
Exploring Nature Course
Introduction to the Natural World Course
An introductory course for the outdoors person interested in learning more about the natural world they are exploring. This course is recommended for those 18 and older.
- Info
- COVID-19: Learn about our most up-to-date guidance for participants and leaders on our COVID-19 Response page. All participants and leaders must agree to the COVID-19 Code of Conduct before participating in this Mountaineers course.
- Wed, Apr 13, 2016 - Tue, Sep 20, 2016
- Committee: Seattle Naturalists Committee
- Members: $105.00 Guests: $160.00
- Availability: 22 (80 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
Note: Field trips are still being set up. They typically are held the weekend following a lecture. (Mount Rainier trip will likely occur the 1st weekend in August)
An Introduction to the Natural World course is designed for hikers, climbers, photographers, scramblers, and conservationists who want to learn more about the mountains they enjoy. Using the "Field Guide to the Cascades and Olympics" by Stephen Whitney and Rob Sandelin as a resource, you will learn the basics of how to identify flowers, shrubs, trees, birds, mammals, butterflies and other forms of life. Instructors are volunteers, eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm of nature. Field trips will be organized with faster and slower paced groups to accommodate all fitness levels.
An Introduction to the Natural World course is designed for beginning naturalists. More experienced students are always welcome and invited to contribute as they learn even more. Successful completion of the course opens the door to membership in the Naturalist Study Group to continue the adventure through workshops, field trips and lectures.
The course includes four presentations at the Mountaineers Program Center at Magnuson Park Seattle, four field trips (2 local and 2 in the mountains), and one stewardship activity at the Mountaineers Native Plant Garden.
Field trips typically occur the weekends following the lectures. Snowpack conditions may shift the dates of the Teanaway and Mount Rainier field trips.
Participation in all activities is not required but strongly encouraged.
To graduate, submit a list of 100 identified species. We will celebrate your success and get to know other naturalists at a potluck on September 20, 2016. The goal is to have fun and to learn.
Badges you will earn:
Course Activity | Date | Availability | Leader |
---|---|---|---|
Lecture 1 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Seattle Program Center |
Mon, Apr 10, 2017
Registration closed Apr 8
|
9
participants
|
|
Field Trip 1 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Discovery Park |
Wed, Apr 12, 2017
Registration closed Apr 11
|
0
participants
|
|
Carkeek Park |
Sun, Apr 16, 2017
Registration closed Apr 14
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Discovery Park |
Mon, Apr 17, 2017
Registration closed Apr 11
|
4
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Discovery Park |
Sun, Apr 23, 2017
Registration closed Apr 21
|
1
participant
|
|
Discovery Park |
Wed, Apr 26, 2017
Registration closed Apr 22
|
1
participant on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Seward Park |
Sun, Apr 30, 2017
Registration closed Apr 26
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Discovery Park |
Sat, Apr 21, 2018
Registration closed Apr 19
|
7
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Wolf Creek Nature Trail |
Sun, Apr 22, 2018
Registration closed Apr 20
|
3
participants
|
|
Wolf Creek Nature Trail |
Mon, Apr 23, 2018
Registration closed Apr 21
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Carkeek Park |
Thu, Apr 26, 2018
Registration closed Apr 24
|
7
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Carkeek Park |
Sun, Apr 29, 2018
Registration closed Apr 26
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Wolf Creek Nature Trail |
Wed, Apr 3, 2019
Registration closed Apr 3
|
7
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Carkeek Park |
Sat, Apr 13, 2019
Registration closed Apr 11
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Tiger Mountain Lowlands |
Sun, Apr 21, 2019
Registration closed Apr 19
|
8
participants
|
|
Lecture 2 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Seattle Program Center |
Mon, May 8, 2017
Registration closed May 6
|
1
participant
|
|
Field Trip 2 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Marymoor Park |
Sun, May 14, 2017
Registration closed May 12
|
6
participants
|
|
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge |
Sun, May 21, 2017
Registration closed May 19
|
1
participant on waitlist
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Wed, May 24, 2017
Registration closed May 22
|
6
participants
|
|
Union Bay Natural Area |
Sat, May 27, 2017
Registration closed May 25
|
0
participants
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Thu, May 10, 2018
Registration closed May 8
|
6
participants
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Fri, May 11, 2018
Registration closed May 9
|
7
participants
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Sat, May 12, 2018
Registration closed May 10
|
0
participants
|
|
Montlake Fill (Union Bay Natural Area) |
Tue, May 15, 2018
Registration closed May 22
|
5
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Stillwater Natural Area |
Thu, May 17, 2018
Registration closed May 16
|
10
participants
|
|
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge |
Thu, May 24, 2018
Registration closed May 12
|
2
participants on waitlist
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Thu, May 9, 2019
Registration closed May 8
|
10
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Fri, May 10, 2019
Registration closed May 9
|
6
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Edmonds Marsh |
Fri, May 17, 2019
Registration closed May 9
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Sun, May 19, 2019
Registration closed May 17
|
1
participant
1 instructor
|
|
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge |
Mon, May 20, 2019
Registration closed May 18
|
7
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Thu, May 23, 2019
Registration closed May 21
|
1
participant
1 instructor
|
|
Magnuson Park |
Sat, May 25, 2019
Registration closed May 23
|
4
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Stillwater Natural Area |
Sat, Jun 8, 2019
Registration closed Jun 6
|
4
participants on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
Stewardship - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Seattle Program Center |
Sat, May 20, 2017
Registration closed May 18
|
2
participants
4 instructors
|
|
Seattle Program Center |
Sat, May 20, 2017
Registration closed May 18
|
21
participants
4 instructors
|
|
Seattle Program Center |
Sun, May 21, 2017
Registration closed May 19
|
17
participants
4 instructors
|
|
Seattle Program Center |
Sun, May 21, 2017
Registration closed May 19
|
19
participants
3 instructors
|
|
Seattle Program Center |
Sun, May 20, 2018
Registration closed May 18
|
27
participants
3 instructors
|
|
Seattle Program Center |
Sun, May 20, 2018
Registration closed May 18
|
24
participants
2 instructors
|
|
Lecture 3 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Seattle Program Center |
Mon, Jun 5, 2017
Registration closed Jun 3
|
6
participants on waitlist
|
|
Esmeralda Basin & Fortune Creek Pass |
Sat, Jun 24, 2017
Registration closed Jun 22
|
5
participants
|
|
Bean Creek Basin |
Sun, Jun 25, 2017
Registration closed Jun 23
|
9
participants
|
|
Field Trip 3 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Iron Bear |
Sat, Jun 17, 2017
Registration closed Jun 15
|
6
participants on waitlist
|
|
Bean Creek Basin |
Sat, Jun 24, 2017
Registration closed Jun 22
|
5
participants
|
|
Iron Peak |
Sun, Jun 25, 2017
Registration closed Jun 23
|
2
participants
|
|
Iron Bear |
Fri, Jun 22, 2018
Registration closed Jun 20
|
3
participants on waitlist
|
|
Esmeralda Basin & Fortune Creek Pass |
Sat, Jun 30, 2018
Registration closed Jun 28
|
1
participant on waitlist
|
|
DeRoux Creek-Gallagher Head Lake |
Sun, Jul 1, 2018
Registration closed Jun 29
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Esmeralda Basin |
Sat, Jun 22, 2019
Registration closed Jun 28
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Esmeralda Basin |
Sun, Jun 23, 2019
Registration closed Jun 27
|
1
participant
0 instructors
|
|
Iron Peak |
Sun, Jun 30, 2019
Registration closed Jun 28
|
2
participants
1 instructor
|
|
Lecture 4 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Seattle Program Center |
Mon, Jul 10, 2017
Registration closed Jul 11
|
7
participants
|
|
Sheep Lake (Chinook Pass) |
Sat, Aug 5, 2017
Registration closed Aug 3
|
3
participants
|
|
Sheep Lake (Chinook Pass) |
Sun, Aug 6, 2017
Registration closed Aug 4
|
8
participants
|
|
Field Trip 4 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
Berkeley Park (Mount Rainier) |
Thu, Aug 3, 2017
Registration closed Aug 1
|
4
participants
|
|
Berkeley Park (Mount Rainier) |
Sat, Aug 5, 2017
Registration closed Aug 3
|
6
participants
|
|
Palisades Lakes |
Fri, Jul 20, 2018
Registration closed Jul 18
|
6
participants
|
|
Berkeley Park (Mount Rainier) |
Sat, Jul 21, 2018
Registration closed Jul 19
|
6
participants
|
|
Dewey Lake, Naches Peak Loop & Pacific Crest Trail |
Sun, Jul 22, 2018
Registration closed Jul 20
|
2
participants
|
|
Berkeley Park (Mount Rainier) |
Sat, Jul 28, 2018
Registration closed Jul 26
|
0
participants
|
|
Berkeley Park |
Sun, Jul 21, 2019
Registration closed Jul 19
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Berkeley Park |
Sat, Jul 27, 2019
Registration closed Jul 25
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
Burroughs Mountain |
Sun, Jul 28, 2019
Registration closed Jul 26
|
1
participant on waitlist
0 instructors
|
Name/Description |
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INW 2020 Course Materials |