P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e SUMMER 2013

8

Join us for an afternoon picniccomplete with art, nature, music & food

at the PCEI Nature Center!

3pm-6pmFriday, June 14, 2013

1040 Rodeo Drive, Moscow

Featured Local Artists:Gerri Sayler & Steve Streets - Outdoor Installations

Karen Trujillo Burnett - Poetry & PhotographyPalouse Women Artists - Bird Condos and Mosaics

Art and Nature Summer Camp - Barn QuiltPCEI Supporters - Spare-a-Square Pathway

Music by Paul Anders & Friends

Moscow artist, Gerri Sayler, is a familiar sight at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) Nature Center. Over the last few months she has been conceptualizing, experimenting, and installing her exhibits, “Wind Cloud Sky” and "Line Dancing", just in time for the kickoff of Moscow Artwalk 2013 on June 14.

"I like to get the quality of a place, and then listen to my gut," said Sayler. "For 'Wind Cloud Sky', I arrived at the properties of silk. Silk moves with the slightest current and becomes gossamer, almost transparent against the sun. 'Line Dancing' is more whimsical, intended to skew perception with eye-popping color."

Local poet, Karen Trujillo Burnett, has also been exploring the themes of wind, sky and grasses in her new poem, "To Wind" which will be on display with at the PCEI Artist Studio along with a themed photography exhibit.

"Karen and I have been collaborating in our artistic responses to the wind, the sky, the grasses, which are so omnipresent here at PCEI. It's been energizing to share ideas about our response to this amazing landscape," says Gerri Sayler.

PCEI's Artwalk Inside an Artwalk will also feature whimsical bird “condominiums” by Palouse Women Artists, a barn quilt created by children in our summer camp, "Exploring Art and Nature on the Palouse", and mosaics made by Palouse Women Artists for the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility.

PCEI always strives to showcase the beauty of artistic expression alongside the beauty of nature. The Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion (see p.4) reflects that attitude, as will the extension of our universally accessible pathway (see p.5).

We hope you can join us at the PCEI Nature Center for our Artwalk reception on June 14 and throughout the summer to experience first hand the magical connection between art and nature.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Non-Profit Org. US Postage

PAIDMoscow, ID 83843

Permit No. 417PO Box 8596 Moscow, ID 83843

Return Service Requested

Summer 2013

Summer 2013 Vol. 25, No. 2

INSIDE:

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e

NEws

Where Art and Nature Meet:PCEI's Artwalk Inside an Artwalk

• Restoration in Washington • Spare-a-Square • Busy Bees • Summer Storytime and Camps • Photo Contest

Living

Learning

Serving

RestoringNot a MeMber? JoiN PCei today!

Oyour reNewal date

Job OpportunitiesRestoration Technician

Contracts and Grants Coordinator

Visit pcei.org/jobs for details.

Summer InternshipsAre you interested in...?

Gardening • Habitat RestorationGrounds Keeping • Sustainability

Education • Public RelationsWebsite Content ManagementPhotography • Videography

Event Management

Then an internship at PCEI is for you!

Visit pcei.org/internships for details.

artwalkAN ARTWALK INSIDE AN

PCEI 2013

A supervised group bike ride to the PCEI Nature Center will leave City Hall at 3:30pm. This is open to all ages. A supervised ride back to City Hall will take place at 6:00pm.

The dance of "Wind Cloud Sky" at the PCEI Nature Center (Artist Studio on the left). This installation by Gerri Sayler celebrates the interaction of the elements that inspire creative expression. Enjoy the works of many local artists at PCEI's Artwalk Inside an Artwalk and throughout the year.

New Faces at PCEI!David Arnold, PCEI Restoration TechnicianDavid grew up in northern Idaho and fell in love with the mountains, prairies, trees and rivers of the Northwest. He has a bachelor’s degree in Forestry and a master’s degree in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho. When not working outside, David likes to be (you guessed it) outside looking for his next adventure.

Krissy Lindsay, Development InternKrissy grew up in Spokane and is studying Environmental Science and Journalism at the University of Idaho. She intends to build a career with non-profit environmental organizations, especially in public relations and fundraising. When she can find the time between work and school, she loves to camp, backpack, bike and ski race.

Kim Harris-Thacker, Summer Storytime CoordinatorKim is a Moscow resident and a long-time supporter of PCEI. She loves reading and gardening and is thrilled to unite these two passions for PCEI’s Summer Storytime Series. When her nose isn’t buried in a book (or a flower), she can often be found penning her own tales.

Olivia Alexander, Summer Storytime InternOlivia is a Moscow High School junior and very active in school activities, including the MHS Environmental Club. She loves kids and is excited to help them make new discoveries and spend time outdoors.

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSSUMMER 2013 2 7

WHO'S WHO AT PCEIBOARD OF DIRECTORSCarole Wells PresidentJim Ekins Vice PresidentJosh Boyce SecretaryAlexa Makhani TreasurerPam Brunsfeld DirectorGail DeSantis DirectorSarah Koerber DirectorJerry Long DirectorJanet Morris DirectorJack Sullivan DirectorJennifer Wik Director

STAFFThomas Lamar Executive DirectorJudith Brown Business ManagerJen Hiebert Development CoordinatorJoan Alexander AmeriCorps Placement CoordinatorHeather Huston Education Outreach CoordinatorRandy Stevens Implementation CoordinatorDavid Arnold Restoration TechnicianCarolea Webb Administrative AssistantLara Jones Confluence Program DirectorSherrie Jackson Confluence Program Support CoordinatorRob Loucks Confluence Communication Specialist

AMERICORPS MEMBERSKatie Peterson Environmental EducatorDaniel Sidder Environmental EducatorBob Grandchamp Nature Center and Watersheds Steward

INTERNS Olivia Alexander Summer StorytimeKrissy Lindsay DevelopmentRachit Singh Website

WEEKLY VOLUNTEERSSue Allard Office AssistanceGail DeSantis Office AssistanceKim Harris-Thacker Summer StorytimeClinton Ubhoff House Plant MaintenanceChristopher Wright Garden Care

Tuesdays, June through August: Summer Storytime Series, 10am-noon, PCEI Nature Center. Every Tuesday (except July 2) a special guest from the community will read books on a specific theme followed by fun outdoor activities. Please bring a blanket or camp chairs. Get 20% off the featured Book of the Week at BookPeople of Moscow. Visit www.pcei.org/storytime for schedule.

All Summer: Pump Track Wednesdays, 5:45pm-7pm, PCEI Nature Center. Join us every Wednesday this summer to learn how to ride the PCEI pump track! This family friendly event will be led by Val Carter from the Palouse Bicycle Racing Club. All skills welcome! Event will be cancelled in the event of rain.

Thursday, June 13: Youth Cycling Clinic, 4pm-6pm, PCEI Nature Center, $7, ages 4-18. This cycling clinic, sponsored by Palouse Bicycle Racing Club, will cover the basics of bicycle safety, maintenance and riding skills and include demonstration and practice of BMX-style riding on the PCEI pump track. Register online at www.moscowrecreation.sportsites.com/player/homeplayer.aspx.

Friday, June 14: PCEI Artwalk Reception, 3pm-6pm, PCEI Nature Center. See recent additions to our growing collection of public art, including a brand new barn quilt, mosaics in the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility, a new outdoor installation by Palouse Women Artists, and artist-in-residence projects by Gerri Sayler and Karen Trujillo Burnett.

Wednesday, June 19: PCEI Board Meeting, 6:30pm-8:30pm, PCEI Nature Center. Open to the public. Email Board President, Carole Wells, for an agenda, www.pcei.org/about/board.htm.

July 1-30: Find Waldo on the Palouse, PCEI Nature Center and participating businesses. Find Waldo at the PCEI Nature Center in July and get your passport stamped for the chance to win some great prizes! Passports available July 1 at BookPeople of Moscow, PCEI and participating businesses. Prizes awarded thoughout the month. For details call Jesica DeHart at 208.882.2669.

Saturday, July 13 and Saturday, August 10: Rose Creek Volunteer Work Days, Rose Creek Nature Preserve, Albion, WA. Join PCEI and community volunteers to beautify the Rose Creek Nature Preserve. Dress for the weather. Carpooling available. Visit www.pcei.org/rosecreek for directions.

Get the latest updates at pcei.org/events

Events Calendar

PO Box 8596Moscow, Idaho 83843

208.882.1444 • info@pcei.org • pcei.org

Visit our Nature Center1040 Rodeo Drive in Moscow

Open dawn to dusk, 7 days a week.

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter!facebook.com/PCEI.org

twitter.com/PCEIorg

Join PCEI Today!www.pcei.org/donatejoin

We'll put your membership gift to work immediately to promote environmental education, sustainable living,

community service and watershed restoration.

Every member makes a difference!

The mission of PCEI is to increase citizen involvement in decisions that affect our region's environment. Our goal is to encourage sustainable living, provide experiential learning, and offer opportunities for serving in our community, while actively protecting and restoring our natural resources. PCEI is a non-profit organization (EIN #94-3038182).

Sign Up Your Kids for Summer Adventure!Looking for something for

your kids to do this summer? How about getting them outside exploring nature, learning about animals, plants, history, science, teamwork and the environment in fun and creative ways?

Children aged 7–13 years are invited to attend any or all of our summer nature camps. They'll explore the Palouse region’s natural history through engaging field trips, hands-on activities, crafts, games and scientific investigation.

Ambling Animals: Wiggle, Waddle, Walk: June 17 – 21Learn all about animals: how they move, how to identify tracks and scat, and how they live. Includes visits to the WSU Grizzly Center and the Wolf Education and Research Center. $220 (5 days)

Beak Week: June 26 – 28Explore the Palouse to find our flying friends! Activities include crafts, owl pellet dissections, birding, and a visit from the WSU Raptor Club! $132 (3 days)

Forest Forensics: Bugs, Slugs and Scales: July 16 – 19Discover the crawly, slimy, and strange creatures that we all rely on! We will investigate the PCEI Nature Center and the surrounding area to find who’s hard at work. Includes a field trip to Spring Valley Reservoir. $176 (4 days)

Enrollment forms are available at pcei.org/learning/nature-camps or at the PCEI Nature Center. 10% off for PCEI members and an additional 10% off for siblings (two or more)! For more information, call Heather Huston, PCEI Education Outreach Coordinatore at 208.882.1444 or email learning@pcei.org.

Find Waldo on the Palouse!Waldo will be visiting the Palouse in July and you can find

him right here at the PCEI Nature Center! "Find Waldo on the Palouse" is a fun-for-the-whole-family scavenger hunt sponsored by BookPeople of Moscow.

Starting July 1, passports will be available at BookPeople of Moscow, PCEI or any participating business. For every location you find Waldo, you'll get a stamp in your passport! After you've found Waldo at the PCEI Nature Center, don't forget to check out our trails, EcoArt, Playscape and wildlife.

Prizes will be awarded thoughout the event. For more information, call Jesica DeHart at 208.882.2669.

presents

Summer Storytime

Featured ReadersKim Harris-ThackerJade & Ben Stellmon

Sandye Crooks (Moscow Recycling)Loralee Boal

Mayor Nancy Chaneyand more!

www.pcei.org/storytime

For the latest updatesfollow PCEI on Facebook/Twitter

sponsored by

20% discount on thePCEI Storytime

Book of the Week!

Enjoy reading and the outdoors withyour children at the PCEI Nature Center!

Each reading will be followed by fun outdoor activities.

*bring a blanket or camp chairs

Every TuesdayJune through August 2013

(except July 2nd)

10:00am-noon

PCEI Nature Center1040 Rodeo Drive, Moscow

*

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSSUMMER 2013 36

Working Hard in Washington As most of you know, the Palouse Region straddles the

Washington-Idaho border. Some locals favor one side over the other, but here at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, we go both ways! Our recent projects in Washington include:

9th Annual Pullman Stream Clean-up, April 6: Over 200 volunteers teamed up with the City of Pullman, PCEI, and local businesses and organizations, to remove more than 33 cubic yards of trash from the South Fork of the Palouse River, Paradise Creek and Missouri Flat Creek.

City of Pullman: This spring, over 600 native shrubs and trees and 1,200 sedges and rushes were planted at the City Playfields. About 250 of those trees were planted on Arbor Day by community volunteers and the City of Pullman. The plants will help stabilize the banks of the South Fork of the Palouse River and provide wildlife habitat. We've also planted over 500 shrubs and trees and 1,200 wetland plants at the outfall of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. We could not have done it without our terrific volunteers!

Water Conservation Education: Since January 2013, PCEI's environmental educators have connected with over 700 students in Pullman and Colton about the importance

Template Design: Teva Hopper

Editors and Contributors: Jen Hiebert, Carolea Webb, Krissy Lindsay

Heather Huston, Randy Stevens, Tom Lamar, Judy Brown, Joan Alexander, Daniel Sidder

Printed on FSC and GreenSeal ™ certified paper and contains 30% recycled post-consumer fiber.

This newsletter (ISSN# 1087-9374) is published quarterly by the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI). 3rd Class postage paid in Moscow, ID.

Articles for publication and letters to the editor are welcome. Opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of PCEI.

Environmental News is mailed quarterly to current PCEI members and donors.Join today! Call (208) 882-1444 or visit www.pcei.org/donatejoin

Thank You for Supporting Clean Streams!We'd like to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers,

businesses and organizations that supported the 9th Annual Pullman Stream Clean-up (April 6) and the 23rd Annual Paradise Creek Clean-up in Moscow (April 20). More than 300 volunteers braved the elements to remove a total of over 38 cubic yards of trash and recyclables from Moscow and Pullman waterways.

Thirty local businesses and organizations donated food, prizes, materials and services to support the volunteers. Many thanks to: City of Pullman, City of Moscow, Pullman Transit, Pullman Disposal, Latah Sanitation, Moscow Recycling, Barnes & Noble Bookie Too, Les Schwab, Dairy Queen, Rico’s, Heros N Sports, Prints Underground, Safeway, Starbucks, Loco Grinz, Chang Sing Restaurant, Smokey Mountain Pizza, Pizza Perfection, Mrs. Fields, Casa Lopez, Baskin Robbins, Café Moro, Subway, Sella’s Calzone and Pizza, Arby’s, New Garden, Taco Del Mar, Jimmy Johns, Pizza Hut and Walmart.

PCEI Nature CenterPhoto Contest!

CONTEST RULES1. Photos must be taken at the PCEI Nature Center between

June 1 and June 30, 2013.2. Photos must be submitted by July 1, 2013.3. One photo submission per person.4. Photos must be submitted electronically to info@pcei.org.

VOTINGOn July 2, 2013 photo entries will be displayed in an album on Facebook (facebook.com/PCEI.org). The photo that receives the most "likes" will be the winner!

PRIZES1st Place: 4 hours use of the PCEI Artist Studio with homemade treats made by PCEI staff2nd Place: a Mountain Ash from our Learning Nursery3rd Place: a set of Nature Circle Cards

On May 2, 2013, Idaho Gave!

80+ donorsgave $6,500 during

Idaho Gives to help the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute

nurture the next generation of nature stewards!

Thank You!idahogives.razoo.com/story/PCEI

Third graders from McDonald, Lena Whitmore and Russell Elementary Schools learned first-hand about water conservation and ecology at our annual Moscow Watershed Festival on May 17, 2013. The activities at the festival engaged the children’s imaginations, while helping them learn in fun and creative ways. Daniel Sidder, AmeriCorps member and educator at PCEI, explains the value of water

conservation education. “If kids look at the life in a pond, for example, and learn which macroinvertebrates can or cannot survive polluted conditions, they can determine the health of the pond.”

Thank you so much to all the volunteers who made the Festival a success, including John Pfeiffer from EcoAnalysts, Inc and Gail DeSantis, PCEI Board Member.

Local Kids Get Their Hands Dirty at Moscow Watershed Festival

"Yay for dirt and trees!" The Water Conservation Game Looking for indicators of clean water

of water conservation. Programs included hands-on activities to learn about stormwater and natural filters (see above photo), where our water comes from and how to protect water resources.

Rose Creek Nature Preserve: PCEI continues to maintain and improve the Rose Creek Nature Preserve near Albion, WA. Invasive species are on the decline and the trails are looking good thanks to the hard work of PCEI volunteers. Join us for our next volunteer days on July 13 and August 10!

PCEI is grateful for the 70+ students from the University of Idaho who helped prepare the Nature Center for spring as part of Saturday of Service, April 13, 2013. Despite the cold weather, they mulched trails, potted plants and built an Idaho-shaped sandpit for the Playscape. Thank you also to Buy the Dozen Donuts for donating treats to feed our hungry volunteers!

PCEI Nature Center Gets

Spring Cleaning on Saturday of

Service

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSSUMMER 20134 5

Only $250 per 4'x4' Square!Share the cost with family, friends or coworkers.Purchase multiple squares to multiply your impact!

Customize Your SquareParticipants are encouraged to customize their squares with embedded objects and imprints during construction--or leave the design up to us!

50 Squares Still Available!We need to construct the new pathway this summer‒but we can't do it without your help!Visit www.pcei.org/spare-a-square today!

Busy Bees at the PCEI Nature Center Did you know that the PCEI Nature Center is host

to 200,000 honey bees? The 20 hives, each with about 10,000 bees, are part of a study by the WSU Department of Entomology APIS Molecular Systems Laboratory to develop honey bee stocks that are resistant to pathogens and parasites.

“We watch for behavior, such as good hygiene, which affects disease control, and temperament," says Brandon Hopkins, PhD student and APIS Molecular Systems Manager. "Obviously, we want them to be reasonably

If you visit the PCEI Nature Center, you will find a new addition to the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion project: a stage made of reclaimed timber and metal wheels. Named for a much-beloved supporter of PCEI who passed away in 2012, the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion is becoming an outdoor gathering place for education, special events, volunteers, and visitors to the Nature Center.

Nancy Taylor was passionate about art, farming and recycling, and you’ll find that the stage structure embodies them all. For example, old farm wheels have been turned into brackets, and the timber is all reclaimed.

We’d like to thank everyone who has made, and is making, the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion a reality. We are especially grateful for Nancy’s inspiration, the family of Nancy Taylor, and everyone who has contributed to the Nancy Taylor Memorial Fund. Many thanks to Clearwater Paper Corporation, Wasankari Construction, Larry Duff, Dr. Robert Barnstone and his design-build class at WSU, Steve Streets, and Hoey Graham who have made vital contributions to this project.

How Does Our Garden Grow?The Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute is

commited to helping communities make environmentally sound and economically viable decisions that promote a sustainable future. This includes sustainble food production; if you take a look at the northwest corner of our Nature Center you’ll see plenty of veggies destined for local tables.

Our food garden is being cultivated by Greg Freistadt and Marci Miller of Deep Roots Farm, and Chris Cummings, a PCEI AmeriCorps member serving with Backyard Harvest, a local non-profit organization that provides fresh food to low income families, seniors and other community members.

Future plans for the gardens include their use as outdoor classrooms to help to nurture the next generation of soil stewards.

A Great Way to Honor Loved OnesMake your square a family project, in honor of, or in memory of, a loved one.

Can You Spare a Square?Help make the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility accessible to all!

pcei.org/spare-a-square

PlayscapeArea

Jim LaFortune Memorial “Groover”

Restroom Facility

Outdoor Classroom

Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion

TerraGraphics Wetlands

Welcome Kiosk

Rodeo Drive

Donna the Buffalo

Artist Studio

Pump Track

Spare-a-Square Pathway (construction goal: Summer 2013)

Universally Accessible Pathway (constructed in 2009)Unpaved Trails

Expand Accessibility at the PCEI Nature CenterWe receive thousands of visitors a year at the PCEI Nature Center. The 365-foot expansion of our universally accessible pathway will benefit visitors of all ages and mobility by connecting the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility to outdoor classrooms, the Playscape and our existing universally accessible pathway.

Food Garden

If you would like to support the completion of the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion, please visit pcei.org/donatejoin or call us at 208.882.1444.

Construction Takes Center Stage on the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion

The stage structure of the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion made for a great learning station at the May 2013 Moscow Watershed Festival. A sign language interpreter provided assistance while Katie Peterson (AmeriCorps Member and

PCEI Environmental Educator, at right) talked about water conservation.

tolerant and unaggressive.”

There is also a need for bees that are better adapted to conditions of the Pacific Northwest. “Most bees are bred for California or Florida,” says Hopkins.

Do visitors need to worry about the bees? Not really. They are very much live and let live, as long as people stay away from the immediate hive area. What we should be more concerned about are the important functions bees perform in our ecological and agricultural systems. For more information, visit entomology.wsu.edu/apis.

NATURE CENTER1040 RODEO DRIVE, MOSCOW ID

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSSUMMER 20134 5

Only $250 per 4'x4' Square!Share the cost with family, friends or coworkers.Purchase multiple squares to multiply your impact!

Customize Your SquareParticipants are encouraged to customize their squares with embedded objects and imprints during construction--or leave the design up to us!

50 Squares Still Available!We need to construct the new pathway this summer‒but we can't do it without your help!Visit www.pcei.org/spare-a-square today!

Busy Bees at the PCEI Nature Center Did you know that the PCEI Nature Center is host

to 200,000 honey bees? The 20 hives, each with about 10,000 bees, are part of a study by the WSU Department of Entomology APIS Molecular Systems Laboratory to develop honey bee stocks that are resistant to pathogens and parasites.

“We watch for behavior, such as good hygiene, which affects disease control, and temperament," says Brandon Hopkins, PhD student and APIS Molecular Systems Manager. "Obviously, we want them to be reasonably

If you visit the PCEI Nature Center, you will find a new addition to the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion project: a stage made of reclaimed timber and metal wheels. Named for a much-beloved supporter of PCEI who passed away in 2012, the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion is becoming an outdoor gathering place for education, special events, volunteers, and visitors to the Nature Center.

Nancy Taylor was passionate about art, farming and recycling, and you’ll find that the stage structure embodies them all. For example, old farm wheels have been turned into brackets, and the timber is all reclaimed.

We’d like to thank everyone who has made, and is making, the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion a reality. We are especially grateful for Nancy’s inspiration, the family of Nancy Taylor, and everyone who has contributed to the Nancy Taylor Memorial Fund. Many thanks to Clearwater Paper Corporation, Wasankari Construction, Larry Duff, Dr. Robert Barnstone and his design-build class at WSU, Steve Streets, and Hoey Graham who have made vital contributions to this project.

How Does Our Garden Grow?The Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute is

commited to helping communities make environmentally sound and economically viable decisions that promote a sustainable future. This includes sustainble food production; if you take a look at the northwest corner of our Nature Center you’ll see plenty of veggies destined for local tables.

Our food garden is being cultivated by Greg Freistadt and Marci Miller of Deep Roots Farm, and Chris Cummings, a PCEI AmeriCorps member serving with Backyard Harvest, a local non-profit organization that provides fresh food to low income families, seniors and other community members.

Future plans for the gardens include their use as outdoor classrooms to help to nurture the next generation of soil stewards.

A Great Way to Honor Loved OnesMake your square a family project, in honor of, or in memory of, a loved one.

Can You Spare a Square?Help make the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility accessible to all!

pcei.org/spare-a-square

PlayscapeArea

Jim LaFortune Memorial “Groover”

Restroom Facility

Outdoor Classroom

Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion

TerraGraphics Wetlands

Welcome Kiosk

Rodeo Drive

Donna the Buffalo

Artist Studio

Pump Track

Spare-a-Square Pathway (construction goal: Summer 2013)

Universally Accessible Pathway (constructed in 2009)Unpaved Trails

Expand Accessibility at the PCEI Nature CenterWe receive thousands of visitors a year at the PCEI Nature Center. The 365-foot expansion of our universally accessible pathway will benefit visitors of all ages and mobility by connecting the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility to outdoor classrooms, the Playscape and our existing universally accessible pathway.

Food Garden

If you would like to support the completion of the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion, please visit pcei.org/donatejoin or call us at 208.882.1444.

Construction Takes Center Stage on the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion

The stage structure of the Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion made for a great learning station at the May 2013 Moscow Watershed Festival. A sign language interpreter provided assistance while Katie Peterson (AmeriCorps Member and

PCEI Environmental Educator, at right) talked about water conservation.

tolerant and unaggressive.”

There is also a need for bees that are better adapted to conditions of the Pacific Northwest. “Most bees are bred for California or Florida,” says Hopkins.

Do visitors need to worry about the bees? Not really. They are very much live and let live, as long as people stay away from the immediate hive area. What we should be more concerned about are the important functions bees perform in our ecological and agricultural systems. For more information, visit entomology.wsu.edu/apis.

NATURE CENTER1040 RODEO DRIVE, MOSCOW ID

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSSUMMER 2013 36

Working Hard in Washington As most of you know, the Palouse Region straddles the

Washington-Idaho border. Some locals favor one side over the other, but here at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, we go both ways! Our recent projects in Washington include:

9th Annual Pullman Stream Clean-up, April 6: Over 200 volunteers teamed up with the City of Pullman, PCEI, and local businesses and organizations, to remove more than 33 cubic yards of trash from the South Fork of the Palouse River, Paradise Creek and Missouri Flat Creek.

City of Pullman: This spring, over 600 native shrubs and trees and 1,200 sedges and rushes were planted at the City Playfields. About 250 of those trees were planted on Arbor Day by community volunteers and the City of Pullman. The plants will help stabilize the banks of the South Fork of the Palouse River and provide wildlife habitat. We've also planted over 500 shrubs and trees and 1,200 wetland plants at the outfall of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. We could not have done it without our terrific volunteers!

Water Conservation Education: Since January 2013, PCEI's environmental educators have connected with over 700 students in Pullman and Colton about the importance

Template Design: Teva Hopper

Editors and Contributors: Jen Hiebert, Carolea Webb, Krissy Lindsay

Heather Huston, Randy Stevens, Tom Lamar, Judy Brown, Joan Alexander, Daniel Sidder

Printed on FSC and GreenSeal ™ certified paper and contains 30% recycled post-consumer fiber.

This newsletter (ISSN# 1087-9374) is published quarterly by the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI). 3rd Class postage paid in Moscow, ID.

Articles for publication and letters to the editor are welcome. Opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of PCEI.

Environmental News is mailed quarterly to current PCEI members and donors.Join today! Call (208) 882-1444 or visit www.pcei.org/donatejoin

Thank You for Supporting Clean Streams!We'd like to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers,

businesses and organizations that supported the 9th Annual Pullman Stream Clean-up (April 6) and the 23rd Annual Paradise Creek Clean-up in Moscow (April 20). More than 300 volunteers braved the elements to remove a total of over 38 cubic yards of trash and recyclables from Moscow and Pullman waterways.

Thirty local businesses and organizations donated food, prizes, materials and services to support the volunteers. Many thanks to: City of Pullman, City of Moscow, Pullman Transit, Pullman Disposal, Latah Sanitation, Moscow Recycling, Barnes & Noble Bookie Too, Les Schwab, Dairy Queen, Rico’s, Heros N Sports, Prints Underground, Safeway, Starbucks, Loco Grinz, Chang Sing Restaurant, Smokey Mountain Pizza, Pizza Perfection, Mrs. Fields, Casa Lopez, Baskin Robbins, Café Moro, Subway, Sella’s Calzone and Pizza, Arby’s, New Garden, Taco Del Mar, Jimmy Johns, Pizza Hut and Walmart.

PCEI Nature CenterPhoto Contest!

CONTEST RULES1. Photos must be taken at the PCEI Nature Center between

June 1 and June 30, 2013.2. Photos must be submitted by July 1, 2013.3. One photo submission per person.4. Photos must be submitted electronically to info@pcei.org.

VOTINGOn July 2, 2013 photo entries will be displayed in an album on Facebook (facebook.com/PCEI.org). The photo that receives the most "likes" will be the winner!

PRIZES1st Place: 4 hours use of the PCEI Artist Studio with homemade treats made by PCEI staff2nd Place: a Mountain Ash from our Learning Nursery3rd Place: a set of Nature Circle Cards

On May 2, 2013, Idaho Gave!

80+ donorsgave $6,500 during

Idaho Gives to help the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute

nurture the next generation of nature stewards!

Thank You!idahogives.razoo.com/story/PCEI

Third graders from McDonald, Lena Whitmore and Russell Elementary Schools learned first-hand about water conservation and ecology at our annual Moscow Watershed Festival on May 17, 2013. The activities at the festival engaged the children’s imaginations, while helping them learn in fun and creative ways. Daniel Sidder, AmeriCorps member and educator at PCEI, explains the value of water

conservation education. “If kids look at the life in a pond, for example, and learn which macroinvertebrates can or cannot survive polluted conditions, they can determine the health of the pond.”

Thank you so much to all the volunteers who made the Festival a success, including John Pfeiffer from EcoAnalysts, Inc and Gail DeSantis, PCEI Board Member.

Local Kids Get Their Hands Dirty at Moscow Watershed Festival

"Yay for dirt and trees!" The Water Conservation Game Looking for indicators of clean water

of water conservation. Programs included hands-on activities to learn about stormwater and natural filters (see above photo), where our water comes from and how to protect water resources.

Rose Creek Nature Preserve: PCEI continues to maintain and improve the Rose Creek Nature Preserve near Albion, WA. Invasive species are on the decline and the trails are looking good thanks to the hard work of PCEI volunteers. Join us for our next volunteer days on July 13 and August 10!

PCEI is grateful for the 70+ students from the University of Idaho who helped prepare the Nature Center for spring as part of Saturday of Service, April 13, 2013. Despite the cold weather, they mulched trails, potted plants and built an Idaho-shaped sandpit for the Playscape. Thank you also to Buy the Dozen Donuts for donating treats to feed our hungry volunteers!

PCEI Nature Center Gets

Spring Cleaning on Saturday of

Service

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSSUMMER 2013 2 7

WHO'S WHO AT PCEIBOARD OF DIRECTORSCarole Wells PresidentJim Ekins Vice PresidentJosh Boyce SecretaryAlexa Makhani TreasurerPam Brunsfeld DirectorGail DeSantis DirectorSarah Koerber DirectorJerry Long DirectorJanet Morris DirectorJack Sullivan DirectorJennifer Wik Director

STAFFThomas Lamar Executive DirectorJudith Brown Business ManagerJen Hiebert Development CoordinatorJoan Alexander AmeriCorps Placement CoordinatorHeather Huston Education Outreach CoordinatorRandy Stevens Implementation CoordinatorDavid Arnold Restoration TechnicianCarolea Webb Administrative AssistantLara Jones Confluence Program DirectorSherrie Jackson Confluence Program Support CoordinatorRob Loucks Confluence Communication Specialist

AMERICORPS MEMBERSKatie Peterson Environmental EducatorDaniel Sidder Environmental EducatorBob Grandchamp Nature Center and Watersheds Steward

INTERNS Olivia Alexander Summer StorytimeKrissy Lindsay DevelopmentRachit Singh Website

WEEKLY VOLUNTEERSSue Allard Office AssistanceGail DeSantis Office AssistanceKim Harris-Thacker Summer StorytimeClinton Ubhoff House Plant MaintenanceChristopher Wright Garden Care

Tuesdays, June through August: Summer Storytime Series, 10am-noon, PCEI Nature Center. Every Tuesday (except July 2) a special guest from the community will read books on a specific theme followed by fun outdoor activities. Please bring a blanket or camp chairs. Get 20% off the featured Book of the Week at BookPeople of Moscow. Visit www.pcei.org/storytime for schedule.

All Summer: Pump Track Wednesdays, 5:45pm-7pm, PCEI Nature Center. Join us every Wednesday this summer to learn how to ride the PCEI pump track! This family friendly event will be led by Val Carter from the Palouse Bicycle Racing Club. All skills welcome! Event will be cancelled in the event of rain.

Thursday, June 13: Youth Cycling Clinic, 4pm-6pm, PCEI Nature Center, $7, ages 4-18. This cycling clinic, sponsored by Palouse Bicycle Racing Club, will cover the basics of bicycle safety, maintenance and riding skills and include demonstration and practice of BMX-style riding on the PCEI pump track. Register online at www.moscowrecreation.sportsites.com/player/homeplayer.aspx.

Friday, June 14: PCEI Artwalk Reception, 3pm-6pm, PCEI Nature Center. See recent additions to our growing collection of public art, including a brand new barn quilt, mosaics in the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility, a new outdoor installation by Palouse Women Artists, and artist-in-residence projects by Gerri Sayler and Karen Trujillo Burnett.

Wednesday, June 19: PCEI Board Meeting, 6:30pm-8:30pm, PCEI Nature Center. Open to the public. Email Board President, Carole Wells, for an agenda, www.pcei.org/about/board.htm.

July 1-30: Find Waldo on the Palouse, PCEI Nature Center and participating businesses. Find Waldo at the PCEI Nature Center in July and get your passport stamped for the chance to win some great prizes! Passports available July 1 at BookPeople of Moscow, PCEI and participating businesses. Prizes awarded thoughout the month. For details call Jesica DeHart at 208.882.2669.

Saturday, July 13 and Saturday, August 10: Rose Creek Volunteer Work Days, Rose Creek Nature Preserve, Albion, WA. Join PCEI and community volunteers to beautify the Rose Creek Nature Preserve. Dress for the weather. Carpooling available. Visit www.pcei.org/rosecreek for directions.

Get the latest updates at pcei.org/events

Events Calendar

PO Box 8596Moscow, Idaho 83843

208.882.1444 • info@pcei.org • pcei.org

Visit our Nature Center1040 Rodeo Drive in Moscow

Open dawn to dusk, 7 days a week.

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter!facebook.com/PCEI.org

twitter.com/PCEIorg

Join PCEI Today!www.pcei.org/donatejoin

We'll put your membership gift to work immediately to promote environmental education, sustainable living,

community service and watershed restoration.

Every member makes a difference!

The mission of PCEI is to increase citizen involvement in decisions that affect our region's environment. Our goal is to encourage sustainable living, provide experiential learning, and offer opportunities for serving in our community, while actively protecting and restoring our natural resources. PCEI is a non-profit organization (EIN #94-3038182).

Sign Up Your Kids for Summer Adventure!Looking for something for

your kids to do this summer? How about getting them outside exploring nature, learning about animals, plants, history, science, teamwork and the environment in fun and creative ways?

Children aged 7–13 years are invited to attend any or all of our summer nature camps. They'll explore the Palouse region’s natural history through engaging field trips, hands-on activities, crafts, games and scientific investigation.

Ambling Animals: Wiggle, Waddle, Walk: June 17 – 21Learn all about animals: how they move, how to identify tracks and scat, and how they live. Includes visits to the WSU Grizzly Center and the Wolf Education and Research Center. $220 (5 days)

Beak Week: June 26 – 28Explore the Palouse to find our flying friends! Activities include crafts, owl pellet dissections, birding, and a visit from the WSU Raptor Club! $132 (3 days)

Forest Forensics: Bugs, Slugs and Scales: July 16 – 19Discover the crawly, slimy, and strange creatures that we all rely on! We will investigate the PCEI Nature Center and the surrounding area to find who’s hard at work. Includes a field trip to Spring Valley Reservoir. $176 (4 days)

Enrollment forms are available at pcei.org/learning/nature-camps or at the PCEI Nature Center. 10% off for PCEI members and an additional 10% off for siblings (two or more)! For more information, call Heather Huston, PCEI Education Outreach Coordinatore at 208.882.1444 or email learning@pcei.org.

Find Waldo on the Palouse!Waldo will be visiting the Palouse in July and you can find

him right here at the PCEI Nature Center! "Find Waldo on the Palouse" is a fun-for-the-whole-family scavenger hunt sponsored by BookPeople of Moscow.

Starting July 1, passports will be available at BookPeople of Moscow, PCEI or any participating business. For every location you find Waldo, you'll get a stamp in your passport! After you've found Waldo at the PCEI Nature Center, don't forget to check out our trails, EcoArt, Playscape and wildlife.

Prizes will be awarded thoughout the event. For more information, call Jesica DeHart at 208.882.2669.

presents

Summer Storytime

Featured ReadersKim Harris-ThackerJade & Ben Stellmon

Sandye Crooks (Moscow Recycling)Loralee Boal

Mayor Nancy Chaneyand more!

www.pcei.org/storytime

For the latest updatesfollow PCEI on Facebook/Twitter

sponsored by

20% discount on thePCEI Storytime

Book of the Week!

Enjoy reading and the outdoors withyour children at the PCEI Nature Center!

Each reading will be followed by fun outdoor activities.

*bring a blanket or camp chairs

Every TuesdayJune through August 2013

(except July 2nd)

10:00am-noon

PCEI Nature Center1040 Rodeo Drive, Moscow

*

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e SUMMER 2013

8

Join us for an afternoon picniccomplete with art, nature, music & food

at the PCEI Nature Center!

3pm-6pmFriday, June 14, 2013

1040 Rodeo Drive, Moscow

Featured Local Artists:Gerri Sayler & Steve Streets - Outdoor Installations

Karen Trujillo Burnett - Poetry & PhotographyPalouse Women Artists - Bird Condos and Mosaics

Art and Nature Summer Camp - Barn QuiltPCEI Supporters - Spare-a-Square Pathway

Music by Paul Anders & Friends

Moscow artist, Gerri Sayler, is a familiar sight at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) Nature Center. Over the last few months she has been conceptualizing, experimenting, and installing her exhibits, “Wind Cloud Sky” and "Line Dancing", just in time for the kickoff of Moscow Artwalk 2013 on June 14.

"I like to get the quality of a place, and then listen to my gut," said Sayler. "For 'Wind Cloud Sky', I arrived at the properties of silk. Silk moves with the slightest current and becomes gossamer, almost transparent against the sun. 'Line Dancing' is more whimsical, intended to skew perception with eye-popping color."

Local poet, Karen Trujillo Burnett, has also been exploring the themes of wind, sky and grasses in her new poem, "To Wind" which will be on display with at the PCEI Artist Studio along with a themed photography exhibit.

"Karen and I have been collaborating in our artistic responses to the wind, the sky, the grasses, which are so omnipresent here at PCEI. It's been energizing to share ideas about our response to this amazing landscape," says Gerri Sayler.

PCEI's Artwalk Inside an Artwalk will also feature whimsical bird “condominiums” by Palouse Women Artists, a barn quilt created by children in our summer camp, "Exploring Art and Nature on the Palouse", and mosaics made by Palouse Women Artists for the Jim LaFortune Memorial "Groover" Restroom Facility.

PCEI always strives to showcase the beauty of artistic expression alongside the beauty of nature. The Nancy Taylor Welcome Pavilion (see p.4) reflects that attitude, as will the extension of our universally accessible pathway (see p.5).

We hope you can join us at the PCEI Nature Center for our Artwalk reception on June 14 and throughout the summer to experience first hand the magical connection between art and nature.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Non-Profit Org. US Postage

PAIDMoscow, ID 83843

Permit No. 417PO Box 8596 Moscow, ID 83843

Return Service Requested

Summer 2013

Summer 2013 Vol. 25, No. 2

INSIDE:

P a l o u s e - C l e a r w a t e r E n v i r o n m e n t a l I n s t i t u t e

NEws

Where Art and Nature Meet:PCEI's Artwalk Inside an Artwalk

• Restoration in Washington • Spare-a-Square • Busy Bees • Summer Storytime and Camps • Photo Contest

Living

Learning

Serving

RestoringNot a MeMber? JoiN PCei today!

Oyour reNewal date

Job OpportunitiesRestoration Technician

Contracts and Grants Coordinator

Visit pcei.org/jobs for details.

Summer InternshipsAre you interested in...?

Gardening • Habitat RestorationGrounds Keeping • Sustainability

Education • Public RelationsWebsite Content ManagementPhotography • Videography

Event Management

Then an internship at PCEI is for you!

Visit pcei.org/internships for details.

artwalkAN ARTWALK INSIDE AN

PCEI 2013

A supervised group bike ride to the PCEI Nature Center will leave City Hall at 3:30pm. This is open to all ages. A supervised ride back to City Hall will take place at 6:00pm.

The dance of "Wind Cloud Sky" at the PCEI Nature Center (Artist Studio on the left). This installation by Gerri Sayler celebrates the interaction of the elements that inspire creative expression. Enjoy the works of many local artists at PCEI's Artwalk Inside an Artwalk and throughout the year.

New Faces at PCEI!David Arnold, PCEI Restoration TechnicianDavid grew up in northern Idaho and fell in love with the mountains, prairies, trees and rivers of the Northwest. He has a bachelor’s degree in Forestry and a master’s degree in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho. When not working outside, David likes to be (you guessed it) outside looking for his next adventure.

Krissy Lindsay, Development InternKrissy grew up in Spokane and is studying Environmental Science and Journalism at the University of Idaho. She intends to build a career with non-profit environmental organizations, especially in public relations and fundraising. When she can find the time between work and school, she loves to camp, backpack, bike and ski race.

Kim Harris-Thacker, Summer Storytime CoordinatorKim is a Moscow resident and a long-time supporter of PCEI. She loves reading and gardening and is thrilled to unite these two passions for PCEI’s Summer Storytime Series. When her nose isn’t buried in a book (or a flower), she can often be found penning her own tales.

Olivia Alexander, Summer Storytime InternOlivia is a Moscow High School junior and very active in school activities, including the MHS Environmental Club. She loves kids and is excited to help them make new discoveries and spend time outdoors.