Announcements:
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Announcing
the Officers of the 2024 Marys Peak Group Executive Committee (ExCom)
The following
people were elected to MPG positions at the January 4th ExCom meeting:
Chair: Julie
Arrington
Vice Chair: Mike Neeley-Brown
Secretary: Leslie
Hogan
Treasurer: Robert White
Outings Chair:
Mary Beth Downes
Membership
Chair: Melanie Feder
Programs
Chair: David Eckert
Representative to
the Chapter ExCom: Julie
Alternate rep to
the Chapter ExCom: Leslie
Thank you all for
being willing to take on these roles and responsibilities!
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2023 Champinefu Lectures are Now on YouTube
Closed-caption recordings on the first two Champineful Lectures are now available on YouTube.
Willamette River: Ancestral Highway
YouTube Recording
This recording begins with a film by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde on the topic of canoe culture. It is followed by a panel discussion about the importance of canoe culture to the Grand Ronde and their relationship to the Willamette River.
Fire is Life: Living in Relation with Indigenous Fire Practices of Western Oregon
YouTube Recording
Joe Scott (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians), winner of the 2023 Indigenous Place Keeping Artist (IPKA) Fellowship, was the presenter. He discussed how he is connecting local indigenous people to the sacred fire resources and practices that have sustained people of this place through the seasonal round since Time Immemorial.
******Spring 2023 Frenkel Lecture Series on Wetlands Now on YouTube
The three 2023 Liz and Bob Frenkel Environment and Hiking Spring Series webinars are now available on YouTube with closed caption subtitles.
Reviving the Wetlands at Finley National Wildlife Refuge
This webinar will entice both those who have never been to Finley and those who have been there many times to visit the refuge with new eyes and new expectations. A high level of wetland restoration work has already established the Finley Wildlife National Refuge as a significant wildlife refuge that also attracts thousands of visitors each year. This webinar will show you a mature restoration site and how you can best enjoy it. Presenter: Jarod Jebousek is a wildlife biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife currently focusing on the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program for the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. His office is at the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge ten miles south of Corvallis.
Reviving the Wetlands at Herbert Farm Natural Area
Herbert Natural Area is a little visited, beautiful natural area in the middle of a restoration process. Owned by the City of Corvallis and purchased to be restored as a natural area, the Institute for Applied Ecology has been managing the restoration process, assisted by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. This webinar will show you the areas in the restoration process, how they are accomplishing this complex task and how you can enjoy the area now. Presenters: Jude Geist, Parks Division Manager, City of Corvallis; Tom Kaye, Executive Director, Institute for Applied Ecology; Sara Alaica, Restoration Ecologist, Institute for Applied Ecology.
Owens Farm/Jackson-Frazier Wetland Complex
While the Jackson-Frazier Wetland has been a popular hiking area for decades, the wetland extends far beyond the current publicly accessible area. The wetland extends to the northwest across 99W into an area called Owens Farm. This webinar will present a bold plan to restore the entire wetland and make it publicly accessible through a network of extensive trails. This will not only open up a new wildlife refuge area, but it will open up a whole new hiking experience in the region. Presenters: Jessica McDonald, Executive Director, Greenbelt Land Trust; Jesse Ott, Acting Director, Benton County Natural Areas, Parks
and Events Dept., Meredith Petit, Director, Corvallis Parks and Recreation Dept.; Ellen Tappon, President, Alliance for Recreation and Natural Areas (AFRANA)
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All three of the 2022 Champinefu Webinars are now available for viewing on YouTube.
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General Notes:
1) Newcomers to MPG outing events, please view the GENERAL OUTING POLICY on our MPG website http://oregon2.sierraclub.org/marys-peak before pre-registering for or attending an outing.
2) Contacting Marys Peak Group: Marys Peak Group contact information is obtainable at http://oregon2.sierraclub.org/marys-peak Listed are the Executive Committee members and the Administrative and Program Coordinators.
3) Facebook: Marys Peak Group – Sierra Club is on Facebook. Check out MPG’s Facebook page to view pictures of past hikes and events, and learn about upcoming opportunities. Post pictures from hikes and outings you participate in! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marys-Peak-Group-Sierra-Club/159377960779
4) Minutes of the MPG Executive Committee can be viewed at the aforementioned website by clicking on the About Us/Ex Comm Meeting Minutes tab or by clicking on MPGMinutes_Sept2023 for the minutes of the last meeting on September 6th, 2023.
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OSU Forestry Recreation Updates: