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
The Pacific Northwest is plentiful with wild edible plants and fungi. Learn the basics of identifying common edible flowers and plants, some even found in your backyard! Identify their poisonous look-alikes, and learn ways to prepare what you collect in your own kitchen.
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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!
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Walk to Learn to See Nature
Join a Master Naturalist for a walk around Astoria! Starting at the Clatsop Community College campus, come walk through the surrounding neighborhood and venture towards the river. Along the way you’ll learn how to be more aware of the nature around you.
Birdwatching For Beginners
Birds are fun to watch, but which one is which? Learn how to tell your thrushes from your warblers, hawks from eagles, waterfowl from wading birds, and more!
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.
