The Center for Environmental and Natural Skills Education (CENSE)

Mission Statement

CENSE is an experientially-based group dedicated with providing the Evergreen community with opportunities to explore and learn about the natural world via hands-on experience. Our goals are to provide a learning environment for interesting, educational, inspirational, and adventurous interactive experiences with the biotic and abiotic forces that define our bioregion.

TESC Campus Based Activities

Weekly Woods Wanders

Meet us Wednesdays @ 1:30pm under the Clock tower on Red Square, near the benches. Explore the woods while learning about: plant ID, mushroom ID, wild edibles & medicinals, bird language, animal tracking, awareness, artisanry, friction fires, ecology, and more. Woods Wanders are aways free and open to everyone!

Morning Birding & Observing! (NEW! Spring is Springing!)

To be offered Weeks 4-9 of Winter Quarter, and Weeks 1-9 of Spring Quarter. Join us from 7am - 8:30 am every Thursday, meeting at the Clocktower on Red Square to venture into the woods or to the beach to learn about birding, bird vocalization id and bird language.

Learn:

Common Species of the Pacific Northwest

Vocalizations and visual cues

Bird watching and observation techniques

Skills to understand the language of the birds and other forest creatures

Practice:

Dynamic learning and activities in a beautiful local setting

Your current birding skills within a community of folks with like interests

How to Participate:

Everyone is welcome, free of charge

Week 3: April 19: 5:17

Meet us under the Clocktower on Red Square @ Evergreen, Thursday Mornings 7am - 8:30am, to venture out into the field

What to Bring: (*REQUIRED*)

*Yourself*

*Warm Clothes*

*Curiosity*

Bird field guide

Journal and pencil

Watch

Binoculars

Workshops

Want to learn about herbal contraception or how to identify mushrooms? We host a few workshops each year for various purposes. Ideas for workshops or speakers are always welcome from those who want to participate in organizing them. The end of our walks also serve as a quick meeting, so if you have a carpooling adventure or workshop idea feel free to suggest it then or via our e-mail list.

Movies

Last year we showed: “The Great Dance: a Hunter’s Story”, and this year we will be showing: “Walking with Ghosts: Tracking the relationship between the elusive lynx and its prey, the snowshoe hare”. Walking With Ghosts follows Elizabeth Hofer, a predator biologist who has dedicated more than 18 years to tracking the intricate relationship between the elusive lynx and its prey, the snowshoe hare. Liz lives near the rugged and remote Kluane National Park. Her study area is populated with two creatures from the boreal forest we rarely see: the lynx and the snowshoe hare. They are the very spirit of these icy northern forests and their tracks in the snow leave many stories for those who know how to read them.

CENSE Adventures

We have had trips to the Olympic Peninsula to go animal tracking, and a snowshoe and snow tracking trip to the south of Mt. Rainier. In the past we have had trips all over Washington. This year we have two trips funded for fall quarter, a campout teaching earth skills and nature awareness, and a tracking campout. This year we might also go to the coast to gather sea edibles. Because of state regulations, only registered students may ride in the vans owned by Evergreen.

Cost

Our weekly wanders are free and open to all. Your student fees pay for student activities, so with that in mind our trips and workshops are very inexpensive: we only charge to help supplement the cost of the event so we can continue to expand our services and serve the student body and local community.

Other Services and Information

CENSE used to be known as Freaks of Nature before the 2004/2005 school year, and as a group has been around for about 10 years. We have a weekly e-mail list: we respect your privacy and peace of mind, so will only contact you once a week. The purpose of the list is to keep you posted about our events and other environmental education opportunities that exist for students: we may highlight an internship opportunity or Pac NW event in our e-mail. E-mail us or sign up at the walks or our table to get on the list. As an educational group, we also have materials that we distribute to the Evergreen community through our tables and around campus. We have an extensive book and media library up in Student Activities that any registered student may utilize. We have collected rather rare and hard to find earth skills and environmental education resources. Check it out!

	The Center for Environmental and Natural Skills Education
Resources Photo Gallery Want to Help? Links Contact Us		Mission Statement CENSE is an experientially-based group dedicated with providing the Evergreen community with opportunities to explore and learn about the natural world via hands-on experience. Our goals are to provide a learning environment for interesting, educational, inspirational, and adventurous interactive experiences with the biotic and abiotic forces that define our bioregion. TESC Campus Based Activities *Weekly Woods Wanders* Meet us Wednesdays @ 1:30pm under the Clock tower on Red Square, near the benches. Explore the woods while learning about: plant ID, mushroom ID, wild edibles & medicinals, bird language, animal tracking, awareness, artisanry, friction fires, ecology, and more. Woods Wanders are aways free and open to everyone! *Morning Birding & Observing! (NEW! Spring is Springing!)* To be offered Weeks 4-9 of Winter Quarter, and Weeks 1-9 of Spring Quarter. Join us from 7am - 8:30 am every Thursday, meeting at the Clocktower on Red Square to venture into the woods or to the beach to learn about birding, bird vocalization id and bird language. Learn: Common Species of the Pacific Northwest Vocalizations and visual cues Bird watching and observation techniques Skills to understand the language of the birds and other forest creatures Practice: Dynamic learning and activities in a beautiful local setting Your current birding skills within a community of folks with like interests How to Participate: Everyone is welcome, free of charge Week 3: April 19: 5:17 Meet us under the Clocktower on Red Square @ Evergreen, Thursday Mornings 7am - 8:30am, to venture out into the field What to Bring: (REQUIRED) Yourself Warm Clothes Curiosity Bird field guide Journal and pencil Watch Binoculars *Workshops* Want to learn about herbal contraception or how to identify mushrooms? We host a few workshops each year for various purposes. Ideas for workshops or speakers are always welcome from those who want to participate in organizing them. The end of our walks also serve as a quick meeting, so if you have a carpooling adventure or workshop idea feel free to suggest it then or via our e-mail list. *Movies* Last year we showed: “The Great Dance: a Hunter’s Story”, and this year we will be showing: “Walking with Ghosts: Tracking the relationship between the elusive lynx and its prey, the snowshoe hare”. Walking With Ghosts follows Elizabeth Hofer, a predator biologist who has dedicated more than 18 years to tracking the intricate relationship between the elusive lynx and its prey, the snowshoe hare. Liz lives near the rugged and remote Kluane National Park. Her study area is populated with two creatures from the boreal forest we rarely see: the lynx and the snowshoe hare. They are the very spirit of these icy northern forests and their tracks in the snow leave many stories for those who know how to read them. CENSE Adventures We have had trips to the Olympic Peninsula to go animal tracking, and a snowshoe and snow tracking trip to the south of Mt. Rainier. In the past we have had trips all over Washington. This year we have two trips funded for fall quarter, a campout teaching earth skills and nature awareness, and a tracking campout. This year we might also go to the coast to gather sea edibles. Because of state regulations, only registered students may ride in the vans owned by Evergreen. Cost Our weekly wanders are free and open to all. Your student fees pay for student activities, so with that in mind our trips and workshops are very inexpensive: we only charge to help supplement the cost of the event so we can continue to expand our services and serve the student body and local community. Other Services and Information CENSE used to be known as Freaks of Nature before the 2004/2005 school year, and as a group has been around for about 10 years. We have a weekly e-mail list: we respect your privacy and peace of mind, so will only contact you once a week. The purpose of the list is to keep you posted about our events and other environmental education opportunities that exist for students: we may highlight an internship opportunity or Pac NW event in our e-mail. E-mail us or sign up at the walks or our table to get on the list. As an educational group, we also have materials that we distribute to the Evergreen community through our tables and around campus. We have an extensive book and media library up in Student Activities that any registered student may utilize. We have collected rather rare and hard to find earth skills and environmental education resources. Check it out!