May 5: Seattle Audubon Master Birder Open House!

Wanna be a Master Birder?

Learn about the natural history of the birds of Washington State, as well as how to identify them by sight and song, in Seattle Audubon’s Master Birder program. Applications for the 2011 program will be accepted in winter of 2010.

Join us Wednesday, May 5th at 7 pm at the Center for Urban Horticulture for an informational Open House for the 2011 Master Birder program.

• Meet the primary course instructor, Dr. Dennis Paulson
• Hear an overview on what the program will cover.
• Learn how to best prepare for the program, including birding skill level and knowledge.
• Understand the level of commitment required of program participants, including class attendance, homework assignments, and field trips.
• Learn about a special selection of field trips this summer to help you prepare for the program!

For more information, visit www.seattleaudubon.org

April 13th: Butterflies and Bees class at Woodland Park Zoo

Tuesday, April 13, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Cost: $20 per person

Join Woodland Park Zoo entomologist Erin Sullivan and horticulturalist David Selk to discover how to attract and care for local butterflies and bees. You’ll learn about the importance of these backyard pollinators as well as the threats they face and what you can do to help, including insect-friendly gardening practices.

To register, download the registration form from the zoo's website.

April 17: A Day in the Garden: Seattle Tilth in Issaquah!

A Day in the Garden
Satruday, April 17
10 am - 3 pm
Pickering Barn
1730 10th Ave. N.W.
Issaquah, WA. 98027

Spend some time in the garden with Seattle Tilth’s garden educators. Enjoy a guided tour of the garden, get your hands dirty at the volunteer work party, ask your gardening questions to the experts from the Garden Hotline, take a class and participate in the community potluck. Stop by at any point during the day and see what’s going on!

Schedule of Activities

9:30 - 11 am: Garden Class: Container Veggie Gardening*
10 am: Work Party - the theme is “soil building”
11 am: Garden Tour
12 - 1:30 pm: Garden Class: Getting the Most from Small Spaces*
1 pm: Garden Tour
1 pm - 3 pm: Potluck – Bring tasty food to share!
* Indicates classes

For classes, advanced registration is required. For more information and to register, visit www.seattletilth.org.

New FREE programs at Magnuson Park!

Magnuson Park is becoming more and more of a resource to our community, and to sustainability goals for this region. It's a 350-acre gem that many of its closest neighbors haven't explored, and it's well worth the visit, especially now. This spring marks the debut of a variety of FREE gardening and nature programs for adults and families, and an expansion of existing programs for children. All are sponsored by Magnuson Park Community Center, whose Advisory Council has made a strong commitment to environmental education for the past 5 years.

To kick off these new programs, the Community Center is hosting a giant FREE event called 'Celebrate Urban Nature' on April 10th, which includes a concert by Caspar Babypants (aka Chris Ballew), hands-on, interactive nature booths, LIVE Woodland Park Zoo Raptors, a NOAA exibit, recycled art extravaganza, and much much more. Fun for adults and children! The day begins with a guided Family Wetland Walk at 9:00am and the Community Center celebration is from 10:30am-2pm.

Also beginning in April:

• Free monthly guided Wetland Walks, to learn how Magnuson's new wetland project provides stormwater runoff management and habitat for birds, amphibians, and mammals.
• Free spring and fall hands-on classes for adults and families on creating your own bird-friendly garden, and child-friendly gardening features and activities.
• A new field trip program for preschool and primary grades.

Visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/magnuson/nature.htm for all the details, call the Community Center at 684-7026, or pick up a Spring NE Parks brochure.

May 8th: Tukwila Backyard Wildlife Festival

What do you get when you mix wildlife habitat advocacy with a fun, FREE, all-day event featuring varieties of entertainment and educational sessions? You get the Backyard Wildlife Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary, followed by very popular Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour at 3:00pm. And in honor of the 10th year, the City will be dedicating its newest park and certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat – Codiga Park!

Brimming with activities, the Backyard Wildlife Festival inspires people to welcome wildlife into their backyards, gardens, and communities. The arts and crafts marketplace, educational talks, kids area, and the garden tour will return to delight attendees. In addition, the Guided Bird Tour with Rainier Audubon Society’s Carol Shulz is back by popular demand.

For more information, see the Tukwila Backyard Wildlife Festival website.