2nd: Methow Conservancy Spring Naturalists’ Retreat with expert instructors Libby Mills & Dana Visalli, $150/person*. Explore unique places in the Methow during the day and engage in presentations and group dinners in the evenings. Build your naturalist skills, identify and learn about birds, plants, butterflies and everything in-between. You will be amazed by all that you learn and soak up in this fantastic nature and educational experience! The retreat starts at 6pm on Thursday, May 30th and goes through the early afternoon of Sunday, June 2nd. Space is limited. Click here for more information.
June 1st: Methow Conservancy Weed & Native Plant Education Table at the Methow Valley Farmers’ Market, 9am – Noon. Get free advice, plant ID help, and useful resource materials.
June 8th: Methow Conservancy Weed & Native Plant Education Table at the Methow Valley Farmers’ Market, 9am – Noon. Get free advice, plant ID help, and useful resource materials.
July 6-7th: Observing, Learning & Creating a Naturalist’s Field Journal, Observing, Learning & Creating for a Naturalist’s Field Journal. Saturday & Sunday, July 6 & 7, 9am – 4pm both days, $75*.
Join Libby Mills, a favoriteteacher among Northwest naturalists, and long-time field journalist, to “learn to see.” Libby will demonstrate sketching techniques to depict light and shadow on the 
landscape, the edges thatseparate petals and leaves,the organic forms of blooms and bugs…because looking at details will help you become a more accurate and observant naturalist. Libby will also help us slow down and enjoy being part of the present moment. She says, “When we take a blank page out to nature with a pencil, pens, or colors, and we take the time to deeply look into both our surroundings and our own response to them we can begin to be more a part of nature.” We will listen to birdsong; watch insects on flowers; slowly walk trails; sit until our hands move in drawings and words, then explore some more. Engaging our senses, we will translate what we see, hear, smell and feel by way of pens, pencils and paper to rediscover the beautiful details of nature. We’ll try different ways to make an illustrated page, and do some writing too. We will be creative in our own ways and leave with a personal journal bursting full of observations and inspiration! Contact Mary for more details, including a small supplies list, and reserve your spot at mary@methowconservancy.org or 509-996-2870.
July 21st: Dragonflies, Damselflies and other Winged Beauties of the Methow Valley, 8am - 5pm, $40* Join Dennis Paulson, one of the most knowledgeable naturalists in the Northwest, to learn about the creatures of the Odonata order - dragonflies and damselflies. We’ll search lakes, ponds and wildflower meadows to learn about these “toothed jaw” insects, plus other critters and plants we come across. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from and explore with one of the most experienced and knowledgeable biologists in the Northwest! Click here for more information
Check out the upcoming news & events from other organizations and businesses!
Annual Migratory Bird Count, hosted by the Methow Naturalist, May 19th, free. No experience necessary. Call or email Dana Visalli at 509-997-9011, dana@methownet.com for more information.
The Methow Valley Citizens Council is hosting a benefit concert with folk music duo Magpie, May 19th, 7pm at the Merc; $12 at the door.
WSU Extension is offering their popular “Forest & Range Landowners Field Day” in Tonasket, June 22. Click here for more details, including a detailed list of presentations. Registration is $20 per person or $30 for a family of two or more.
The Methow Naturalist is offering four one-day natural history programs this summer (Mushrooms, May 26; Native Bees, June 30; Bats, July 28; and Ecology, Aug. 25) for $30 each. Click here for class descriptions, or contact Dana Visalli at 509-997-9011 or dana@methownet.com. Dana also runs the Methow River Camp, an ecology and adventure-based overnight camping camp for kids 10-14, July 15-19. Details at the link above.
The North Cascades Basecamp has a growing list of natural history programs and classes. See their full calendar here.
The Methow Valley Interpretive Center is now open for the season, and is offering programs on the last Sunday of every month. See their website for upcoming programs.
The Okanogan Highlands Alliance is offering, "Highland Wonders," a series of monthly natural history programs. Check out their full calendar.
*Our Cancellation and Refund Policy
If you cancel or leave a fee-based course for any reason:
Full refunds will be given if the request is received two weeks or more before the day of the program (class, workshop, fieldtrip, etc.). If the cancellation is made less than two weeks before the start of the program, the Methow Conservancy will give a full refund only if we are able to fill your spot. If you cancel 24 hours or less before the start time of the program or after the class has started there will be no refund of the program fee. Although we rarely need to do so, we reserve the right to cancel a program. In this case you will receive a full refund.
