“Learn by the Light of the Moon” Speaker Series

Presented by the Dungeness River Audubon Center

When: 7 p.m. April 29, May 29, June 28, Aug. 26, Sept. 24, Oct. 24

Where: Dungeness River Audubon Center Amphitheater, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road, rain or shine

Admission: Free, $5 donations are welcome

The Dungeness River Audubon Center is offering a new educational speaker series under the light of the full moon each month.

With a new roof over the park’s amphitheater and electricity installed, educational coordinator Jenna Ziogas said the site created the perfect opportunity to hold a new speaker series to bring more people together to learn about the region of the Olympic Peninsula.

“We really want to start utilizing that space more,” Ziogas said. “We thought the full moon would be a perfect time to bring people together.”

The new speaker series “Learn by the Light of the Moon” features local experts, authors and others discussing their work related to the natural resources of the Olympic Peninsula.

Ziogas said there will be a new speaker for every full moon each month and the discussions will start at 7 p.m. rain or shine.

“We tried to coordinate the name of the moon with the topic,” Ziogas said.

“(The speakers) are all looking deeper at the natural history of the Olympic Peninsula.”

The first speaker to present on Sunday, April 29, is Dann May, a geology professor at Peninsula College, then Tim McNulty, a poet and author, Alana Linderoth and Tom Sanford from the North Olympic Land Trust, Kim Sager-Fradkin, a wildlife biologist for the Lower Elwha Tribe, Robert Steelquist, an author, Patty McManus, promotions coordinator at Nash’s Organic Product and Tomas Setubal with the Mountain Lakes Olympic National Park.

The event is free to the public but the Audubon Center will welcome $5 donations. Outdoor seating is provided on the stone steps at the amphitheater with small patches of carpet for about 50-60 attendees. While some seating is provided, the Audubon Center encourages attendees to bring their own chairs, blankets and snacks.

In the event of rain, Ziogas said the discussion will be moved inside.

To learn more about the speaker series, call 360-681-4076 or visit dungenessrivercenter.org.

Upcoming talks

May 29 — Tim McNulty, poet and author, “Island of Rivers, a Natural History of the Olympics,”

June 28 — Alana Linderoth and Tom Sanford, Community Engagement Specialist and former Director for the North Olympic Land Trust, “Conserving the bedrock of community, economy and place”

July 27 — Kim Sager-Fradkin, wildlife biologist for the Lower Elwha Tribe, “By the light of the Buck Moon, research on Columbian black-tailed deer, mountain lions, and other furry or feathered wildlife”

Aug. 26 — Robert Steelquist, author and environmental educator, “Deep Connection: Experiencing Nature and Finding the Explorer in Each of Us”

Sept. 24 — Patty McManus, promotions coordinator at Nash’s Organic Produce, “Farming in Partnership with Nature.”

Oct. 24 — Tomás Setubal, Mountain Lakes Team Olympic National Park, “Changing Climate and Aquatic Ecosystems in Olympic National Park”

The Dungeness River Audubon Center at Railroad Bridge Park houses a variety of educational programs and speaker series each month, including a new series “Learn by the Light of the Moon” starting on Sunday, April 29. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash