January 2007:
HOME ENERGY AUDIT WORKSHOP
Willie Ball
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
Are
your energy bills keeping you in the cold? Learn how to make your home
more energy efficient at this informative workshop. Willie Ball, Salem
Electric's Energy Analyst, will show you how to perform a home energy audit
and will provide residential weatherization tips to keep down energy use.
The workshop is free and open to the public;
however, space is limited. To register or for more information,
contact Deborah Topp, Natural Resources Outreach Specialist, at the City of
Salem at 503-588-6211 or
dtopp@cityofsalem.net. This workshop is made possible thanks to
the City of Salem and Salem Electric.
BLOOM OF THE CENTURY
Dan Luoma and Joyce Eberhart
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
Enjoy
a photo journey through the deserts of Southern California depicting the
spectacular winter wildflower display of 2005. Dan Luoma and Joyce
Eberhart share their experiences of what has been described as a “once in a
lifetime” explosion of floristic exuberance. They will also discuss
the possibility that such occurrences may be more common. Sponsored by
the Willamette Chapter of the Native Plant Society. Free and open to the
public. For more information, please call 503-399-8615.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
TOPO MAP BASICS
Steve Dougherty
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
Topo Map Basics is a 90 minute course that focuses exclusively on how to
read the wealth of information contained on a USGS topographic map. The
lecture will be complimented with hands-on activities. Beginners and
experienced navigators will learn something new and feel more confident
finding their way in the backcountry of our beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Steve Dougherty is President of the Chemeketans outdoor club and
instructor of their annual Route Finding School.
Sustainable America: Why Doesn't US "Get" Equity
Presented by Robin Morris Collin
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Salem Public Library's Loucks Auditorium
Willamette University Law Professor Robin Morris Collin examines why sustainability programs in the United States ignore poverty to our detriment, then explores ways to systematically include such equity issues into our thinking. A widely sought speaker on ethics, sustainability, environmental justice, and civil rights, Professor Morris Collin was awarded the David Brower lifetime achievement award in 2001 by the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference and the Orlando John Hollis Distinguished Teaching Award in 1997.
February 2007:
Thursday, February 8 and Saturday, February 17, 2007
BACKYARD BIRDING
Dr. David Craig
On Thursday (2/8) meet at the Straub Environmental Learning Center from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. On Saturday (2/17), meet at Olin Science Building on the Willamette University campus at 9:00a.m.
at the Straub Environmental Learning CenterThis class provides a basic introduction to the kinds of birds we might find in our yards. It will include identification by sight and sound, as well as tips on how to attract birds to your yard. Dr. David Craig is Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Willamette University.
Environmental Changes and Human Well-Being: Information and Hope
Presented by Dr. Jane Lubchenco
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Salem Public Library's Loucks Auditorium
The path-breaking Millennium Ecosystem Assessment synthesizes scientific knowledge about the ways in which people benefit from “ecosystem services” such as water and air purification, climate regulation, the provision of seafood and crops, the protection of coastlines from storm damage, and places to enjoy nature. Professor Jane Lubchenco will discuss the state of ecosystem services and the innovative approaches being used to retain critical services while meeting the needs of current and future generations. A lead author of the assessment, Dr. Lubchenco is Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University. Her many honors include a MacArthur (‘genius’) Fellowship and the 2005 American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology.
March 2007:
.GIF)
GREEN HOMESPresented by Nathan Good
Thursday, March 8, 2007 (7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
&
Saturday, March 10th, 2007 (9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
The presentation is free and open to the public. To register, call Jon Yoder at 503-391-4145.
On March 8, 2007, Architect Nathan Good will provide an introduction to environmentally benign and energy-efficient home design.
A more in-depth program on March 10th will cover everything from site selection, building orientation and design concepts, to material options, indoor air quality and costs. The program will address both new and remodeled homes and is geared to a broad range of participants, including homeowners, builders and real estate professionals.
Good is the recipient of several design awards, including Sunset Magazine’s “Western Home Award” and the National Association of Home Builder’s “Custom Green Home of the Year.” Last year, Northwest Home + Garden recognized Good as one of the top 50 architects in the Northwest. His Web site, www.NathanGoodArchitect.com, includes samples of his work.
Oregon's Greatest Natural Disasters
Presented by William Sullivan7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Salem Public Library's Loucks Auditorium
Floods,
earthquakes, plagues, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions – Oregon has seen them
all. Award-winning Oregon author William Sullivan will present a slide show
tour of the most spectacular natural disasters to hit the state over the
past 10,000 years. Sullivan will explain what could happen if and when
these disasters recur. A native of Salem, Sullivan is author of a dozen
books and numerous articles about Oregon hiking, history, and adventure.
His book “Listening for Coyote” was named by the Oregon Cultural Heritage
Commission in 2005 as one of the 100 most significant books in Oregon's
history.
Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth"
Presented by Oregon Secretary of State, Bill Bradbury6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Salem Public Library's Loucks Auditorium
Secretary of State, Bill Bradbury is making presentations around the state discussing how individuals, businesses, schools and other organizations can be part of the solution. In preparation, Bradbury took part in rigorous training in Tennessee led by former Vice President Gore, renowned scientists and environmental educators. The training covered the science of climate change, its impacts, and what can be done to reduce the greenhouse gases that are changing the climate.
“Bill Bradbury is an outstanding example of the millions of Americans who have been energized by the call to action on the climate crisis,” said Al Gore. “We are so pleased he has made a serious commitment to this challenge by coming to Nashville to become part of this unprecedented grassroots effort.”
April 2007:
Saturday, April 14, 2007
SALEM TOUR OF NATIVE PLANT GARDENS
Aislinn Adams
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The tour begins at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
The
Friends of the Straub Environmental Learning Center and the Willamette
Valley Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon are sponsoring a free
tour of native plant gardens at various Salem locations. Directions to the
gardens and plant lists will be provided. There will be guides at each
garden.
The tour will highlight five different kinds of native plant gardens. These
include a small front yard in Downtown Salem, an Oak savannah restoration
project, a 34-year old nursery in west Salem, and the Martha Springer Garden
on the Willamette University campus. For more information, call Aislinn
Adams at 503-363-7308 or email:
Aislinnadams@comcast.net
Tuesday, April 17, Thursday, April 19 & Saturday, April 21, 2007
WILDFLOWER IDENTIFICATION
Dr. Morris Johnson
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (Saturday fieldtrip times still pending)
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
More than 4,000 plants are native to Oregon. Class will learn about the common flowers of forest, field, woodland, and riparian areas. Class members also will learn the basics of identifying plants, focusing on common plant families. Dr. Morris Johnson is Professor Emeritus at Western Oregon University. The time and place for the April 21 field trip will be announced in class.
Tuesday, April 24th & Saturday, April 28th, 2007
MUSHROOMING FOR BEGINNERS
Judy Rogers
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (Saturday fieldtrip times still pending)
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
Oregon’s forests abound with mushrooms of all sizes and shapes. Class members will learn to identify common species and discover the essential role they play in ecosystems. The class will include a field trip. Judy Rogers is a member of the Oregon Mycological Society. FOR AN UPDATE ON MUSHROOM CONDITIONS, CLICK HERE.
Conserving Whales from Space: Tracking by Satellite
Presented by Dr. Bruce Mate
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Salem Public Library's Loucks Auditorium
Whaling
brought every large whale species to the brink of extinction by the mid-20th
century. While some species show signs of recovery, others have not. Dr.
Bruce Mate explains how the development of satellite-monitored radio tags
has revolutionized the way scientists estimate whale numbers, identify
critical habitats, and propose recovery measures. He also explores human
activities that threaten recovery of endangered whales. Dr. Mate directs
Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal program. He pioneered the satellite
tracking of marine mammals to discover where they feed, breed, and calve.
Dr. Mate’s work has been featured in popular magazines and books, including
whale watching guides, and on PBS, the Discovery Channel, and BBC.
May 2007:
Thursday, May 3rd
SALEM'S URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
John Zielinski, Vickie Hardin Woods, Mark Shipman, Dan Dorn, and Russ Beaton
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
at Willamette University's Montag Center. For directions visit: http://www.willamette.edu/map
Local land-use planning experts will explore the history and future of Salem’s urban growth boundary. Speakers include:
-
John Zielinski, fourth generation Salem farmer, retail manager of EZ Orchards, and Vice President of the Marion County Farm Bureau.
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Vickie Hardin Woods, Director of the Community Development Department of the City of Salem.
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Mark Shipman, a former county planner and current land use attorney
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Dan Dorn, past President of the Oregon Home Builders Association and the Home Builders of Marion County.
-
Russ Beaton, retired Willamette University Professor.
The
speakers will make presentations and answer questions from the audience.
The forum is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the Friends of Straub Environmental Learning Center and the Willamette University Public Policy Research Center. For more information, call 503-391-4145.
May 2007:
Wednesday, May 16th and Saturday, May 19th, 2007
GEOLOGY OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE
Dr. Scott Pike
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (Saturday fieldtrip times will be announced at the first class)
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
The Columbia
Gorge is one of the rare landscapes of the world, characterized by immense
basalt flows and evidence of the largest floods ever recorded in the
geologic record. Class members will learn basic geologic concepts about the
formation of the Gorge and get a chance to interpret the landscape during an
all-day field trip. Dr. Scott Pike is Assistant Professor of Geology and
Environmental Science at Willamette University. The May 16 class will run
from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Straub Environmental Learning Center.
The time and place for the May 19 field trip will be announced in class.
Registration is required. To register, call Jon Yoder at 503-391-4145.
Global Climate Change: Past and Present
Presented by Dr. Michael Mann
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Salem Public Library's Loucks Auditorium
Dr.
Michael Mann reviews the solid evidence of human influence on the climate in
recent decades and explores the impacts of human-induced climate change on
the United States. Dr. Mann is a member of the faculty in the Departments
of Meteorology and Geosciences and the Earth and Environmental Systems
Institute at Pennsylvania State University. He was a lead author of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Scientific Assessment
Report. Dr. Mann’s many awards include selection as one of
Scientific American’s 50 leading visionaries in science and
technology.
June 2007:
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
BACKYARD BUGS
Dr. Eric Coombs
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
at the Straub Environmental Learning Center
This
class will provide an introduction to entomology. Class members will learn
about the biology and classification of insects and learn to identify some
of the more common backyard bugs. Dr. Eric Coombs is an entomologist with
the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
July 2007:
Thursday, July 12, 2007 and Saturday, July 14, 2007
INTRODUCTION TO FLY FISHING
Brent DeMoe
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (7/12 at the Straub Environmental Learning Center)
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (7/14 at Wallace Marine Park)
This class for beginners will focus on the basic techniques of fly fishing and delve briefly into streamside entomology (the bugs in the water that fish eat). The class will be taught by Brent DeMoe, a longtime fly fisherman, with help from some special guests. The July 12 class will run from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Straub Environmental Learning Center. The July 14 session will be a hands-on casting lesson at Wallace Marine Park on the bank of the Willamette River from 10 a.m. to noon (location subject to change depending on weather conditions). Class is limited to 20 persons. To register, call Laurie Aguirre at 503-364-4324.
September 2007:
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Astronomy 101
Presented by Dr. Rick Watkins
Straub Environmental Learning Center (7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
The
Amateur Naturalist Series
is proud to announce that Dr. Rick Watkins, Associate Professor in
the Department of Physics at Willamette University, will provide a
basic introduction to astronomy, focusing on identifying and
locating major constellations and other celestial objects. The
September 6th class runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Straub
Environmental Learning Center, 1320 A Street NE, next to Olinger
Pool, near North Salem High School. The time and place for the
September 11th outing to view planets and stars through a telescope
will be announced at the first class.
The class costs $5 and is
open to the public. Registration is required. To register,
call 503-391-4145.
Rick
North, project director of the Oregon Physicians for Social
Responsibility’s Campaign For Safe Food, will talk about the health
aspects of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), an FDA-approved
drug injected into dairy cows to induce them to produce more milk.
The talk is free and open to the public.
It
is a film screening from the new season of Art: 21, an
award-winning PBS series that focuses on contemporary artists, their
methods and inspirations. With assistance from the Friends of Straub
Environmental Learning Center, the Salem Art Association will screen
the episode titled "Ecology," which takes a look at four artists
whose works explore the relationship between nature and culture.
We
know more about the dark side of the moon and the topography of
Venus and Mars than we do about our own ocean floor. Dr. Dawn
Wright will talk about the recent advances in mapping and
visualizing the ocean and how the information is being used to
improve the ocean environment. Dr. Wright is professor of Geography
and Oceanography at Oregon State University. Her many awards
include the Milton Harris Award for Excellence in Basic Research,
the OSU Honors College Professor of the Year, and the Woman of the
Year in Education from Clarity magazine.
Josh
Travers, with the Oregon Department of Forestry, will teach an introductory
class on how to use a compass and read topographic maps. The November 1
class runs from 7 p.m to 8:30 p.m. at the Straub Environmental Learning
Center, 1320 A Street NE, Salem. The November 3rd field session
is from 10 a.m. to noon at Minto-Brown Park. Sponsored by the Friends of
Straub Environmental Learning Center, the class costs $5 and registration is
required. Call 503-391-4145. 
Dr.
Nicole Duplaix will present a slide show Otters of the World and the
World of Otters featuring thirteen otter species. Dr. Duplaix
has studied otters worldwide for three decades and her research has been
featured in National Geographic. She is the founder of the World
Conservation Union’s Otter Specialist Group and co-founder of TRAFFIC, which
monitors and documents the international trade in endangered and protected
species.
Oregon
is home to nearly 30 native conifers. Class members will learn about their
distribution and status, and how to identify them. Wilbur Bluhm is Professor
Emeritus of the Oregon State University Extension Service and a horticulture
and native plant expert.
Kim
Dinan, Marion County’s Waste Reduction Coordinator, will present an
overview of Marion County’s Earthwise certification process.
Panelists from Salem local landscaping, medical, recycling, and auto
repair businesses who have attained their Earthwise certification
will discuss their experience with the certification process as well
as their experiences on the path towards becoming more sustainable.
More than 4,000 plants are native to Oregon. Class will learn about
the common flowers of forest, field, woodland, and riparian areas.
Class members also will learn the basics of identifying plants,
focusing on common plant families. 
Deborah Topp,
the Natural Resources Outreach Specialist for the City of Salem will
discuss water conservation and stormwater issues. 
residents use native plants to enrich the urban
environment and enhance their gardening experience.
Come learn how to
become part of the growing effort to utilize post-consumer recycled
waste as fuel. Learn about the production and use of biodiesel on
both large and small scales as the April Sustainability Workshop
series continues. 
Energy
policy expert Ralph Cavanagh will talk about the inextricable link
between energy and climate change policy and what we must do to curb
global warming. A graduate of Yale Law School, Cavanagh is
co-director of the Natural Resource Defense Council’s energy
program. He recently served on the prestigious National Commission
on Energy Policy. His many honors include the Heinz Award for
Public Policy and the Bonneville Power Administration’s Award for
Exceptional Public Service.
Discover
where to get fresh, locally grown produce in Salem. 
A
panel of experts will explore the benefits and threats of changing
the genetic make-up of crops.
Pulitzer
Prize winning reporter William Dietrich will explore the decline in
our forest ecosystems and sketch out a plausible future for our
woods and the wider landscape. Dietrich is a journalist, author,
and university professor. He shared a Pulitzer for coverage of the
Exxon Valdez oil spill. Dietrich has authored nine books.