Catching Up with The Crest
This February, The Crest kicked it into high gear to prepare for the fast-approaching spring and summer seasons! Our team attended the 2022 Outdoor School Virtual Gathering conference and loved meeting other folks in the Outdoor School community and continuing our own learning.
We will be releasing information and registrations for our Nature Summer Day Camps shortly! We are so glad to hear that our community is excited for the return of our camps.
What Are We Up To?
Above: Jenna the dairy goat. Jenna is very sweet and loves visitors! Below: The chicks, two weeks apart.
News from Willow-Witt Ranch
At the ranch, the chicks have started to explore new heights in the brooder, literally! Their darker feathers are coming in and they’ve grown quite a bit in the past weeks. Currently, their favorite things include jumping, pecking, and trying to take flight.
The first dairy goat due date is just about a week away! In the days leading up to when a goat is expected to give birth, ranch staff check on the mama goat every few hours to make sure that she is doing well and that someone is there to help if she goes into labor.
Take Action, Learn More
The Beaver Coalition
Beavers are known as “ecosystem engineers;” they expand wetlands, create micro-habitats, and recharge groundwater through their creation of dams and ponds. They are a keystone species with disproportionally large effects on their ecosystems.
The Beaver Coalition helps to re-establish beaver in this keystone species role after many have been displaced, and populations have declined, due to the changes humans have made to the landscape.
Learn more about The Beaver Coalition’s mission on their website!
Steller’s Jay
Photograph by Vickie Anderson, Nat Geo Image Collection
The Steller’s Jay, Cyanocitta Stelleri, is striking with its deep blue and black plumage. These Jays have a distinctive crest atop their heads. During breeding season, these birds can be found in the Coast and Cascade ranges of Oregon. Learn more and listen to a Steller’s Jay call here.
Wolf Lichen
Bright green Wolf Lichen, Letharia Vulpina, stands out in the snowy winter landscape. Wolf Lichen gets its bold color from vulpinic acid. This acid is toxic to humans and other mammals, insects, and molluscs. Lichen such as these grow very slowly- only about 4 millimeters per year. Wolf Lichen can be found across Western North America and Western Eurasia.
