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curriculum design course

Graduate Students Visit Concrete Elementary!

forest
Jan 22, 2018Montana Napier

On January 17th, graduate students in the 17th Cohort visited Concrete Elementary School to teach naturalist lessons. As part of our Curriculum Design course, our main goal was to engage …
Read More of Graduate Students Visit Concrete Elementary!

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  • Reflections on the Parks Climate Challenge program
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Connecting people, nature and community through education since 1986. #ncascades

North Cascades Institute
TONY'S COFFEE is hosting a week of support for Nor TONY'S COFFEE is hosting a week of support for North Cascades Institute!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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☕️Today through March 12, $5 from every 12-oz bag of *Honduras Alvarado Sisters* sold will be donated in support of our efforts to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. This is the coffee we serve in our dining hall at our Environmental Learning Center—a bright and balanced single-origin coffee from female growers in the Copan region of Honduras. And tastes delicious! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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☕️We hope you'll shop coffee for a good cause at tonyscoffee.com
So dreamy....⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ So dreamy....⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Being in the North Cascades can feel like a dream, with jagged glaciated peaks, remote wilderness, & dark starry night skies to name just a few. The reality is when we adventure in the mountains especially in winter we must be prepared and recreate responsibly. Make sure you check the weather, avalanche forecast and have the proper skill and knowledge for the terrain you are in. After that, have fun. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What do you find dreamy about the north cascades?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#dreamon #recreateresponsibly ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📸: @nickrlake
North Cascades Institute is seeking a dynamic, ene North Cascades Institute is seeking a dynamic, energetic leader to be its new MOUNTAIN SCHOOL MANAGER! Working from the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center on Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park, the Mountain School Manager is responsible for the Institute’s overnight school programs that serve 2,500 Whatcom and Skagit County students every year. The ideal candidate is a creative, energetic, professional team player with a strong connection to, and passion for, the Institute’s mission to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature.

Is this you or someone you know? Applicants can find the full job description at ncascades.org/careers.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📍Ancestral home lands of the Upper Skagit, Nlaka’pamux, Sauk-Suiattle & Swinomish peoples
“There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a f “There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend."- Bob Ross ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Trees are pretty neat. Did you know:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🌲 Some trees have been to the moon 🚀🌙⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“Moon trees'' were grown from seeds taken to the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in early 1971. NASA and the US Forest Service wanted to see if the moon’s orbit caused the seeds to grow differently back on earth. These trees were donated to state forestry services in 1975 and 1976. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🌲 Trees are able to communicate and defend themselves against attacking insects.🦗🤺⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Scientists have found that trees can flood their leaves with chemicals called phenolics when the insects begin their raid. They can also signal danger to other trees so they can start their own defense.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🌲 Trees can help to reduce stress.🧘⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A study conducted by the University of Illinois and the University of Hong Kong found that the denser the forest, the lower the stress, which suggests that taking a walk down a tree-lined street could prove beneficial to your mental wellbeing. Research also suggests nature experiences help us to feel kinder toward others. This is partly because they release chemicals called phytoncides. When we breathe them in, it can reduce blood pressure, lower anxiety levels, and increase pain threshold.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🌲 Trees help reduce the effects of climate change.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A mature tree can absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide each year, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#themoreyouknow🌈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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 📸: @mountainkimbo
As evident in these pictures of Banded Glacier in As evident in these pictures of Banded Glacier in the North Cascades (as it appeared in 1960 and again in its present state), glaciers are dramatic indicators of climate change. They are sensitive to temperature because that is what determines if precipitation falls as snow or rain, and it affects the length and magnitude of the melt season. The one degree Celsius increase in temperatures over the last century has melted half of the glacial area in the North Cascades.

In our upcoming online course with Jon Riedel, National Park Service geologist and expert on glaciers, we’ll learn about the history of glaciers in the North Cascades from the end of the last ice age to the present rapid decline. Jon will discuss why glaciers are important in this region while taking us on a photographic journey of change in glacier area in the last century. We’ll also learn about Jon’s Glacier Monitoring Program that has tracked seasonal changes in volume on eight glaciers in Washington's national parks since 1993, and conclude with a long-term perspective on glacier change from the geologic record.

March 10 at 4 PM: Blue Legacy—The Recent History of Glaciers in the North Cascades

Learn more and sign up at ncascades.org/classes. 

Can't make the date? Register for the class and we'll send you the recording afterward to watch when it works for you! 

Are you @youth_leadership_adventures alumni? Sign up for FREE by calling 360-854-2599.
Intersectional History of Environmentalism from @i Intersectional History of Environmentalism from @intersectionalenvironmentalist 

Swipe through to learn about Hazel Johnson, the mother of environmental justice, and her work in the South Side of Chicago that sparked a movement nationwide. 

Graphic by: @amndazhu 
Research by: @lexiiimh 
Copy edit by: @amirachandni
Need a personal #natureretreat this Spring? Base C Need a personal #natureretreat this Spring? Base Camp spaces are still available April 2-3 and April 9-10 for overnight stays in the North Cascades National Park!

Spend your day hiking and enjoying signs of Spring (like trillium!) in the North Cascades. Add some journaling and quiet reflection on the wooded shore of Diablo Lake. Then kick off your boots, enjoy a hot meal, and relax in the comforts of our Environmental Learning Center campus. Each night’s reservation includes:

🌿Private accommodations in our comfortable lodges
🌿Take-out breakfast, lunch and dinner made with locally-sourced, organic ingredients
🌿Self-guided learning activities and recreation in the heart of North Cascades National Park

Reserve your spot and learn about our COVID-19 safety protocols at ncascades.org/basecamp.

📍Located on the ancestral homelands of the Upper Skagit, Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxʷ, Swinomish, Syilx Tmix (Okanagan) & Sauk-Suiattle peoples
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Leadership Adven NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Leadership Adventures Summer 2021 backcountry trips are for motivated 9th-12th grade students seeking a fun and challenging summer adventure in the North Cascades! 

🌲In partnership with North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, this North Cascades Institute program offers 8 and 12-day field courses, designed to connect students to the natural world while engaging in conversation about climate change and climate solutions.

🌲Participants will canoe, backpack, camp and complete stewardship projects in the North Cascades while discovering their unique leadership strengths, building an inclusive community with peers, and identifying pathways to a hopeful and sustainable future.

🌲No prior outdoor experience needed! Gear, food, and transportation (from Skagit and Whatcom counties) are provided. And SCHOLARSHIPS are available!

Learn more and apply at www.ncascades.org/youth. 

👀And be sure to check out @youth_leadership_adventures for program highlights!
“There is a way that nature speaks, that land sp “There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.” –Linda Hogan ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📸: @missroselouise
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