Northwest Nature Shop

Mushroom Identification Hike
2018-11-11 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Denver) | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Join our local FUNgal expert Mike Potts for a walk through the woods and learn your way around the world of wild fungi. The emphasis will be on finding fungi and learning something about identification and the diversity of mushroom species. Edible and poisonous varieties will be discussed. Meet at the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland at 10:00 am to carpool. Return to Ashland by 3:00 pm. Be prepared for adverse weather. Wear appropriate hiking shoes, bring a water bottle, a lunch, and rain gear. Cost is $30 per person per hike. Space is limited so sign up early! Call 541-482-3241 to sign up or email northwestnatureshop@gmail.com

Owl Pellet Gross Science!
2018-10-28 15:00 - 17:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States
The Northwest Nature Shop will be celebrating Halloween with Gross Science! We will be learning about owl ecology by dissecting owl pellets and using bone keys to determine what owls eat. If you like birds, bones or just gross science this is the activity for you! Join us at the NW Nature Shop on Sunday October 28th from 3-5pm.

The Conundrum of "Megafires" - talk with Dennis Odion PhD
2018-10-24 18:30 - 20:00 | OR
Join us for either/or both a fire Talk & Walk:
October 24th TALK: “Megafires” are increasingly damaging to people and their assets. We constantly hear that “active management” of forests is a cannot-miss solution with highly desired fringe benefits.
But, what is “active management”? Can it live up to the hype? This Talk will explore these questions.
October 26th WALK: The follow up field trip to Grizzly Peak will complement the presentation by focusing on the ecological effects of crown (severe) fire in our forests. More details and RSVP here.

Dennis Odion, Ph.D is an ecologist interested in vegetation pattern and process. He has studied fire behavior and effects via field experiments and geographical methods. He previously monitored fires as a vegetation manager and field technician in northern California, gaining valuable practical experience with fire suppressed forests, and on the subject of living with fire.
Dr. Odion has also studied the resiliency of fire-specialized species. He has lived in Ashland since 2000.

Mushroom Identification Hike!
2018-10-14 10:00 - 15:00 | OR

Ashland Mushroom Fair
2018-10-13 10:00 - 16:00 | OR
Mark your calendars – our acclaimed mushroom fair is back! Join the Northwest Nature Shop and local mushroom experts, enthusiasts, and connoisseurs for a day of FUNgal explorations!
We’ll have craft booths, food, demo’s, and local organizations in the Nature Shop alley between 10am – 4pm, and opportunities for local mushroom walks with Mike Potts, local mushroom expert and photographer.
Stay tuned for details to come!
Email NorthwestNatureShop@gmail.com if you are an interested vendor or educator.

Going Nuts for Oaks: Ethnobotany and Cuisine of the Might Oak
2018-10-07 10:00 - 13:00 | OR
Join a culinary adventure into world of oaks and acorn food and eat your way into the oak web of life. A presentation by ethnobotanist and forester, Jolie Elan of the Go Wild Institute will cover fascinating oak ecology and ethnobotany and will be followed by a hands-on playshop to handcraft acorn flour and taste yummy acorn cakes.
Learn how to identify local oaks and how oaks are woven into world mythologies and cultures. Ages 8 and up. $30 per individual.
RSVP: This event will fill fast, pay in advance to hold your spot: at the Northwest Nature Shop 154 Oak St., Ashland or call 541-482-3241

Hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail: stories from Steve Cossin
2018-09-27 18:30 - 19:30 | OR
What it’s like to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail? Join local resident Steve Cossin as he shares stories and humor from his 5 month experience from Mexico to Canada on foot, from deserts to whiteout blizzards, on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.
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Learn more about why every July and August, here in Ashland, it seems as though we are invaded by dirt clad, backpack toting, short shorts sporting men and women? Ashland is an outstanding spot for PCT thru-hikers resupplying and resting before returning to their 2,650 mile trek through the mountains.

Movie Night in the Alley
2018-09-20 18:30 - 22:00 | OR
Fun, casual, and educational – it’s an outdoor film night! Join us for our first Movie Night in the Nature Shop alleyway. We will be showing a couple of short wildlife films featuring stories from the Pacific Northwest. This event is free and family friendly! We will have chairs available, but all are welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Delicious empanadas will be available for purchase from the CABA food truck.
Food available: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Featured films: 8pm – 9:30pm
Searching for the Gold Spot: The Wild after Wildfire
is a film about the rapid and amazing comeback of the wild in forests after wildfire. The story follows teams of scientists through the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades Mountains and beyond, and shows hundreds of living, breathing reasons why our publicly owned forests need to be saved from large-scale logging projects. Watch the trailer.
Last Stand: The Vanishing Caribou Rainforest
is a cinematic journey into the tragically threatened world of endangered mountain caribou, their home in the world’s largest remaining inland temperate rainforest, and the critical human choices that will ultimately decide the fate of this stunning ecosystem. Watch the trailer.

Sponsored by Northwest Nature Shop and the Siskiyou Film Festival

Autumn Skygazing Party - CANCELED
2018-09-09 08:30 - 22:00 | OR
The AUTUMN SKYGAZING PARTY is CANCELED due to smoky skies. Stay tuned to future skygazing parties!
Whether you are an experienced star gazer or you have never looked through a telescope come to the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. to view a variety of celestial wonders through telescopes provided by volunteer astronomers from Southern Oregon Skywatchers. We’ll celebrate and share the beauty of our night skies: double stars, globular clusters, open clusters and planetary nebula. Volunteer astronomers will be on hand to help you get the most out of the night skies. Bring binoculars if you have them.
Free event, no pre-registration necessary.

The Genius of Maria Merian: free talk
2018-08-30 18:30 - 19:30 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
In the mid-1600s, most people believed frogs, mice, and insects generated spontaneously from mud, dung or dead animals, and were evidence of the devil’s presence. Young Maria Sibylla Merian collected insects and recorded metamorphosis by painting insects in secret. Her very passions put her at risk of being charged, sentenced, and executed for being a witch. She radically broke the mores of her day and changed science in her lifetime. A hundred years later, her paintings and methods influenced other naturalists including the young ornithologist Audubon.
Speaker Jari Thymian is a full-time traveling RVer. Along with her husband Greg, she volunteers for extended periods in state and national parks, historic sites, wildlife refuges and hatcheries as interpretive tour guide and jack-of-all trades. They’re in their sixth year of adventure and have volunteered at nine sites in six states. Jari caught and preserved her first insects starting in Minnesota 4-H in the 1960s.

Kid's Science Workshop: Create with Snap Circuits
2018-08-23 13:00 - 15:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Kids ages 6 and up will have enjoy learning electronics in this fun-filled workshop. Using Snap Circuits, we’ll introduce kids to the basic properties of electricity and electronics. They will learn the fundamentals behind circuitry and how circuits are used in all of the technological devices we use today.
Kids will create circuits using snap circuit components. Free. Drop in 1-3 pm on Thursday August 23rd at Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. Ashland. For more information 541-482-3241.

Paper Airplanes & Aeronautics: Free Crafternoon for Kids
2018-08-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Fun indoor smoke-free kids activities continue at Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. Ashland on Thursday August 16th 1-3 pm. Join student Zac for paper airplane making, and become fascinated with an introduction to the mechanics of flight. We will gather at 1pm indoors (with a/c!), but drop-ins are welcome anytime before 2:30pm. All supplies included.
Recommended for ages 4 – 12. This event is free and all are welcome to attend.

Progressive Fire Management: talk with Richard Fairbanks
2018-08-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Join us for this free talk! During this fire season, take some time to learn about some of the best practices that land managers can use and how to work with fire as a tool for forest health.

It’s more important now, more than ever, to learn about forest fire and practical implications for the modern human relationship. A presentation on progressive fire management, describing how managed fire supports ecosystem structure and function while protecting life and property, with a special emphasis on SW Oregon.

Richard Fairbanks, living in the Applegate OR, has 30 years experience with fire management and a career with the USDA Forest Service. Richard was Interdisciplinary Team Leader for the Biscuit Fire Recovery Project after the 2002 Biscuit Fire.

Rubik's Cube Demo and Workshop
2018-08-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Fun indoor smoke-free kids activities continue at Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. Ashland on Thursday August 9th 1-3 pm with a kids Rubik’s Cube Demo and Workshop. Enhance your Rubik’s Cube skills at Northwest Nature Shop as kid experts demonstrate solving the puzzle in 30 seconds and then offer tips and tricks for learning the basic method of solving the 3×3 cube. Bring your own Rubik’s Cube or there will be Rubik’s cubes available for purchase.

Make Animal Masks! Free Crafternoon at Northwest Nature Shop
2018-08-08 14:00 - 16:00 | OR
The smoke is still around so let’s get together and craft! Fun indoor smoke-free kids activities continue at Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. Ashland. On Wednesday August 8th 2-4 pm we’ll Make Animal Masks. We’ll have a variety of animal mask templates to choose from, and decorate them together in the cool purified air of the shop. Join us at any time between 2-4pm. Recommended for ages 4-10, but all are welcome. No registration necessary. Free

Origami Crane Mobile: Free Crafternoon at the Northwest Nature Shop
2018-08-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Join the Northwest Nature Shop for a free kid’s crafternoon and creature your very own elegant mobile of Origami Cranes. All supplies included.
Recommended for ages 8-18
Please sign up in-store or call 541 483 3241 for RSVP at the 3pm or 4pm time slots – space is limited.

Slime Time. Make Slime! Free Kid's Crafternoon at the Northwest Nature Shop
2018-08-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Come take refuge in the air conditioning, and bring the kids in for some slime time! A surprisingly no-mess activity that kids enjoy, will be led by Northwest Nature Shop owner Marie Uhtoff. All supplies will be included. Wednesday August 1st, come anytime between 1-3 pm.
This is a FREE Crafternoon at the Northwest Nature Shop – we aim to inspire creativity and science connection. Please join us!

Wild Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk at Mt. Ashland Meadows
2018-07-14 10:00 - 16:00 | OR
Explore the amazing wild edible and healing plants of the Mount Ashland. Join the Northwest Nature Shop and Jolie Elan of the GoWild Intitute for a walk to learn about wild edible plants on the Pacific Crest Trail in the Mt. Ashland Meadows. Recognized as a Forest Service ‘botanical area,’ this spectacular portion of the Siskiyou Crest is home to hundreds of plant species and dozens of rare and endemic flowers.
We will be introduced to basic botanical identification skills in order to distinguish common plant families and poisonous species. Join a fabulous group of folks as we discover how Mama Earth can nourish and heal us.
Note: we will not be harvesting plants, to minimize our impact in this frequented locale.
Terrain: Easy – At 7,000ft elevation, it is the perfect place to escape the valley heat and enjoy the evening. We will walk an easy 1-2 miles.
Bring: Sturdy shoes, sun protection, small backpack, water bottle, snacks, light jacket for the montane weather changes. Optional and encouraged: Notebook and pen, flora guidebooks, magnifiers, your curiosity and enthusiasm
Carpool meeting at the Northwest Nature Shop at 10am, returning by 4pm
$20/adult, RSVP at the Northwest Nature Shop or 541 482-3241

Summer Skygazing Party
2018-07-13 21:00 - 22:00 | OR
Summer Sky Party at Northwest Nature Shop Friday July 13th 9 pm

Whether you are an experienced star gazer or you have never looked through a telescope come to the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St. on Friday July 13th 9-10 pm to view a variety of celestial wonders through telescopes provided by volunteer astronomers from Southern Oregon Skywatchers. We’ll celebrate and share the beauty of our night skies. Jupiter and Saturn will possibly be viewed along with double stars, globular clusters, open clusters and planetary nebula. Volunteer astronomers will be on hand to help you get the most out of the night skies. Free. Bring binoculars if you have them. No pre-registration necessary.

Wildfire on the Siskiyou Crest: Miller Complex 2017 Case Study
2018-07-12 18:30 - 20:00 | OR
Come learn about the keystone process of our forests; fire is essential and beneficial for our forests’ health. The Miller Complex burned in and around the Red Buttes Wilderness Area, south of Applegate Reservoir in the summer of 2017 on 36,000 acres. The fire burned through a variety of habitats creating a rich pattern of fire severity and enhancing the region’s exceptional biodiversity. Come hear from Luke Ruediger, of the Siskiyou Field Office of the Klamath Forest Alliance, and explore the burns’ ecological implications, fire severity, and fire suppression impacts.
Luke Ruediger is a local naturalist, environmental activist and fire ecologist working for the Klamath Forest Alliance. He works to document the actual on-the-ground effects of wildfire in our region. He runs a program exploring local wildfires and wildfire management called, the Klamath-Siskiyou Fire Reports. Each fall when the smoke has cleared, Luke is out hiking the season’s wildfires, assessing the fire effects and long term implications. He is the author of “The Siskiyou Crest” and this last fall he wrote the Salmon August Fire Report, Eclipse Fire Report and Miller Complex Fire Report.

Block Party - July First Friday Artwalk
2018-07-06 17:00 - 20:00 | OR
Come on out for First Friday Artwork in the Nature Shop alleyway along with Escape Ashland, and Bestow & Bloom. All are welcome to join the party! We’ll have food – Dos Hermanos taco truck and Wasana Thai – music – Justin Gordon and AAA All-Stars, and community groups – Native Plant Society of Oregon, Siskiyou Chapter. 5-8 pm Friday July 6th.

Plein Air Paint-out and Picnic
2018-06-29 03:30 - 20:30 | OR
Join a friendly group of local artists for a plein air paint-out on the Dead Indian Memorial Plateau, adjacent to the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. “Plein air” translating as “in the open air” will be a peaceful and invigorating experience for new and experienced artists alike. With wide open vistas of conifer hillsides and wildflower meadows, we will paint under the settings summer sun. Local artists Deb VanPoolen and Jeanine Moy will provide outdoor painting tips and natural history anecdotes. All are welcome, some experience drawing/painting is encouraged.
Rain date: TBD
Meet at the Nature Shop in Ashland, Oregon for a carpool to the Rogue Valley rim near the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument at 3:30 – returning before 9pm. No sign up required for this free event!
Please bring your own painting supplies, a stool or blanket to sit on, extra layers of clothing, drinking water, and snacks to share.

Join the Northwest Nature Shop and local artists for a late afternoon and evening of painting in the hills above Ashland

Full Moonrise Hike
2018-06-28 18:30 - 21:30 | Cascade Mountain Foothills, OR, United States
Join Northwest Nature Shop for a guided night hike under the full moon! Night hiking is a unique experience that everyone should experience; for the luminous stars, the serenity, and the June “strawberry” moon. We will hike to a vantage point along the Rogue Valley rim in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and watch the full moon rise around 8:15pm. We will observe the night sky, look for bats, and discuss all things lunar. All ages are welcome on this easy-moderate hike.

Carpool leaving the Northwest Nature Shop at 6:30pm, returning by 9:30pm

Bring sturdy shoes, pants, jacket, water and snacks. Flashlights are welcome, but will be used minimally at the discretion of the hike leader.

Guided Family Mushroom Foray
2018-06-02 09:00 - 15:00 | OR
Join us for a foray in the woods, these easy-moderate walks are great for families and individuals looking to connect with other nature-loving friends. Come learn about mushroom foraging, best practices for sustainable harvest wild mushrooms, and the diversity of spring-fruiting fungi!
Four dates to choose from: Saturday May 12, Sunday May 20, Saturday May 26 and a kid-friendly Family Mushroom Foray on Saturday June 2nd. We’ll meet at NW Nature Shop at 9 am, then carpool to our destination (approx 45 min) and then spend the day identifying all mushrooms but just collecting the edible ones. Bring a lunch, water, wear good walking shoes – we’ll be walking approx 3 miles on uneven terrain. We will return to Ashland around 3 pm.
Guided Mushroom Forays:
Family foray is $50/family.
Call NW Nature Shop to sign up, these trips fill fast! 541-482-3241

Day hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen and Trinity alps
2018-05-31 18:30 - 20:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Plan your perfect summer hike! Join local author John Soares for a book release and presentation at Northwest Nature Shop. John Soares presents his new book Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen and Trinity Alps Regions and takes us on a tour of some of Northern California’s most fabulous day hikes. This book “covers the best trails in the upper half of beautiful Northern California, my home turf, the area where I’ve lived most of my life. Not only have I hiked all of these trails, I’ve hiked many of them a dozen times or more.“
JOHN SOARES is an outdoors book author and freelance writer who has lived nearly his entire life in Northern California. He began walking the hills near his Redding birthplace at the age of 5, later expanding his scope to day hike and backpack trails throughout the North State, including the Trinity Alps, the Mount Shasta area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Sierra Nevada, and the redwood coast.
He is the author of 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, fourth edition (The Mountaineers Books, 2018) and Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions (The Mountaineers Books, 2018), and he has written over 100 newspaper and magazine articles about outdoors travel. His extensive website NorthernCaliforniaHikingTrails.com contains detailed hike descriptions, photos, and maps, along with articles about safety and enjoyment in the outdoors.
This event is Free, Registration is not required, Seating is limited however so come early for the best seats.

Guided Mushroom Hike May 26th
2018-05-26 09:00 - 15:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Our most popular hikes of the year…Guided Mushroom Hikes!! We are offering 3 dates to choose from: Saturday, May 12th, Sunday 20th and Saturday May, 26th. Local mushroom expert Mike Potts will offer his expertise and guide a walk in the southern Cascades in search of mushrooms. The emphasis will be on finding fungi and learning something about identification and the diversity of mushroom species. Edible and poisonous varieties will be discussed. Typically, mushrooms abound at this time of year. Meet at the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland at 9:00 am to carpool. Return to Ashland by 3 pm. The mushroom hike will entail approx 2-3 miles of walking off-trail. Be prepared for adverse weather. Wear appropriate hiking shoes, bring a water bottle, a lunch, and rain gear. Cost is $30 per person per hike. Space is limited so sign up early! Call 541-482-3241 to sign up or email northwestnatureshop@gmail.com

Guided Mushroom Hike May 20
2018-05-20 09:00 - 15:00 | OR
Our most popular hikes of the year…Guided Mushroom Hikes!! We are offering 3 dates to choose from: Saturday, May 12th, Sunday May 20th and Saturday May, 26th. Local mushroom expert Mike Potts will offer his expertise and guide a walk in the southern Cascades in search of mushrooms. The emphasis will be on finding fungi and learning something about identification and the diversity of mushroom species. Edible and poisonous varieties will be discussed. Typically, mushrooms abound at this time of year. Meet at the Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland at 9:00 am to carpool. Return to Ashland by 3 pm. The mushroom hike will entail approx 2-3 miles of walking off-trail. Be prepared for adverse weather. Wear appropriate hiking shoes, bring a water bottle, a lunch, and rain gear. Cost is $30 per person per hike. Space is limited so sign up early! Call 541-482-3241 to sign up or email northwestnatureshop@gmail.com

Guided Mushroom Hikes
2018-05-12 09:00 - 15:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States

New Hikes in Oregon Presented by William Sullivan
2018-05-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 oak st, ashland, OR, 97520, United States
The Northwest Nature Shop sponsors a slideshow of new hikes in Oregon on Thursday, May 10th at 6:30 pm. Oregon’s hiking guru takes us on a slide show tour of a dozen new trails he discovered while researching his “100 Hikes” books on Oregon. We’ll visit a reopened waterfall trail in Central Oregon, learn what’s changed in the Columbia Gorge, sample a new section of the Oregon Coast Trail, and explore hot springs in Eastern Oregon. As always, Sullivan spices his talk with anecdotes about history, wildflowers, and geology along the way.
There is no charge for this event but seating is limited.

Make Your Own Natural Fairy House
2018-05-06 14:00 - 16:00 | Northwest Nature Shop, 154 Oak St., Ashland, OR, 97520, United States
Capture the magic of childhood by creating a Fairy House from natural materials. Imagine building a house where milkweed becomes a fairy bed, a seashell becomes a bathtub, and stones make a front walk. Bring your kids to the Northwest Nature Shop on Sunday, May 6th 2 pm. Learn how to build small natural habitats from natural materials to attract fairies and their animal friends. $5/participant. For ages 3 and up (with parent.)
Bring a brown bag of supplies including acorns, feathers, shells, grasses, twigs, flowers, moss, stones, and bark. Pre-register at the NW Nature Shop 154 Oak St., Ashland. Call 541-482-3241 for more information.
