Paint and Stroll
TOMORROW, July 24th, Friday, July 25th, Friday, July 31st,
and more! 1:30PM - 2:30PM |
Get inspired by the amazing artists at the Village Art in the Park, then join us for a short walk down to the river and take some creative time for yourself. This free program is great for children and adults. Simple art supplies are provided. No registration required – just show up ready to create. Click the button below for a full list of dates throughout the summer!
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Community Hellstrip Garden Party Saturday, July 26th 8:00AM -10:00AM |
When and Where: Meet Tiffa at the entrance of the River Haus at 8am. Please bring working gloves or any tools you prefer to use, and a face mask may also be useful for sanding. WRI will provide some tools as well.
Your role: Digging up the current weeds in the hellstrip garden, and sanding the wooden fence bordering the hellstrip garden. We need 3-4 volunteers to help! Kids welcome. |
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Birding by the River
Thursday, July 31st 8:00AM -10:00AM |
Go birding with knowledgeable WRI staff around the WRI campus on the last Thursday of each month through October. All birding skills are welcome and we have loaner binoculars available. This is a FREE activity and no registration is needed. |
| Wenatchee Bird Walk
Thursday, August 14th 8:00AM -10:00AM |
Enjoy a guided 1-mile bird walk with knowledgeable WRI staff along the Columbia River at an easygoing pace. Meet near the bathrooms at Walla Walla Point Park's north parking lot. This is a FREE event with no registration. Just show up and get ready to bird! |
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RED BARN EVENT: The Trees are Speaking
Thursday, September 4th 7:00PM - 8:00PM |
Join author and journalist Lynda V. Mapes for a discussion about changing our relationship with forests. Lynda will share examples of sustainable forestry practices underway in our region and beyond that take care of people, forests, and wildlife, drawing from her new book, The Trees Are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests. Her books will be available for sale at the event with thanks to A Book for All Seasons. |
| Will Planning Fireside Chat
Thursday, September 11 5:30PM - 7:00PM |
Join us to learn the basics of creating or updating a will from local attorneys Evan McCauley of Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward and Caitlyn Evans of Evans Law, PLLC. Beth Stipe, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of NCW will also discuss ways to use your estate plan to leave a charitable legacy for future generations. This event is co-hosted by the Community Foundation of NCW, Upper Valley MEND, and the Wenatchee River Institute.
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Summer youth programs are in full swing at Wenatchee River Institute! We love hearing laughter across campus and seeing the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts exploring the natural wonders of North Central Washington. From river adventures to garden discoveries, there's no shortage of curiosity and joy this season. Read some highlights from the last couple of weeks below: |
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Soil to Snack (Entering grades 1-3) |
Soil to Snack Camp was a week full of hands-on exploration, creativity, and delicious fun! Campers toured local farms, picked fresh produce, and learned about native plants with guided tours from Farmer Travis, Tiffa, and Farmer Laura. They made berry lemonade, planted microgreens, created sun prints and natural paintbrushes, and even helped glean rhubarb for the community. From riverside adventures to camouflage games around the barn, each day offered a new way to connect with nature and where our food comes from.
Thank you Stella Produce and Tierra Organic Farms for hosting the campers. |
| River Wild (x2!) (Entering grades 4-6) |
Over the last two weeks, campers had an adventurous time exploring the Wenatchee River and learning about river safety and paddling techniques. They kicked off the week with teamwork games and time at the beach, followed by a river safety discussion and tubing adventure with Leavenworth Outdoor Center. Midweek brought water games, floating through the Blackbird Island Channel, and swimming at a hidden beach. The week wrapped up with two days of paddleboarding, giving campers the chance to build skills while exploring islands and beaches along the river.
Thank you Leavenworth Outdoor Center for going paddeboarding with the campers. |
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Bike & Explore Camp (Ages 6-10) |
Evergreen Bike Camp, held in partnership with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, combined morning bike skill sessions at Ski Hill with fun, themed afternoons on campus. Each day focused on a new “B” theme—like becoming animals, building habitats for beanie babies, beach time at Barn Beach, berry picking, birding with binoculars, and creating bike or butterfly crafts. Campers also enjoyed games and daily story time, making for a well-rounded and active week of adventure.
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Orondo Elementary School’s After School Summer Camp Program (K-2) |
Campers from Orondo Elementary School’s After School Summer Camp Program enjoyed a week of outdoor exploration and hands-on learning. On Monday and Tuesday, they visited our campus to go on nature hikes, play games, create bandanas using natural items, and make nature picture frames. Wednesday included a trip to the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery for a salmon tour and hike, and Thursday wrapped up the fun with trail exploration and lake time at Lake Chelan State Park.
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Join the Wenatchee River Institute's Board of Directors |
Are you passionate about connecting people, communities, and the natural world? Wenatchee River Institute is seeking dedicated individuals to join our volunteer Board of Directors. As a board member, you’ll help guide our mission and support transformative environmental education throughout North Central Washington.
We welcome applications and nominations from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. |
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Land Steward Observations |
Our new accessible gravel path behind the waterfall garden is really starting to come together! We salvaged most of the plants that used to grow where the path is now and have replanted them along the switchbacks. This new area is very intriguing for the local wildlife. I see deer tracks through the fresh dirt daily and have seen a multitude of birds investigating the freshly turned soil. One robin was following my hose spray around, picking up every bug they could find while getting a nice shower. I also found a small sharptailed snake under a clod of grass when I was reshaping the mounds! The pair of pygmy nuthatches taking a bath in the waterfall by the new bench location under the shady Japanese maple was quite adorable. I think the most surprising was the female hummingbird that came to drink from the crocosmia, literally 5 minutes after I planted it. This fall we will plant some native plants in the remaining berms to really fill out the landscaping. Join us if you're interested!
Written by Tiffa Theden, WRI's Land Steward |
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Thank you to our donors from the past 2 weeks! |
Michael McCarty and Kristin Thomas Stan and Robin Engler Kamuron Gurol - Sustaining Mike Ott Lisa Stroming Lisa and Jim Osse - Sustaining Dave and Pat Notter - Sustaining Heather and Ole Bore - Sustaining Michael Levinson Andy and Maureen Seikel - Sustaining
Tracy Brulotte - Sustaining Jackie and Tom Andrewjeski - Sustaining Stephanie Ward Microsoft Upper Valley Connection Dave and Nancy Bartholomew - Sustaining Kurt and Celeste Peterson - Sustaining Lisi Ott - Sustaining
Peter Thorn and Rose Bailey James Costello Steve and Betsy Backstrom in honor of Arne Backstrom - Sustaining Gro Buer and Bruce Williams - Sustaining
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