Have you ever been taking a walk or hike, or gone camping, and seen some neat animal, plant, or fungus that you wish you could identify? Are you interested in learning how to forage for edible mushrooms and plants? Let me teach you skills and tools that you can use to identify living beings in your own back yard, across your ecoregion, and even when traveling to new places! No formal scientific training necessary; these classes are for everyone.
Nature Identification for the Beginning Naturalist
Want to identify the animals, plants and fungi around you? You don’t need a biology degree! This more in-depth two-session class shows how anyone can explore nature in more depth using books, the internet, and everyday observations.
Click here for class dates and times.
Plant Identification for Non-Botanists
No botany degree? No problem! Join Master Naturalist Rebecca Lexa as she shares beginner-friendly tools and skills for identifying plants wherever you may be. This is a casual identification class so technical terms will be at a minimum, and you’ll also learn some resources for further exploration.
Foraging in the Pacific Northwest
Learn skills and tools to help you identify common edible mushrooms and plants! We’ll also cover some poisonous species, safety, ethics, and other topics surrounding foraging. Along the way you’ll be introduced to some beginner-friendly species to look for, though this is not just a slide show of edible species. Please note this class has some crossover material with the mushroom foraging class.
Click here for class dates and times.
Nature Identification Field Day (Portland Community College only)
Have you taken my birdwatching, PNW foraging, or mushroom identification ONLINE classes through Portland Community College during this or previous semesters? This is a chance for you to get some field experience trying out your identification tools and skills with instructor Rebecca Lexa.
Mushroom Hunting For Beginners
Mushroom foraging is a popular pursuit in the Northwest and beyond. Learn where to search for edible mushrooms and how to identify common wild mushrooms and poisonous species. Discover more facts about fungi in your backyard!
Click here for class dates and times.
Birdwatching For Beginners
Which bird is which? This class gives you the skills and tools to know what to pay attention to when you see a new bird and how to figure out what species it is. We’ll also cover bird feeders, great places to go birdwatching, and there will be pictures of common species throughout the class. Whether you’re a backyard bird watcher, or are eager to go out into the wilderness to check species off your life list, this is a great class to get you started. (Combines the Backyard Birdwatching and Bird ID for Beginners classes.)
Backyard Birdwatching
If you’re just getting started with birdwatching,
look no further! In this class you’ll learn what sort of equipment might be
helpful, safe and ethical bird feeding, some common backyard birds to look for,
and other useful tips and resources.
Click here for class dates and times.
Bird Identification For Beginners
If you’ve got your basic birdwatching skills down and you want to get better at identifying some of the hundreds of birds found in Oregon, this class is for you! Includes detailed information on field marks and other characteristics of birds, skills and tools for identification, and more!
Scappoose Birdwatching Excursion
Join Master Naturalist Rebecca Lexa on a two-hour walk along the Crown-Zellerbach Trail in Scappoose, OR! We’ll keep our eyes open for songbirds, raptors, and other wild birds in the forests and open areas. Bring binoculars and water, and wear good walking shoes for this paved path.
Click here for class dates and times.
