Chattermarks

Spring Printmaking Workshop at the Learning Center

Christen Kiser — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:00:13 +0000

During the last weekend in April, Seattle artist and North Cascades Institute friend and instructor Molly Hashimoto led a wonderful and inspiring 3-day Adult Seminar on Printmaking with Ink and Watercolor at the Environmental Learning Center. Each day, Molly shared basic printmaking techniques that helped to build tangible skills and deepen each artist’s unique and creative talents. [...]

Special event: Tim McNulty reads Robert Sund, Bellingham 5/15

Christian Martin — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:08:50 +0000

Notes from Disappearing Lake: The River Journals of Robert Sund A reading by Tim McNulty May 15, 2012; 7 pm Readings Gallery at Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham Join North Cascades Institute at Village Books’ Readings Gallery May 15 at 7 pm for a free reading from the new book Notes from Disappearing Lake: The [...]

Institute Celebrations of Spring

Christen Kiser — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:27:31 +0000

I think it may be safe to say that life is coming back to the North Cascades as of today, and yesterday, and even a few weeks ago! At first the change was so subtle it was barely recognizable, and we here at the North Cascades Institute were still clinging to the warmth of our [...]

Edible Geography: Perspectives and Practice in Foodshed Education

Mike Cuseo — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:00:40 +0000

With an Introduction Recounting Current Happenings in the Foodshed Project [We are excited to publish the fifth piece in our Foodshed series, with monthly updates from the amazing chefs working hard to provide program participants and staff at the Environmental Learning Center with sustainable, seasonal, and deliciously fresh food. In an age where the production and consumption of [...]

Bird Migrations at Ebey’s Landing

Jeff Anderson — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:00:06 +0000

This past Earth Day Weekend, the North Cascades Institute hosted the 3rd Anuual Migratory Bird Festival! The event was sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and brought people together from across western Washington for a day to explore the natural history of migratory birds and the cultural heritage of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve. Students [...]

April Adventures at Mountain School

Erin Soper — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:15 +0000

The month of April began with a week of Mountain School like no other I’ve experienced in the eight months I have lived, worked, and studied at North Cascades Institute. April showers, instead of bringing May flowers, brought the opportunity to co-teach with National Park Service Ranger, Carolyn Waters. A typical trail group generally consists of 8-12 [...]

Entering the Ethereal Forest

Christen Kiser — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:58:12 +0000

This past weekend dawned sunny and warm in the North Cascades, an unexpected delight for those of us electing to live out the winter in the solitude of the snow-capped peaks and hushed forests around the Environmental Learning Center. Although spring has reportedly been blooming down along the Skagit Valley, our world has remained snowy, [...]

Woodpecker Print: A Step-by-Step Demonstration

Christen Kiser — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:00:37 +0000

Contributed and written by talented Seattle-based artist and longtime North Cascades Institute Adult Seminar Instructor, Molly Hashimoto. [Please join North Cascades Institute this April 27th - April 29th for an exciting weekend workshop on Printmaking with Ink and Watercolor with Molly Hashimoto. In addition to exploring the wild landscape around the Environmental Learning Center as a source of inspiration, Molly will lead participants in a [...]

North Cascades Wild Stewardship at the Marblemount Native Plant Nursery

Kiira — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:19:00 +0000

On a cold and rainy March morning last weekend, North Cascades Wild 2012 students pulled into the Marblemount Wilderness Information Center with smiles. Piling out of North Cascades Institute vans piloted by staff Amy Brown and Tasha Lexin, 17 high school students from Whatcom and Skagit counties began their journeys with one of the Institute’s [...]

C10 Graduation: A Celebration of Endings and Beginnings

Christen Kiser — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:24:03 +0000

March 15th marked a day of celebration for Cohort 10 graduate students at the end of a long journey as they completed their Master’s in Environmental Education from Western Washington University and received certificates in Leadership and Nonprofit Administration from the North Cascades Institute. Institute staff and current Cohort 11 graduate students were joined by [...]

Some Food Considerations

Shelby Slater — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 17:25:17 +0000

[We are excited to publish the fourth piece in our Foodshed Series, with monthly updates from the amazing chefs working hard to provide program participants and staff at the Environmental Learning Center with sustainable, seasonal, and deliciously fresh food. In an age where the production and consumption of food are heavily disconnected, North Cascades Institute works hard to [...]

Following the Snowy Owls

Jess Newley — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:42 +0000

Since first moving to the Environmental Learning Center last August, many people have told me, “You must go see the snowy owls!” This advice has been on my radar since migratory birds began returning to their winter feeding grounds in the Skagit Valley. Who are these snowy owls that everybody speaks of? After doing some research, [...]

“Moral Ground” with Kathleen Dean Moore, March 18 @ Skagit Valley College

Christian Martin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:00:40 +0000

Because of humanity’s addiction to fossil fuels, we are warming our planet beneath a cloak of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Here in Washington State, rising temperatures and a warmer climate are causing our glaciers to melt faster than they can replenish themselves. This is leading us toward a future with less fresh water for [...]

Thor Hanson Talks About “FEATHERS”

Christen Kiser — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:21:03 +0000

In Thor Hanson’s book FEATHERS: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle (Basic Books; June 1, 2011) – recently awarded a Pacific Northwest Booksellers “Book of the Year” award — the San Juan Island-based conservation biologist blends his own field ornithology experiences from Africa to Antarctica with the work of paleontologists, biologists, engineers, art historians and even fashion designers [...]

Early Bird Special: Register for Institute Programs by 4/15 and Save

Christian Martin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:30:58 +0000

North Cascades Institute is celebrating the arrival of spring and a new year of exciting programs for people of all ages! Plan ahead to join us in the North Cascades (and beyond) for our most popular programs — Learning Center classes and retreat, field excursions, Sourdough Speaker Series – and take advantage of our Early [...]

Remote Medical International: An Amazing Contributor to North Cascades Institute

Justin Wallace — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:00:09 +0000

Assuming you studied the 2011 North Cascades Institute catalog closely, you may have noticed the lack of activities available at the Environmental Learning Center during the winter. As the studious person you are, the next obvious conclusion you would draw is that we close our doors, descend into hibernation, and wait for the snow to melt before [...]

White Peaks, Bluebird Skies, Flapping Wingbeats

Christen Kiser — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:30:26 +0000

As graduate students spending a year at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, winter is a contemplative and focused time – a time of respite from teaching Mountain School programs to work on group projects for our nonprofit and curriculum classes. This work, along with an in-depth research project on a Natural History topic of our [...]

The Animal Dialogues: A Natural History Book Reflection

Elise Ehrheart — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:14:38 +0000

In 2010, I completed a year-long bicycle tour through many countries famous for their exotic creepy crawlies and, while reading Craig Childs’ book The Animal Dialogues, I couldn’t help reflecting on the experiences I had with some of those creatures throughout that tour. The Animal Dialogues presents an exploration of the author’s uncommon encounters with animals, reptiles, [...]

A Habitat for Learning

Mike Cuseo — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:00:32 +0000

[We are excited to publish the third piece in our Foodshed Series, with monthly updates from the amazing chefs working so hard to provide program participants and staff at the Environmental Learning Center with sustainable, seasonal, and deliciously fresh food. In an age where the production and consumption of food are heavily disconnected, we work hard to preserve [...]

The Sweet Smell of Winter

Jeff Anderson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:42 +0000

For field biologists, winter is typically the time of year when we hunker down, pore over data, fix gear, drink lots of coffee, and dream of spring when our field season starts again. This winter is different. This year, the North Cascades Institute has traded excel spreadsheets for snowshoes and hot coffee for THE SMELLIEST SUBSTANCE [...]