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For FORTY YEARS, North Cascades Institute has invited people into relationship with the natural world — not as spectators, but as participants.
We have walked forest trails with fifth graders seeing old-growth trees for the first time. We have listened for owls at dusk. We have gathered around field tables with notebooks, paintbrushes, hand lenses, and maps. We have stood in rain and sun and wind and learned what it means to belong to a place.
The young people who once arrived as students are now educators, scientists, artists, community leaders. The communities we serve are changing. The climate is changing. The questions are changing.
And still, we are here.
Rooted in place, growing forward towards a bright future.
March 2026
▸ CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF CONNECTING PEOPLE, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY!
▸ YOUTH LEADERSHIP ADVENTURES: APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR SUMMER 2026
▸ NATURE OF WRITING SPEAKER SERIES: TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS, SUZANNE SIMARD & MORE AUTHOR EVENTS
▸ CREATIVE RESIDENCIES AT THE LEARNING CENTER ARE BACK!
In 2026, we celebrate forty years of this work. Check out our new webpage to learn more about where we came from and where we are headed, and to discover Anniversary Moments—opportunities to gather with staff and supporters—including events with Suzanne Simard, Terry Tempest Williams, Tom Fleischner and gatherings at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center.
Thank you for being part of North Cascades Institute!
40% OFF BASE CAMPS STAYS THIS SPRING
Celebrate our 40th anniversary with 40% off BASE CAMP stays at the Environmental Learning Center, now until Memorial Weekend. Spring is a magical time here — waterfalls flowing, moss-covered forests glowing, and quiet views over Diablo Lake.
Spend a cozy weekend reading and playing board games in the Wild Ginger Library, wandering forest trails, slowing down with walking meditation, journaling, watching nature documentaries, and gathering around an evening campfire.
Your booking include guest lodge accommodations, three home-cooked meals, and guided and self-led explorations.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP ADVENTURES 2026
Youth Leadership Adventures trips are designed for motivated high schoolers ready for a fun and challenging summer in the North Cascades. These 5- and 8-day field courses connect 8th–12th grade students to the natural world while exploring climate change, building community, and developing their leadership skills.
Participants canoe-camp, backpack, and complete hands-on stewardship projects in North Cascades National Park and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest — gaining confidence, resilience, and a deeper connection to place along the way.
Gear, food, and transportation from Skagit and Whatcom counties are provided, and no prior experience is necessary. Scholarships are available and easy to request.
Check out a new blog post from Kate Little, our Youth Leadership Coordinator, on "YLA Life: Trust, Solving Problems, and Living inside a Garmin."
Learning Opportunities
FIELD EXCURSIONS, ELC SEMINARS & ONLINE LEARNING
Apr 18 | Salish Seaweed Garden with Jennifer Hahn - Port Townsend
Apr 19 | Salish Seaweed Garden with Jennifer Hahn - Whidbey Island
Apr 23 | Wolves in Washington Updates from the Wolf Advisory Group - online
Apr 25 | Salish Sea Marine Science on the Snow Goose
May 1-3 | North Cascades Spring Naturalist Seminar with Chris Byrd - ELC - waitlist avail.
May 1-2 | Springtime Watercolors with Molly Hashimoto - ELC - waitlist avail.
May 6 | Hidden World of Dragonflies and Damselflies with Jim Walker - online
May 10 | Snake Count with John Rohrer and Scott Fitkin - waitlist avail.
May 15-17 | Spring Stewardship Weekend - ELC
May 16-17 | San Juan Islands Exploration on the Orion
May 29-31 | Spring Birding in the Methow Valley with Libby Mills
June 3 | Frogs and Salamanders of the Puget Trough with Stephen Nyman - online
June 13 | Natural Dyes Workshop in the Chuckanuts with Jazmen Yoder
June 20 | Amphibians of PNW Wetlands with Vikki Jackson and Stephen Nyman - Van Zandt
June 28 | A Naturalist's Journey Up Sauk Mountain with Hannah Black
Aug 1-2 | Narrative Nature Writing Workshop with Lance Garland - ELC
Scholarships + military, student and disability discounts are available for most programs
Questions? Contact us at info@ncascades.org or (360) 854-2599
WOLVES OF WASHINGTON
April 23 - online
Wolves are a keystone predator, playing a vital role in the health of Pacific Northwest ecosystems. After nearly being eradicated in the early 1900s, the gray wolf has naturally returned to Washington State. This program will share an overview of wolf recovery in our state, provide updates on current wolf packs, and respond to questions.
SALISH SEA SCIENCE ON THE SNOW GOOSE
April 25 - Capt. Dan Linden
Explore the living science of the Salish Sea aboard the Snow Goose, a 65-foot research vessel. This hands-on, one-day field class invites curious learners to investigate estuarine systems and the dynamic relationship between freshwater and saltwater. Traveling to multiple study sites, participants work in small groups to collect real-time data using the same tools as marine researchers.
Discover your next great read in presentations by authors, poets and naturalists sharing their new works! In partnership with our bookseller co-hosts at Village Books in Bellingham and Third Place Books in Seattle, our Nature of Writing Spring Series invites you to dive into natural history topics, books for kids, day hiking in the Cascades and more!
March 14: Carry The Flame: The Remarkable Story of the Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School with Charles Luckmann at Village Books
March 19: Family Story Hour featuring Unfathomable by Mary Boone and Twelve Daring Grays by Nora Nickum at Third Place Books, Ravenna
April 7 & 26: The Bird with Flaming Red Feet: Seasons with an Uncommonly Common Seabird by Maria Mudd Ruth (April 7 at Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park and April 26 at Village Books, Fairhaven)
April 23: Seabirds As Sentinels: Auklets, Puffins, Shearwaters and The View From Destruction Island by Eric Wagner at Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
2026 FAMILY GETAWAYS
Bring your family to the Environmental Learning Center this summer for a weekend of adventure, connection, and fun! Each day, Institute naturalists lead hands-on activities—hikes, nature crafts, outdoor games, big canoe explorations, songs by the campfire, and stargazing the night sky. Lodging and meals included, and anyone you call family is welcome! 2026 DATES: July 3-5, 10-12, 24-26 & Aug 7-9, 14-16.
Mar 30 | Suzanne Simard's When the Forest Breathes
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
Join us in welcoming forest ecologist and best-selling author of Finding the Mother Tree Suzanne Simard for a conversation about her new book, When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World. ▸ TICKETS
You can also join us at the Vulpine Taproom for happy hour with Suzanne, 4:30-6:30 pm, for drinks, light bites and community vibes before the reading. Limited space ▸ RSVP
April 11 | Terry Tempest Williams' The Glorians
Sehome High School, Bellingham
We are honored to present author Terry Tempest Williams for a reading from her new book, The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary. In a time of political fragility and climate uncertainty, Williams invites us to notice the everyday presences that reveal our interconnectedness, and the quiet power of attending to beauty. ▸ TICKETS
Join us at Corner Taphouse in Fairhaven, 3:30-5:30 pm, as we gather to celebrate 40 years of environmental education and community connection before moving to Sehome High School for the reading. (author is not in attendance.) ▸ RSVP
Institute News
SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT:
LAURIE WERNER
This month we'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Laurie Werner for her many years of generous monthly support of North Cascades Institute. Her giving reflects a deep love for the North Cascades and a strong belief in our mission to connect people, nature, and community.
Laurie’s generosity also honors the legacy of her late husband, Peter Jackson—a longtime Institute board member and advocate for conservation and youth education. Recently, Laurie donated a collection of nature-related books from Peter’s library to the Wild Ginger Library—a meaningful gift that will inspire curiosity and learning for Learning Center visitors for years to come.
“North Cascades Institute meant the world to Peter. I’m thrilled to continue our support of the Institute each month, and love knowing that Peter’s cherished books now live on at the Learning Center—carrying forward the education mission we both held so close to our hearts.”
Through her steadfast support, Laurie helps ensure that Peter’s spirit of stewardship lives on for future generations. Thank you, Laurie.
FALL 2026 CREATIVE RESIDENCIES
Applications are now open for the Creative Residency program at the Environmental Learning Center. We invite artists, writers, naturalists, and creative practitioners to immerse themselves in the landscapes of the North Cascades.
Residencies range from 1 week to 3 months and include workspace, lodging, and opportunities to engage with our learning community. Creative Residents share their process, inspire new conversations, and leave a meaningful contribution to the Institute.
As we celebrate 40 years of connecting people and nature, we’re looking for creatives ready to help shape what comes next. Priority deadline for Fall 2026 residencies is May 15. (Photo by past resident, Pablo McLoud.)
SEEKING PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS
The institute is recruiting Spring Program Instructors to teach and support Mountain School, the Institute’s 5th grade outdoor school program, as well as adult and family programs. We are hiring to fill this position as soon as possible—please share with the job seeker you know!
STORMING THE SOUND SYNOPSIS
On January 23, educators and environmental organizations from across the region gathered at Skagit Valley College for Storming the Sound, a day of connection and shared learning among environmental educators.
The conference opened with a powerful poem about Salish Sea seaweed by student Tobias Cherney (pictured on right), followed by a keynote from conservation ecologist and bear expert Chris Morgan (pictured on left). Throughout the day, participants explored topics ranging from field journaling to eco-social justice to wildlife conservation. The Institute’s Mountain School Manager, Megan Carter, led a session titled “People Styles at Work Outdoors: Interpersonal Leadership for Field Educators.” The day concluded with a presentation by scientist, author, and foraging expert Jennifer Hahn.
More than a conference, Storming the Sound offered local educators a chance to reconnect, exchange ideas, and gather inspiration for another year of immersive outdoor learning.
MAKE A BIG IMPACT BY GIVING SMALL
Monthly giving is a simple, budget-friendly way to support the Institute with reliable funding all year long. As we celebrate 40 years of impact, your recurring gift helps strengthen the roots of environmental education and create new opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to become lifelong environmental stewards. In honor of this milestone year, we hope you will consider starting a recurring gift of $40 per month to create a brighter future for the North Cascades.
