North Cascades Naturalist Seminar

When: Sep 05, 2025 10:00 AM to
Sep 07, 2025 01:00 PM
Where: North Cascades Environmental Learning Center
Instructor: Chris Byrd
Activity Level: 4.0
Minimum Age: 18
Triple Accommodations: 345.00
Double Accommodations: 485.00
Single Accommodations: 625.00
Tuition Includes: two nights lodging at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, in-program transportation, use of naturalist tools, two breakfasts, two dinners and two sack lunches
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Taking care of the world, whether we call it conservation, stewardship, or sustainability, depends on the accurate portraits of places, processes, and organisms provided by natural history.

— Thomas L. Fleischner

North Cascades Institute seeks to inspire close relationships wth nature through direct experiences in the natural world. Our mission is to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. Since 1986 we have helped connect people, nature and community through science, art, literature and the hands-on study of natural and cultural history.

As summer yields to autumn, hone your skills as a naturalist with expert tracker and educator Chris Byrd. We’ll gather at the Environmental Learning Center on the shores of Diablo Lake in the heart of the North Cascades to explore the region’s geology, weather, and ecology.

Black bear scat from feeding on Pacific crab apple; photo by Chris Byrd

On Saturday, we’ll travel together to the “dry side” of the Cascades in search of wildlife in locations known for gray wolf, moose, Canada lynx, and mountain goat. Additional stops may include mountain passes, meadows, and wetlands.

Columbia lily; photo by Chris Byrd

Grab some binoculars for Sunday morning birding in the forests surrounding the Environmental Learning Center before a closing conversation about climate change and current environmental challenges.

Our locations and routes will depend upon diligent scouting leading up to the course by our instructor Chris Byrd, who has been studying natural history along the West Coast for almost two decades and is currently a PhD candidate in Environmental Studies and Conservation Biology at Antioch University.

Northern alligator lizard; photo by Chris Byrd

In this course, you’ll develop a strong foundation in regional geology, climate, ecology, and wildlife, and gain hands-on experience with naturalist tools and techniques such as camera trapping, optics, and tracking.

Black bear cambium feeding; photo by Chris Byrd

Don’t miss this comprehensive primer on North Cascades natural history!

Activity Level & Logistics: Expect up to 2.5 miles of walking with elevation gains of up to 500 feet, sometimes on uneven terrain or off-trail.

Scholarships and Student, Military and Disability discounts are available for most in-person programs. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Call (360) 854-2599 for more info!

Top image: beaver killed by cougar; photo by Chris Byrd

Learning Center Accommodations

Single, Double, Triple and Quad Accommodations are for families and groups who wish to guarantee lodging with specific individuals during their stay. Triple and Quad Accommodations will require use of an upper bunk, accessible by an easy-to-use ladder. Hostel pricing is the cost for sharing a room with up to three other participants. The number of occupants per room (1-4) will be determined based on the total number of hostel guests each night. We do not guarantee a room with your requested roommate under this option, and you may be lodged in a mixed gender room. Please do not select this if you have participants under 18 in your group.

The Learning Center campus features classrooms, a dining hall, a library, outdoor learning shelters, trails, a canoe dock and an amphitheater. Our three guest lodges have shared gender-specific bathrooms with showers and each room contains two sets of twin bunk beds, desks, wardrobes and wireless internet connectivity. Facilities and local trails are all ADA accessible and a personal mobility vehicle is available. Delicious, healthy meals incorporating local and organic foods are provided in our dining hall. If you have special dietary requirements or food allergies, we will gladly attempt to accommodate them with advance notice. Sorry, but we cannot accommodate pets.

Registration

To register online, click the Register Now button on this page:

By phone, call (360) 854-2599 with your VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card ready.

Or by mail, download and mail a registration form with your credit card information or personal check.

Event Details

Learning Center Accommodations

Registration