Field Notes from the North Cascades / January 2023 eNewsletter
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Happy New Year! We hope you had restful holidays and are as hopeful as we are as a new year arrives. We are starting 2023 with a lot of good news and positive developments...
* We have over 20 new in-person and online classes open for registration, with topics including watercoloring, snakes, corvids, wilderness medicine, owls, photography and more!
* There are over 30 nights of Base Camp Learning & Lodging at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center open for booking, including special "shoulder season" deals in March-May, and five Family Getaways weekend in July and August!
* We are seeking candidates for leadership positions with Mountain School and Youth Leadership Adventures, and at the Environmental Learning Center in program instruction, housekeeping and the kitchen.
JANUARY 2023
▸ NEW 2023 FIELD & ONLINE CLASSES
▸ 2023 FAMILY GETAWAYS AND BASE CAMPS
▸ TREE TALKS WITH THEO: BIGLEAF MAPLE
▸ WILDERNESS MEDICINE COURSES AT THE LEARNING CENTER: FEB 2023
We're excited to introduce to Alma Busby-Williams, our new Director of Inclusion and Community Partnerships! Alma has facilitated Cultural Humility Trainings for over 12 year and been an Outdoor Afro leader since 2018. She was first introduced to the Institute when her son earned his Graduate M.Ed. Residency with us. After spending time at the Environmental Learning Center, "I knew how important it was for marginalized groups to experience the Institute's transformative programs," she explains. Welcome Alma!
Read on for more, and make your plans now to join us in exploration and learning in 2023!
NOW HIRING: Environmental Program Instructors
Do you love teaching and being outdoors? Are you inspired by different ways of knowing and engaging science through art, play, creativity, relationship and nature connection?
We are looking for energetic and motivated team players from diverse professional backgrounds who want to work hard, have fun, and make a difference as a part of our mission-driven organization. Environmental Program Instructors lead our youth, adult and family programs at the Environmental Learning Center on Diablo in North Cascades National Park, mid-February through mid-December.
- These positions are temporary/seasonal, full-time, nonexempt
- $16.50 - $16.75/hour
- Paid time off includes sick leave, vacation leave, holiday pay, and paid service days
- Wilderness First Aid Certification is provided
- Low-cost rental housing is available
SPRING BASE CAMP: Now registering for March & beyond!
Enjoy the sight and sounds of the North Cascades waking up to spring with a Base Camp stay at the Environmental Learning Center. Included in your reservation:
private room in our guest lodges
3 delicious homemade meals
seasonal educational explorations of the natural and cultural history of this spectacular region
Please note that we are no longer requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for Base Camp stays
NOW BOOKING 2023 CONFERENCES & RETREATS
North Cascades Institute invites you to reserve space at the Environmental Learning Center for your 2023 group gathering! Located on the wooded shores of Diablo Lake in the heart of North Cascades National Park, this unique, green-built venue inspires reflection and connection to the natural world as well as to each other. Welcoming conferences, retreats, reunions, trainings, workshops, and other gatherings.
Learning Opportunities
FIELD EXCURSIONS, LEARNING CENTER and ONLINE CLASSES
Jan 26: Owls of the Pacific Northwest with Paul Bannick - ONLINE
Feb 4: Skagit Valley Winter Birding with Libby Mills - sold out!
Feb 5-11: Remote Medicine for Advanced Providers (RMAP) - ELC
Feb 11: Skagit Valley Winter Birding with Brendan McGarry
Feb 12-17: Remote Medicine Upgrade and Recertification (RMUR) - ELC
Feb 15: Snowy Owls with Paul Bannick - ONLINE
Feb 19: Capturing Memories in Watercolor and Ink with Claire Giordano - ONLINE *
Feb 19-24: Hybrid Wilderness First Responder (H-WFR) - ELC
Feb 25: Winter Wildlife Tracking on Snowshoes with Chris Byrd
March 1: Exploring the Winter World Online with Gina Roberti - ONLINE *
March 23: Human Minds in Natural Spaces with George Conesa - ONLINE*
April 5: Wilderness Survival Essentials with Jason Knight - ONLINE *
April 28-30: Spring Stewardship Weekend - ELC
April 29: Birding the Salish Sea on the Snow Goose with Amanda Colbert
May 6: Waterfall and Stream Photography with Juan Aguilera
May 10: Exploring Connections with Corvids with Dr. Kaeli Swift
May 14: Spring Snake Count in the Methow Valley with Rohrer and Fitkin
* Can't make the specific date? We'll send you a link to watch the video on your own time! Scholarships and Military, Student and Disability Scholarships may be available.
Please note that we are no longer requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for in-person programs.
2 ONLINE EVENTS WITH PHOTOGRAPHER PAUL BANNICK
We are thrilled to welcome back Paul Bannick, award-winning author and wildlife photographer, for two captivating multi-media presentations about the lives of owls!
These events will not be recorded so be sure to sign up for the live presentation.
OWLS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
January 26
Follow owls over the course of a year and witness each stage of life: courtship, mating, and nesting in spring; fledging and feeding of young in summer; dispersal and gaining independence in fall; and, finally, winter’s migrations and competitions for food.
SNOWY OWL: A VISUAL NATURAL HISTORY
February 15
Through never-before-published images, Paul will help us understand how the "Arctic Owl" survives, breeds and lives alongside other wildlife on the Arctic tundra and wintering areas further south—and what we can do to help them thrive!
WILDERNESS MEDICINE COURSES
Intensive First Aid skill-building courses for individuals working and playing in wilderness and remote settings. Students receive comprehensive scenario-based training and practical experience in an ideal remote location. Instruction is offered by Remote Medical Training at the Environmental Learning Center on Diablo Lake. Lodging and meals are included.
- Hybrid Wilderness First Responder
(H-WFR) | Jan 23 / Feb 20-24 - Remote Medicine for Advanced Providers (RMAP) | Feb 6-11
- Remote Medicine Upgrade and Recertification (RMUR) | Feb 13-17
RESERVE YOUR FAMILY GETAWAY ~ WEEKENDS IN JULY & AUG 2023
We have exciting plans for Family Getaways on Diablo Lake this summer, including delicious, organic meals in our lakeside dining hall, a daily slate of engaging, hands-on activities, outdoor explorations, and fun adventures. In the evenings, we’ll gather around the campfire with stories and songs beneath the stars of the North Cascades night sky. We welcome anyone you call a family: parents, grandparents, children, guardians, aunts and uncles, friends, and nontraditional families. Children under three years of age can be added to the family registration at no charge.
Booking these weekends:
- July 7-9
- July 21-23
- July 28-30
- August 11-13
- August 18-20
Institute News
BOARD PROFILES: MEET NAN McKAY AND MICHAEL LIANGWe appreciate the hard work and dedication of our talented Board of Directors! In a recent post on our blog, we introduce you to one of the longest-serving members and one of the newest additions. |
TREE TALKS WITH THEO: |
THANK YOU!
Our sincere thanks goes out to the 750+ individuals, families and organizations who invested in the next generation of environmental stewards with generous donations in 2022! Your support is what makes our mission possible and we are incredibly grateful.
SHOP AND SUPPORT THE INSTITUTE
From North Cascades National Park apparel, patches and magnets, to a wide variety of books, art prints, jewelry, toys and activities for kids—shop in our online store and feel good knowing that your purchases benefit youth education in the North Cascades!
Top photo: Varied Thrush by Eric Ellingson
