Thank you for your support of The Nature Conservancy's work in Washington. Our members make it all happen. In appreciation, we offer occasional field trips exclusively for members. Watch this page for updates about field trip opportunities.
 

2008 Member Field Trips

Prairie Appreciation Day
Saturday, May 3  10 am–3pm
Join us for the 13th annual Prairie Appreciation Day near Olympia and learn what these South Puget Sound Prairies are all about. Flowers, birds, insects, geology and more. Plus lots of fun, hands-on activities and a hay ride!. We promise fun activities for all ages — a great family or class outing. Free, open to the public, no RSVP required.

FULL   Moses Coulee and Beezley Hills
Saturday, May 10
Join us as we wonder at wildflowers, watch for critters, and learn about geology and history in this expansive, arid landscape. Options to learn about pygmy rabbits, bats, birds, plants, restoration and more. Limited capacity. $10 fee (kids 12 and under free).

The Moses Coulee-Beezley Hills corridor of north central Washington supports some of the state’s best remaining shrub-steppe habitat, a mosaic as rare and precious as the West Side’s old-growth forests. This semi-arid landscape is home to several imperiled animals—from pygmy rabbits to spotted bats—as well as beautiful native plant communities. And it is here that The Nature Conservancy owns our biggest preserves in the state, totaling nearly 30,000 acres.

FULL   Tieton River Canyon
Saturday, May 10
On our field day members will get to pick a special area within the project to visit. Conservancy staff and local experts will lead tours to high ridgetops, rushing streams, basalt cliffs, narrow canyons, oak and ponderosa pine stands, and flower meadows. Limited capacity. $10 fee (kids 12 and under free).

Join in the excitement of this cool landscape-scale conservation project in central Washington. The Nature Conservancy and several partners have successfully preserved more than 10,000 acres in the Tieton River Canyon area near Yakima—and because of that effort we are now collaborating on the management of nearly 2 million acres! This region is prized by outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds: hikers, wildlife enthusiasts, geology buffs, hunters, anglers, river rafters, snowshoers and more. The Tieton project protects old-growth Ponderosa pine forest, miles of river and streams, and a host of rare and threatened animals.

FULL   Port Susan Bay
Saturday, June 28
* If you missed this trip, please consider attending one of our free public tours on the 3rd Saturday of every month, May through September. Learn more here.
Our Port Susan Bay Preserve safeguards some of the finest estuary habitat in Puget Sound, vital for salmon and other marine species. It is also located on the Pacific Flyway and attracts an amazing variety of migrating and resident birds—shorebirds, waterfowl, songbirds, raptors and more. To minimize disturbance to wildlife, this preserve is not generally open for visitation. So grab your binoculars and join us for a leisurely 2-mile walk. We'll enjoy the sights and sounds while we talk about the Conservancy's restoration efforts at this vital refuge. Limited capacity. $10 fee (kids 12 and under free).

Upper Skagit River field trip and Family Fest
Saturday, September 6
The Nature Conservancy has been working to protect the iconic Skagit River for more than 30 years. This year we'll visit the upper river—where it all began—to explore what makes it so special. Forests, mountains, streams and rivers provide all that the eagles, salmon, bears, deer and friends require. Join us for a walk to hear the tale. Then stick around! This year we are joining with our friends at the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group to host a fun Family River Fest, conveniently right where we all met up to start the day. This festival is right on the river and will be a casual, family-friendly celebration with hands on fun - and food! - for everyone. Limited capacity and $10 fee (kids 12 and under free) for the walks. No charge and plenty of room for the festival.

FULL   Ellsworth Creek
Saturday, September 13
Join Conservancy staff for tours in the Willapa Hills area of southwest Washington. You can spend a fine autumn day exploring the forests, streams and estuaries in and around the vital Ellsworth Creek Preserve, where the Conservancy is busy with on-the-ground research and restoration. Come see why this place is so special, and learn how the Conservancy's work here is affecting many more acres in the Willapa Bay area and beyond. Shuttles through the watershed, short walks, and hopefully a visit to Long Island. Limited capacity, $25 fee (kids 12 and under free).

Registration

To learn more or to sign up for a trip, please e-mail Jeff Compton or call us at (206) 436-6272 or 1-800-351-1795.

All Nature Conservancy members in Washington are invited to join us for these fun trips. We’ve planned a variety of relaxed, family-friendly activities. For the sake of these preserves and those exploring them, most of these trips have limited capacity. For such outings we will fill slots on a first-come, first-served basis. Please leave your pets at home. 

Please Note: Our field trips fill rapidly. Please do email us if you hope to go on one of our trips. We will continue to register everyone in turn, and will get back to you to let you know if you made it onto a field trip or have been placed on a waiting list.  We are glad these places are so popular, and only wish we could take everyone who wishes to go. Thank you for your support and understanding. 
 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Photographer/Org (prickly pear cactus); Photo © Photographer/Org (cheetah); Photo © Photographer/Org; Photo © Photographer/Org (scientist).