Community Programs
Upcoming Events
We help adults and families enrich their forest experience by learning about plants and animals and their relationships with each other and the land. These hikes are fun to do with friends or by yourself—you will usually meet some new people on each trek!
We offer regular hikes on weekdays, weekends, mornings, and evenings so that we can accommodate a wide range of schedules. Our community hikes are conducted in all seasons and are suitable for all ages. Additionally, we offer tailored forest excursions for seniors and for families each month. All hikes are led by either our Community Programs or Youth Education Coordinator, who crafts each hike with a carefully researched thematic focus in mind.
Naturalist Club
JOIN US FOR 10 WEEKS OF IMMERSIVE LEARNING ABOUT THE ANACORTES COMMUNITY FOREST LANDS!
When: Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings, March 5th - May 11th, 2024
Where: Forest Discovery Center (404 Commercial Ave), Anacortes and many trailheads in the ACFL
Friends of the Forest's Naturalist Club is back and better than ever! Starting March 5, 2024, join us for 10 weeks of immersive learning about the Anacortes Community Forest Lands!
Connect with fellow life-long learners, and complete projects that will deepen your connection to and curiosity about the natural world. All learners of any experience are welcome!
During the 10 week series: Every other Tuesday, Naturalist Club members will attend a skills-based class at the Forest Discovery Center (404 Commercial Ave), each focusing on a different aspect of Fidalgo Island and ACFL ecology. On alternating Saturdays, we'll meet out in the ACFL itself and put some of those classroom skills to practice. Participants will explore their basic naturalist skills, learn to identify the common plants and animals of the ACFL, and investigate how the components of the ACFL are connected - to each other and to us!
Each class will spark curiosity about the incredible diversity and complexity of the ACFL ecosystems while aiming to inspire participants to become better observers of the outdoors. By the end of this course, participants will have added to their understanding of and deepened their connection to their world.
And beyond!
Once you've completed the 10 week series, you will join our Naturalist Club community! Although there is no pressure to continue to be involved, we host special Naturalist Club excursions and guest lectures throughout the year for both current and past participants of this program.
*Although this program can accommodate learners of all ages, it is best suited for those 13 and older.