Outdoors & Nature   

Explore Mount St. Helens in person with an experienced guide as we uncover the geologic events leading to the 1980 eruption of the most active volcano in the Cascade Range. We will discuss what first shaped the mountain and the local and regional physiological reactions as this massive explosion shaped a landscape.
 
We will see first-hand how the ecosystem has recovered over the five decades since the catastrophic events that forever changed over 230,000 square miles of forest. 

The Silver Lake area where we will first meet is free to all participants, however as we travel through the national park, there may be additional fees for access. You will need to have transportation to the mountain and from site to site.

If you'd like to learn more about Mt St Helens and its history, you can take a class with the guide before you hike!

Step into the living history and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest on this guided ecological walk. We’ll begin at the historic Stump House—a hollowed cedar carved with springboard notches in 1890—using it as a lens to explore the environmental impacts and legacy of logging. From there, walk among towering 200‑year‑old Bigleaf Maples, explore the preserve’s wetland and stream ecology, and follow the landscape as it opens to the Hood Canal shoreline.

This experience blends natural science, local history, and storytelling for curious learners of all backgrounds. Dress for the weather and wear solid footwear as we will hike through the forest down towards the Hood Canal shoreline. The hike is offsite. Students will be emailed details of where to meet a few days prior to class.

Want a variety of fresh mushrooms at your fingertips? Come learn how to grow your own edible mushrooms at home with the help of an expert for troubleshooting, tricks and tips.

This online class will teach you the dos and don'ts of indoor log grown mushrooms as well as the basic anatomy of mushrooms and their growth cycles.

To follow along with your own Mushroom Grow, you can purchase Mushroom Kits in person at the Olympia Farmers Market, or any of the following online retailers:

• North Spore
• Back to the Roots
• Fungi Perfecti

This hike traverses 1,000 feet of elevation gain—with a spectacular summit reward waiting at the top with views of the Olympic Mountain range, Mt Tahoma & Mt Baker, and the Seattle Skyline.

As we climb through shifting forest layers and overlook the Puget Lowland, we will learn about the geologic history of the region, including how glaciers carved Green Mountain into its distinctive “whaleback” shape and shaped the surrounding terrains, including several deep fjords.

Come ready for hiking along elevation changes.  Bring ample water, and dress for whatever October weather the area has to offer that day.

This hike is located offsite and students are responsible for their transportation to and from the site. Registered students will be sent information about where to meet a few days before the hike.

Explore the principles of permaculture and discover how to apply sustainable, regenerative design to a garden or other outdoor space. In this two-hour introductory class, participants will learn how to facilitate healthy, low-maintenance ecosystems that work in harmony with nature. Whether you have a small garden, a large yard, or a community space, this class will provide you with a solid starting point for making any green space more productive, resilient, and environmentally friendly.

No prior experience is required—anyone with an interest in gardening is welcome.

Suggested supplies: a notebook or paper, and a pencil with eraser.

Step inside the world of Washington's salmon hatcheries and discover how science, culture, and conservation come together to sustain this iconic species. During this immersive field experience, you will follow the salmon's journey from tiny fertilized eggs to ocean travelers and their astonishing return to freshwater to spawn. Learn how hatchery biologists and tribal partners manage each life stage through careful broodstock selection, spawning techniques, rearing practices, and strategies that protect genetic diversity. Whether you are curious about ecology, fisheries, or tribal stewardship, this visit offers a deeper understanding of the science and culture behind healthy salmon runs. 

Class comes to completion with a short hike through the forest adjacent to the hatchery which has been fertilized and fed by years of Salmon carcasses.

Located in North Kitsap. Address will be sent to class participants. This class is approved for Clock Hours.
 

What are fungi? 
What kinds can you find around the Kitsap Peninsula? 
Which are edible and which are toxic?

Sable Burgess, President of the Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society, will share an overview of the basics of fungi, tips to learn fungi identification, and key characteristics for popular wild edible mushrooms!  All in preparation for KPMS’s annual Wild Mushroom Show, which takes place November 1st this year! Attend this class to increase your fungi literacy and attend with some foundational knowledge in time for our wildly popular community educational event.

Explore Kitsap County’s last remaining old growth forest at the Rhododendron Preserve.  This class will consist of an outdoor hike of approximately 1.5 miles (round trip) down a deeply forested valley to the banks of one of the County’s most pristine and productive salmon streams. 

You’ll see local Chum and Coho salmon completing their epic life cycle, observing their migration and spawning behaviors up close.

This course will introduce you to iNaturalist, the leading tool in Community Science, and show you how to contribute to real scientific data with your everyday observations of plants, mushrooms, birds, bugs, and everything in between! 

We’ll cover how to actually navigate through the app and website, how to take good photos for identification, and how to search through iNaturalist’s robust observation database to learn more about the life around you. 

This wonderful tool, being presented by a certified iNaturalist Ambassador can help you figure out where to hunt for Chanterelles or where to go to spot Kingfishers, or whatever form of life you’re hoping to encounter!

In this one day workshop Coral will teach you how to make your own mushroom log using fresh cut logs and mushroom spawn plugs. You will be able to take home and keep your log once inoculated and grow your own edible mushrooms at home.

This course will teach you how to build and inoculate your homemade mushroom logs. Learn how to develop your own series of mushroom logs for year round culinary mushrooms.

The instructor will supply Alder and some Douglas Fir.  If your plugs thrive in another species, please feel free to bring in your own log:

• Lion's Mane, Shitake and Oyster can grow on Maple.
• Shitake and Lions Mane can grow on Douglas Fir.
• Shitake and Oyster can grow on Alder.
• Oyster, Lion's Mane and Shitake can grow on Apple and most Fruit Tree Wood.

If you have a cordless drill, please bring it to class along with a 3/8" drill bit.

Students are responsible to supply their own spore plugs, and can be purchased at the Olympia Farmer's Market or online at North Spore.

 

This is an educational lecture about the hallucinogenic and psychoactive mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. The Northwest corner of the United States is a hotbed of "active" species of mushrooms.

Join Aaron Hilliard-mycology educator and YouTube personality as he explains what these mushrooms are, their history and origins, and the specific species that grow in the beautiful evergreen state.

Some of these non-assuming mushrooms contain extremely powerful chemicals but can be tricky to identify. Aaron will elucidate these species with colorful photos and vivid descriptions, as well as some anecdotal stories.

Capture the colors, textures, and quiet beauty of autumn on this guided photography walk through Illahee Forest Preserve.

As part of Mushroom Week, this outdoor class invites you to explore fall foliage, forest canopies, wildlife, and fungi through your lens.

Learn how to take sharp, well-exposed photos in natural light with tips from an experienced instructor. Be ready to hike easy, unpaved trails and embrace the changing weather.

Nature doesn’t pose for your shoot, but it always performs in all its beauty.

Explore the magical kingdom of fungi!

Join us and acquire a basic understanding of fungi ecosystems. This class is for outdoors lovers, scientists, naturalists, herbalists, foragers, and chefs.

Day 1 =  Dive Into the Science - What are fungi
Day 2 =  Wild Mushrooms -  Foraging & Mushroom Identification
Day 3 =  EthnoMycology -  Mushroom Cultivation, Current and Historic Uses of Fungi

After the first three classes are completed Aaron will guide a foray into the forest to get your feet on the ground and your hands on the mushrooms!

The class will consist of three in-classroom sessions on Wednesdays, then a final Saturday hike. The mushroom foray will be located at a park in South Kitsap on the scheduled Saturday.  Address will be sent to class participants.