Join naturalists from Firecraft Northwest and other co-organizers of the Feminist Bird Club South Sound chapter for a morning of birds! We’ll meet at Scatter Creek Wildlife Area in the Garry Oak prairie, a unique habitat for finding birds like Western Bluebirds, Western Meadowlark, White Breasted Nuthatches and more. Among the blooming wildflowers, we’ll do a slow meander to see what birds we can see and hear. All skill levels welcome; binoculars available to borrow. This outing is free, but rsvp is required.

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to make your own drawing charcoal kit from scratch! The afternoon will include information about wood types for different types of charcoal and how to make your own charcoal kiln. Together, we’ll make our own drawing charcoal, charcoal holder, simple stick-bound drawing book, and blending stump. You’ll leave with a sketch-ready set and the skills to keep making your own materials! No experience needed, all supplies included.

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Join naturalists from Firecraft Northwest and our partners at Capitol Land Trust to relish in spring blooms and blossoms! We’ll walk the trails at this Capitol Land Trust preserve to learn about spring blooms like stream violet, western trillium, salmonberry, and much more! We’ll talk about how to identify them and other plant fun facts. A great way to spend Mother’s Day, consider bringing mom along for a flower-filled afternoon!

Thanks for your interest in this outing, but it is now full. Check out our wildflower class in June and/or join us for Prairie Appreciation Day for more flower fun!

Join naturalists from Firecraft Northwest to explore the mysterious and wildflower-filled Mima Mounds. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy the variety of flowers and birds that inhabit the rolling prairie. We’ll do a slow meander along the trails to see what we can find, enjoy the views and new friends! This outing is free by RSVP is required.

Thanks for your interest in this outing, but it is now full. Check out our wildflower class in June and/or join us for Prairie Appreciation Day!

Join Licia, naturalist and educator from Firecraft Northwest, on this full moon walk for women. May’s full moon is known, among other names, as the Flower Moon as we start to see many blossoms along the trails.

This location is particularly great for wildflowers as it’s situated on the now rare garry oak prairie. We’ll spend the evening doing a slow walk admiring the flowers, rising moon, and new friends!

Thanks so much for your interest in this outing, but it is now full. Next month’s full moon walk will be posted the first week of May.

When spring rains and warmth begin, the Spring Fungi Season is here! To prepare for your own fungi forays, join us for a light walk on the trails at Watershed Park to learn the basics of tree and fungi identification and how their ecology is intertwined. We'll discuss some fungi anatomy basics and our favorite field guides so you can keep mushroom hunting on your own this spring.

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It’s spring and the birds are singing! Join naturalists from Firecraft Northwest to tune your ears to the sounds of the spring forest and wetlands at Grass Lake Nature Park. We’ll do a brief overview of “bird language” at the start to set a foundation for what we’ll be listening to. Then, we’ll walk the paths at Grass Lake in the forest and to the wetlands to interpret the sounds we hear. Binoculars are optional for this event as we will be focusing on sound as opposed to sight identification. This outing is open for all skill levels, even beginners! This outing is offered at a sliding scale with multiple cost options.

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Join certified wildlife trackers and naturalists from Firecraft Northwest for a field session at Wolf Haven International to study the animals around us. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of wildlife tracking and develop methods for interpreting tracks and signs on the landscape.

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Take an afternoon walk along the Deschutes River at Pioneer Park with naturalist and educator Ryan Johnson from Firecraft Northwest to discover the early spring plants that are emerging from their winter slumber. Participants will learn foundational botany concepts, plant id features, and fun facts along the way!

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Join naturalists and bird nerds from Firecraft Northwest and Capitol Land Trust this spring to practice your bird ID skills. During this outing we’ll walk the trails at a Capitol Land Trust preserve and identify the birds that we see and hear. The outing is open to all skills levels but will not feature structured educational content about bird identification; rather, we’ll walk, chat, and work together to identify the species we come across. Bring your binos or borrow a pair of ours!

Thanks for your interest in this outing, but it is now full. Stay tuned for more free birding outings and bird workshops this season.

During this outdoor, hands-on workshop, we’ll go through the steps of how to prepare a store-bought bundle of firewood into all of the components you need to successfully start a fire. Train with Firecraft Northwest instructors to learn how to safely use a knife, forest axe, splitting axe, and maul to prepare, process, and section wood into mixed sizes so you can quickly and easily get your fire started! We’ll also go over safety and practice with saws as an additional firewood-gathering skill in your toolkit. After successfully lighting our one-log fires, we’ll go over our favorite brands, resources, and more to continue practicing this camping season.

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It’s hard to beat the tastes and flavors of a hot cooked meal when you’re outdoors. If you are ready to be the next camp chef, this field outing is for you! In this course, you’ll utilize a variety of campfire cooking methods, test different outdoor cookware, and learn to hand-carve wooden implements to improve your skills around the fire.

Thanks for your interest in this workshop, but it is now full. Check out our Sunday axe workshop or stay tuned for more fire-related classes this spring.

Join Licia, naturalist and educator from Firecraft Northwest, for a full moon walk for women. April’s full moon is known, among other names, as the Pink Moon. This name derives from the pink phlox family flowers (as well as other native wildflowers) that come out in April in North America. But, on this trail we’ll likely also see osoberry, western trillium, and maybe salmonberry or flowering currant! Join us for a slow meander, native blooms, and blossoming new friendships.

With the arrival of spring, the forests and wetlands are come alive! During this early spring wildlife walk, led by naturalists Ryan Johnson and Licia Sahagun of Firecraft Northwest, we will focus on any winter birds that haven’t yet migrated south, newcoming birds making their way north, and local mammals picking up activity.

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During this half-day hands-on course, we’ll do a walk through the woods to identify local resources for fire building, fire starting, and fire accelerants to prepare you for emergency fire-building or if you’d like to be able to harvest your own fire materials. We’ll learn fire fundamentals—including tips and tricks for overcoming rain and cold—and create tinder bundles from all natural, harvested materials. Participants will then be able to practice with several different ignition techniques including matches, lighters, ferrocerium rods, and flint and steel.

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In this program, learn survival skills with a focus on the world of shelter building. Train with the instructor to discover two emergency debris shelter building techniques. Learn five essential knots for quick and easy tarp set up, and then deploy your shelter in minutes!

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Prepare for spring cleaning by making your own handheld broom! During the session you’ll learn about materials we have in our area for broom making as well as the basics of creating your own hand broom — including using a foot brake, starting/finishing your broom, and three stitching designs. You’ll walk away with your own pine needle hand broom - the perfect size for cleaning up around a hearth or fireplace, in a craft space, or around the house! Beginners are welcome and all materials are included.

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Join Licia from Firecraft Northwest and Sarah Croston from Capitol Land Trust for for March’s full moon sunset walk. March’s moon is known, among other names, as the Worm Moon, referring to when worms and other invertebrates emerge from the newly thawed ground. We’ll gather together for a walk near the Sound at a not-yet-open-to-the-public Capitol Land Trust site. We’ll discuss what new growth we see around us in the woods and what new growth, adventures, and goals may be happening in our own lives!

Thanks for your interest in this outing, but it is now full. Stay tuned for next month’s full moon walk!

Join Licia, certified Meditation instructor, from Firecraft Northwest, for a quiet, fully engaged nature morning.

We’ll start with hot tea and a brief discussion about nature awareness before meandering into the woods to practice two silent, solitary awareness-building techniques. Then, we’ll do a sensory plant walk, learning plants that have unique tastes, smells, and/or textures. With a silent stroll back to the shelter, we’ll put into practice what we’ve learned. Reawaken your senses and reconnect with the natural world around you during this morning’s mindful outing!

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Join us for a somewhat silent stroll at Woodard Bay Conservation Area. We’ll meet each other at the trailhead and get to know each other for the first bit of trail. Then, we’ll head into the woods on the more narrow, meandering trail to be silent among the trees and birdsong. When we reach the water, we’ll take a moment at the shelter to share anything we noticed (internal or naturewise) before we head back to the parking lot. The walk back can be optional social or continued silent time - your choice!

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The study of ethnobotany (human relationships with plants) paints a powerful picture of how humans have coexisted with the natural world around us. This includes medicine, tools, food, and more. If you are new to ethnobotany, this walk is a great place to get started and learn about core plants of the PNW and how they have been used for millennia, and how we can use them respectfully today.
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Owls are some of the most fascinating creatures to study in the world of birds. During this community hike, traverse the forests of the Beach Trail at Evergreen College in search of owls and their signs, while learning about the various species of owls in our region.

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Join Licia, lifelong artist and nature nerd, from Firecraft Northwest for a flower-filled afternoon! During this workshop you’ll learn the basics of botanical pressing including different techniques, tips, and tricks. You’ll put together your own take-home flower press kit made with unfinished wood (so you can paint, finish, or decorate it as you’d like!) Then, we’ll do three take-home crafts (all materials included) as starter ideas for using your new pressed flowers and perfect additions to a Valentine’s day surprise!

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Join Licia for February’s full moon, the Snow Moon. As the name suggests, February’s moon name comes from this cold time of year when our forest floors are sometimes blanketed with snow.

To keep warm, we’ll meander through the forested hills at The Evergreen College as we get to know our fellow hikers! This outing is free, but RSVP is required.

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Have you ever wondered what plants you could forage for and eat in the winter months in the Pacific Northwest? During this plant-focused class at Burfoot Park along Budd Inlet of the South Sound, we'll do a slow-moving walk through the trails identifying and learning cold weather staples as we go.

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Join naturalists from Firecraft Northwest to take a break from your screen, spend some time in the woods, and make new friends! This casual, social stroll will be a time to decompress and meet new people as well as see what nature finds we can learn about along the way.

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Hike along the forested trails at Woodard Bay Conservation Area to learn how to identify key trees of the Pacific Northwest. Participants will discover diagnostic features and botany principles to carry their tree id and botany skills forward beyond the session.
Thanks for your interest in this outing, but it’s now full. Check out our upcoming foraging or ethnobotany walks for more plant identification practice this winter!

During this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to craft a basket from foraged Ponderosa Pine needles and a hand-made wooden base. Choose from multiple thread colors and wooden bases (unfinished, walnut oil finished, painted with milk paint, or adorned with pressed flower) to add your own creative touch to your basket. Then, you’ll learn how to prepare your pine needles for basketry, practice multiple different stitches, understand and practice shaping walls, and learn about how to finish and seal your basket. We’ll finish the session with a demonstration on a variety of intermediate stitches and techniques and an overview of resources available to keep practicing on your own.

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Join naturalists and birders Licia Sahagun and Ryan Johnson for a happy hour waterfowl walk! In this session, participants will walk the trails around Capitol Lake searching for and identifying the waterfowl we see, like Mallards, wood ducks, wigeons, geese, buffleheads, pintails, and more! This session is welcome to beginning birders and experts alike.

Thanks for your interest in this outing, but it’s now full. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified about future free classes and outings.

During this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to craft a basket from foraged Ponderosa Pine needles and a hand-made wooden base. Choose from multiple thread colors and wooden bases (unfinished, walnut oil finished, painted with milk paint, or adorned with pressed flower) to add your own creative touch to your basket. Then, you’ll learn how to prepare your pine needles for basketry, practice multiple different stitches, understand and practice shaping walls, and learn about how to finish and seal your basket. We’ll finish the session with a demonstration on a variety of intermediate stitches and techniques and an overview of resources available to keep practicing on your own.

Thanks for your interest in this workshop but it is now full. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified about future wildcrafting classes!