Our Programs
Amateur Naturalist Series
Climate Masters
Family Nature
Night
Family Nature Retreat
Mushroom Retreat
Native Plant Garden Tour
Native Plant Landscape Restoration Site
Nature
Kids Youth Naturalist Series
Straub
Environmental Lecture Series
Summer
Camp
Sustainability Workshops
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Amateur
Naturalist Series
The Amateur Naturalist Series provides an introduction to a wide
variety of nature and science topics. The programs slated for
2011-2012 cover astronomy, wildflowers, whales, natural history, and
ethnobotany, among others topics. The Naturalist Series is
open to the public, and no previous knowledge of the topics is
required! Classes are $5 per person, registration is required
due to limited space. All classes are held at the Straub
Environmental Learning Center at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
Call or email Alexandra at 503-391-4145 or
fselc@fselc.org
to register.
2011-2012 Amateur Naturalist Series
Astronomy: An Introduction to the Night Sky
August
25, 2011 with field trip August 27, 2011
Rick Watkins
Whales
September 15, 2011
Carrie Newell
Urban Wildlife -
CANCELLED!
October 13, 2011
Mary Bliss and Dylan Edwards
Animal Tracking
November 10, 2011
Dorothy Brown-Kwaiser
Winter Trees
and Shrubs
January 12, 2012
Michael Taylor and Rachel Walker
Willamette
Valley Natural History
February 9, 2012
Brad Withrow-Robinson
The Crow Family
and Their Behaviors
March 8, 2012
David Craig
Wildflower I.D.
and Ethnobotany
April 12, 2012
Morris Johnson
Introduction to
Nature Journaling
May 10, 2012
Marilynn Karbonski
Download a series
flyer here!
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Climate Masters
Developed by the
Climate
Leadership Initiative at the University of Oregon, the
Climate Masters Training program educates citizens about climate
change and engages them in activities in their household and
community to help resolve the issue. Climate Masters
participate in 30 hours of training on climate change science and
action strategies on reducing personal green house gas emissions.
Topics include transportation, food choices, home energy use, and
waste practices, among others. The Fall 2010 session begins on
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. The remaining classes will be
held every Monday at 6:00 p.m. from October 18 to December 20. All
classes will be held at
Painter's Hall in the Pringle Creek Community,
3911 Village Center Dr. SE. The cost of the
program is $25. If you have questions, please contact us at
fselc@fselc.org.
We're revamping the Climate Masters
program for 2011 and 2012. More information on when and where the
series will be held will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
Thank you for your patience!
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Family Nature Night
The Straub Center organizes an annual Family Nature Night at a local
elementary
school. Parents and children share a meal and
participate in a number of fun
learning activities geared to the earth and biological
sciences. Past host schools of Family Nature Night have included
Hallman Elementary and Bush Elementary. This year's program
was held at Hoover Elementary School students in Spring 2010.
We're still planning Family Nature
Night for the Spring of 2012, and will post information on the date
and location as soon as it becomes available. Thank you for your
patience!
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Family Nature Retreat
Friends of Straub Environmental Learning Center
invites you to join us for a relaxing weekend on the Coast Range and
some quality outdoor time with your family at Drift Creek Camp! Join
us for hikes and activities throughout the old growth forests, and
learn from professional naturalists as we explore the trails and
enjoy the beautiful forests!
FAMILY NATURE RETREAT FLYER
WHEN: July
9th-July 10th. Registration starts at 9:30 am on Saturday July
9th, and the retreat ends at 11:00am on Sunday, July 10th.
WHERE:
Drift Creek Camp. Click
HERE for directions.
Transportation not provided.
COST:
$65/adult and $45/child age(s) 4-11. Children 3 & under are free!
Cost includes three meals and lodging. PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN
BEDDING!
Download a Registration Form:
Word Document
PDF
Registration and Refund Deadline
is June 24, 2011
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Mushroom Retreat
Join Friends of Straub Environmental Learning Center
at Drift Creek Camp for a one-day mushrooming retreat with mushroom
expert Jake Hurlbert to learn the basics of coastal mushrooming.
Participants will learn to identify and collect a variety of local
mushrooms, and will have the opportunity to enjoy dinner in Drift
Creek Lodge.
Overnight stays at the beautiful Drift Creek Camp are
also available.
WHEN:
Saturday, November 12, from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. Overnight stays
on Friday and Saturday night are available through Drift Creek Camp.
Please visit their website for more information:
http://www.driftcreek.org/Home/Contact_Information
WHERE: Drift Creek
Camp. Click
HERE for directions.
Transportation not provided. Please allow roughly 2 hours for travel
time from Salem.
COST:
$30/adult and $20/child age 4-11. Children 3 & under are free!
Cost includes dinner. PLEASE PACK YOUR OWN LUNCH.
For more information, email
fselc@fselc.org or call
503-391-4145 to register!
Download a Registration Form:
Word Document
PDF
Flyer
Registration and Refund Deadline
is November 1, 2011
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Native Plant Garden Tour
This year's
tour of native plant gardens at various
Salem and Keizer locations will be held on
Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
The tour, hosted by the Friends of Straub Environmental Learning
Center and the Willamette Valley Chapter of the Native Plant Society
of Oregon, will start at 9 a.m. at the Straub Environmental Learning
Center. Directions to the gardens and plant lists will be provided.
There will be guides at each garden.
The tours will highlight six native plant gardens. These include a
rain garden, an oak savannah restoration project, and the Martha
Springer Garden on the Willamette University campus. Gardens on the
tour are at the following sites:
Straub Environmental Learning Center
1320 A Street NE (next to Olinger Pool)
Salem
Martha Springer Garden
Behind Sparks Athletic Center
Willamette University Campus
Salem
Aislinn Adams and Tom O’Connor
1420 Court St. NE,
Salem
Rick and Carol Reece
305 Ewald Ave SE
Salem
Kelly and Rich Swartzentruber
6386 Battle Creek Road SE
Salem
Forest Ridge Naturescape
Forest Ridge Elementary
7905 June Reid Place
Keizer
The tour is free and open to the public.
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Native Plant Landscape Restoration Site
The Straub Center is restoring the local grounds along Mill Creek
with native
plants and shrubs. Volunteer restoration days will
start again this fall on Saturday, September 25th from 9:00 to
12:00. Details on additional dates coming shortly.
NEXT RESTORATION DAY:
October 22, 2011, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
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Nature Kids Youth Naturalist Series
Through classes and field trips, students will learn about geology,
the water
cycle, tree science, plant identification, Oregon
wildlife, the food web, and
careers in natural resources, among other topics. Classes
are divided into two groups: 2nd/3rd grade and 4th/5th grade.
Each group has one class per month, and classes are FREE thanks to
our donors. All classes are held from 4:30pm - 5:30pm at the
Straub Environmental Learning Center. Nature Kids 2011-2012
begin in October. Space is limited, please register your student
with Alexandra at 503-391-4145 or
fselc@fselc.org.
2011-2012 Nature Kids Youth Naturalist Series
Creek Critters
Thursday, October 13 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, October 20 (4th/5th grade)
Deborah Topp
What is that crawling critter or bizarre bug in the
creek? Students will find out as they investigate a new world of
animals in this activity. Students will collect and identify the
aquatic life in Pringle Creek at Bush Park to determine what animals
live there. They will learn about what these animals teach us about
their habitat. We'll meet in
the parking lot of McCullock Stadium off of Mission Street at 4:30.
Students should wear shoes and clothes they can get wet in the
creek, and a dress appropriately for the weather - we explore rain or shine!
Fish Dissection
Thursday, November 10 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, November 17 (4th/5th grade)
Karen Hans
Fish look very different from us humans and lead very
different lives. But despite being so different, fish are the same
as us in some very important ways. Karen Hans, Fish Biologist for
the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, will dissect an adult
salmon while explaining all about the fish's anatomy and physiology.
She will point out how salmon are like humans and how they are
different. Students will have the opportunity to touch the fish
(even the eye ball and guts if they want!) while learning just how
awesome salmon are.
Urban Wildlife
Thursday, January 12 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, January 19 (4th/5th grade)
Mary Bliss
Learn about the wildlife that lives in and around the
city with a rehabilitator from Turtle Ridge Wildlife Center. Turtle
Ridge is an organization that rescues and rehabilitates injured,
sick or orphaned wildlife.
Worms
Thursday, February 9 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, February 16 (4th/5th grade)
Sally White
Some people think that worms are only good for fish
bait. That's not true! We'll learn that the earthworm is one of
nature's top soil scientists. The earthworm is responsibly for a lot
of things that help make our soil good enough to grow healthy plants
and provide us food. Worms help to increase the amount of air and
water that gets into the soil. They break down organic matter
(leaves and grass) into things that plants can use. When they eat,
worms leave behind castings that are a very valuable type of
fertilizer. Participants will get to make worm towers. Each student
will need to bring two 2-liter bottles (clear, not green) for this
project. Bottles must have caps!
Owls
Thursday, March 8 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, March 15 (4th/5th grade)
Kathy Patterson
Owls were called "cats of the skies" by our
ancestors. Unique feather, eye and ear adaptations make owls highly
successful hunters. Students get a firsthand look at the fascinating
features by examining owl feathers, wings, talons, and preserved
specimens. We'll also see owl identification slides and hear
recordings of owl calls.
Black Bears
Thursday, April 12 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, April 19 (4th/5th grade)
Bobbie Snead
Learn about Oregon's only bruin. Discover where black
bears live, what they eat, how they raise their young, and what
hibernation is really like.
Awesome Osprey
Thursday, May 10 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, May 17 (4th/5th grade)
Bobbie Snead
This awesome bird is at the top of the food chain in
a stream ecosystem. Learn about the special hunting tools with which
ospreys are equipped. Find out how to identify an osprey and
discover the differences between ospreys and bald eagles.
Knowledge is Power - Nature
Kids Save Our Planet
Thursday, June 14 (2nd/3rd grade)
Thursday, June 21 (4th/5th grade)
Laurie Aguirre
Nature Kids take ACTION! Become a youth leader at
your school and/or in your community. Learn about projects YOU can
do to show your care and concern for animals, the environment and
the human community. Start a "Roots & Shoots" group (originated by
Dr. Jane Goodall). Become a Green Team - Oregon Green School leader.
You might have your own project ideas already, bring them - we will
work together to make them happen.
Download a series flyer
here!
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Straub Environmental Lecture Series
The Straub Environmental
Lecture Series
features noted scientists, naturalists, and environmental advocates
speaking on environmental topics critical to Oregon and the West.
Past lecturers include renowned biologist Lynn Margulis, Oregon
Field Guide Host Steve Amen, and
award-winning reporter William Dietrich. Thanks to the support
of our generous donors and sponsors, all Lectures are free and open
to the public, held at the Loucks Auditorium at Salem Public Library
at 7:00 p.m.
For a full list of sponsors, please click
here.
2011-12 Straub Environmental Lecture Series Line-Up
The Owl and the
Woodpecker
October 27, 2011
Paul Bannick
Paul's presentations on owls and
woodpeckers take audiences on a visual and auditory exploration of
habitats of North America through the owls and woodpeckers that most
define and enrich these places. This photographic field report
celebrates the ways the lives of these two iconic birds are
intertwined with one another and their roles as keystone and
indicator species for their environment. Audiences are immersed in
the sighs and sounds of forest, grassland, arctic, and desert, and
in the entertaining and informative details of Paul's narrative. The
hidden life of these birds is obvious for those who know how to find
it. Paul knows how to find it, and how to bring it to life for his
audiences through photos, sounds and story.
Oregon Favorites
November 17, 2011
Bill Sullivan
Oregon hiking
guru Bill Sullivan takes us on a tour of his favorite trips -- hikes
and adventures in all parts of the state, choosing top trips for
each month of the year. Based on his new book, "Oregon Favorites,"
the show includes tips on new trails, as well as anecdotes about
history, geology, wildlife, and people along the way.
Home Economics
and Householding in the Modern World
January 26, 2012
Harriet Fasenfest
Though Home Economics used to be a
standard course of study for many of us, times have changed. Very
few schools offer course work on the subject, much to the detriment
of our students and civil society. But what would such a body of
knowledge cover today and how would we make it relevant given
today's environmental and economic climate? Join Harriett Fasenfest
as she offers a new framing of this old discipline. Home Economics -
it ain't for matrons anymore.
Once and Future Giants
February 23, 2012
Sharon Levy
Mammoths, camels
and saber-toothed cats once walked the ground that has become
Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, and foraged on the marsh land now
buried beneath Chicago's streets. Then, just as the first humans
reached the America's, these Ice Age giants vanished forever. Today,
great beasts like elephants, lions and grizzly bears are threatened
worldwide. New research on the demise of ancient megafauna offers
vital insights for modern conservation.
Earthquakes in
Oregon: What can Native American myths and new scientific
discoveries tell us about "The Big One"?
March 15, 2012
James Roddey
Native American oral histories speak
of a great shaking following by a massive flood that has struck our
coast in times past. Japanese written records document an "orphan
tsunami" that ravaged their coast 309 years ago. Today we know these
accounts refer to the last great Cascadia Earthquake to strike the
Pacific Northwest. We also know one of these mega-quakes and a
massive tsunami could hit Oregon at any time. New scientific
discoveries are also showing us that what we thought about these
giant earthquakes and the risk they pose may be all wrong. Join
James Roddey from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral
Industries as he explores Native American legends, new geologic
discoveries and one of the great scientific detective stories of the
20th century, all in order to understand what The Big One has
in store for all of us.
Living with
Thunder: A Past, Present and Future History of Oregon's Volcanoes
April 26, 2012
Ellen Morris Bishop
Oregon's volcanic heritage spans more
than 250 million years, and includes the longest lava flow on the
planet, as well as one of the largest and most explosive volcanic
calderas in North America (Hint: Its not Crater Lake!). Today,
Oregon's Cascade volcanoes hold the potential for eruptions, and
pose other hazards to Oregon's communities. Newly determined and
surprisingly recent ages for volcanics in the Portland basin, and in
northeast Oregon as well as volcanism in Southeastern Oregon suggest
that eruptions beyond the Cascades will lie in our future as well as
our past.
Willamette Water
2100 Project: Anticipating Water Scarcity and Informing Integrative
Water System Response in the Pacific Northwest
May 24, 2012
John Bolte
Willamette Water 2100 is evaluating
how climate change, population growth, and economic growth will
alter the availability and use of water in the Willamette River
Basin on a decadal to centennial timescale. Bolte is the developer
of "Envision," the modeling package that develops "future
scenarios," and serves as a means to ask "what if" questions for
different policy alternatives regarding water management in the
Willamette water system. He'll discuss the modeling and mapping
aspects of the project and the future scenarios that Envision has
developed thus far.
Download the full schedule
here.
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Summer Camp
The Straub Center offers a week-long nature day camp for students
entering 4th/5th grades and 6th/7th/8th grades. Students learn
first-hand about ecology, forest systems, and watersheds through
hands-on activities and field trips throughout the Willamette Valley
and Coast Range. 2011 Summer Camps included field trips to Silver
Falls State Park, the Oregon Coast and Cascade Head, Zena Head, a
composting facility and several other locations.
Details for the 2012 Summer
Camps will be announced in Spring 2011.
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Sustainability Workshops
Straub Center co-sponsors a month-long sustainability workshop
series every April organized by Willamette University students. All
workshops will be held at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
from 6:30-8:00 pm, unless otherwise noted. Workshops are free, but
RSVPs are required due to limited space.
We're revamping the Sustainability
Workshop program in 2012. More information on when and where the
series will be held will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
Thank you for your patience!
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