The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Get out and explore with the Blue Mountain Land Trust this fall, with one of the many upcoming, outdoor-oriented classes.

Explore: Stand-Up Paddleboard, September 11

Spend the afternoon paddling up the lower Palouse River on a stand-up paddleboard or kayak with Adventure-Fit, a local outfitter. Before entering the water, Greg Jacob from Adventure-Fit will provide instruction on how to stand-up paddleboard and kayak, followed by a leisurely paddle as a group.

The paddle will begin at Lyons Ferry State Park located at the confluence of the Snake and Palouse Rivers. There will be plenty of time to explore the river and enjoy a swim.

Equipment will be provided.

Cost: $45 per person. Explore: Stand-Up Paddleboard begins at 12 p.m.

Registration will close when full or three days in advance. Contact Katy Rizzuti at (509) 525-3136 or katy@bmlt.org for more information. Registration is currently full, but join our waitlist below.

Botany in the Blues, September 12

Discover the plant diversity of the Blue Mountains with botanist Emil Doyle.

Get introduced to some simple botanical terminology and provide various resources to aid in recognition. In addition, we will look at the larger pictures of ecoregions and plant communities, discuss the ecology and plant identification tips, and even provide a primer on easy-to-recognize lichen species.

The event will start along FS320 (gated) and connect to the Umatilla Rim Trail, exploring both the forest-clad and open riparian habitats of Johnson Creek and a small tributary. We will find a lush representation of most plant types that make up our northernmost Blues, including mosses, liverworts, lycopods, orchids, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. Plus, we will see favorite plants as they appear in their fruiting “swan song” — the completion of their annual cycles.

The trip leader has self-published a 55+ page color guide on Northernmost Blues ecology, botany, and lichens. Students may purchase this resource for $15. Botany in the Blues begins at 9 a.m.

Cost: $55 for BMLT members, $65 for non-members. For more information about this event, please contact Katy Rizzuti at katy@bmlt.org. Registration is currently full, but join our waitlist below.

Nature Painting with Joyce Anderson, September 18

Join BMLT for an introduction to watercolor nature painting under the tutelage of Joyce Anderson. This class requires no artistic talent or background, and all materials will be provided. Anderson will lead a fun-filled morning to help students discover how watercolors can create a vision of the natural wonders all around us.

Anderson is a renowned watercolorist and teacher, having taught drawing and painting throughout the Walla Walla Valley since 1982. A prolific painter, her subject matter encompasses landscapes, people, flowers, animals, still life, and all things found in nature. Anderson’s award-winning works have been displayed locally and throughout the Northwest. Photos of her painting can be found on her Facebook page. Joyce has taught watercolors to beginners, intermediate and advanced students at Carnegie Center, the Center at the Park, and Walla Walla Community College. Ever-popular as an instructor, she strives to show students the joys of watercolor. This class starts at 10:00 a.m.

Cost: $45 for BMLT members, $55 for non-members. Registration closes Friday, September 17 at 12:00 p.m.

For more information about this event, please contact Katy Rizzuti at katy@bmlt.org

Check out all the classes at https://bmlt.org/events