ProgramSchedule

Feb-March2017

Winter Building Hours (January - April):open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am-5pmGroups by appointment

32750 Eagle River RoadEagle River, AK 99577(907) 694-2108 www.ernc.org

NEW! Register online at www.ernc.orgSome programs and all workshops are marked “Registration required”. We’re updating our website so that you can now register online. Click on Public Programs to find the program of interest, then View Full Details for the Registration button.

Friday, February 3, 7pmAstronomy Series:CASSINI: THE GRAND FINALETonight’s presentation is by Terry Drake. The Cassini orbiter is fast approaching the final phase of its mission to explore Saturn and its complex system of rings and moons. After almost 20 years in space, the Cassini mission will end in 2017 when the spacecraft plunges into the upper atmosphere of the gas giant planet, burning up like a meteor. The Astronomy Series meets monthly on the first Friday evening. If skies are clear, be ready to go outside to view the night sky (bring your own binoculars or telescope to share). Students ages 10 and up can earn a Jr.Astronomer certificate and astronomy supplies after attending four programs.

Saturday, February 4, 11amSpecial Event ($30 fee; registration required):ICY RIVER RAMPAGEThis 10/20-mile winter bike race is a fundraiser for the Nature Center. The race, part of the Chain Reaction Cycles Alominable Snow Series, will start and end at the Center, with some riding on the frozen Eagle River. Awards, bonfire and BBQ after the race. Entry fee is $30 if pre-registered or $35 on race day. Details at www.ernc.org.

Fattire racers on the frozen Eagle River

Sunday, February 5, 11am – Special time!Special Workshop (Free; registration required):CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING FOR BEGINNERS Never been on skis before, or would like some tips to get more comfortable? Join volunteer Lilly Goodman-Allwright for an introductory class in cross-country skiing (not skate skiing). Bring own equipment and dress in non-cotton layers. In case of lack of snow, we will instead discuss skiing tips, gear, and places to go. Limited to the first 12 people (ages 10 & up) registered online or at 694-2108.

Saturday, February 11, 2pmJr. Naturalist Program: LIFE UNDER THE SNOWAn insulating blanket of snow helps plants and animals survive the cold. Learn about animals who depend on snow and live in the subnivean zone. We’ll go outside and look for tunnels and other signs of life beneath the snow. Please note: The Nature Center closes at 3pm today.

Saturday, February 11, 5:30-9pmSpecial Event (Tickets $100/person):NIGHT WITH THE STARS: BEYOND EARTHOur guest speaker is author and public radio show host Charles Wohlforth. Mr. Wohlforth’s recently published book “Beyond Earth” offers groundbreaking research and argues persuasively that not Mars but Titan offers the most realistic and thrilling prospect of life without support from Earth. Mr. Wohlforth has won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Science and Technology, among many other awards. Appetizers, dinner and dessert provided by Chefs Alayna Cuddy and Naomi Everett. Wine and beer courtesy of Specialty Imports and Broken Tooth Brewery. Tickets are $100/person; tables of 8 available. Reservations at www.ernc.org or 694-2108.

Sunday, February 12, 2pmAll Ages Program: ANIMAL SWEETHEARTSLove is in the air and we’re not the only species on the planet with interesting pair-bond and mating rituals. Discover the amazing world of pheromones, mating routines, and brilliant displays of affection in the animal world with volunteer Ginamaria Smith.

Saturday, February 18, 2pmAll Ages Program: ALASKAN DINOSAURSIt’s true -- dinosaurs lived in Alaska! Paleontologist Philip Bottrell will give an overview of recent discoveries and discuss how these incredible beasts could have survived the long nights and cold temperatures of Mesozoic Alaska.

Saturday, February 18, 7pmArmchair Travel Series:OMAN AND ZANZIBARExplore exotic and travel-friendly Oman and Zanzibar with local Geography teacher and Fullbright scholar Michelle O’Leary. She will share her experiences traveling with the University of Arizona’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies in the summer of 2016, and discuss historical and modern connections between these two fascinating countries.

Sunday, February 19, 2pmAll Ages Program:ALASKA WILDERNESS SEARCHWhen someone does not return from an afternoon ski or from an overnight backpacking trip, you call 911. What happens next? How do state troopers and volunteer search and rescue groups work together to find the subjects and return them safely to friends and families? If you are the person missing, what can you do to make it easier for search teams to find you? Presenter Dean Knapp has been a volunteer with Alaska Mountain Rescue Group for 17 years and has managed several large wilderness searches. He will give an overview of the search process, illustrated with examples from searches in Southcentral Alaska.

Saturday, February 25, 2pmAll Ages Program: OWLS of ALASKAWhooo’s there? How many types of owls call Alaska home, and where can you find them? Join volunteer Ginamaria Smith and her live great horned owl to discover some of the fascinating habits of Alaskan owls, followed by a discussion of favorite places to go owling.

Sunday, February 26, 2pmAll Ages Program: TRACKS AND TRAPSVolunteers Sandy Halstaed and John Ferguson will talk about animal tracking as well as trapping. If you’re a dog owner, you’ll want to know where you might encounter traps within Chugach State Park, as well as how to release a dog from a trap if it should get caught. Weather permitting, we’ll go on a short walk to look for tracks after the indoor portion of the program.

Friday, March 3, 7pmAstronomy Series: CELESTIAL NAVIGATIONFind out how early explorers navigated the seas using nothing more than the North Star, the Southern Cross, a magnetic needle, a clock, and the sun at high noon. The presentation features Captain James Cook’s 1778 search of the Alaska coastline, hoping to find the Northwest Passage. Presenter Dean Knapp (not an astronomer) is a search and rescue volunteer who still uses latitude and longitude to direct rescue helicopters. Tonight is the last Astronomy program for the season; the series will resume in October (see Feb 3 for more information). Junior Astronomers will be recognized today.

Saturday, March 4, 9am-5pmSpecial Workshop ($75; registration required):WINTER LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Learn more about your digital camera and outdoor photography in this all-day intensive workshop. After a brief classroom introduction, you will head out on the trails to sharpen your skills with photographer Colin Tyler Bogucki. Attendees must provide their own camera gear (digital SLR only, no smartphone cameras) and be prepared to hike up to 5 miles throughout the day. Cost $75, including day parking pass. Limited to 10 people Register online or at 694-2108.

Saturday, March 4, 7-9pmGuided Walk (Free; registration required):FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENING OWL WALK Join volunteer Liza Sanden on a 2-3 mile walk along the Albert Loop to listen for owls and learn about their nesting habits. Please note that this is a silent hike in the dark. Children need to be able to remain quiet so we can listen for owls calling. Use of flashlight is limited to preserve night vision. Limited to the first 15 people registered online or at 694-2108.

Sunday, March 5, 2pmAll Ages Program: NATURE’S MEDICINE CABINETDid you know that willows contain salicin, nature’s aspirin? Cottonwood buds have long been used to make “Balm of Gilead”, a healing skin salve. Devil’s club, while not exactly a hiker’s friend, is valued for many medicinal properties. Naturalist Ute Olsson will discuss traditional uses of woody plants, followed by a special workshop to make some of these products (see below).

Sunday, March 5, 3pmSpecial Workshop ($25; registration required):MAKING HERBAL PRODUCTSNaturalist Ute Olsson will teach how to make infusions from botanicals and then use these to make salves and liniments. You will get lots of recipes and take home samples. Cost $25; Register online or at 694-2108.

Friday, March 10, 2pmJunior Naturalist Program (registration required):TO BUILD A FIREMichael “Gus” Gustafson knows how to stay warm when left out in the cold. Learn how to build a fire using flint and steel. Limited to 12 children (ages 6 and up) registered online or at 694-2108.

Friday, March 10, 7pmOWL TALK AND WALK(registration required for guided walk only):Owl enthusiast Enric Fernandez will present an informative slide show about Alaskan owls (open to all; no registration needed). This is followed by a 2-3 mile walk, limited to 20 people registered online or at 694-2108.

Saturday, March 11, 2pmJr. Naturalist Program (registration required):“GROSS” ANATOMYHave you ever dissected an owl pellet? Here’s your chance to reassemble the skeleton of the rodent or whatever the owl had for dinner – it’s gross fun! Limited to 12 children registered online or at 694-2108.

Eagle River Nature Center SPRING Program Schedule

Sunday, March 12, 2pmAll Ages Program: POLAR LABS PROJECT Change is both the subject and the medium of this series by artist David Pettibone. A large cottonwood at the Eagle River Nature Center becomes a constant against which change is measured -- in the form of numerous drawings, watercolors and oils from May 2016 to May 2017. This work is part of the Anchorage Museum’s Polar Lab Projects, a look at the contemporary and future North through exhibitions and programs.

Friday, March 17, 10am - 4pmSpecial workshop ($20; Registration required):OUTDOOR SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR TEENS Spend a fun day with us practicing skills like building fires, shelters, snowshoeing and more. Lunch is provided – you’ll be cooking it yourself over the fire you make! Dress for spending much of the day outside (with heated building nearby). Bring backpack with water bottle, snack and extra non-cotton layers. Cost is $20 including lunch. Limited to 10 teens registered online or at 694-2108.

Friday, March 17, 11amGuided Walk for Families with Preschoolers:LITTLE EXPLORERSJoin us on Fridays for a short walk to explore nature at the pace of a preschooler. Bring a snack or sack lunch to eat with new friends after the walk. No registration is needed

Saturday, March 18, 2pmJunior Naturalist Program (K-6th):ESKIMO STORYTELLINGLeona Bennet-Sandlin is a Yupik Eskimo educator born and raised in Bristol Bay. She enjoys teaching about Alaska native culture through storytelling, and will explore basic concepts of Yupik Eskimo interactions with nature.

Saturday, March 18, 8pm-1am

Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) over Eagle River Valley

Special Workshop ($75; registration required):NIGHTTIME & AURORA PHOTOGRAPHYNighttime photography during winter can be challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. Photographer Colin Tyler Bogucki will teach participants how to properly expose the night sky using a digital SLR (not smartphone) camera, as well as how to stay informed on solar activity. Attendees must provide their own camera gear, tripod, head lamp, and be prepared for hiking in cold weather. Cost is $75, including day parking pass. Limited to 10 people registered online or at 694-2108.

Sunday, March 19, 2pmAll Ages Program:IN SEARCH OF THE WATER OUZELThe only truly aquatic songbird, the American dipper is also called the water ouzel. Join naturalist Samantha Russell to learn about this Eagle River valley winter resident who likes to hang around the viewing decks along the Rodak Trail.

Friday, March 24, 11amGuided Hike for Families with Preschoolers:LITTLE EXPLORERS See March 17 for description.

Saturday, March 25, 10am -3:30pmSpecial Workshop ($85; registration required):NATURAL DYE WORKSHOPSeveral natural dyes have provided reliable lightfast and washfast colors as far back as 2600 BCE, including indigo, madder root, cochineal and weld. In this hands-on workshop with Elissa Meyers, you will learn the basics of creating color on fiber using these historical dyes. Leave the workshop with silk/wool/cotton swatches and a shibori-resisted totebag. Bring snack/lunch and also a prewashed item to dye -- in case there’s time and enough dye left at the end of the workshop. For questions, contact blueredyellow.designs@gmail.com. Cost $85, including day parking pass. Limited to 10 people registered online or at 694-2108.

Saturday, March 25, 7pmArmchair Travel Series:AUSTRALIA and the GREAT BARRIER REEF

Experience the “Land Down Under”! Photographer Colin Tyler Bogucki took a 3600 mile road trip from Sydney to Wilson’s Promotory, the Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island and the Outback. Susan Watkins and husband Jon travelled to Queensland

and went diving at the Great Barrier Reef.

Sunday, March 26, 2pmAll Ages Program: WOODPECKERS How do woodpeckers peck without getting headaches? This and other questions will be addressed by naturalist Beth Baker -- learn more about these amazing birds. Woodpeckers are frequent visitors to winter feeders (remember to stop feeding birds when bears start coming out of hibernation). Soon, we will be hearing woodpeckers “drumming” as they get ready for the mating season.

Friday, March 31, 11amGuided Hike for Families with Preschoolers:LITTLE EXPLORERS See March 17 for description.

American dipper

Downy woodpecker

Eagle River Nature Center SPRING Program Schedule

Eagle River Nature Center32750 Eagle River RoadEagle River, AK 99577(907) 694-2108

www.ernc.org

Non-profit OrganizationUS Postage PaidAnchorage, AK

Permit # 69

What are some kid-friendly options?Please note: children always need to be accompanied by an adult.LITTLE EXPLORERS HIKES are designed for families with preschoolers ages 2-5. This is a short guided walk (<1 mile) aimed at exploring nature at the pace of the child (siblings welcome). No registration needed. Length is approximately 1 hour.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY HIKES are guided walks of 2-3 miles designed for families with school-aged children (siblings welcome). Pre-registration is required. Length is approximately 2 hours.

KNEEHI NATURALIST PROGRAMS are themed nature-based educational programs designed for families with preschoolers ages 2-5 (no school-age siblings, but babies ok). Pre-registration is required. Length is 1 hour. Held only during the summer.

* JUNIOR NATURALIST PROGRAMS are themed nature-based education programs designed for families with children in grades K-6. Most are walk-in, but a few do require pre-registration. Length is approximately 1-1.5 hours.

* ALL-AGES PROGRAMS are general audience adult programs deemed accessible to older school-aged children with a special interest in the topic. Walk-in. Length is approximately 1-1.5 hours.

* School-age children can earn their Junior Naturalist Badge by attending 12 programs. Ask at the front desk to start a punch card. Cards are punched only for programs designated as Jr. Naturalist Program or All- Ages Program, but not for guided walks or craft programs.

Special thanks to Alyeska Pipeline Service Co for sponsoring the Junior Naturalist Program.

Dick Griffith Matching Challenge 2016-17

Legendary adventurer Dick Griffith is back to match up to $5000 of every contribution received through April 2, 2017. Dick’s adventures are chronicled in Kaylene Johnson’s book “Canyons and Ice”, but at the Nature Center he is best known for helping build the pubic use cabin, boardwalks and trails. Dick Griffith is the organization’s first volunteer and board member and he continues to support us with his generous annual challenge. Thank you Dick and everyone making a matching donation!

$500 + donors will receive an engraved giving leaf to be added to our Giving Tree. Maximum of 10 words.

To donate, go to www.ernc.org or call 694-2108.

Dick Griffith will acknowledge donors and present a program on April 2nd at the Nature Center. All donors will also be recognized in our newsletter and website.

Save these Dates:

Feb 4: Icy River RampageFeb 11: Night with the Stars