Community Education at the ELC

Show your love of the ELC by volunteering at Stewardship Saturday events! Join other community members in various activities to enhance wildlife habitat, including pulling invasive plants, mulching and clearing trails. Coffee, tea, snacks and all necessary tools and equipment will be provided. Dress to be outside.

When: First Saturday of every month
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Who: All ages and abilities are welcome, no experience necessary
Where: Environmental Learning Center
What: Onsite volunteer opportunities

• Dec. 2, 2023
• Jan. 6, 2024
• Feb. 3, 2024
• March 2, 2024
• April 6, 2024
• May 4, 2024
• June 1, 2024
• July 6, 2024

Sign up to volunteer

Join us for the winter 2024 series on how to garden with less water, manage too much stormwater and generally provide a healthier habitat for birds, pollinating insects and more. Each week, experts will share their experience, stories and best practices. There will be plenty of time for discussion, so come prepared with your garden questions.

2024 Program Offerings

When: Thursdays, Jan. 25-March 7, 2024
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Cost: Free
Who: Anyone interested in home gardening for wildlife and water quality
Where: Zoom (virtual), link will be provided upon registration

Speakers and Session Descriptions: Coming soon!

• Jan. 25: Connecting the Pieces of our Urban Ecosystems
• Feb. 1: Take a Walk on the Wild Side: The remarkable wild bees of Oregon (and how to welcome them to your backyard),
  Feb. 8: Garden Smart for the Changing Climate
• Feb. 15: Friend or Foe?  How to Identify Invasive Plants in Our Backyards
• Feb. 22: Companion Planting for Clean Water
• Feb. 29: Plants and Fungal Networks
• March 7: What Tree Should I Plant?

Special thanks to our sponsor, Clackamas Water Environment Services and our community partners: Clackamas River Basin Council, Clackamas River Water Providers, Oak Lodge Water Services and North Clackamas Watersheds Council.

Registration coming soon!

Please join us for our second annual Bioblitz!

When: Saturday, July 8, 2023, 8 a.m.-noon. Two guided walks happening at the top of every hour.

• 8 a.m. is reserved for ages 14+. This group will be inputting data into the iNaturalist app.
• All ages are welcome at the 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. time slots.

Where: Environmental Learning Center at CCC
Cost: Free (registration required)
Registration: Bioblitz at the Environmental Learning Center
What:

• The Bioblitz is an event that offers guided exploration of the ELC - to explore the wetland, collect data, and learn about the native flora and fauna.
• Guided walks, led by local experts, will begin at the top of every hour. People are asked to pre-register for this free event.
• Designed for all ages and ability levels
• Local organizations will have activities and information near the ELC entrance to provide visitors with information from other community-based environmental organizations.
• Water, coffee and snacks provided

A Bioblitz event takes a snapshot of the biodiversity, or variety of life, in a specific place. Students, scientists, naturalists and other community members join together to find and identify as many plants, animals and other organisms as possible in a short period of time.

Thank you to our Bioblitz sponsor, Clackamas Water Environment Services!

This is a collaborative event with our partner, Greater Oregon City Watershed Council. We are grateful for the leadership of two AmeriCorps volunteers, Willow and Sam.

Register for BioBlitz

Come check out galaxies, stars and the moon! Rose City Astronomer volunteers will share highlights through their telescopes. Meet at the athletics fields across from the Environmental Learning Center. Bring chairs, blankets, and binoculars.

Free and open to all!

Where: The athletics field, near the Environmental Learning Center at the Oregon City campus
When: July 21, 2023, from 9-11 p.m.
Cost: Free

If you have any questions, reach out to Rose City Astronomers at mike.reitmajer@rosecityastronomers.org.