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.
- 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.
Contacts
Gordie Swartzman
Leader
- Mon, Apr 10, 2017 - Tue, Sep 19, 2017
- Committee: Seattle Naturalists Committee
- Members: $105.00 Guests: $160.00
- Availability: 3 (90 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
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.
The course includes four presentations at the Mountaineers Program Center at Magnuson Park Seattle, and four field trips (2 local and 2 in the mountains). Participation in all activities is not required. To graduate, submit a list of 100 identified species. We will celebrate your success and get to know other naturalists at a potluck in September. The goal is to have fun and to learn.
In addition, class activities include a half day stewardship and plant identificatin session in the Mountaineers Native Plant garden. This activity will appear in the course activities.
Badges you will earn:
Introduction to the Natural World
Course Requirements
| Course Activity | Date | Availability | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Trip 1 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| 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
|
|
| Wolf Creek Nature Trail |
Sat, Apr 10, 2021
Registration closed Apr 8
|
0
participants
1 instructor
|
|
| Carkeek Park |
Tue, Apr 19, 2022
Registration closed Apr 17
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Wolf Creek Nature Trail |
Wed, Apr 20, 2022
Registration closed Apr 18
|
3
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Carkeek Park |
Fri, Apr 22, 2022
Registration closed Apr 20
|
3
participants on waitlist
0 instructors
|
|
| Bridle Trails State Park |
Sun, Apr 24, 2022
Registration closed Apr 22
|
0
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Field Trip 2 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| 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
|
|
| Union Bay Natural Area |
Sun, May 16, 2021
Registration closed May 14
|
0
participants
|
|
| Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary |
Sun, May 8, 2022
Registration closed May 6
|
6
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Stillwater Natural Area |
Fri, May 13, 2022
Registration closed May 12
|
8
participants
|
|
| Stewardship - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| Seattle Program Center |
Sun, May 20, 2018
Registration closed May 18
|
27
participants
3 instructors
|
|
| Field Trip 3 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| 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
|
|
| Swauk Forest Discovery Trail |
Sat, Jun 19, 2021
Registration closed Jun 16
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Swauk Forest Discovery Trail |
Thu, Jun 16, 2022
Registration closed Jun 14
|
2
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Swauk Forest Discovery Trail |
Fri, Jun 17, 2022
Registration closed Jun 15
|
5
participants
0 instructors
|
|
| Field Trip 4 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| 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
|
|
| Lecture 1 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| Seattle Program Center |
Thu, Apr 7, 2022
Registration closed Apr 5
|
2
participants
15 instructors
|
|
| Lecture 3 - Seattle Naturalists Intro Natural World Course | |||
| Seattle Program Center |
Thu, Jun 2, 2022
Registration closed May 31
|
3
participants
14 instructors
|
|
Roster
Required Equipment
Course Materials
| Name/Description |
|---|
| INW 2020 Course Materials |