Staying Safe Outdoors: With changing summer conditions, please note that all programs held outdoors are subject to change based on our Air Quality Policy. If smoke results in unsafe air quality levels, affected activities may be moved indoors or rescheduled. We will notify registered participants directly of any changes, but feel free to check our website or give us a call for the latest updates before heading out!
Reminder: Community Programs are currently limited while the Red Barn undergoes construction. We can’t wait to resume Red Barn Events this October! Stay tuned and keep an eye on our calendar for updates.
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Paint & Stroll August 7, 13, 14, 20, & 21 1:30PM-2:30PM |
Get inspired by the amazing artists at Village Art in the Park, then join us for a short walk down to the river and take some creative time for yourself. Join us for this free program suitable for children and adults by meeting at the Leavenworth Gazebo (820 Front St). Click below for August dates and add to your calendar! |
If the air quality is at AQI 200 or more, this program will be cancelled. |
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| Wenatchee Bird Walk Tuesday, August 25th
10:00AM-11:30AM |
Join the Wenatchee River Institute for a guided bird walk. Join one of our educators to stroll along the Columbia River and look for and learn about local birds. Beginners and families welcome!
We will be meeting at the Walla Walla Point Park playground. Binoculars will be available to borrow during the program.. |
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Cascade Garden Club Volunteer Work Parties |
Join Cascade Garden Club for two recurring volunteer opportunities at WRI! The Frances Field Memorial Garden crew meets every other Tuesday for quick 1.5- to 2-hour sessions tackling pruning, deadheading, and light maintenance—their next workday is Tuesday, August 18 at 8:00 AM to beat the heat. Meanwhile, the "Gardening Gang" gathers twice a month at the Community Garden on Thursday mornings, with upcoming sessions on Thursday, August 6 and Thursday, August 20 at 8:30 AM. To get involved, reach out to Angela.
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| 5th annual Sunset & S'mores Wednesday, September 30th 5:30PM-7:30PM |
Early bird registration is now open! An early bird ticket gets you an extra drink with your meal! Celebrate our community as the evening light fades with a delicious catered meal, drinks, family-friendly campus activities! It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow WRI supporters, staff, board members, and students while soaking in the fall crispness. |
Secure Your Seat! Ticket confirmation unlocks priority registration for our Traveling Planetarium. Space is strictly limited, so be sure to claim yours right away! |
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It has been a busy summer! Read some of the highlights from recent Summer Camps. Check out all of the photos so far on Facebook. Can you find your kiddo? |
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Soil to Snack Camp Entering 1st-3rd grades |
Campers had an incredible week exploring where our food comes from! We took field trips to two local farms and gardens to sample the freshest produce right from the source, learning all about the vital role pollinators play in our agricultural systems along the way. Campers then put their culinary skills to work in the kitchen: whipping up homemade lemonade with foraged berries, watermelon salad, carrot top salad, sweet roasted carrots, and fresh herb butter. |
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| River Wild 1 Camp Entering 4th-6th grades |
River Wild 1 was all about river safety, water skills, and endless fun! Monday started with river preparation by learning float routes and practicing essential skills like using a throw rope. On Tuesday, campers put those skills to the test with an exciting tube float down the Wenatchee River! Midweek took campers to Lake Wenatchee for a day of swimming, games, and epic stick-fort building. Thursday and Friday were spent on the water, honing stand-up paddleboarding skills, playing games, and soaking up every last drop of river fun.
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WRI/Cashmere Museum Explorers Camp Entering 1st-3rd grades |
Campers went on a journey through history during our collaborative camp with the Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village! Kids traveled back in time to discover how both the p’squosa people and early pioneers lived. The museum's incredible geology section sparked so much awe that campers spent the week crafting paper-mâché volcanoes and bringing them to life with a big eruption on Friday! Throughout the week, campers loved exploring the museum grounds, stepping inside historic buildings, playing dress-up, and letting their imaginations run wild. Between museum adventures, we ventured to the nearby Wenatchee River, and explored the newly opened Cashmere Public Library!
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| Kids in the Wild Entering 4th-6th grades |
Young adventurers put their survival skills to the test during Kids in the Wild camp! We started the week diving into Leave No Trace principles, the 10 Essentials, berry foraging, and archery practice. Midweek brought a special fishing session with Icicle Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited at Blackbird Island Pond, where campers practiced casting, knot-tying, and fish care. After a hatchery tour and plenty of river fun, we wrapped up the week with an epic Pirate Day while dressing up, crafting pirate boats, and navigating a GPS scavenger hunt!
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Orondo Camp Entering 1st-8th grades |
WRI recently hosted campers from the Orondo After School Program for a week of outdoor exploration, archery, and art across WRI, the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, and Orondo Elementary.
The younger campers (1st-4th grade) enjoyed leaf painting, riverfront hikes, beach play, and straw-blow art. Meanwhile, the older campers (5th-8th grade) tackled trail exploration, a multi-day rock painting project, and hatchery tours. Both groups got to test their aim with archery throughout the week, wrapping up an incredible summer session! |
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| Amazing Artists Entering 1st-3rd grades |
Creativity and nature went hand-in-hand during Amazing Artists Camp! Campers kicked off the week with blind contour portraits, river exploration, and rotating hiker crafts inspired by our Peavine Trail walk. On Tuesday, campers traced life-sized self-portraits and engineered their own mini rafts, which they successfully launched in Icicle Creek on Wednesday after touring the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Later in the week, campers crafted nature bugs with Tiffa, blew paint through harvested horsetails, painted rocks, and projected custom light shows using flashlight tubes!
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Rock On! Camp Entering 4th-6th grades |
Our Rock On! campers scaled new heights, mastering climbing fundamentals both indoors and out! Campers learned essential safety skills like figure-8 knots, climbing commands, and belay techniques. On Tuesday, they practiced bouldering and belaying at Riverfront Rock Gym. Thursday and Friday were spent climbing outdoors up the Icicle with Northwest Mountain School guides Jordan Mynatt, Brent Okita, and Travis Weil—experiencing real top-rope climbing and belaying each other with GriGris! In between climbs, campers loved swimming in the river, examining rocks under stereoscopes, and painting pet rocks.
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| Creativity Camp at ICCA Entering 1st-3rd grades |
Inspiration was everywhere during our collaborative camp with Icicle Creek Center for the Arts! Campers explored all forms of art from painting and drawing to music, dance, theater, and nature exploration. The highlight of the week came when two campers pitched the idea to use the Snowy Owl Stage for a play. That spark transformed into a camper-run talent show, completely organized and executed by the kids themselves! Their enthusiasm, creative spirit, and dedication made for a truly unforgettable week.
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After meeting weekly from mid-May through the end of July, Nature Menders has wrapped up for the summer!
Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we removed tons of invasive sulfur cinquefoil, chicory, plantain, knapweed, and hairy vetch. Now, almost all of our native plants (save for late-bloomers like goldenrod and rabbitbrush) have flowered and gone to seed—giving them plenty of room to self-seed across the cleared garden beds.
Endless gratitude to our core regulars like Craig and Braden, along with fantastic visiting groups like the Seattle company retreat and the Great Old Broads for Wilderness. From all of us at WRI, thank you!
We’ll be back in early October to put over 300 native plants in the ground, courtesy of Derby Canyon Natives and the Xerces Society pollinator habitat kit program. Want to stay updated? Join our Volunteer List!
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WSU Washington State Naturalist Program – Applications Open! |
The Washington State Naturalist Program is a year-long program that teaches Washington residents about regional ecosystems and principles of ecology. The goal is for participants to earn their naturalist certification and develop into community educators and stewards for environmental organizations statewide. To become a certified Naturalist through WSU, participants must complete online courses, 20 hours of field learning experiences, and 20 hours of volunteering with a local partner organization. Local participants can fulfill their volunteer hours directly with WRI by supporting our Youth Field Days or Community Programs!
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Become a Wenatchee Naturalist This Fall! |
Deepen your connection to the ecosystems, flora, and fauna of North Central Washington! Registration is now open for the upcoming Wenatchee Naturalist course.
Led by lead instructor Susan Ballinger, this course runs on Wednesdays from September 23 through December 16 with field trips held on Saturdays. Plus, we’re thrilled to share that WRI’s very own Virginia Shoup will be joining Susan as an assistant instructor for this session! - Registration: Open now (spots are limited and fill quickly!)
- Dates: Wednesdays, Sept 23 – Dec 16
Wenatchee Valley College Continuing Education invites you to embark on a wonder-filled adventure by becoming a Wenatchee Naturalist. | |
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I’m at it again, spotting the tiny creatures that make this habitat so dynamic! Meet the jagged ambush bug, perched perfectly on a black-eyed Susan.
A relative of assassin bugs, these master hunters sport raptorial forelegs (tiny, mantis-like arms) that allow them to capture prey up to 10 times their size, including bumblebees. While the larger females lie in wait on flower heads, the smaller males patrol the lower stems or share in the female's catch.
They even prefer perching on flowers that match their yellow-and-brown coloring. Looking at this stealthy hunter, you can’t help but wonder what the world looks like through her eyes!
Written by Tiffa Theden, WRI Land Steward |
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Thank you to our donors from the last 2 weeks! |
Steve and Betsy Backstrom in honor of Arne Backstrom - Sustaining Gro Buer and Bruce Williams - Sustaining Katrina Freeburg Elise and Tyler Bain - Sustaining
Jeremy and Maria Howell - Sustaining Lynn Dickinson - Sustaining Boeing in honor of Twila Wilkin Boeing in honor of Vincent Badagnani and Wina Wichienwidhtaya
Mark and Dorothy Johnston
Laura and Greg Reichlin - Sustaining Mall Boyd - Sustaining
Christine Emmel - Sustaining
Icicle Valley Protection Alliance
Melissa Roe - Sustaining Diane and Herb Young - Sustaining
Orin and Lisa Melvin - Sustaining
Mandy Maxwell and Bill Riedel - Sustaining
Gina Westrich and Howard Clarke - Sustaining
Karen and Curt Haire - Sustaining
Mark Weick and Carole Ann Borshard - Sustaining
Lisa and Brian Koblenz - Sustaining Obertal Inn - Sustaining Connie Cogburn and Andy Day - Sustaining Rotary Club of Leavenworth Elizabeth Sall and Sophie Hartshorn
Lexine Long and Nate Hough-Snee - Sustaining
Stevie Clifton and Hannah Kwon - Sustaining |
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