December Wetland Wander at Hansen See-Sil

Tuesday, December 13th

9am - 11am
Hansen See-Sil

Bird expert Dave Bontrager will lead our group back to Hansen See-Sil and discuss birds wintering in this unique habitat. Don't forget to bring your binoculars and to wear tall boots, as this location is wet this time of year!

Directions to Hansen See-Sil: Head west to the end of Royal Avenue toward Fern Ridge Reservoir. Park in the ODFW lot if you have a permit, otherwise please park along Royal Ave. Look for WREN Staff.

#GivingTuesday

Join fellow Oregonians across the state in the #OregoniansGive campaign!

Celebrate generosity and care for your fellow community members this holiday season and donate to help support youth in nature. Visit us today at  Oregonians Give to easily donate to a worthy cause. WREN has a number of new projects planned for 2017, read on to see what programs your donation will make possible!

WREN's 2017 plans include:

• Continuing our fund raising campaign for a new, mobile classroom to shelter children and adults during inclement weather.
• Developing new environmental education curricula for Bethel Fifth Graders to learn about and perform water testing along Amazon Creek.
• Designing interpretive signs that will be installed at the new disc golf course near Stewart Pond, and designing and leading field trips at the site.
• Developing new curricula for 4J English Language Learner students to learn science and math concepts through hands-on outdoor learning experiences.
• Collaborating with the City of Eugene and Bureau of Land Management on a new project to train the next generation of land stewards.

November Wetland Wander at Meadowlark Prairie

Tuesday, November 8th 

9am-11am

Meadowlark Prairie

Join WREN for a wander at this extremely popular birding and exploration site! We will be joined by naturalist Rick Ahrens and BLM Ecologist Sally Villegas to learn more about restoration projects on this site as we enjoy fall migration. 

Directions to Meadowlark Prairie: From West 11th, turn right onto Greenhill Rd. Travel to the overlook and park. From Royal Ave, turn left onto Greenhill Rd and park at the overlook across from Greenhill Humane Society. Look for WREN Staff.

For more information, please call (541) 338-7047 or email volunteer@wewetlands.org

Play in the Rain Day 2016

Join WREN and the Youth in Nature Partnership this weekend for the 9th annual 

Play in the Rain Day!

WREN will be offering two "Animal Signs" walks at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. where we will learn how to identify tracks, scat, and other evidence of animal activity. Please meet at our booth in the White Oak Pavilion to participate in the walks. 

Other activities offered at the event will include Campfire Cooking, Tree Climbing, Nature Crafts, Hay Rides, Scavenger Hunts and more!

October Wetland Wander at Wild Iris Ridge

Tuesday, October 11th

 9:00am-11:00am

Wild Iris Ridge

Join WREN for a special Wetland Wander at Wild Iris Ridge. The first hour of this month's wander will be led by City of Eugene Ecologist Emily Steel. Emily will be there to give participants a tour of city restoration projects at this location. A great opportunity to learn more about science-in-action in the Eugene area! The second half of the wander will be led by long-time WREN volunteer and mammal expert David Walp. Don't miss this special two-part wander to kick-off Autumn!

Directions to Wild Iris Ridge: From 18th and Bailey Hill Road head south on Bailey Hill, turn left onto Warren Street, sharp right onto Warren and then right onto Summit Terrace Drive. Right onto Bailey View Drive, follow Bailey View to its end to reach the park.

For more information please call (541) 338-7047 or email volunteer@wewetlands.org

Fall Family Exploration Day at Meadowlark Prairie

Saturday, October 8th

10 am-2 pm

Meadowlark Prairie

This family program is FREE to the public and provides unstructured observation, education, and inspiration in our surrounding natural spaces. WREN staff and volunteers will be on hand to check-out nature exploration equipment and provide guidance for independent exploration of the wonders in the wetlands. Equipment available for check-out includes binoculars, bug nets and boxes, hand lenses, field guides and more!

Directions to Meadowlark Prairie: From West 11th, turn right onto Greenhill Rd. Travel to the overlook and park. From Royal Ave, turn left onto Greenhill Rd and park at the overlook across from Greenhill Humane Society. Look for WREN Staff and booth. 

Fundraiser at Falling Sky on September 25th

Join us this Sunday, September 25th 

from 11am to Midnight for a fundraiser at 

either Falling Sky location! 

Show them the above image on your phone and 25% of your purchase will be donated to WREN. Or, drop by the WREN booth at Sunday Streets between Noon and 4 on the same day at University Park to pick up a flyer!

National Public Lands Day 2016

Join WREN & partners on 

Saturday, September 24th for this year's 

National Public Lands Day!

National Public Lands Day is a great opportunity to help beautify and support your public lands alongside other community members. This year it will be hosted at Bertelsen Nature Park. Participants are asked to meet at 9am for an introduction to our partnership and a safety briefing before you head out in the park. There will be an assortment of different volunteer opportunities available--all ages welcome! Participants are asked to come prepared in clothes that can get dirty and sturdy shoes, light refreshments will be provided. 

For more information, please contact: (541) 683-6600 or dbutler@blm.gov

September Wetland Wander at Stewart Pond

Tuesday, September 13th

9am-11am

Stewart Pond

Join WREN and naturalist Rick Ahrens for an exploration of Stewart Pond at Bertelsen Nature Park. Participants should come prepared with sturdy shoes and water. We will meet at the Stewart Pond Overlook parking area on Stewart Road.  Directions: From west 11th, turn north onto Bertelsen Road. Turn right onto Stewart Road and follow it to the end, the Stewart Pond parking area will be clearly marked on the left. Look for WREN staff.

For more information please call (541) 338-7047 or email volunteer@wewetlands.org

Family Exploration Day at Golden Gardens Park

September 10th

10am-2pm

Golden Gardens Park

This family program is FREE to the public and provides unstructured observation, education, and inspiration in our surrounding natural spaces. WREN staff and volunteers will be on hand to check-out nature exploration equipment and provide guidance for independent exploration of the wonders in the wetlands. Equipment available for check-out includes binoculars, bug nets and boxes, hand lenses, field guides and more!

Directions to Golden Gardens Park: Head west on Barger Drive, turn right on Golden Gardens Street. Participants will find WREN staff and equipment check-out at the intersection of Golden Gardens and Jessen Drive. Look for WREN staff and booth.

WREN 2016-2017 programs

It's that time of year teachers! 

Check out all WREN has to offer for field trips and classroom programs that not only offer a change from the everyday classroom routine, but meet Standards too! Contact us at info@wewetlands.org to schedule your fall or spring programs for this school year.

2016 Wetland Educator Training

Our 2016 Wetland Educator Training is off to a great start with amazing trainings offered by experienced naturalists Rick Ahrens, Dave Walp, and Larry Von Seeger, as well as from our own Program Coordinator Harpo Faust. If you are still interested in participating in our upcoming trainings next week, please contact us at volunteer@wewetlands.org to get signed up!

Scroll down for some snapshots from this week's trainings. 

Hops for Hope Fundraiser

Hops for Hope

at Hop Valley Brewing

Wednesday, August 10th

5:00pm-8:00pm

Join Hop Valley Brewing and WREN for a night of brews for a good cause! For every beer sold, $1 will be donated to the Willamette Resources and Educational Network.

Hop Valley Brewing

990 W 1st Avenue

Eugene, OR 97401

www.hopvalleybrewing.com

 

August Wetland Wander with Rick Ahrens

Tuesday, August 9th

9am-11am

Golden Gardens Park

Join naturalist Rick Ahrens and WREN for a Wetland Wander focused on late summer insects! Participants should bring water and wear sturdy shoes. Directions to Golden Gardens Park: Head west on Barger Drive, turn left on Golden Gardens Street. Participants are asked to meet at the intersection of Golden Gardens and Jessen Drive. Look for WREN staff.

For more information call, (541) 338-7047 or email volunteer@wewetlands.org

WREN Summer Library Program

Learn About Scavengers!

Join WREN at libraries throughout the community this August to learn about scavenger species! All ages are welcome for this FREE program, pick any of the 4 dates offered to suit your busy summer schedule. Program description and schedule are below. Please contact our Program Coordinator if you have any questions at info@wewetlands.org

In the race for survival, competition is high in the Willamette Valley! Turkey vultures, raccoons, and western pond turtles are a few common critters that take advantage of resources that others turn their noses up at. Come join WREN for an hour long program that highlights the often overlooked activities of scavengers competing in the survival of the fittest.

August 2nd, 1:30pm-2:30pm
Fern Ridge Library

August 4th, 1:00pm-2:00pm
River Road Library

August 5th, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Springfield Library

August 9th, 1:00pm-2:00pm
Springfield Library

Wetland Guide Training

Interested in Volunteering with WREN?

WREN is excited to put on a comprehensive environmental educator training to prepare WREN field trip guides for our fall and spring school field trip programs. This training will prepare you for guiding with WREN and will be the initial phase before shadowing and eventually guiding for us starting in September. We are looking for volunteers with all levels of experience working with kids outside. We will be providing trainings in behavior management, early childhood education, field trip routing, wetland ecology, birds, tracking and mammals of the wetlands!

All trainings will occur at the Red House in West Eugene August 7th-17th. We ask that every volunteer who participates in the training commits to teaching at least two-three times a month during our field trip season (September-November and March-June). If you have questions, please contact Harpo, the Program Coordinator at info@wewetlands.org.

 Please follow this link to sign up!

http://goo.gl/forms/sh5Lc3tWzwNf9n0k1

Bat Walk 2016

Big Brown Bat  (Eptesicus fuscus)

Eptesicus fuscus

Saturday, July 23rd

8:30pm-10:30pm

Location TBD 

Curious about bats? Would you like to learn more? Join us for a summer Bat Walk led by expert Stuart Perlmeter. Wildly popular last year, the walk will provide opportunities to see bats up close as well as to view them wild in the wetlands--even to hear them using special bat detectors! This is an excellent event for children. Participants should bring sturdy shoes, water, and curiosity.

Registration is required for this FREE event, so please make sure to contact WREN soon to reserve your spot. To register, please call (541) 338-7047. Location is to be determined. WREN will contact registrants with the location and directions prior to the event.

July Wetland Wander with Heron Brae

Tuesday, July 12th, 2016

9am-11am

Willow Creek Natural Area

Come learn about wetland plants with local botanist Heron Brae. She will lead a special plant-themed Wetland Wander at the Nature Conservancy property, Willow Creek Natural Area.  Heron will lead discussion on the human-plant relationship, and emphasize medicinal and edible plants as well as ecology.

We hope to see you there for this early summer plant wander.


Directions: From West 18th Ave. head west,drive past Bertelsen Road and park along the first and second parking areas on the right side of West 18th, past Bertelsen. Look for WREN Staff. For more information call (541) 338-7047 or email volunteer@wewetlands.org

Dragonfly Walk with Cary Kerst!

Click on the poster for more details.

Wetland Wander June 2016

Join WREN as Dave Bontrager leads us on a bird-focused wetland wander at Hansen See-Sill. We'll weave in and out of oak groves and wet prairies and hopefully sneak a peak at cavity nesting birds.

Directions to Hansen/See-Sil: Take Royal Avenue west to the Royal Amazon Unit of Fern Ridge/ODFW parking lot. If you have an ODFW permit you may park in the lot, otherwise park along Royal Ave. Look for WREN staff. Call (541) 232-4706 the day of the event for additional directions.  

For more information contact ShyAnne Woods at volunteer@wewetlands.org or call (541) 338-7047.

WREN's Wetland Wanders are casual walks through sites in the West Eugene Wetlands the second Tuesday of every month. These walks are FREE to the public and provide exciting opportunities to observe, learn and become inspired by our surrounding natural spaces. Bring water, binoculars, and clothing appropriate for a wetland excursion. 

Eight thousand Years of Dirt! From Mount Mazama to the West Eugene Wetlands

Please join WREN for a Special Wetland Wander with Karin Baitis!

 

Geomorphologist Karin Baitis will share her research explaining Mt. Mazama’s relationship to the wetlands.  Included will be:

* An indoor presentation showing geologic research methods

* Implications for future land conservation and water quality

* A short local field trip to identify wetland soil features, including vernal pools, hummocks, and gilgai. 

 

Join us at the Red House, 751 S. Danebo Avenue, 


9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 


Please reserve your place by contacting ShyAnne Woods at


541-338-7047 or volunteer@wewetlands.org.


Please bring a sack lunch and appropriate clothing for a wetland excursion. Carpooling may be available for the field trip. 

Early Earth Day Turtle Walk April 20th

WREN is pleased to invite you to join WREN and City of Eugene ecologist Lauri Holts for a special Early Earth Day Turtle Walk at Delta Ponds Park. Delta Ponds is a 150-acre waterway, which includes ponds, channels, wetlands, and riparian areas. Extensive restoration work re-connected a series of gravel pits to the Willamette River, resulting in the re-establishment of habitat for multiple species including Western pond turtle, river otter, and 155 bird species. We will look for sunning Western pond turtles as well as the invading Red-eared slider and will discuss the City’s extensive habitat restoration work at this urban natural area.
Space is limited to 15 participants.
Please reserve your place by calling (541) 338-7047

Family Exploration Day at Meadowlark Prairie

Saturday, April 9th, 2016 

10am-2pm

 

This family program is FREE to the public and provides unstructured observation, education, and inspiration in our surrounding natural spaces. WREN staff and volunteers will be on hand to check-out nature exploration equipment and provide guidance for independent exploration of the wonders in the wetlands. 

Directions: From West 11th, turn right onto Greenhill Rd. Travel to the overlook and park. From Royal Ave. Turn left onto Greenhill Rd and park at the overlook across from Greenhill Humane Society. Look for WREN Staff and booth. 

Wetland Wander at Wild Iris Ridge

Tuesday, April 12th, 2016

9:00 am - 11:00 am

 

It's Wildflower season! Join us at Wild Iris Ridge for wildflowers, singing birds, and wonderful views of West Eugene.

WREN's Wetland Wanders are casual walks through sites in the West Eugene Wetlands the second Tuesday of every month. These walks are FREE to the public and provide exciting opportunities to observe, learn and become inspired by our surrounding natural spaces. WREN staff and volunteers will guide this walk and provide binoculars. Bring water, waterproof shoes, and rain-gear just in case!

 

Directions to Wild Iris Ridge: From 18th and Bailey Hill Rd. Head south on Bailey Hill, Turn left onto Warren St., sharp right onto Warren and then right onto Summit Terrace Dr., Right onto Bailey View Dr. Follow Bailey View to its end and park. Look for WREN Staff and Volunteers.

 

For more information call 541.338.7047 or email ShyAnne at volunteer@wewetlands.org

Pacific Hound's Tongue, Cynoglossum grande flowering at Wild Iris Ridge

Volunteer with WREN!

There's still room in the Bird ID Class!

Register now for the Bird ID for Beginners or Near Beginners class with Dave Bontrager. Classes start March 23rd!

Family Exploration Day at the Tsanchiifin Trail

CANCELLED 

due to strong winds and rainstorms. 

Kick off spring and join our first Family Exploration Day of the year! 
Saturday, March 12th, 10am-2pm. RAIN or SHINE!

This family program is FREE to the public and provides unstructured observation, education, and inspiration in our surrounding natural spaces. WREN staff and volunteers will be on hand to check-out nature exploration equipment and provide guidance for independent exploration of the wonders in the wetlands.

Directions: From Danebo Ave. Park at the BLM Red House located at 751 S. Danebo Ave and meet across the street to the West along the Fern Ridge Trail. Look for WREN Staff and booth.

Wetland Wander at Hansen See-Sil

Tuesday, March 8th, 2016

9:00 am - 11:00 am

 

Acorn Woodpeckers, Turkey Vultures, and Rough-legged Hawks 

have all been spotted at Hansen in the last week! Join us at Hansen for a look at Acorn Woodpecker granaries, and  a discussion about this special oak woodland that provides nesting habitat for both ground and cavity nesting birds.

WREN's Wetland Wanders are casual walks through sites in the West Eugene Wetlands the second Tuesday of every month. These walks are FREE to the public and provide exciting opportunities to observe, learn and become inspired by our surrounding natural spaces. WREN staff and volunteers will guide this walk and provide binoculars. Bring water, waterproof shoes, and rain-gear just in case!

 

Directions to Hansen/See-Sil: Take Royal Avenue west to the ODFW parking lot at Fern Ridge Reservoir. If you have an ODFW permit you may park in the lot, otherwise park along Royal Ave. Look for WREN staff. 

 

For more information call 541.338.7047 or email info@wewetlands.org