Beginner and family-friendly introduction to wildlife tracking with local tracker Kirk Beckendorf and WRI Community Programs Educator Virginia Shoup .
Join generations of trackers who have learned to tell the stories of our animal neighbors by studying the signs they leave behind. Even when we don't see the critters that move through the landscape, their tracks, scat, scratch marks, and more can tell us what they're doing. Throughout the day we will learn about tracks, gait, and other wildlife signs as we journey through the local area to see what stories wildlife signs can tell us. Our day will be mostly spent outside, with a couple of lessons inside. We will walk around the Wenatchee River Institute campus as well as travel to a couple of other local spots. Depending on group size, there will be the option to ride in the WRI van or carpool to other locations. Locations will be determined closer to the event to allow for the best opportunities, but will be within a 30 minute drive.
Ages: Second grade and up. Adults without kids welcome too!
Children 15 and younger must be accompanied by a participating adult. Please note that we welcome children and recognize that you know your child best. We will spend much of the day outside moving at a slow pace. Children should be able to stay with the group and be comfortable outside in variable weather, as well as be respectful of instructors and learning time.
Apr
24
Fri · 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Annual fashion show featuring wearable art made from recycled and repurposed materials. Come check out the creative pieces built by your neighbors! There will be four design team categories this year: adult, middle and high school youth, elementary youth, and family. Prizes are available for each category, plus a People's Choice Award where audience members will get to vote for their favorite outfit.
Mar
6
Fri · 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wolf Land is a film about finding common ground in unlikely places. The team spent 2.5 years documenting the lives of “wolf protecting cowboy” and range rider Daniel Curry and rancher Jerry Francis in the remote wilderness of northeast Washington. Washington has had its share of conflict on this issue, and human/wildlife conflict is a story that's typically told in polarizing extremes. This film's goal was to document two people in the middle of this conflict working together to protect what's most dear to each of them. For Daniel, that is endangered wolves and for Jerry, his cattle and way of life. We hope that this hyperlocal film, produced in the Northwest, has themes of coexistence that can touch audiences with a range of perspectives on this issue. Courtesy Cascade Public Media. Doors to the Red Barn open at 6:30pm for a community social with beer and wine available for purchase. The film will start just after 7:00pm. Run time is 71 minutes and will be followed by a Q+A with producer Sarah Hoffman. Sarah Hoffman (she/her) is an Emmy award winning documentary filmmaker who focuses her work on human stories in the realm of science and environment. Her work has appeared in the Seattle International Film Festival, BendFilm, Friday Harbor, Local Sightings and Tacoma Film Fest. She was awarded Best Short at the Portland Ecofilm Festival in 2020. Wolf Land is Sarah’s first feature film. She is currently a Senior Video Producer at Cascade PBS. Prior to joining the company, she worked as a photojournalist and video producer at newspapers around the country including The Dallas Morning News and the Omaha World-Herald. Photo by Sarah Hoffman/Cascade PBS. Film Copyright 2025 Cascade Public Media. All Rights Reserved.
Feb
13
Fri · 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
That December storm gave it its best shot, but now it’s our turn to continue the job! One good outcome to the lack of snow, is we're able to continue this work. We’re turning storm debris into wood chips and giving our riverfront trails the spa day they deserve. Come hang out, get your hands a little dirty, and help us reclaim the campus! We’ve got two shifts for twice the fun: The Early Bird Special: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM The Afternoon Hustle: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM We'll split into groups: some will help with the wood chipping and others can help pick up the litter the river waters moved through the waterfront. We provide the gloves (please bring ear protection if you have it); you provide the muscle (and the banter). Let’s get chipping! Before you head over: To make check-in a breeze, please RSVP and [fill out our volunteer waiver](https://bit.ly/2026VolunteerWaiver) at the link below before you arrive. It’s quick, easy, and gets you to the fun parts faster!
Feb
17
Tue · 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Join the Wenatchee River Institute and the [Cascadia Prescribed Burn Association](https://www.cascadiapba.org/) in a celebration of fire. This will be an evening to celebrate fire where we will bring warmth and light to the night. We will have fire pits set up to gather around fire, fire dancers, a mobile sauna to enjoy after a cold plunge, food, stories, music, a drum circle and your community's company. Please bring a chair to relax and listen to the poetry and music. We also encourage you to bring quick easy food to cook over the fire. This event is open and welcome for all to join, no registration is required.
Jun
13
Sat
Spend two full days in the Cascades around Leavenworth, with professional wildlife tracker, naturalist, educator and author, David Moskowitz. This wildlife track and sign evaluation is offered through CyberTracker North America. David's approach to this class is highly interactive, engaging participants in identification and interpretation of tracks and signs. There is lots of time for questions and discussion built in. The style of this class is an excellent way to learn about animal sign and investigate real life tracking scenarios. Participants have the chance to achieve a certificate at the end of the class, awarded on three levels. Prior CyberTracker students can take this class to attempt evaluation at a higher level. CyberTracker courses provide an opportunity for quality, focused learning with some of the best trackers in the country. Courses are designed to further participant's tracking knowledge, as well as to rigorously test and document their current tracking skill set. Originally designed to help African Bushmen gain employment on game preserves, these courses also provide an internationally recognized certification of tracking ability. Certifications are an important credential for wildlife researchers and environmental educators as well as for people who want to test and push their own ability. Evaluations are entirely field based, striving to expose participants to the widest range of tracks and signs as possible. Discussions are encouraged, giving participants a chance to air their thoughts and receive individualized instruction.
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