Spring Naturalist Series: Plants of the Pacific Northwest

This two-part series is designed for adults (16+) at any skill level that are interested in having fun outdoors learning more about flora, fauna, and natural history of the Pacific Northwest. We will meet two times during the month of May in Skagit County parks, focusing on universal botany wisdom, and ethnobotany of the PNW.

Each class will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the ecosystem, learn names of plants, lichens, mushrooms, and engage in hands-on learning to deepen your awareness of the natural world.

Overall, we will be moving at a slow pace during each outing as we focus on our surroundings, have mini lectures, or engage in activities.

Expect some gentle to moderate hiking, and some kneeling or squatting.

Day 1: Early Spring Flowers: Botany Basics
Sunday May 4th, 2025
12:30pm to 5:00 pm
Washington Park, Anacortes

We’ll begin with an intro to botany so we can comfortably start using botanical terminology during this series. You will use samples of flowers and leaves to make observations of various structures and sketch them into a field notebook.

The second part of the class will be a walk in the woods, finding “signs of spring” while focusing on two plant families, the Roses and the Heaths (two very diverse and abundant groups). During this segment you can expect to gain experience in

• Plant ID

• Plant anatomy

• Plant taxonomy

You can also expect:

• Ethnobotany lesson

• Optional tidepool exploration

• Foraging tips on edible species

• Coastal views

• Wildlife and Bird sightings

• Relaxed community atmosphere

• Gentle walking in a beautiful park setting

Day 2: Ethnobotany of the Pacific Northwest Coast
Sunday May 18th, 2025
12:30 to 5:00pm
Deception Pass State Park or Anacortes Community Forest
(registered participants will be updated on location details)

This course will begin with a lecture-style intro to prehistory of the Pacific Northwest coupled with a robust acknowledgement of the peoples who have lived on and tended to the land for time immemorial.

Amble along the trail with breath-taking flora and coastal views and learn about traditional uses of plants, Indigenous agricultural practices, kin-centric ecological connections between plants and people, and so much more in this immersive walkabout focused on ethnobotany of the PNW Coast.

You can also expect:

• Foraging tips on edible species

• Wildlife and Bird sightings

• Relaxed community atmosphere

• Leisurely hiking in a beautiful park setting (expect some elevation gain but note that we will be pausing on the trail frequently)

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Registered individuals will receive details including driving directions in event-reminder emails a few days prior to each event.