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Summer Programs Each summer the North Coast Land Conservancy teams up with the Coastal Natural History Center to present a variety of programs on a variety of subjects related to the north coast's natural history. The programs are FREE and open to the public. All programs are at the Coastal Natural History Center at 2674 Hwy 101 North in Seaside [map] unless otherwise indicated. We hope you will join us for one or more of these great programs. Note: This schedule is subject to change. Please check back frequently for updates. Hug Point Interpretive Hike Saturday June 7, 9:00am - 11:00am, Hug Point Parking Lot Meet at the Hug Point Parking Lot at 9am (low tide 10:18 am, -1.8 ft) Local geologist Tom Horning will lead this easy 2-hour hike through spectacular scenery of golden sandstone cliffs and tumbling waterfalls along the beach, where shoreline erosion has cut back Pleistocene terrace sediments to reveal Miocene estuary sandstones of the Columbia River from 15 million years ago, within which are glimpses of a violent past where giant lava flows from eastern Oregon wormed into the sediments and blew them apart in thunderous explosions, leaving nothing but huge piles of steaming hot rubble. Beavers: the Real Watershed Managers Saturday June 14, 1:00pm - 3:00pm A recent study in Tillamook and Lincoln counties showed a marked decline in beaver populations in the study area. What might the causes be? Does it portend a wider decline in beaver populations? What are the ramifications to the larger ecosystem? Mid-coast watershed coordinator Wayne Hoffman, who directed the study, will discuss these and other questions, along with the critical role beavers play in ecosystems. The first 45 minutes or so of the presentation will be at the Coastal Natural History Center, then we'll move out to a nearby beaver pond to see first-hand how beavers live and how they shape the environment. Dune Ecology: Living Without Soil Saturday June 28, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Ecologist and botanist Kathleen Sayce will discuss the nature of dune plants, soil adaptations, and the liabilities and limitations that plants need to endure in order to live in the harsh dune environment. She will begin with a discussion and presentation at the Coastal Natural History Center, then move out to the little beach dune to see things up close. www.reachone.com/columbiacoastplants.   Tsunamis and the Local Landscape Saturday July 12, 1:00pm -3:00pm Recurring tsunamis have played a crucial and dramatic role in shaping the local landscape, and few know that better than local geologist Tom Horning, who as a boy living on the estuary, experienced the 1964 tsunami in Seaside first-hand. That event fueled a life-long interest in the subject, and in this talk he will be sharing this knowlege from a historical as well as geological perspective. The talk starts at the Coastal Natural History Center and will move out to the esturary to see first-hand evidence of subsidence, inundation zones, and other effects from prior tsunami events. Amphibians: Life Undefoot Saturday July 19, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Mike Patterson has been performing an exhaustive study on the distribution of amphibians in the North Coast Region, with particular attention on the Cope's Giant Salamander. In this talk he details his findings so far and discusses the important roles amphbians play as indicator species. Wildlife Rehabilitation Saturday July 26, 11:00am - 1:00pm Prestented by Sharnelle Fee, Director of the Wildlife Rehab Center of the North Coast. Meet and learn about pelicans, northern spotted owls and other local shore birds undergoing rehabilitation at the Center. A great experience for kids! Adults must accompany children. The Clatsop Plains and the Neacoxie Wildlife Corridor Saturday August 2, 10:00am-12pm Stream piracy. Killer dunes. Invasive takeovers. The Clatsop Plains have a complex and fascinating natural and human history, as does the Neacoxie Wildlife Corridor, the important throughway for wildlife and species that roughly spans Neacoxie Creek and the portion that we call Sunset Lake, and runs from Seaside, north to the Skipanon Peninsula . Learn all about it from two experts: North Coast Land Conservancy executive director Neal Maine, and local geologist Tom Horning. The Conservationist's Lens Saturday August 16, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Neal Maine & grandson Michael Wing show how the camera can be used to not just photograph nature but also help us see, understand, and appreciate it. You won't want to miss this one, if only for the opportunity to see examples of the duo's stunning nature photography. Book reading and signing by Strand author Bonnie Henderson Saturday September 20, 1:00pm - 2:30pm Writer and long-time coast watch voluinteer Bonnie Henderson has traveled as far as Indonesia and Japan to trace stories of wrack washed up on a mile long stretch of Oregon beach, and in her new book Strand, she relates these fascinating stories, from a long abandoned fishing boat to the egg case of a skate. "...A marvelous book--enchanting, illuminating, often surprising, always informative," says David Laskin, author of The Children's Blizzard. Bonnie got her start in journalism at the Seaside Signal, has been a contributor to Sunset magazine, and is the author of several hiking books, including Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon and Day Hiking: Oregon Coast, www.bonniehendersonwrites.com. Estuary Day Celebration Saturday September 27, starting at 10:00am Estuaries are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet. More than two thirds of the fish and shellfish we eat spend some part of their lives in estuaries. These ecosystems also act as filters for terrestrial pollutants and provide protection from flooding. And they fuel the local economy by attracting bird watchers, boaters, fishermen and tourists. We invite you to join us for a celebration of National Estuary Day, at Gateway Park on the Necanicum River Estuary (just north of the Coastal Natural History Center). And be sure to check out....   "4th Saturdays" Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Do you love being out in nature? Would you like to help with wildlife habitat enhancement? NCLC is excited to announce our new volunteer stewardship program called 4th Saturdays. On the 4th Saturday of most months we will be implementing a variety of habitat enhancement activites across the breadth of our properties. Each day will be a little different so please call our Land Steward, Katie Voelke at 738-9126 katiev@nclctrust.org to learn more about upcoming 4th Saturday work parties. Botanist Kathleen Sayce leads hikes throughout the year -- for info visit her web site, www.reachone.com/columbiacoastplants.   Local birder Mike Patterson keeps counts of birds and other local birding information on his web site.

The North Coast Land Conservancy, P.O. Box 67 Seaside OR 97138, 503-738-9126 nclctrust@theoregonshore.com