Master Naturalist - Oregon State University

09/11/2020

Wildfire and smoke resources & listening session - https://mailchi.mp/ffa1922770c0/wildfire-and-smoke-resources-listening-session

08/13/2020

Join the Master Naturalist Program & Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District for today’s FREE webinar.

COVID-19 Advisory. OSU Extension is here for you. We are gradually resuming onsite and in-person activities, with some modifications.

07/13/2020

Join the Oregon Master Naturalist Program for a free Summer webinar series! - https://mailchi.mp/7519b4117352/oregon-master-naturalist-summer-webinars

July 14 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm PDT Rocks tell stories of time passing, climate change and cataclysms. Floods cascaded across the Pacific Northwest. Mountains have roared. Come explore the rich geologic history of central Oregon.

05/27/2020

Join Master Naturalist - Oregon State University tonight at 7:00 PM for our next Stay at Home webinar. Bill Weiler, wildlife biologist for the Sandy River Watershed Council, will discuss how climate change impacts the Columbia Gorge and what we can do to make ecosystems more resilient. The webinar is FREE and open to anyone. Click this link to pre-register: https://beav.es/4EV

04/24/2019

Here's a terrific opportunity to learn about volcanoes in the high desert. Sign up today!

Central Oregon Volcanoes:

This series is ideal for educators, interpretative rangers, naturalists, and anyone who has an interest in geology or in the landscapes and natural history of central Oregon. Four separate courses are offered throughout the year, each consisting of a Friday evening lecture and a Saturday field trip. These are stand alone courses - they can be taken individually, or participants can register for the entire series.

Continuing education units are available for anyone needing professional development courses.

Please visit the course website for details about these classes, and how to register:

https://continue.uoregon.edu/geology/

Geology of Central Oregon

04/23/2019

Got plans to be outdoors this summer? Attend this webinar to learn about this year's fire season outlook.

Pre-season climate and weather variables point to an especially active fire season this year for the Pacific Northwest. During this webinar, we’ll explore the factors that make up this outlook, define what a normal fire season looks like for the Northwest, and discuss the potential uncertainties t...

04/17/2019

The City of Albany and Calapooia Watershed Council are looking for volunteers to help with an environmental education event for elementary students. For details, please read further:

Join the Calapooia Watershed Council in partnership with the City of Albany Public Works and Parks & Recreation departments in delivering outdoor education to elementary students in Albany, OR. This will be our fifth year offering our Urban Ecology field trips, where students learn about Water Quality, Soil Science, Wetland Ecology (Talking Water Gardens), and Invasive Species. We are in need of volunteers who can share their love of nature with children by leading the learning stations. Volunteers will lead the station of their choice 4 times over the course of the day, with a 30 minute break for lunch (please bring your own lunch).
A volunteer training will provide all information and materials needed to lead the stations, so no scientific expertise required!
Sign up for the training here. If you cannot make the training, contact Kristen Daly at [email protected].

Field trips run May 6 – 10, May 14, May 16 - 17, & May 20, from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Come to as many or as few of the trips as you’d like!

Learning station overview
Water Quality – Lead students in testing the pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature of Cox Creek.
Soil Science – Teach students about soil compaction, infiltration and texture using hands-on activities.
Wetland Ecology – Lead a tour through the Talking Water Gardens, highlighting its benefits to water quality and wildlife habitat.
Invasive Species – Introduce the topic of invasive plants and animals and supervise students as they remove Himalayan blackberry.


To participate, please contact Kristen Daly at [email protected]. We’d like to have all our station leaders scheduled by April 22nd, but of course we’ll accommodate late sign ups too.

04/08/2019

Do you work or volunteer in invasive species management? Learn how to leverage your efforts with this innovative hybrid course starting in mid April! Registration info: http://tinyurl.com/osuempoweru

Have you been working on invasive species issues but feel compelled to do more? Taking part in this program will move your invasive species work to the next level!

03/08/2019

63% of those who have registered for Oregon Master Naturalist courses are women. Yet, as this article points out, gender inequities still exist when it comes to recreation in the outdoors.

Women’s tax dollars help fund public land – yet that public asset isn’t seen as safe for all people to enjoy.

02/14/2019

Looking for a worthwhile volunteer opportunity in the Willamette Valley? Join the City of Albany and the Calapooia Watershed Council at Talking Water Gardens this weekend! We will be planting native shrubs as part of a Western Pond Turtle habitat enhancement project at the Gardens. Click the link below for details & RSVP.

02/06/2019

Looking for a Continuing Education opportunity for your Oregon Master Naturalist certification? This event looks to be an amazing opportunity to hear from one of the nation's most respected and renowned marine biologists, Dr. Sylvia Earle. Click on the link below for further details.

Join us for The Future of Our Oceans Featuring 2019 Visiting SAGE Dr. Sylvia Earle & The Oceans Expo Sunday, May 19, Oceans Expo at 2:30 pm; Main event at 4 pm Location: PSU Viking Pavilion, Portland Global oceans champion, Dr. Sylvia Earle, will speak about the future of our oceans as the 2019 Visi...

01/03/2019

Mark your calendars for the 2019 Starker Lecture Series, sponsored by the OSU College of Forestry.

The 2019 Starker Lecture Series will focus on tribal forestry. Aspects of tribal forestry are unique, but others look similar to private and public land management throughout our state and nation. Topics include indigenous forest and subsistence practices, the history and future of tribal forestry i...

10/11/2018

Are you ready for the Big One? Register for this Oregon State Science on Tap lecture in Portland on November 1st.

What can we expect during and after the Big One? How might the metro area be most affected? We've heard about the importance of emergency kits, but what is a "Go Bag?" Learn about this and other anticipated realities from one of OSU’s leading researchers in emergency preparedness, Patrick Corcora...

08/27/2018

Volunteer opportunity - A great way to get volunteer hours for those of you who live in Central Oregon.

Madras, Oregon
OSU Community Day
October 6, 2018
10am - 2pm

If you like to get folks excited about trees, especially youth, this is a great opportunity.

OSU Community Day will occur in conjunction with the 4-H Kickoff for October 6th from 10am-2pm. OSU Extension is planning on having a schedule of activities all day and would love it if there could be a tree-related activity such as decorating tree "cookie" necklaces, or learning about tree physiology with wooden bubble blowers.

If anyone is interested in hosting the station (ideally 2-3 people), the OSU Extension Forester will help you through the activity and set you up with all the materials needed for a fun and engaging youth activity station that also teaches kids about trees. Spanish speaking is a bonus feature that can come in handy!

If interested, please contact Nicole Strong (OSU Extension Forester) at [email protected] or (541) 548-6088.

Please respond by August 31st. Thank you!

08/01/2018

Here's a little rain-related science that we could all use this very dry, fire-prone summer.

There's some chemistry to the pleasant smell of rain after a long, dry spell.

07/27/2018

Listen to Oregon State University College of Forestry’s John Bailey distill the issues surrounding wildfire and how society will need to alter over 100 years of wildfire suppression practices to create more resilient landscapes in an era of climate change. (His interview is the first 25 minutes of this podcast)

Professor John Bailey, an expert on all things fire, tells us about controlled burning, silviculture, and why Smokey Bear had it all wrong.

07/17/2018

It’s been hot and dry lately - the perfect condition for wildfires. Learn how the US Forest Service is analyzing wildfire risk in Oregon and Washington to help change the way society views fire, from a menace to an ally in creating more resilient landscapes.

The U.S. Forest Service and others have been saying for decades that we need to allow more wildfire on the landscape. But so far, we haven't practiced what we preach.