Join us on a late summer twilight walk as we search for bats around the Water Center wetlands. Water Center educators and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers will guide the group on a sunset stroll through the wetland areas around the Columbia River. We will learn about what makes a good bat habitat and listen for their ultrasonic calls with a bat detector.

The program is geared towards adults and youth ages 6 and older. Expect to walk 2 miles on paved and unpaved pathways, and uneven, sandy beaches. Please leave flashlights at home.

Space is limited. Sign up today to reserve your spot! https://www.cityofvancouver.us/events/twilight-tuesday-nature-walk-bats/

If this event becomes full since space is limited and you see that registrations are no longer being accepted, please use the contact email below to add your name to the waitlist.

Contact: Water Center staff at vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-7111

Do you love having fresh flowers in your home and giving them to friends and family as a gift of joy? Have you ever wanted to know how to grow your own beautiful cut flower garden? It’s easier than you think to grow and arrange your own flowers to enjoy inside and out all year long. Join Master Gardener Michelle Palmateer for a talk on planning your cut flower garden. The workshop includes details on selecting and caring for flowers appropriate for arranging and information on how to select flowers that bloom around the same time. Participants will make a visit to our onsite cut flower demo garden where they will make a hand bouquet to take home. Bring a pair of snips, a small bucket and a vase/mason jar you'd like to fill or use one of ours. Dress for the weather, bring water. Cost. $5. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grow-and-arrange-cut-flowers-year-round-workshop-tickets-991249422707.
Erika.d.johnson@wsu.edu or 564-397-5738.

We are happy to announce a new event on Saturday, August 31st at Cottonwood Beach! Join us for a day of healing and offering to the Wimahl (Columbia) River in partnership with Huehca Omeyocan and La Casita Art Gallery and Cultural Center. We will begin the day of healing the river through a community cleanup of Cottonwood Beach. There will be a short break for lunch (please pack your own), before the workshops begin. 

During the trash art workshop you will be working on community art piece(s) from trash collected at beach cleanups. The art will then be in an art show at La Casita Art Gallery and Cultural Center. There will also be an interactive flower offering activity led by Huehca Omeyocan.

Huehca Omeyocan will be performing an Aztec Dance and Drumming Ceremony with an Offering of Flowers to the River. This style of dance and music is of the Cem-Anahuac, meaning the Land Surrounded by water where people live entirely together.

Event Schedule:

9am to 11:30am: Beach cleanup

12pm to 1:30pm: Making of flower offerings and trash-art workshop

1:30pm to 3:30pm: Aztec dance and offering ceremony

Registration is only required for the litter cleanup. No registration is required for the workshops or ceremony. Register here.