Field Trip 1 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course - Carkeek Park

Meet at the Environmental Learning Center near the 110th Street entrance to the park @ 5:30PM. Be aware that the ELC is likely to be closed.  The nearest bathrooms are lower down in the park near the beach.  This field trip will last  until approximately 8:00PM. Take 3rd Ave NW west to NW 110th Street turning downhill at the Carkeek Park sign.  You will follow a windy road to an entrance on your left.  Turn into the park here and almost immediately turn right into the parking lot for the Environmental Learning Center (usually closed).  Be aware that cell phones generally do not work in the park.  Call me by 4 PM on the day of the trip if you must cancel at the last moment.  We will start promptly at 5:30 PM looking at the conifers by the parking lot, then head downhill in fern alley.  As usual, be prepared for cold and rain.  Bring your class text, any other field guides you like, and the conifer and fern charts from the website.  In addition to ferns and conifers we will introduce some deciduous trees,  shrubs and any flowers that may be in bloom.

This field trip will last two to three hours and will give you the chance to practice using your field guide to identify birds, flowers and ferns as well as other plants and animals of the Coastal Forest Life Zone. After this field trip you may identify these species and more:

1. Artist’s Conk
2. Common Sword Fern
3. Cascade Oregon-Grape
4. Salmonberry
5. Skunk Cabbage
6. Western Bleeding Heart
7. Deer Fern