2015 Past Events

Scoping Meetings for North Cascades Grizzly Bear EIS:

The public is invited to come and get more information on the process, and to give input on issues to addressed in the EIS.
Tuesday, March 3rd in Winthrop from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Red Barn Upper Meeting Room
Wednesday, March 4th in Okanogan from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Okanogan PUD Meeting Room
Thursday, March 5th in Wenatchee from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Chelan County PUD Auditorium
Monday, March 9th in Cle Elum from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Putnam Centennial Center Meeting Room
Tuesday, March 10th in Seattle from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Seattle Pacific University Bertona Classroom 1
Wednesday, March 11th in Bellingham from 5-7:30 p.m. in the Bellingham Central Library Lecture Room

Ghost Bears of the North Cascades by Dr. Bill Gaines January 22

Where: Hal Holmes Center, Kittitas Room, Ellensburg, WA, 209 E. Ruby Street
When: January 22, 2015
Time: Doors open at 6:45 p.m.; presentation begins at 7:15 p.m. followed by Q & A.
Cost: Admission Free
Don’t miss WWO Board Member and bear researcher, Dr. Bill Gaines as he takes you into the wilds of the North Cascades in search of the illusive “Ghost Bear”. Join us to hear about the history of grizzlies in the Pacific Northwest and the potential for grizzly bear recovery. Dr. Gaines will also describe the ingenious–and often smelly!–methods used to study these charismatic bruins deep in the backcountry.
Read More →
“Ghost Bears of the North Cascades” by Dr. Bill Gaines February 3

Where: Twisp River Pub, 201 Washington 20, Twisp, WA
When: February 03, 2015
Time: 7:00 to 8:30
Cost: Admission Free
Don’t miss WWO Board Member and bear researcher, Dr. Bill Gaines as he takes you into the wilds of the North Cascades in search of the illusive “Ghost Bear”. Join us to hear about the history of grizzlies in the Pacific Northwest and the potential for grizzly bear recovery. Dr. Gaines will also describe the ingenious–and often smelly!–methods used to study these charismatic bruins deep in the backcountry.
Read More →
NW Wild Heritage Awards & Benefits Concert

Where: Left Bank Annex, 101 NE Weidler St. Portland,Oregon
When: February 06, 2015
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM Doors Open 9:30 for Concert
Cost: $25, or buy online and enter “westernwildlife” and save $10
An educational and entertaining evening of art , music and discussion of the future of carnivores in the West featuring WWO Executive Director, Lorna Smith.
Read More →
“Ghost Bears of the North Cascades” by Dr. Bill Gaines February 11 (SOLD OUT)

Where: Bellingham REI ,Sehome Village, 400 36th Street, Bellingham
When: February 12, 2015
Time: Doors open at 6 p.m. — presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Admission Free
Don’t miss WWO Board Member and bear researcher, Dr. Bill Gaines as he takes you into the wilds of the North Cascades in search of the illusive “Ghost Bear”. Join us to hear about the history of grizzlies in the Pacific Northwest and the potential for grizzly bear recovery. Dr. Gaines will also describe the ingenious–and often smelly!–methods used to study these charismatic bruins deep in the backcountry.
Read More →
“Ghost Bears of the North Cascades” by Dr. Bill Gaines January 8 (Past Event)

Where: Wenatchee Public Library 310 Douglas St, Wenatchee, WA
When: January 08, 2015
Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; presentation begins at 6 p.m. followed by Q & A
Read More →

2014 Events

Ghost Bears of the North Cascades and Bear Safe Recreation Presentation

• Where: Bellevue Regional Library, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
• When: November 03, 2014
• Time: 6:30 to 8:30
• Go behind the scenes with wildlife ecologist and WWO Board member Bill Gaines as he discusses his three-year search for elusive grizzly bears in the North Cascades.

Wolf Talk

• • Where: The Cotton Bldg. 607 Water St., Port Townsend WA
  • When: October 16, 2014
  • Time: 7pm
  • Cost: Free and open to the public. A donation of $5 is suggested to help cover expenses.
  • David Moskowitz, well-known wildlife tracker and author of Wolves in the Land of Salmon, will discuss his recent participation in The Wolf OR-7 Expedition following a young male gray wolf traversing over 1,200 miles.

Coexisting with Carnivores in the Pacific NW

• Where: Everett Firefighters Hall, 2411 Hewitt Avenue, Everett, Washington
• When: October 10, 2014
• Time: 7 PM PM to 8:30 PM
• Cost: Free
• October Pilchuck Audubon Society Program Meeting: Public Welcome
  Washington’s Large Carnivores
  Lorna and Darrell Smith, longtime wildlife experts and Port Townsend residents, are dedicated to improving public understanding of black bears, cougars, grizzly bears, and gray wolves across Washington State. They will discuss their work with the nonprofit Western Wildlife Outreach, which aims to address public concerns about these iconic animals and create wildlife-safe communities, while working to restore and maintain healthy populations of these species who have long inhabited the Pacific Northwest. Lorna and Darrell were long-time PAS members until they left Snohomish County for Costa Rica.
  Friday, October 10, 2014
  7:00 PM— 8:30 PM Everett Firefighters Hall 2411 Hewitt Avenue, Everett

The Bear Affair

• Where: Woodland Park Zoo
• When: June 07, 2014
• Time: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
• Cost: Activities free with zoo admission or membership
• What does it mean to live in the Pacific Northwest with wildlife in our own backyard? What happens when you don’t store food properly or haphazardly leave garbage around while camping in bear country?Get a glimpse of the results as Woodland Park Zoo’s popular grizzly bear brothers tear into a campsite, and learn what steps you can take to properly bear-proof your surroundings.Hear keeper talks with special enrichment treats for bears, wolves, raptors and more, and learn what these Pacific Northwest animals need in order to survive in the wild and peacefully co-exist with humans.

Pike Place Market Fish Toss into Grizzly Den

• Where: Woodland Park Zoo
• When: June 05, 2014
• Time: 10:30 am
• As part of the Governor declared, Bear Awareness Week, June 1st-7th, the Woodland Park Zoo has invited the ever so popular, Pike Place Market fish mongers, to toss fish into the grizzly den! Join us for this exciting, family fun event.

Ilwaco Farmers Market

• Where: Waterfront Way, Ilwaco, WA 98624
• When: May 03, 2014
• Time: 10am to 4pm
• Visit our Western Wildlife Outreach informational booth at the Ilwaco Farmers Market. Learn all there is to know about Washington’s bears, wolves and cougars.

Gear Up Expo

• Where: Comcast Arena, 2000 Hewitt Ave #200, Everett, WA 98201
• When: April 26, 2014
• Time: Saturday 10am-5pm and April 27th, Sunday 10am-4pm
• Cost: Adults: $10 Ages 11-17: $5 Military ID: $5 Ages 10 and under: FREE
• Take a walk inside our exciting Bear Trailer at this consumer trade show focusing on outdoor adventure equipment and unique destination travel. The Gear Up Expo even features a 30ft climbing wall! If you attend on Sunday don’t miss our Executive Director, Lorna Smith’s presentation on Bear Safety at noon.

Spokane Earth Day

• Where: River Front Park, 507 N Howard St, Spokane, WA 99201
• When: April 26, 2014
• Time: 10am to 5pm
• Celebrate Earth Day in style in Spokane this Saturday! Western Wildlife Outreach will be one of many great organizations representing our planet and all you can do for it.

Concrete Earth Day Eco-Fair

• Where: Concrete Community Center, 45821 Railroad Ave., Concrete WA
• When: April 26, 2014
• Time: 10am to 4pm
• Join Western Wildlife Outreach and others at this first annual Earth Day celebration in Concrete! There will be a recycled art contest, educational booths and much more.

Mount Vernon High School Science Night

• Where: Mount Vernon High School, 314 North 9th Street Mount Vernon, WA 98274
• When: April 24, 2014
• Time: 6pm to 8:30pm
• Cost: FREE
• Learn about Washington’s large carnivores and much, much more at this educational annual event. Science Night is a school and community event to increase student interest in science, to allow students to demonstrate the science they’ve learned, and to give students an opportunity to explore careers in science with local community members.

Earth Day Festival

• Where: Western Washington University
• When: April 19, 2014
• Time: 12pm – 4pm
• Cost: Free

Wild Birds Unlimited Earth Day Celebration

• Where: Wild Birds Unlimited Store, 275953 Highway 101 Gardiner, WA 98382
• When: April 19, 2014
• Time: 10am to 4pm

Newcastle Earth Day

• Where: Boren Park, 13058 SE 84th Way, Newcastle 98056
• When: April 19, 2014
• Time: 10am-3pm

Ghost Bears Encore!

• Where: Redmond Public Library, 15990 NE 85th Street, Redmond, WA 98052
• When: April 15, 2014
• Time: Doors open at 6:15pm, presentation is at 7pm
• Cost: FREE but RSVPs are required as space is limited. See how to RSVP below.

Cabela’s Spring Great Outdoor Days

• Where: Cabela’s Tulalip, 9810 Quil Ceda Blvd. Tulalip, WA 98271
• When: March 01, 2014
• Time: 10am to 4pm

Ghost Bears: Studying Grizzly and Black Bears in Washington’s North Cascades Ecosystem

• • Where: Woodland Park Zoo Education Center (enter at North 50th Street & Fremont Avenue North, located between the Rose Garden and the Zoo’s South Entrance).
  • When: February 10, 2014
  • Time: Refreshments and doors open at 6:15 PM. Presentation starts promptly at 7:00 PM and ends about 8:15 PM.
  • Cost: The event is free. All ages are welcome. Parking is available in the zoo’s South Lot at 50th Street and Fremont North. Or, reduce your carbon footprint by taking Metro Bus Route 5 to the Zoo!
  • As promised, we are having a second showing of Ghost Bears! Don’t miss it!Due to limited seating RSVP’s are required. Send your name, address, email address and number of attendees to rsvp-conservation@zoo.org. Please also let us know where you learned of the event.

Arlington Eagle Festival

• • Where: Third Street, Arlington WA
  • When: February 01, 2014
  • Time: 9am to 5pm
  • Cost: Free
  • Visit the Western Wildlife Outreach Bear Education Trailer, complete with full-body taxidermy mounts of both a grizzly and a black bear, plus all you need to know about Washington’s bears, wolves and cougars. This is just one of the many fun activities you’ll find at the annual Arlington Eagle Festival!

The Return of Washington’s Wolves

• • Where: The Concrete Theater, 45920 Main St, Concrete, WA 98237
  • When: January 25, 2014
  • Time: 11 am
  • Learn all about Washington’s returning wolf packs at this presentation on the big screen of Concrete’s historic theater. This is just one of many great activities associated with the Upper Skagit Eagle Festival which takes place every weekend through the month of January.

Coexisting with Carnivores

• • Where: Cotton Building, 607 Water Street, Port Townsend
  • When: January 23, 2014
  • Time: 7pm
  • Cost: Free with a suggested $5 donation
  • Lorna and Darrell Smith, longtime wildlife experts and Port Townsend residents, are dedicated to improving public understanding of black bears, cougars, grizzly bears, and gray wolves across Washington State. They will discuss their work with the nonprofit Western Wildlife Outreach, which aims to address public concerns about these iconic animals and create wildlife-safe communities, while working to restore and maintain healthy populations of these species who have long inhabited the Pacific Northwest.

Eyes in the Woods Wildlife Training – Omak

• • Where: Omak Big R Store, 1227 Koala St
  • When: January 18, 2014
  • Time: 2pm – 4pm
  • Cost: Free
  • Join Western Wildlife Outreach for a citizen’s training from the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Division. Eyes in the Woods creates a resource of trained citizen volunteers devoted to protecting and perpetuating our fish and wildlife.

 2013

Ghost Bears: Studying Grizzly and Black Bears in Washington’s North Cascades Ecosystem

• • Where: Woodland Park Zoo Education Center (enter at North 50th Street & Fremont Avenue North, located between the Rose Garden and the Zoo’s South Entrance).
  • Time: Refreshments and doors open at 6:15 PM. Presentation starts promptly at 7:00 PM and ends about 8:15 PM.
  • Cost: Due to limitThe event is free. All ages are welcome. Parking is available in the zoo’s South Lot at 50th Street and Fremont North. Or, reduce your carbon footprint by taking Metro Bus Route 5 to the Zoo!
  • Go behind the scenes with wildlife ecologists Bill Gaines and Robert Long as they discuss their three-year search for elusive grizzly bears in the North Cascades. Along the way you’ll hear about the history of grizzlies in the Pacific Northwest, and why studying the region’s smaller and more numerous black bears can provide insights into the potential for grizzly bear recovery. Join Drs. Gaines and Long as they describe the ingenious—and often smelly!—methods used to study these charismatic bruins deep in the backcountry, and for “hairy” tales of climbing, hiking, wading, and rappelling through this iconic landscape in the quest to document the presence of the “ghost bears” of the North Cascades..

Issaquah Salmon Days Festival

• • Where: 155 NW Gilman Blvd, Issaquah, WA
  • When: October 05, 2013
  • Time: Oct. 5th and 6th from 10am to 6pm
  • Join Western Wildlife at the annual Issaquah Salmon Days Festival. Visit the amazing 17ft long Bear Outreach Education Trailer at this family fun event. The Bear Outreach Education Trailer is emblazoned with bear education graphics, contains full-body taxidermy mounts of bears both grizzly and black and has all of the supplies needed to provide a quality educational experience. Sponsored by Western Wildlife Outreach and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Derby Days, The Great Outdoors Adventure

• • Where: Imation Children’s Museum, 1502 Wall Street Everett, WA
  • When: September 21, 2013
  • Time: September 21st from 10-5pm and September 22nd from 11-5 pm
  • Join Western Wildlife Outreach for fun wildlife themed kids activities at this years Derby Days sponsored by the Everett Children’s Museum.

Wenatchee River Salmon Festival

• • Where: Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, Leavenworth, WA
  • When: September 20, 2013
  • Time: Sept. 20th and 21st from 10 am to 5pm
  • Celebrate the spirit of the salmon with Western Wildlife Outreach! Visit the amazing 17ft long Bear Outreach Education Trailer at this fun family event. The Bear Outreach Education Trailer is emblazoned with bear education graphics, contains full-body taxidermy mounts of bears both grizzly and black and has all of the supplies needed to provide a quality educational experience. Sponsored by Western Wildlife Outreach and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A Week of Wildlife Presentations at Holden Village

• • Where: Holden Village, Lake Chelan
  • Time: September 16th through September 20th
  • Join Western Wildlife Outreach at this beautiful village nestled at the end of Lake Chelan. All week long you can learn about Washington’s bears, wolves and cougars. Fun for the whole family!

The Washington State Fair

• • Where: Puyallup Fair Grounds, 110 9th Ave SW Puyallup, WA
  • When: September 06, 2013
  • Time: Sept. 6th-22nd, Mon – Thurs: 10am – 10pm Fri: 10am – 11pm (Opening day 9/6 opens at 9am) Sat: 9am – 11pm Sun: 9am – 10pm
  • Cost: Adults: $12.50 Students (Ages 6-18): $9.00 Seniors (62+): $9.00 Kids (Ages 5 & under): Always FREE. Parking: Mon – Fri: $10 Sat – Sun: $12
  • Do the Puyallup with Western Wildlife Outreach! Visit the amazing 17ft long Bear Outreach Education Trailer on Sept. 6th, 7th or 8th, at this fun family event. The Bear Outreach Education Trailer is emblazoned with bear education graphics, contains full-body taxidermy mounts of bears both grizzly and black and has all of the supplies needed to provide a quality educational experience. Sponsored by Western Wildlife Outreach and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Change and New Challenges for Conservation Conference

• Where: The Barn Beach Reserve, 347 Division St Leavenworth, WA 98826
• When: September 13, 2013
• Time: Starts at 2pm on Sept. 13th and ends at noon on Sept. 15th
• Join Western Wildlife Outreach Field Coordinator, Gus Bekker, along with several other outdoor enthusiasts at this annual conference sponsored by the Federation of Western Outdoors Clubs in Leavenworth.

Land of the Lost Wolves Showing

• • Where: Rex Theater, 7222 Main St Bonners Ferry, ID 83805
  • When: September 14, 2013
  • Time: 1pm to 2pm
  • Cost: Free
  • Join Western Wildlife Outreach for the first episode of this amazing BBC film about the return of wolves to Washington’s North Cascades.

Skagit River Salmon Festival

• Where: Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon
• When: September 07, 2013
• Time: 10am to 6pm
• Join Western Wildlife Outreach and several other educational and recreational booths at this second annual event. Learn how to coexist with Washington’s bears, wolves and cougars and bring your kids to participate in some fun wildlife-themed activities and crafts.

Fall Great Outdoor Days – Tulalip

• • Where: Cabela’s in Tulalip, 9810 Quil Ceda Blvd. Tulalip, WA
  • When: August 24, 2013
  • Time: August 24th and 25th, 9am to 6pm
  • Visit the amazing 17ft long Bear Outreach Education Trailer at this fun family event. The Bear Outreach Education Trailer is emblazoned with bear education graphics, contains full-body taxidermy mounts of bears both grizzly and black and has all of the supplies needed to provide a quality educational experience. Sponsored by Western Wildlife Outreach, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Forest Service.

Bonner County Fair

• • Where: Bonner County Fair Grounds, 4203 N Boyer Street Sandpoint, ID 83864
  • When: August 23, 2013
  • Learn all about Idaho’s bears and wolves when you join Western Wildlife Outreach and the Idaho Fish and Game at the annual Bonner County Fair! The Fair runs from Aug. 20-24th.

Howl for Washington’s Wolves

• • Where: Lake Wenatchee State Park
  • When: August 17, 2013
  • Time: 8:15
  • Learn all about Washington’s gray wolves in this beautiful setting. During this hour long presentation you will learn about wolf biology and behavior, how to identify a wolf from a coyote and what the latest status is on Washington’s returning gray wolves.

Fall Great Outdoor Days – Lacey

• • Where: Cabela’s in Lacey, 1600 Gateway Blvd. NE Lacey, WA
  • When: August 17, 2013
  • Time: August 17th and 18th, 9am to 6pm
  • Visit the amazing 17ft long Bear Outreach Education Trailer at this fun family event. The Bear Outreach Education Trailer is emblazoned with bear education graphics, contains full-body taxidermy mounts of bears both grizzly and black and has all of the supplies needed to provide a quality educational experience. Sponsored by Western Wildlife Outreach and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Da Bears!

• • Where: Heather Meadows Visitors Center, Mt. Baker
  • When: August 10, 2013
  • Time: 1pm
  • Visit the top of the majestic Mt. Baker and learn all about Washington’s two bear species, the grizzly bear and the black bear. Included in this presentation are grizzly and black bear biology and behavior, tips for coexistence and what to do if you see one of these species in the wild.

Stillaguamish Festival of the River & Pow Wow

• • Where: River Meadows County Park: 20416 Jordan Rd, Arlington
  • When: August 10, 2013
  • Time: August 10th and 11th, gates open at 10am
  • Cost: Parking $5 until 4pm. $10 after 4pm
  • Visit the amazing 17ft long Bear Outreach Education Trailer at this fun family event. The Bear Outreach Education Trailer is emblazoned with bear education graphics, contains full-body taxidermy mounts of bears both grizzly and black and has all of the supplies needed to provide a quality educational experience. Sponsored by Western Wildlife Outreach and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Bears, Wolves and Cougars, Oh My!

• • Where: Birch Bay State Park
  • When: August 03, 2013
  • Time: 7pm
  • During this hour long presentation you will learn how to coexist with Washington’s bears, wolves and cougars, including neat facts about their biology and behavior, what to do if you see one of these species in the wild and how to avoid any unwanted negative encounters by not attracting them to your home, ranch or campsite.

“Eyes in the Woods” Training: Citizens Against Poaching

• • Where: Methow Valley Interpretive Center, “Twisp Works” Twisp, Washington
  • When: June 13, 2013
  • Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
  • Cost: Free to the public
  • Western Wildlife Outreach and Conservation Northwest are partnering up to help catch poachers. We need more “Eyes in the Woods”! Learn how to identify, document, and report natural resource crimes. We invite you to attend a workshop in Twisp, WA (at Twisp Works) on Thursday, June 13th from 6:30-8:30pm to learn how to become a trained citizen volunteer. Be part of a community effort to stop the illegal killing of wildlife! When poaching crimes go undiscovered and unpunished, it can create a culture of poaching tolerance, and the unnecessary, undocumented death of a variety of protected wildlife species. You can help prevent this! Interested? Show up on June 13 at the Environmental Learning Center. Questions? Call Ray (509-341-4085), Jay (509-470-1767), or Calvin (509-422-3800 ext 0).

Bear Affair and Big Howl for Wolves At Woodland Park Zoo with Chris Morgan

• • Where: Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Washington
  • When: June 08, 2013
  • Time: 10 AM to 3:30 PM
  • Cost: Free with Zoo Admission or Membership

Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee North Cascades Sub-committee to Meet in Wenatchee

• • Where: City of Wenatchee, Chelan County Fire Station#1 Fire Hall (across from Forest Service Headquarters)
  • When: May 23, 2013
  • Time: 10 AM to 3 PM
  • Cost: Open to the Public

WWO/Northwest Bear Trailer to Visit Cabela’s

• • Where: Cabela’s outdoor equipment store, Marysville, Washington, Tulalip retail center
  • When: May 25, 2013
  • Time: and May 26 all day
  • Cost: Free
  • Come and learn how to tell the difference between a black bear and grizzly bear up close and personal. The Northwest Bear Trailer contains two black bear and grizzly bear taxidermy mounts, which can be experienced at close hand. In addition, WWO will demonstrate bear safety information, hand out colorful, information rich brochures, explain bear biology and ecology and have activities for children. The Northwest Bear Trailer is a joint project of WWO, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Forest Service.

Film Showing “Land of the Lost Wolves” in Chelan,WA

• • Where: Ruby Theater 135 E. Woodin Ave. PO Box 1351 Chelan, WA
  • When: May 23, 2013
  • Time: 7:00 pm
  • Cost: Free to the Public
  • The BBC production, “Land of the Lost Wolves” chronicles the exciting return of Gray Wolves to Washington State after an absence of 70 years. Spectacular footage of wild wolves and the adventures of biologists tracking them.

Great Bear Stake Out with Chris Morgan on Discovery Channel

• • Where: Your local Discovery Channel (This event is past: Keep Watch for future dates!)
  • When: May 12, 2013
  • Time: 9:00 PM
  • Cost: free

Wolves, Discovery to Recovery

• • Where: Methow Valley Interpretive Center, Twist Works, 5th Ave and Glover Street
  • When: April 28, 2013
  • Time: 5 PM
  • Cost: Free

WWO Earth Day Event

• • Where: Wild Birds Unlimited, Gardiner, Washington 27593 Hwy 101
  • When: April 20, 2013
  • Time: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Cost: free
  • WWO’s Lorna and Darrell Smith will be in Gardiner for a fun day of educational celebration of Earth Day. Learn about projects in pour own neighborhoods on the Olympic Peninsula that are taking actions to project conserve, rehabilitate and restore our native habitat, wildlife and resources. WWO will be demonstrating safe camping techniques and how to coexist with our region’s large carnivores. Food, Music, and Live Raptor displays.

WWO Earth Day Event

• • Where: Lions Club Park, Leavenworth, Washington
  • When: April 21, 2013
  • Time: Noon to 4 pm
  • Cost: free
  • WWO Wenatchee Area Field Coordinator, Gus Bekker will be at the Earth Day fair in Leavenworth on Sunday, April 21 at the Lions Club Park

WWO Earth Day Event

• Where: Forrest Bird Charter School Earth Day Event, 614 Madison St. Sand Point Idaho
• When: April 20, 2013
• Time: 11 am to 4 pm
• Cost: free
• Celebration of Earth Day and information on coexisting with large carnivores!

2012 Events

October

Issaquah Salmon Days, Issaquah, October 6-7

September

Wenatchee River Salmon Festival, Leavenworth, September 20-24

This fun-filled weekend for the whole family welcomes the return of the salmon. GBOP staff will be participating in providing information on bear safety tips, grizzly bear, black bear, cougar and wolf biology and ecology and the interwoven story of salmon and bears. For more information on the entire event, visit their website http://www.salmonfest.org.

Discover the Mountains and the Sea at Larrabee Festival, September 22nd 10am-4pm

Join GBOP staff at Larrabee State Park, 245 Chuckanut Drive, for this fun-filled and educational event. This day long festival will include geocaching, games, crafts, nature walks, educational talks, hands on demonstrations, live music and watershed hikes.

Skagit River Salmon Festival Saturday, Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon September 15

GBOP staff and volunteers will be on hand for the Skagit River Salmon Festival which will celebrate diverse partnerships between local, state and federal governments, tribal communities, local utilities, businesses and non-profit organizations to inspire conservation of the amazing Skagit River, its rich cultural history and abundant natural resources. The event will be a fun-filled experience for families featuring youth activities and crafts, recreational and educational booths, live music and cultural opportunities. Arts and crafts will be presented by local merchants along with food & beverage vendors. Through the day’s events and activities, participants will come away with a greater understanding and appreciation of our Skagit River, our salmon resources, and the many communities it sustains. Look for our table with lots of bear, cougar and wolf information for you and your family!

Mountaineers Outdoor Festival, Seattle, September 8, 2012

Come join us Saturday, Sept. 8 in Seattle for the Mountaineers Outdoor Fest in Magnuson Park in the heart of Seattle. GBOP will have a booth and give a talk on co-existing with carnivores. Don’t miss it! http://www.mountaineers.org/outdoorsfest/

August

Upper Wenatchee Watershed Fair, City of Plain, August 25

The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project staff will be participating in this yearly celebration of the Wenatchee watershed and its natural beauty and wildlife, as well as the human culture of the region. Talks and demonstrations will be given on how to live, work, and recreate safely in bear and cougar country. Free brochures and posters will be handed out as well as activities for kids.

June

Lorna Smith from the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project on “Grizzly Bear Outreach,”

7 p.m. June 2.

A series of talks are scheduled to learn about ways to enjoy summer weekends at the Gold Basin Campground Amphitheater.

Read the article and learn about additional events here.

GBOP at the Woodland Park Zoo

Join the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project and the Woodland Park Zoo for the annual “Bear Affair and Big Howl for Wolves” Saturday, June 9. Come and meet GBOP’s new Executive Director, Lorna Smith, her wildlife biologist husband, Darrell Smith and other GBOP staff and volunteers who will be there to help with this fun-filled and educational day for you, your family and friends. See you at the Zoo!

Read more about the event at the Woodland Park Zoo website here.

May

National Park Family Day 2012 – Connecting People to Parks

Saturday, May 19th, Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98118

On Saturday, May 19th the National Parks Conservation Association, National Park Service, and their partners will be hosting the 3rd Annual NW National Park Family Day at the Rainier Community Center in Seattle from 10am-4pm!

Northwest National Park Family Day is a free, family-friendly event filled with fun activities geared toward children and those unfamiliar with national parks of the Northwest, outdoor activities and conservation in general.

The goals for the event are to expose lower income and diverse communities to our national parks, outdoor activities, and environmental stewardship opportunities, to educate youth on employment opportunities within the National Park System, and to inspire children and adults to get outdoors and learn about the natural, cultural, and historical treasures found within National Parks. The event will also provide visibility for NPS, NPCA, and partner groups attending the event.

Last year, nearly 1,000 participants, volunteers, and staff were in attendance, including 25 on-site groups providing activities, demonstrations, and information for children and adults.

January

Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival

Every Saturday and Sunday in January

Travel to the beautiful Upper Skagit in January and take part in a number of exciting events. Choose to raft the majestic Skagit River, take a guided nature walk or attend a presentation by the renowned North Cascades pilot, John Scurlock. Rose Oliver from the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project will have an information table set up at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center in Rockport, on January 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd. Click here for more information.

Directions to the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center

Three Among the Wolves

Tuesday January 17th, 7pmREI Store, Olympia

Helen Thayer traveled to the virtually untouched Canadian Yukon Territory, above the Arctic Circle, to live within 100 feet of a wild wolf den. She spent a summer observing and documenting the daily lives and behaviors of the pack and returned in the winter to study the wolves’ interaction with the polar bears on the northern sea ice. Come hear stories and view photos detailing the remarkable story of wolves in their wild state, their pup care, hunts, and their social hierarchy explained.

Directions to the Olympia REI store

Wolves, Bears and Cougars, Oh My!

Saturday, January 28th at 1pm

Learn how to live, work and recreate with Washington’s native carnivores. GBOP’s Skagit and Whatcom County Field Coordinator, Rose Oliver, will present at the Concrete Theater as part of the Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival Events. Click here for more information and directions.

2011 Events

December

KCTS 9 and KUOW Present EarthFix

Wednesday, December 7

5:00 – 7:00 p.m

Co-Director Chris Morgan, host of PBS’ Nature, will be the keynote speaker. There will also be a panel discussion with key environmental stakeholders, including:

• James Rasmussen, Duwamish River Clean-Up
• Josh Baldi, Washington Department of Ecology
• Dr. Terrie Klinger, School of Marine and Environmental Affairs

Beer, wine and appetizers will be served. This event is free but seating is limited.

RSVP to events@KCTS9.org or 206.443.4298 by Thursday, December 1.

September

Elwha Dam Removal Celebration

Saturday, September 17
Join NPCA, National Park Service and others in celebrating the start of dam removal on the Elwha River in Olympic National Park. For more information, contact David G. Graves at dgraves@npca.org or 206-903-1444, x205

National Public Lands Day

Saturday, September 24
Join NPCA and Mount Rainier National Park for our annual volunteer event at Mount Rainier, repairing trails and restoring native vegetation. For more information, contact Bethany Van Etten at bvanetten@npca.org or (206) 903-1444, x206.

August

Understanding Grizzly Bears

Wednesday, August 24th, 7-8pm PST
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge’s Summer Lecture Series: Grizzly Bear Outreach Project Co-director Sharon Negri will be giving a one hour lecture followed by a brief question period at the visitor center of the Refuge which is located just off I 5 at Exit 114.

Directions to Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

July

Wolves and Wild Lands in the 21st Century

June 4 – September 5, 2011
Burke Museum

Read more.

Issaquah Highlands Day

Saturday, July 9th 10:00am – 5pm
Swedish Hospial 751 NE Blakely Drive, Issaquah

This year Highlands Day is a joint celebration with the grand opening of the new Swedish/Issaquah hospital. The entire family will enjoy a day of tours, free classes, cooking demos and loads of activities for the kids. There will be a giant inflatable obstacle course, carnival games and pony rides. GBOP’s Field Representative, Cathy Macchio, will be on hand to discuss safety tips for living and recreating in bear country. Take the bear quiz and see if you can tell the difference between a black and grizzly bear. Also, discover about the return of gray wolves to Washington.

Directions or to register for classes.

Wildlife Tracking: Adventure and Discovery

Wednesday, July 20 7:00pm
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia

Take an afternoon walk through the Nisqually River delta. Then join tracker and photographer David Moskowitz at the visitor center at 7pm for an evening of slides and stories about how to use wildlife tracking techniques as a window into the mysterious lives of wild animals. For more details, see the Nisqually Summer Lecture Series.

Directions to Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Wolves in the Pacific Northwest

Thursday, July 21 7pm
REI Flagship Store, Seattle

Wolves fishing for salmon? Swimming 10 km of open ocean? Wolves in the Cascades just as stones throw from Seattle? A mountain landscape inhabited by moose, caribou, grizzly bears, and wolves right here in Washington State? Join David Moskowitz, author of Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest, at the downtown Seattle REI for an evening of captivating images and stories about wolves in our region. Learn about wolves’ ecological and conservation role in our region’s diverse landscapes and their historic and contemporary cultural significance in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy stories and images of wolves and wild-lands from around or region from arid eastern Oregon to the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. Learn about cutting edge research on the species and how citizen scientists have helped document the presence and distribution of wolves and other rare carnivores across the region. Read more about the Monthly Nature Talks.

June

Bear Affair & Big Howl for Wolves

June 4th from 9:30am-3pm PST
Woodland Park Zoo

National Trails Day

Saturday, June 4
NPCA’s annual trail maintenance volunteer event at North Cascades National Park. For more information, contact Bethany Van Etten at bvanetten@npca.org or (206) 903-1444, x206.

Keystone Species Presentation

Saturday, June 18th 6pm
Birch Bay State Park Wildlife Theater

Join GBOP staff person, Rose Oliver, at the beautiful upper day use area of Birch Bay State Park for a presentation on Washington’s native grizzly bears, black bears and the return of the gray wolves. For more information please call 360.371.2800.

2nd Annual Northwest National Park Family Day – Bringing the Parks to the People

Saturday, June 25th 9:30am – 5pm
Mountaineers Program Center in Magnuson Park, Seattle

Family friendly event filled with fun activities for children and adults who are unfamiliar with the National Parks of the NW. Rangers will be giving presentations about the wonders of our National Parks. Hands on activities for kids including how to set-up a tent, camp cooking and nature hikes. GBOP field representative, Cathy Macchio, will be present to discuss bears, cougars and wolves. For more information contact Charla Ojala at 253-221-0973 or charla@cm-events.net.

Family Day – Seattle

Saturday, June 25
NPCA and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park host this annual event at The Mountaineers in Seattle to celebrate national parks. For more information, contact Bethany Van Etten at bvanetten@npca.org or (206) 903-1444, x206.

May

Chris Morgan on Nature Webchat

May 8th from 6-7pm PST (9-10pm EST), May 15th 9-10 pm PST (12-2pm EST)
Talk with GBOP’s Co-director Chris Morgan on a Nature Webchat at pbs.org on May 8th and May 15th.

Chris Morgan on David Letterman

Tuesday, May 10th
Watch the founder of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project ham it up with David Letterman on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Family Day – Vancouver

Saturday, May 14
Fort Vancouver and NPCA host this annual event at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to celebrate our parks. For more information, contact Kimm Fox-Middleton at kimmfox-middleton@nps.gov or (360) 816-6243.

Open House in New NPCA Office

Wednesday, May 18
NPCA will host an open house at our new office space at 1200 Fifth Ave, Suite 1925 in the financial district of downtown Seattle. For more information, contact Bethany Van Etten at bvanetten@npca.org or (206) 903-1444, x206.

Bear Awareness Day

Saturday, May 21st 9:30am – 5pm
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville

Watch Northwest Trek’s bears tear into a demonstration of an “unsafe” camp site and learn how to discourage bears from invading your camp site. Talk to the keeper who cares for the grizzly and black bears. Activities are FREE with admission.

Directions to NW Trek Wildlife Park.

April

Bears of the Last Frontier

Tuesday, April 19th 7 – 8:30pm
Village Books, 1200 11th St., Bellingham

GBOP founder Chris Morgan talks about his new book, “Bears of the Last Frontier.”

The book chronicles Morgan’s travels through Alaska during the filming of the PBS Nature documentary of the same name, as well as the challenges faced by the PBS TV crew in bringing this documentary to life. From these accounts, readers will gain an intimate understanding of Washington’s bears, their habitats, and the people with whom they share their land, as well as an informative look at the process of filming a nature documentary.

Bears of the Last Frontier will be available at book stores in early April. Suggested retail price is $35.00.

Coastal Cleanup

Saturday, April 23
NPCA will be leading a group of volunteers to the coast of Olympic National Park for this annual event to remove litter from the coast. For more information, contact Bethany Van Etten at bvanetten@npca.org or (206) 903-1444, x206.

MVHS Science Night

Thursday, April 28th 6 – 8:30pm
Mount Vernon High School Cafeteria

GBOP will have an exhibit at this family fun event. Science Night is a school and community event to increase student interest in science, to allow students to demonstrate the science they’ve learned, and to give students an opportunity to explore careers in science with local community members. For more information contact Heather at 360-428-6109 ext. 41245 or mvhssciencenight@gmail.com

Earth Day Project

Saturday, April 30th 10am – 2pm
The Lodge at Beaver Lake in Sammamish

Lots of family fun-take a passport tour of the booths to receive a prize, music, games and a fishing demo for kids. Learn about the local history from the Sammamish Heritage Society. Take a guided walk through the park and see a local raptor demonstration. Come get your questions answered about living working and recreating in bear, cougar and wolf country by GBOP Field Representative Cathy Macchio. For more information contact Dawn Sanders at 425-295-0556 or dsanders@ci.sammamish.wa.us.

Directions to Beaver Lake Lodge.

March

Bears of the North Cascades Ecosystem

Thursday March 31 – 7pm
Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center
127 S. Mission St. Wenatchee, WA

GBOP’s Highway 2 Field Representative, Gus Bekker, will be presenting a slide show on bear ecology, behavior, recovery, and safety tips for living, working and recreating in bear country. Learn about what to do if you see a bear and how to tell the difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear. Gus will also discuss the status of the grizzly bear and wolves in Washington State and how mountain communities have adapted to their presence. Connect to the Wenatchee Valley Museum for more information.

January

Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival

January 1-2nd, 8-9th, 15-16th, 22-23rd and 29-30th from 10-4pm
Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Rockport

GBOP will be joining staff from the North Cascades National Park, Skagit Wild and Scenic Rivers and the SARDIS Raptor Center, as well as several local artists and experts, to celebrate the return of the eagles to the Upper Skagit.

Directions to Bald Eagle Center

Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival Presentation

Saturday, January 29th – 2pm
Concrete Theater, 45920 Main St, Concrete

GBOP’s Skagit and Whatcom Field Coordinator, Rose Oliver, will be presenting a slide show on grizzly bear ecology, behavior, recovery, and safety tips for living, working, and recreating in bear country. Learn about what to do if you see a bear, and how to tell a difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear. Also, learn a bit about the return of gray wolves to Washington and how to tell the difference between a gray wolf and a coyote.