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Get a jump on spring with Gardening for Your Table, Oregon Peace Tree Project, Plants for the Planet and more

News Feed
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Events are free unless noted. Please email calendar submissions at least three weeks in advance to events@oregonian.com.ONGOINGPlants for the Planet Native Plant Sale: Browse profiles of more than 100 native plant species and shop for plants online through March 24 to be picked up at one of four outdoor pop-up events in April or early May. sparrowhawknativeplants.com.Portland Fruit Tree Project Home Orchard Workshops: Various dates and locations through May. These hands-on workshops are designed to empower participants with practical knowledge on fruit tree care, composting, grafting and more. $50; visit portlandfruit.org or email treecare@portlandfruit.org.Tualatin SWCD spring workshops: Various dates and times through May 30. Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District offers a variety of spring workshops, including Soil School, Weed Wranglin’, Sustainable Equine Management and more. Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, 7175 N.E. Evergreen Parkway (#400), Hillsboro; tualatinswcd.org.Grow Your Own Produce: The Workshop Series: (online via Zoom) First Wednesday of the month through Nov. 6. Taught by permaculture expert Marisha Auerbach, each workshop features seasonally relevant information about planning, growing, maintaining and harvesting food from the garden. $130 for a five-class series, or $30 per class; fertileground.org.Walk With a Friend at Tualatin Hills Nature Park: 9 a.m. first Wednesday and third Sunday of the month. Take a guided walk and learn about the plants, wildlife and history of the park. Tualatin Hills Nature Park, 15655 S.W. Millikan Way, Beaverton; thprd.org.East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District free webinars: Discover how to care for land in ways that benefit people, water and wildlife. From stormwater solutions to biochar to water conservation, these workshops will help you save time, money and energy. Register at emswcd.org/workshops-and-events/upcoming-workshops.Greater Portland Iris Society meeting: 7 p.m. first Tuesday of the month in March, April, September, October and November. Enjoy discussions of irises with guest speakers. Ainsworth House, 19130 Lot Whitcomb Drive, Oregon City; greaterportlandirissociety.org.Happy Valley Garden Club monthly meeting: 9 a.m.-noon second Tuesday of the month. Happy Valley Baptist Church, 14095 S.E. King Road, Happy Valley.Ikebana for Every Season: 1-2:30 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; $45. Become knowledgeable about basic concepts, techniques, tools, equipment and care for ikebana. The Resource Center, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.Portland Dahlia Society monthly meeting: 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month February through November. Take part in a discussion of seasonal topics. Oaks Park Dance Pavilion, 7805 S.E. Oaks Park Way; portlanddahlia.com.Estacada Garden Club monthly meeting: 1-3 p.m. second Thursday of the month. Estacada Public Library, 825 N.W. Wade St.FRIDAY, MARCH 15Oregon Peace Tree Project Presentation: 1-2 p.m. Learn about the project that has helped Oregon have the densest concentration of trees outside Japan that were grown from the seeds of trees that survived the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima. Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 S.W. Fairview Blvd.; hoytarboretum.org.SATURDAY, MARCH 16Gardening for Your Table: 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. Eight speakers will cover topics ranging from growing fruits and vegetables to backyard composting. $25 includes snacks, $12 optional lunch; Church on the Hill, 700 N.W. Hill Road, McMinnville; register at YCMGA.org.Northwest Native Garden Plants and the Amazing Insects They Attract: 10 a.m.-noon. Join garden writer and photographer Amy Campion for an exploration of some of the best natives to plant in your wildlife-friendly garden and learn about the insects they support. CASEE Center (Building B, Room 205), 11104 N.E. 149th St., Brush Prairie, Washington. $15 registration required at info@naturescaping.org, marlene52ns@gmail.com or 360-737-1160. naturescaping.org.Raising Mason Bees: 10 a.m.-noon. Join mason bee expert Ron Spendal for a class focusing on environmental needs, nesting behaviors and housing devices attractive to mason bees. PCC Rock Creek (Building 4, Room 103), 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.Early Spring Container Planter Workshop: 1:30-3 p.m. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn every step of the art of creating container arrangements using the thriller, spiller and filler method. $35; Al’s Garden & Home (all locations); als-gardencenter.com.TUESDAY, MARCH 19Healing Herbs of the Arboretum: Noon-2 p.m. Stroll around the arboretum to explore medicinal trees, weeds and native plants and talk about which parts to use and which plants to avoid. $25 registration required at hoytarboretum.org; Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 S.W. Fairview Blvd.FRIDAY, MARCH 22Hillsboro Farmers Markets presents “The Green Fork Initiative”: 6 p.m. Enjoy a special premiere of the short film capturing a segment of Washington County’s food narrative, highlighting the individuals and abundant agricultural diversity that shape the region’s distinctive fruits, vegetables, grains and pasture-raised meats. $15; The Vault Theater, 350 E. Main St., Hillsboro; bagnbaggage.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket#.SATURDAY, MARCH 23Tree School Clackamas: Opens at 7:15 a.m. Attend any of 73 classes covering forestry and tree grower topics key to the support of successful management of small woodlands. Participants will learn about forest management, tools and techniques, wildfire preparedness, marketing and business, forest health, wildlife habitat, weed management, forest fungi and more. $70 Clackamas County resident, $85 out of county, $35 ages 14-18 with adult; registration required at beav.es/tree-school-clackamas; Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City.Newell Creek Canyon Spring hike and ecoblitz: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Join Metro for a spring hike, learn about local plants and birds and take an optional survey of plant and animal life. Registration required at oregonmetro.gov/GuidedActivities; Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, 485 Warner Milne Road, Oregon City.SUNDAY, APRIL 7Mushroom hike at Smith and Bybee: 9:30-11:45 a.m. or 12:30-2:45 p.m. Discover the fascinating world of mushrooms on this woodland hike with local mushroom guide Leah Bendlin. Learn about identification, ecological roles of fungi, their forms and how they eat and reproduce. $6 registration required at oregonmetro.gov; Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, 5300 N. Marine Drive.SATURDAY, APRIL 13Soil School 2024: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Open to all gardeners – from aspiring to advanced – this event offers eight sessions taught by experts to learn about how improving soil health improves plant, garden and habitat wellbeing. $35 includes breakfast and lunch; Portland Community College, Rock Creek Event Center, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; register at wmswcd.org/soil-school.Mushroom hike at Oxbow Regional Park: 9:30-11:45 a.m. or 12:30-2:45 p.m. Discover the fascinating world of mushrooms on this woodland hike with local mushroom guide Leah Bendlin. Learn about identification, ecological roles of fungi, their forms and how they eat and reproduce. $6 registration required at oregonmetro.gov; Oxbow Regional Park, 3010 S.E. Oxbow Park Road, Gresham.Spring Lawn Maintenance: 1-2:30 p.m. Get tips for keeping your lawn healthy and green throughout the summer in the Northwest. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.SATURDAY, MAY 4Gardenfest 2024: PCC Rock Creek, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.THURSDAY, MAY 16Florence Rhododendron Festival: May 16-19. Enjoy the rhododendron show, vendor fair, live music, art, festivities, activities and more at this family-friendly Oregon institution. FlorenceChamber.com.SATURDAY, MAY 18Gathering in the Garden: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate gardening and appreciation of community green spaces with a vendor fair, exhibits, live music and more. Eastmoreland Garden Park, Southeast 27th Avenue and Bybee Boulevard; eastmorelandpdx.org.Spring Maintenance on Pines: Noon-2 p.m. Learn the Niwa Method of candling and needling to maintain cloud-prune aesthetics and keep a manageable size and aesthetic focal point of your pines in a landscape. $45; Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.SATURDAY, JUNE 8Fundamentals of Pruning: 1-2:30 p.m. Take a tour, learn about tools and tool care, the four basic cuts of pruning and the subsequent reactions from these cuts. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.SATURDAY, JUNE 15Creating Pollinator Habitat for your Garden and Home: 10:30-11:30 a.m. This seminar will focus on information about bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and native host plants for creating your own pollinator yard. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.SATURDAY, JUNE 22Pruning Lace-leaf Maples for Character: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Discover the fundamentals of pruning as they pertain to lace-leaf maples and listen to a short lecture on basic botany and growth habits. $45; Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.FRIDAY, SEPT. 6Parade of Homes: Sept. 6-22. Explore three luxury homes on large lots at the Reserve at Lake River in Felida, Washington. clarkcountyparadeofhomes.com.SATURDAY, OCT. 26Gardening with Pacific Northwest Native Plants: 10 a.m.-noon. Learn about the native plants that thrive in the Northwest and how to naturescape in support of wildlife and pollinators. PCC Rock Creek (Building 4, Room 103) and WCMGA Education Garden, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.-- Corey SheldonStay in the loop. Sign up to receive a weekly newsletter and join the conversation at the Homes & Gardens of the Northwest on Facebook

Webinars and other events offer lessons in beekeeping, growing produce, ikebana and more.

Events are free unless noted. Please email calendar submissions at least three weeks in advance to events@oregonian.com.

ONGOING

Plants for the Planet Native Plant Sale: Browse profiles of more than 100 native plant species and shop for plants online through March 24 to be picked up at one of four outdoor pop-up events in April or early May. sparrowhawknativeplants.com.

Portland Fruit Tree Project Home Orchard Workshops: Various dates and locations through May. These hands-on workshops are designed to empower participants with practical knowledge on fruit tree care, composting, grafting and more. $50; visit portlandfruit.org or email treecare@portlandfruit.org.

Tualatin SWCD spring workshops: Various dates and times through May 30. Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District offers a variety of spring workshops, including Soil School, Weed Wranglin’, Sustainable Equine Management and more. Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, 7175 N.E. Evergreen Parkway (#400), Hillsboro; tualatinswcd.org.

Grow Your Own Produce: The Workshop Series: (online via Zoom) First Wednesday of the month through Nov. 6. Taught by permaculture expert Marisha Auerbach, each workshop features seasonally relevant information about planning, growing, maintaining and harvesting food from the garden. $130 for a five-class series, or $30 per class; fertileground.org.

Walk With a Friend at Tualatin Hills Nature Park: 9 a.m. first Wednesday and third Sunday of the month. Take a guided walk and learn about the plants, wildlife and history of the park. Tualatin Hills Nature Park, 15655 S.W. Millikan Way, Beaverton; thprd.org.

East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District free webinars: Discover how to care for land in ways that benefit people, water and wildlife. From stormwater solutions to biochar to water conservation, these workshops will help you save time, money and energy. Register at emswcd.org/workshops-and-events/upcoming-workshops.

Greater Portland Iris Society meeting: 7 p.m. first Tuesday of the month in March, April, September, October and November. Enjoy discussions of irises with guest speakers. Ainsworth House, 19130 Lot Whitcomb Drive, Oregon City; greaterportlandirissociety.org.

Happy Valley Garden Club monthly meeting: 9 a.m.-noon second Tuesday of the month. Happy Valley Baptist Church, 14095 S.E. King Road, Happy Valley.

Ikebana for Every Season: 1-2:30 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; $45. Become knowledgeable about basic concepts, techniques, tools, equipment and care for ikebana. The Resource Center, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; GreshamJapaneseGarden.org.

Portland Dahlia Society monthly meeting: 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month February through November. Take part in a discussion of seasonal topics. Oaks Park Dance Pavilion, 7805 S.E. Oaks Park Way; portlanddahlia.com.

Estacada Garden Club monthly meeting: 1-3 p.m. second Thursday of the month. Estacada Public Library, 825 N.W. Wade St.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Oregon Peace Tree Project Presentation: 1-2 p.m. Learn about the project that has helped Oregon have the densest concentration of trees outside Japan that were grown from the seeds of trees that survived the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima. Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 S.W. Fairview Blvd.; hoytarboretum.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

Gardening for Your Table: 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. Eight speakers will cover topics ranging from growing fruits and vegetables to backyard composting. $25 includes snacks, $12 optional lunch; Church on the Hill, 700 N.W. Hill Road, McMinnville; register at YCMGA.org.

Northwest Native Garden Plants and the Amazing Insects They Attract: 10 a.m.-noon. Join garden writer and photographer Amy Campion for an exploration of some of the best natives to plant in your wildlife-friendly garden and learn about the insects they support. CASEE Center (Building B, Room 205), 11104 N.E. 149th St., Brush Prairie, Washington. $15 registration required at info@naturescaping.org, marlene52ns@gmail.com or 360-737-1160. naturescaping.org.

Raising Mason Bees: 10 a.m.-noon. Join mason bee expert Ron Spendal for a class focusing on environmental needs, nesting behaviors and housing devices attractive to mason bees. PCC Rock Creek (Building 4, Room 103), 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.

Early Spring Container Planter Workshop: 1:30-3 p.m. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn every step of the art of creating container arrangements using the thriller, spiller and filler method. $35; Al’s Garden & Home (all locations); als-gardencenter.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Healing Herbs of the Arboretum: Noon-2 p.m. Stroll around the arboretum to explore medicinal trees, weeds and native plants and talk about which parts to use and which plants to avoid. $25 registration required at hoytarboretum.org; Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 S.W. Fairview Blvd.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

Hillsboro Farmers Markets presents “The Green Fork Initiative”: 6 p.m. Enjoy a special premiere of the short film capturing a segment of Washington County’s food narrative, highlighting the individuals and abundant agricultural diversity that shape the region’s distinctive fruits, vegetables, grains and pasture-raised meats. $15; The Vault Theater, 350 E. Main St., Hillsboro; bagnbaggage.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket#.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

Tree School Clackamas: Opens at 7:15 a.m. Attend any of 73 classes covering forestry and tree grower topics key to the support of successful management of small woodlands. Participants will learn about forest management, tools and techniques, wildfire preparedness, marketing and business, forest health, wildlife habitat, weed management, forest fungi and more. $70 Clackamas County resident, $85 out of county, $35 ages 14-18 with adult; registration required at beav.es/tree-school-clackamas; Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City.

Newell Creek Canyon Spring hike and ecoblitz: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Join Metro for a spring hike, learn about local plants and birds and take an optional survey of plant and animal life. Registration required at oregonmetro.gov/GuidedActivities; Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, 485 Warner Milne Road, Oregon City.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

Mushroom hike at Smith and Bybee: 9:30-11:45 a.m. or 12:30-2:45 p.m. Discover the fascinating world of mushrooms on this woodland hike with local mushroom guide Leah Bendlin. Learn about identification, ecological roles of fungi, their forms and how they eat and reproduce. $6 registration required at oregonmetro.gov; Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, 5300 N. Marine Drive.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Soil School 2024: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Open to all gardeners – from aspiring to advanced – this event offers eight sessions taught by experts to learn about how improving soil health improves plant, garden and habitat wellbeing. $35 includes breakfast and lunch; Portland Community College, Rock Creek Event Center, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; register at wmswcd.org/soil-school.

Mushroom hike at Oxbow Regional Park: 9:30-11:45 a.m. or 12:30-2:45 p.m. Discover the fascinating world of mushrooms on this woodland hike with local mushroom guide Leah Bendlin. Learn about identification, ecological roles of fungi, their forms and how they eat and reproduce. $6 registration required at oregonmetro.gov; Oxbow Regional Park, 3010 S.E. Oxbow Park Road, Gresham.

Spring Lawn Maintenance: 1-2:30 p.m. Get tips for keeping your lawn healthy and green throughout the summer in the Northwest. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Gardenfest 2024: PCC Rock Creek, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Florence Rhododendron Festival: May 16-19. Enjoy the rhododendron show, vendor fair, live music, art, festivities, activities and more at this family-friendly Oregon institution. FlorenceChamber.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Gathering in the Garden: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate gardening and appreciation of community green spaces with a vendor fair, exhibits, live music and more. Eastmoreland Garden Park, Southeast 27th Avenue and Bybee Boulevard; eastmorelandpdx.org.

Spring Maintenance on Pines: Noon-2 p.m. Learn the Niwa Method of candling and needling to maintain cloud-prune aesthetics and keep a manageable size and aesthetic focal point of your pines in a landscape. $45; Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

Fundamentals of Pruning: 1-2:30 p.m. Take a tour, learn about tools and tool care, the four basic cuts of pruning and the subsequent reactions from these cuts. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Creating Pollinator Habitat for your Garden and Home: 10:30-11:30 a.m. This seminar will focus on information about bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and native host plants for creating your own pollinator yard. Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Pruning Lace-leaf Maples for Character: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Discover the fundamentals of pruning as they pertain to lace-leaf maples and listen to a short lecture on basic botany and growth habits. $45; Gresham Japanese Garden, 219 S. Main Ave., Gresham; greshamjapanesegarden.org.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 6

Parade of Homes: Sept. 6-22. Explore three luxury homes on large lots at the Reserve at Lake River in Felida, Washington. clarkcountyparadeofhomes.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 26

Gardening with Pacific Northwest Native Plants: 10 a.m.-noon. Learn about the native plants that thrive in the Northwest and how to naturescape in support of wildlife and pollinators. PCC Rock Creek (Building 4, Room 103) and WCMGA Education Garden, 17705 N.W. Springville Road; washingtoncountymastergardeners.org.

-- Corey Sheldon

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Lifesize herd of puppet animals begins climate action journey from Africa to Arctic Circle

The Herds project from the team behind Little Amal will travel 20,000km taking its message on environmental crisis across the worldHundreds of life-size animal puppets have begun a 20,000km (12,400 mile) journey from central Africa to the Arctic Circle as part of an ambitious project created by the team behind Little Amal, the giant puppet of a Syrian girl that travelled across the world.The public art initiative called The Herds, which has already visited Kinshasa and Lagos, will travel to 20 cities over four months to raise awareness of the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Hundreds of life-size animal puppets have begun a 20,000km (12,400 mile) journey from central Africa to the Arctic Circle as part of an ambitious project created by the team behind Little Amal, the giant puppet of a Syrian girl that travelled across the world.The public art initiative called The Herds, which has already visited Kinshasa and Lagos, will travel to 20 cities over four months to raise awareness of the climate crisis.It is the second major project from The Walk Productions, which introduced Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet, to the world in Gaziantep, near the Turkey-Syria border, in 2021. The award-winning project, co-founded by the Palestinian playwright and director Amir Nizar Zuabi, reached 2 million people in 17 countries as she travelled from Turkey to the UK.The Herds’ journey began in Kinshasa’s Botanical Gardens on 10 April, kicking off four days of events. It moved on to Lagos, Nigeria, the following week, where up to 5,000 people attended events performed by more than 60 puppeteers.On Friday the streets of Dakar in Senegal will be filled with more than 40 puppet zebras, wildebeest, monkeys, giraffes and baboons as they run through Médina, one of the busiest neighbourhoods, where they will encounter a creation by Fabrice Monteiro, a Belgium-born artist who lives in Senegal, and is known for his large-scale sculptures. On Saturday the puppets will be part of an event in the fishing village of Ngor.The Herds’ 20,000km journey began in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photograph: Berclaire/walk productionsThe first set of animal puppets was created by Ukwanda Puppetry and Designs Art Collective in Cape Town using recycled materials, but in each location local volunteers are taught how to make their own animals using prototypes provided by Ukwanda. The project has already attracted huge interest from people keen to get involved. In Dakar more than 300 artists applied for 80 roles as artists and puppet guides. About 2,000 people will be trained to make the puppets over the duration of the project.“The idea is that we’re migrating with an ever-evolving, growing group of animals,” Zuabi told the Guardian last year.Zuabi has spoken of The Herds as a continuation of Little Amal’s journey, which was inspired by refugees, who often cite climate disaster as a trigger for forced migration. The Herds will put the environmental emergency centre stage, and will encourage communities to launch their own events to discuss the significance of the project and get involved in climate activism.The puppets are created with recycled materials and local volunteers are taught how to make them in each location. Photograph: Ant Strack“The idea is to put in front of people that there is an emergency – not with scientific facts, but with emotions,” said The Herds’ Senegal producer, Sarah Desbois.She expects thousands of people to view the four events being staged over the weekend. “We don’t have a tradition of puppetry in Senegal. As soon as the project started, when people were shown pictures of the puppets, they were going crazy.”Little Amal, the puppet of a Syrian girl that has become a symbol of human rights, in Santiago, Chile on 3 January. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesGrowing as it moves, The Herds will make its way from Dakar to Morocco, then into Europe, including London and Paris, arriving in the Arctic Circle in early August.

Dead, sick pelicans turning up along Oregon coast

So far, no signs of bird flu but wildlife officials continue to test the birds.

Sick and dead pelicans are turning up on Oregon’s coast and state wildlife officials say they don’t yet know why. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says it has collected several dead brown pelican carcasses for testing. Lab results from two pelicans found in Newport have come back negative for highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu, the agency said. Avian influenza was detected in Oregon last fall and earlier this year in both domestic animals and wildlife – but not brown pelicans. Additional test results are pending to determine if another disease or domoic acid toxicity caused by harmful algal blooms may be involved, officials said. In recent months, domoic acid toxicity has sickened or killed dozens of brown pelicans and numerous other wildlife in California. The sport harvest for razor clams is currently closed in Oregon – from Cascade Head to the California border – due to high levels of domoic acid detected last fall.Brown pelicans – easily recognized by their large size, massive bill and brownish plumage – breed in Southern California and migrate north along the Oregon coast in spring. Younger birds sometimes rest on the journey and may just be tired, not sick, officials said. If you find a sick, resting or dead pelican, leave it alone and keep dogs leashed and away from wildlife. State wildlife biologists along the coast are aware of the situation and the public doesn’t need to report sick, resting or dead pelicans. — Gosia Wozniacka covers environmental justice, climate change, the clean energy transition and other environmental issues. Reach her at gwozniacka@oregonian.com or 971-421-3154.Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.

50-Million-Year-Old Footprints Open a 'Rare Window' Into the Behaviors of Extinct Animals That Once Roamed in Oregon

Scientists revisited tracks made by a shorebird, a lizard, a cat-like predator and some sort of large herbivore at what is now John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

50-Million-Year-Old Footprints Open a ‘Rare Window’ Into the Behaviors of Extinct Animals That Once Roamed in Oregon Scientists revisited tracks made by a shorebird, a lizard, a cat-like predator and some sort of large herbivore at what is now John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Sarah Kuta - Daily Correspondent April 24, 2025 4:59 p.m. Researchers took a closer look at fossilized footprints—including these cat-like tracks—found at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon. National Park Service Between 29 million and 50 million years ago, Oregon was teeming with life. Shorebirds searched for food in shallow water, lizards dashed along lake beds and saber-toothed predators prowled the landscape. Now, scientists are learning more about these prehistoric creatures by studying their fossilized footprints. They describe some of these tracks, discovered at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, in a paper published earlier this year in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a nearly 14,000-acre, federally protected area in central and eastern Oregon. It’s a well-known site for “body fossils,” like teeth and bones. But, more recently, paleontologists have been focusing their attention on “trace fossils”—indirect evidence of animals, like worm burrows, footprints, beak marks and impressions of claws. Both are useful for understanding the extinct creatures that once roamed the environment, though they provide different kinds of information about the past. “Body fossils tell us a lot about the structure of an organism, but a trace fossil … tells us a lot about behaviors,” says lead author Conner Bennett, an Earth and environmental scientist at Utah Tech University, to Crystal Ligori, host of Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “All Things Considered.” Oregon's prehistoric shorebirds probed for food the same way modern shorebirds do, according to the researchers. Bennett et al., Palaeontologia Electronica, 2025 For the study, scientists revisited fossilized footprints discovered at the national monument decades ago. Some specimens had sat in museum storage since the 1980s. They analyzed the tracks using a technique known as photogrammetry, which involved taking thousands of photographs to produce 3D models. These models allowed researchers to piece together some long-gone scenes. Small footprints and beak marks were discovered near invertebrate trails, suggesting that ancient shorebirds were pecking around in search of a meal between 39 million and 50 million years ago. This prehistoric behavior is “strikingly similar” to that of today’s shorebirds, according to a statement from the National Park Service. “It’s fascinating,” says Bennett in the statement. “That is an incredibly long time for a species to exhibit the same foraging patterns as its ancestors.” Photogrammetry techniques allowed the researchers to make 3D models of the tracks. Bennett et al., Palaeontologia Electronica, 2025 Researchers also analyzed a footprint with splayed toes and claws. This rare fossil was likely made by a running lizard around 50 million years ago, according to the team. It’s one of the few known reptile tracks in North America from that period. An illustration of a nimravid, an extinct, cat-like predator NPS / Mural by Roger Witter They also found evidence of a cat-like predator dating to roughly 29 million years ago. A set of paw prints, discovered in a layer of volcanic ash, likely belonged to a bobcat-sized, saber-toothed predator resembling a cat—possibly a nimravid of the genus Hoplophoneus. Since researchers didn’t find any claw marks on the paw prints, they suspect the creature had retractable claws, just like modern cats do. A set of three-toed, rounded hoofprints indicate some sort of large herbivore was roaming around 29 million years ago, probably an ancient tapir or rhinoceros ancestor. Together, the fossil tracks open “a rare window into ancient ecosystems,” says study co-author Nicholas Famoso, paleontology program manager at the national monument, in the statement. “They add behavioral context to the body fossils we’ve collected over the years and help us better understand the climate and environmental conditions of prehistoric Oregon,” he adds. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Two teens and 5,000 ants: how a smuggling bust shed new light on a booming trade

Two Belgian 19-year-olds have pleaded guilty to wildlife piracy – part of a growing trend of trafficking ‘less conspicuous’ creatures for sale as exotic petsPoaching busts are familiar territory for the officers of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), an armed force tasked with protecting the country’s iconic creatures. But what awaited guards when they descended in early April on a guesthouse in the west of the country was both larger and smaller in scale than the smuggling operations they typically encounter. There were more than 5,000 smuggled animals, caged in their own enclosures. Each one, however, was about the size of a little fingernail: 18-25mm.The cargo, which two Belgian teenagers had apparently intended to ship to exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, was ants. Their enclosures were a mixture of test tubes and syringes containing cotton wool – environments that authorities say would keep the insects alive for weeks. Continue reading...

Poaching busts are familiar territory for the officers of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), an armed force tasked with protecting the country’s iconic creatures. But what awaited guards when they descended in early April on a guesthouse in the west of the country was both larger and smaller in scale than the smuggling operations they typically encounter. There were more than 5,000 smuggled animals, caged in their own enclosures. Each one, however, was about the size of a little fingernail: 18-25mm.The samples of garden ants presented to the court. Photograph: Monicah Mwangi/ReutersThe cargo, which two Belgian teenagers had apparently intended to ship to exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, was ants. Their enclosures were a mixture of test tubes and syringes containing cotton wool – environments that authorities say would keep the insects alive for weeks.“We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did,” says Lornoy David, one of the Belgian smugglers.David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19 years old, pleaded guilty after being charged last week with wildlife piracy, alongside two other men in a separate case who were caught smuggling 400 ants. The cases have shed new light on booming global ant trade – and what authorities say is a growing trend of trafficking “less conspicuous” creatures.These crimes represent “a shift in trafficking trends – from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species”, says a KWS statement.The unusual case has also trained a spotlight on the niche world of ant-keeping and collecting – a hobby that has boomed over the past decade. The seized species include Messor cephalotes, a large red harvester ant native to east Africa. Queens of the species grow to about 20-24mm long, and the ant sales website Ants R Us describes them as “many people’s dream species”, selling them for £99 per colony. The ants are prized by collectors for their unique behaviours and complex colony-building skills, “traits that make them popular in exotic pet circles, where they are kept in specialised habitats known as formicariums”, KWS says.Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx during the hearing. Photograph: Monicah Mwangi/ReutersOne online ant vendor, who asked not to be named, says the market is thriving, and there has been a growth in ant-keeping shows, where enthusiasts meet to compare housing and species details. “Sales volumes have grown almost every year. There are more ant vendors than before, and prices have become more competitive,” he says. “In today’s world, where most people live fast-paced, tech-driven lives, many are disconnected from themselves and their environment. Watching ants in a formicarium can be surprisingly therapeutic,” he says.David and Lodewijckx will remain in custody until the court considers a pre-sentencing report on 23 April. The ant seller says theirs is a “landmark case in the field”. “People travelling to other countries specifically to collect ants and then returning with them is virtually unheard of,” he says.A formicarium at a pet shop in Singapore. Photograph: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty ImagesScientists have raised concerns that the burgeoning trade in exotic ants could pose a significant biodiversity risk. “Ants are traded as pets across the globe, but if introduced outside of their native ranges they could become invasive with dire environmental and economic consequences,” researchers conclude in a 2023 paper tracking the ant trade across China. “The most sought-after ants have higher invasive potential,” they write.Removing ants from their ecosystems could also be damaging. Illegal exportation “not only undermines Kenya’s sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits”, says KWS. Dino Martins, an entomologist and evolutionary biologist in Kenya, says harvester ants are among the most important insects on the African savannah, and any trade in them is bound to have negative consequences for the ecology of the grasslands.A Kenyan official arranges the containers of ants at the court. Photograph: Kenya Wildlife Service/AP“Harvester ants are seed collectors, and they gather [the seeds] as food for themselves, storing these in their nests. A single large harvester ant colony can collect several kilos of seeds of various grasses a year. In the process of collecting grass seeds, the ants ‘drop’ a number … dispersing them through the grasslands,” says Martins.The insects also serve as food for various other species including aardvarks, pangolins and aardwolves.Martins says he is surprised to see that smugglers feeding the global “pet” trade are training their sights on Kenya, since “ants are among the most common and widespread of insects”.“Insect trade can actually be done more sustainably, through controlled rearing of the insects. This can support livelihoods in rural communities such as the Kipepeo Project which rears butterflies in Kenya,” he says. Locally, the main threats to ants come not from the illegal trade but poisoning from pesticides, habitat destruction and invasive species, says Martins.Philip Muruthi, a vice-president for conservation at the African Wildlife Foundation in Nairobi, says ants enrich soils, enabling germination and providing food for other species.“When you see a healthy forest … you don’t think about what is making it healthy. It is the relationships all the way from the bacteria to the ants to the bigger things,” he says.

Belgian Teenagers Found With 5,000 Ants to Be Sentenced in 2 Weeks

Two Belgian teenagers who were found with thousands of ants valued at $9,200 and allegedly destined for European and Asian markets will be sentenced in two weeks

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Two Belgian teenagers who were found with thousands of ants valued at $9,200 and allegedly destined for European and Asian markets will be sentenced in two weeks, a Kenyan magistrate said Wednesday.Magistrate Njeri Thuku, sitting at the court in Kenya’s main airport, said she would not rush the case but would take time to review environmental impact and psychological reports filed in court before passing sentence on May 7.Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19 years old, were arrested on April 5 with 5,000 ants at a guest house. They were charged on April 15 with violating wildlife conservation laws.The teens have told the magistrate that they didn’t know that keeping the ants was illegal and were just having fun.The Kenya Wildlife Service had said the case represented “a shift in trafficking trends — from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species.”Kenya has in the past fought against the trafficking of body parts of larger wild animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins among others.The Belgian teens had entered the country on a tourist visa and were staying in a guest house in the western town of Naivasha, popular among tourists for its animal parks and lakes.Their lawyer, Halima Nyakinyua Magairo, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that her clients did not know what they were doing was illegal. She said she hoped the Belgian embassy in Kenya could “support them more in this judicial process.”In a separate but related case, Kenyan Dennis Ng’ang’a and Vietnamese Duh Hung Nguyen were charged after they were found in possession of 400 ants in their apartment in the capital, Nairobi.KWS had said all four suspects were involved in trafficking the ants to markets in Europe and Asia, and that the species included messor cephalotes, a distinctive, large and red-colored harvester ant native to East Africa.The ants are bought by people who keep them as pets and observe them in their colonies. Several websites in Europe have listed different species of ants for sale at varied prices.The 5,400 ants found with the four men are valued at 1.2 million Kenyan shillings ($9,200), according to KWS.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Feb. 2025

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