December 11th E-Newsletter |
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Support Another Year of Environmental Learning! Now until December 31st |
Thank you so much for supporting our mission to connect people, communities and the natural world. In an ever-changing world, the support of community members like you help us make an impact on youth and adults alike. We couldn't do this work without you! Our goal is to raise $65,000 by December 31st. Thanks to the Icicle Fund, all donations will be matched up to $30,000. That could be $95,000 going to support this work! You can either donate directly through our website or through Give NCW today. Thank you so much!
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International Mountain Day
Saturday, December 14th 2:00PM-5:00PM |
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Christmas Bird Count Wednesday, December 18th 8:00AM-4:00PM |
Join WRI in our second year of hosting the Annual Christmas Bird Count. This nationwide effort is organized by the National Audubon Society and local counts are compiled by local chapters. Birders of all levels are welcome to choose from a plethora of birding routes. Time commitments vary on your route and can be flexible. Email Joshua to sign up or follow the link below for more info.
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Snowshoe Strolls Fridays and Saturdays January/February 2025 |
A new year means new seasonal walks! Join us for 3 weekly Snowshoe Strolls around the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery and learn about native ecology along the way. We will lead a stroll on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00AM with an additional afternoon walk on Saturdays at 1:00PM. These gently paced strolls are suitable for snowshoers of all levels. Snowshoes, gaiters, and poles will be provided by WRI. Find and register for your Stroll below.
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Dia de los Reyes Saturday, January 4th 1:00PM-8:00PM |
Come together at WRI to celebrate Latinx culture through the second annual Dia de los Reyes celebration. Dia de los Reyes, or 3 Kings Day, is a Latinx tradition celebrating culture. Activities will include musical performances, precessions across Leavenworth, presentations from local cultural leaders, pozole dinner, Rosca de Reyes, and more. All are welcome to attend this free event, no registration is required. |
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Red Barn Event: Tales From the Saddle Wednesday, January 8th 7:00PM-8:00PM |
You may know Carolyn Griffin-Bugert from her many years at the head of WRI, but did you know she and her husband, Bob, are tandem bikepackers? Join Bob, Carolyn, and WRI in the Red Barn for an evening of biking tales spanning 45 years. Hear excerpts from their epic adventures and discover how their bike touring evolved, and, weather permitting, see their loaded tandem in person. |
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Winter Track and Sign Saturday, February 1st & Sunday, February 2nd 8:00AM-5:00PM |
Join wildlife tracker, author, and educator, David Moskowitz, for two days of interactive track and sign evaluation. Learn to identify animal tracks, interpret signs, and engage in discussions. This course offers field-based instruction and evaluation and the chance to earn an internationally recognized CyberTracker certification. If cost is a barrier for you to participate, please fill out the Financial Aid form on the website. We want everybody to access this incredible experience!
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Winter Break Camp January 2nd & 3rd 2025 10:00AM-3:00PM Grades K-3 |
Get outside with WRI this winter break! On this 2 day camp, young naturalists will explore WRI, play in the snow, and learn about the natural world through fun activities. Registration is open now. Visit the link below for more info and registration instructions. |
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After School Program
Tuesdays & Thursdays January 7th-30th 2:45PM-5:30PM Grades K-3 |
We are so excited to continue the After School Program into January! Field Educators will meet students at Alpine Lakes Elementary to walk with them to WRI. Afternoons will include snacks provided by WRI, lots of outdoor time, nature exploration, game, art projects, and more. Pickup is at 5:30PM on the WRI campus. This Pilot Program will be Pay What You Can. This month's signups will be first come, first serve with registration opening Monday, December 16th at 5:30PM. |
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Wenatchee School District Traveling Planetarium |
This Fall, our Youth Education team visited every first and fifth grade classroom across six elementary schools in Wenatchee School District for a chance to explore the night sky in our planetarium! That's 805 students!
Lessons varied depending on age group. Students of both grade levels ooh'd and ahh'd at the constellations. Fifth graders traveled through space, explored moon phases, and gazed at the stars on a winter night. First graders got an introduction to how we travel around the sun. If you want to support more education like the Traveling Planetarium, consider donating to our End of Year campaign here. Your gift makes programs like the Traveling Planetarium possible!
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Thank you to the business and organizations that support WRI's mission to connect people, communities and the natural world. You make this work possible! Interested in joining this community of sponsors who are giving back? Email Randee to learn more. |
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The WRI Offices will be closed for the Holidays December 25th to January 1st. We will return for normal office hours Thursday, January 2nd. Our offices may be closed, but our grounds are open for you to enjoy. Get out and enjoy nature in the snow! |
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Land Steward's Observations |
We encountered a fun, snowy, fungal surprise while installing the new Otters in Granite statue in the Waterfall Garden recently (more on that statue later). Jelly babies and silverleaf fungus! Jelly babies (Leotia sp.) are cute little ascomycetes, or cup fungi, that decompose wood and are in the same fungal group as morels and most lichen. They are usually shades of yellow, brown, green, and olive. Also in residence was this pretty little lavender and silver polypore on the bark of the stump, intermingled with various mosses. The silverleaf fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum) is a pathogen of cherry trees usually (but also apple and pear), and can infect many other broad leaf tree species, including birch and aspen. I’m not sure if the tree was infected with this before it died, but it’s possible it may have played a contributing factor in its demise. This fungus is literally everywhere but tends to only show its fruiting bodies after the affected tree dies. You can spot it by the silvery dead leaves it causes on the living trees it infects. It is also used as a myco-herbicide to kill weedy, non-native trees that are negatively impacting forests in the PNW. How cool!
Entry and photos by Tiffa Theden, Land Steward |
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Thank you to our donors from the past 2 weeks! Your donations have been doubled. |
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Judy and Scott Reiter Anonymous Donors Chris Rader Guenna and Loren Curtis Kathryn and Doug Drew Margareta and Marc Diley Karen and Curt Haire - Sustaining Laura and Greg Reichlin - Sustaining Mall Boyd - Sustaining
Christine Emmel - Sustaining Melissa Roe - Sustaining Diane and Herb Young - Sustaining Mary Carol Nelson - Sustaining Orin and LIsa Melvin - Sustaining Mandy Maxwell and Bill Riedel - Sustaining Mark Weick and Carole Ann Borshard - Sustaining
Eliot Scull in honor of Tina Scull Robert and Sharon Jangaard Pat and Rick Thirlby Jeremy and Maria Howell Ken and Jill Ryan Barbara Bergeron Martha Bean and Ralph Haugerud - Sustaining Cheryl and Tom Phillips Gene Irvine John and Kelly Keebler The Suites on Main Lisa and Mike Bedard D.A. Davidson Katherine and Kyle Peterson
Steve and Betsy Backstrom in honor of Arne Backstrom - Sustaining Monte and Judy Olson |
| Ed and Pat Rutledge Gro Buer and Bruce Williams - Sustaining Carl and Debbie Florea Sarah Doherty and David Masuda Janice Conner Kate Farrar Brooke MacPhee Kseniya Efremova and Steven Erly
Zack and Justin Hambleton Ken Heinle and Kris Cameron Michele McKay Donica and Stephen Sharpe Constance Cogburn and Andrew Day - Sustaining
Hillary and Chris Clark - Sustaining Pam and Michael DeGrenier Myrene and Tom McFarland Marty and Bob Fallon Callahan Woolett Terry Valdez Annette Jouard and John Taylor - Sustaining George and Nancy Dunn Ric Escobedo Chuck and Candace Egner - Sustaining
David Stoller and Diane Patterson - Sustaining Mark Shorb and Kristin Ferrera Diana and Nick Runions Mustache Unicorn Fund Four Point Taxidermy Dan Yedinak Cynthia and Robert Klein Kamuron Gurol - Sustaining Lisa and Jim Osse - Sustaining Don Shreiner and Betsey Stahler |
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Why are dads so hard to buy presents for? |
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