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North Cascades Institute
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Field Excursions
Field Excursions explore areas throughout Washington State, from Seattle to the Skagit Valley to Mount Baker to the Columbia Plateau, from mountaintops to riverbanks to city streets. These trips explore the diversity of ecosystems and communities that exist in our corner of the planet in ways both educational and entertaining. Register for a kayaking trip, a backcountry hike, a visual art excursion, a farm tour or a stroll through urban woodlands and let the Institute and our instructors–each a leader in their respective field–lead you to a deeper appreciation of the Pacific Northwest.
Citizen Science #1: Nest Watch
Learn the secrets to finding nests and unobtrusively monitoring them in order to take part in Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch project -- free, call to register.
The Poetry and Culture of Fishtown
North Cascades Institute is thrilled to partner with the Skagit Poetry Festival to celebrate the poetry, culture and lore of the lower Skagit Valley.
Wild Eats From Land To Sea
When experiencing our natural surroundings, it is helpful to engage all of our senses for a fuller sense of presence.
Citizen Science #2: Cascades Butterfly Project
This free volunteer training will teach participants how to identify alpine butterfly species and implement the research methods for this long-term monitoring project. Free, call to register.
Dragonflies Across the Cascades
Join Dennis Paulson, the Northwest’s foremost authority on odonates, to investigate landscapes and waterways across the North Cascades.
Citizen Science #3: Pikas and Marmots Alpine Exploration
Join Institute Science Coordinator and wildlife biologist Jeff Anderson to participate in research efforts aimed at gathering information on these high elevation denizens.
Street Smart Naturalist in Seattle
Explore Seattle's wild side with David Williams, author of Stories in Stone: Travels in Urban Geology and The Seattle Street-Smart Naturalist: Field Notes from the City
Citizen Science #4: Snake Count
Join biologists from the US Forest Service and the North Cascades Institute for this training and visit reptile hot spots around the Methow Valley. Free, call to register.
Mount Baker: The Story of Volcanoes
Experience time travel by foot on the Ptarmigan Ridge trail in Mount Baker’s radiant late-summer high country.
Citizen Science #5: Hawkwatching over Lake Chelan
You'll learn all about raptor biology and hone your identification skills by assisting researchers as they count passing hawks.
Mount Baker Mushroom Excursion
Venture into the forest with Lee Whitford to learn more about the variety of fungus among us
