Friday, October 4th, 2019
Below you will find details on the four field trips offered as part of the Oregon Master Naturalist Statewide Conference. If you have registered for one of these trips, please read the information carefully, and keep an eye out for an email from your trip organizer for additional important information.
Departure and Return Times
All field trips will depart promptly at 12:00pm and return between 5:00pm and 6:00pm. Please arrive at least 30 minutes (11:00 – 11:30 AM) ahead of time to check in and avoid being left behind.
Pick up and Drop off Location
All field trips will leave from the OSU Memorial Union. Each trip will be staging in the outdoor covered plaza located on the east side of the Memorial Union. Look for your trip and trip leader when you arrive. White, OSU passenger vans will be lined up on SW Jefferson Way, visible from the plaza.
Parking On Campus
On-campus parking options are available for an additional daily fee ($10/day). Parking permits are required between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, year-round. Please note that payment is require on Friday, October 4th. If you are going on a Field Trip, please plan on paying to park if you are driving to campus. You should not need a parking permit to park on campus Saturday, October 4th, but please make sure to park in lots designated as visitor lots to avoid getting a pricey parking ticket.
Click here for information on daily parking and where to locate parking meter kiosks.
Field Trips
GLOBE Observer Community Science Training
| This field trip will go to the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge. The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international science and education program that provides students and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, and contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment. The Program is sponsored by NASA and supported by NOAA, the NSF, and US Department of State. This session will train you in the GLOBE Observer app to make observations and contribute to the GLOBE community. GLOBE observations help scientists track changes in clouds, water, plants, and other life in support of Earth system science research. A box lunch will be provided to you as we begin the trip. Plan to eat right before we depart or en route while in the van. Limited time will be given once you arrive at the Refuge. |
OSU College of Forestry McDonald Forest Tour
| The OSU College of Forestry has a long history of ownership and management of forestland in Oregon. These places are used for research, teaching, recreation, and timber harvest. Join OSU College of Forestry faculty to learn the history of OSU’s flagship college forest, McDonald Forest, and how it is managed for each of these purposes. The tour will include a discussion about wildlife and earl seral habitat. Click HERE for more information about McDonald Forest. A box lunch will be provided to you as we begin the trip. Plan to eat right before we depart or en route while in the van. Limited time will be given once you arrive at your first stop. Please bring a water bottle, dress for the weather (hat, sunscreen, rain jacket, etc., depending!) and sturdy shoes/boots. |
Marys River Watershed Tour
| Thanks for joining in our Marys River Watershed field trip. This trip will be led by Kathleen Westly of Marys River Watershed Council. Kathleen will guide us by van into the Rock Creek watershed, where MRWC has facilitated an extensive watershed enhancement project, on both City of Corvallis and private property, including fish passage barrier removals, large woody debris placements and riparian planting. You will also have the opportunity to learn about the enthusiasm that local landowners have shown for opportunities to restore natural functions to their land. Along the way, we will observe and discuss the variety of habitats in the watershed; local areas of concern include habitat for cutthroat trout, Pacific lamprey and the endangered Fenders blue and Taylors checkerspot butterflies, as well as the drastic decrease in beaver presence, a keystone species for healthy Pacific Northwest stream systems. Kathleen will also tell us about the roles that watershed councils fill throughout Oregon. The trip will end up at Tyee Wine Cellars, site of a large wetland habitat restoration conservation easement at the confluence of Beaver and Muddy Creeks. At the end of our tour, we will visit the winery, including an opportunity to try their award-winning local wines (Optional). For more on this Certified Salmon Safe winery, visit: https://www.tyeewine.com. A box lunch will be provided to you as we begin the trip. Plan to eat right before we depart or en route while in the van. Limited time will be given once you arrive at your first stop. Please bring a water bottle, dress for the weather (hat, sunscreen, rain jacket, etc., depending!) and sturdy shoes/boots – we will be walking over uneven ground. We will also ford a small stream; we’ll have a supply of rubber boots on board for those that would like them. |
The Marys Peak Geology Tour (FULL)
| Marys Peak sits prominently in the Oregon Coast Range mountains, the highest point in the entire range, visible from Corvallis and the surrounding countryside. This field trip will peel away the layers of geological history that formed both this mountain and the Willamette Valley. At the end of the tour, you will be given an opportunity to walk from the parking lot to the highest point on Marys Peak, where, if it’s a clear day, you can see to the coast and many of the tallest peaks in the Cascade Mountains. Info on Mary’s Peak can be found HERE. A box lunch will be provided to you as we begin the trip. Plan to eat right before we depart or en route while in the van. We will be making multiple stops on the way to Marys Peak. Please bring decent walking shoes or boots, water, and dress for cold and rainy weather. Each participant will be provided with a signed copy of “Oregon’s Island in the Sky: Geology Road Guide to Marys Peak.” |