This Thursday, June 20 is the summer solstice, and with it, the official arrival of summer in Corvallis. We will be soaked in 15 hours, 33 minutes and 35 seconds of sunlight (weather permitting) on Thursday, the longest day of 2024. It’s going to feel like summer this week, too, with some of our highest temperatures so far this year, though luckily not as hot as some places out east. This is also National Pollinator Week, and we live in one of the great places in the country, and the world, to enjoy both native pollinators and the wildflowers that feed them. Many of this week’s science and nature events are pollinator- and plant-centered, but we did manage to sneak an ocean-themed activity in there too.
Friday: Marys Peak Restoration and Hike
Local mountain lovers can start the summer and the weekend right with a pair of events this Friday at Marys Peak. The Marys Peak Alliance and the Siuslaw National Forest are co-hosting a volunteer habitat restoration, followed by a hike on the mountain. First, help Forest Service staff remove invasive weeds from the newly restored Appendix Meadow site, making room for more native plants to establish and thrive. Then, Phil Hays and Ellen Tappon of the Marys Peak Alliance will lead a wildflower hike from the Marys Peak parking lot up to the Rock Garden. This is a peak season for the Rock Garden and its unique plant community, and a rare chance to see it with experts on hand to help identify species and answer questions.
The restoration weed pull runs from 10 am to noon, with the hike following from noon to 1:30, this Friday June 21.
Both events require registration. Email [email protected] by the end of day on Thursday, June 20, to RSVP.
Friday: Native Plant Field Trip
What would Pollinator Week be without a wildflower trip? This Friday morning, Dan Luoma and Joyce Eberhart from the Native Plant Society of Oregon are running a 5-mile hike and wildflower field trip on Iron Mountain and Cone Peak in the western Cascades. This trail is home to over 200 species of native plant. The hike will be slow to appreciate all the flowers, but will involve over 1,000 feet of elevation climb, so plan accordingly. Hikers should bring their own lunch and water.
To travel together to the mountains, meet at the Oregon State University, Wilkinson Hall parking lot at 26th and Monroe this Friday, June 21, at 8 am. Click here for more information.
To get a taste for what to expect on the trip, check out this blog post by Tanya Harvey on the plant life of the area.
Saturday: First Foods Restoration
This Saturday, community members are invited to join the Institute for Applied Ecology and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde to help restore prairie habitat at a First Foods Harvest Area in Champoeg State Heritage Area. Land conversion and degradation in the Pacific Northwest has led to a loss of over 99% of historical prairie habitat, including culturally significant species. First Foods are the native plants that sustained Indigenous people for thousands of years. Restoring them not only improves native ecosystems, but also helps to rebuild food sovereignty and security for local tribal communities.
This restoration event runs from 9 am to 1 pm at Champoeg State Heritage Area. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
Tuesday-Wednesday: Ocean Library Program for Kids
This week, there are two chances for parents and kids to learn about the ocean and Oregon’s marine ecosystems at the library! The University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History and the Benton County Library present “Journey Under the Sea”, a hands-on interactive science event.
There are two presentations this week at two library locations: Tuesday, June 25 from 1-2 pm at the Monroe Community Library, and Wednesday, June 26 from 1:30 to 2:30 pm at the Main Meeting Room at Corvallis Library.
Thursday: Seed Collection Work Party
There are plenty of chances to plant and weed native plant restoration areas in the Willamette Valley, but next Thursday, there’s an unusual chance to actually gather the seeds for the next restoration project. The Greenbelt Land Trust is looking for volunteers to help collect seeds from a number of different native plant species at Kingston Prairie, near Stayton.
The seed collection work party starts at 9 am on Thursday, June 27, and runs until 1 pm. Volunteers should dress for the weather with layers and sun protection. The prairie is an open field, so if it’s sunny, the sun will be direct. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are recommended.
Click here to register and for more information.
By Ian Rose