Yes it has been quiet on the blog front -- but behind the scenes we have been buzy!

WILD is thrilled to announce the upcoming fund raiser for Ground Productions' PLAY AGAIN. I have had the pleasure of working with these guys over the last few months as the project has kicked off and am thrilled to say that we are moving forward with a documentary which will explore a culture where children spend more time in front of screens than out in nature, this film will focus on the relationship between the virtual and natural world. Through the voices of children this film will provide new perspectives on the forces that shape childhood in the United States today.

The upcoming fundraiser is on May 8th at the Holocene -- more details to follow -- but for now, sit back and enjoy the trailer and then go to the website for more information!

Posted by wildportland at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There has been a brief respite in entries on the blog as "life" caught up on me. Thoughts and general musings on where this is all headed is one of those aspects of "life", as is the current 10-week course I have underway at Sabin Elementary& Middle school in NE Portland. The program also includes some of the great kids in the Access program (which shares the Sabin facility) -- which is PPS's program for gifted kids.

The course is similar to other previous WILD offerings -- where I take kids out to nature and try to just focus on enjoying ourselves. I try to tread lightly on (aka "avoid") "lessons" and focus more on unstructured play. I have become more interested in the meeting points of the Children and Nature Movement and the "Open Play" Movement.

For example this week saw us at Whitaker Ponds  (there'll be a review soon) where we followed otters into the ponds and then watched as literally hundreds of geese took off from their resting place. But we also got muddy, climbed some fantastic willow trees, laughed and played.

That to me, is where all the riches are.

Some of the other weeks have seen us geocache up at Mount Tabor, hike through Macleay Park on the lookout for cutthroat trout and we also took a fun pre-Halloween visit to Lone Fir Cemetery (great trees, great graves, great history).

So I am going to get back to providing reviews of fun outings to do with young explorers in the coming days and once I get a decent grouping of these up here, then I think I can start unleashing the major media muscle that I know my little site can exercise.

In the interim, happy hiking.
Be WILD. 

Posted by wildportland at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rating:
Difficulty: Easy

Getting There:
Ride your bike there
Take Tri-Met
Google Map It

This adventure really has an awful lot to offer -- young adventurers can see owls, a hawk and a falcon up beside the Wildlife Care Center; they can get out on a hike; explore the creek and the great pond area (watch for turtles on sunny days and keep an eye out for the salamanders too); and pause for some fun hide and seek games in the forest.

First lets talk about how to get there. Don't park in the Audubon's lot -- it is best to park in the Upper Macleay Park trailhead lot and saunter over to the Audubon compound. Be careful not to take the Wildwood trail as you park! Head west to the Audubon and walk along the Wildlife Care Center.

Before starting the hike, swing by the area where they have the owls, falcon and hawk for the kids to see (the birds were rescued but were never fit enough to return to the wild -- they are there for educational purposes).

The Audubon has some great and simple trails -- pick up a simple map over by the store. As you head down behind the Care Center and offices, cross two bridges and take the Creek trail (try and spot some of the Cutthroat Trout) and then follow the Woodpecker trail up to a fun spot in the trees for a snack/picnic/hide and seek (there is a tree house off to your left as you wander along the trail).
You can easily take the full route around or cross with the Wren trail and loop over to the pond where there is plenty to see and explore.

As you head up hill on the way back, use the play area in the office/gift shop as encouragement. Young adventurers will love to play with the model of the forest and there are fun guess-what's-in-the-box games and some cool stuffed animals.

All in all a fun-packed adventure from one of Portland's great nature establishments.
Long live the Audubon!

Posted by wildportland at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rating: 
Difficulty: Difficult (for young kids) - but so worth it

Getting There: Oneonta Gorge is situated on the Scenic Highway 3 miles east of Multnomah Falls. From I-84 eastbound take exit #28 Bridal Veil and continue 5.2 miles to Oneonta trailhead. From I-84 westbound or eastbound, take exit #35 Scenic Highway and continue west 1.9 miles to Oneonta.

Imagine a trip through a narrow canyon, wading along through a stream, scrambling over rocks and logs and reaching a hidden waterfall.

And it all waits for you at Oneonta Gorge.

This is a great challenge with a fun reward for all the family. Come prepared to get wet, wet, wet and bring a change of clothes. This narrow gorge right off the Old Columbia River Highway has a lot to offer in a short hike.

It is best to do this late in the summer when the Oneonta river is low (August is great), so you can easily wade through the stream as you get closer to the waterfall. The hike starts out by descending a small set of very steep stairs and you walk along a little bit of the river as you head to the narrow canyon. Now for the hard section as you scramble over some big boulders and logs (young kids will need help -- we did it with two five year olds).

Once over the big boulders though it is a fun wade through the stream to the waterfall.

If you want to stay dry at all -- don't even try this one!

Also - we brought our 10 year old dog with us -- and it wasn't too much fun for him trying to get over big boulders and through the logs. So my recommendation is to keep the dog at home.

A note for non-summer visitors -- I don't recommend doing this when the river is high but even without climbing the boulders the kids can have lots of fun playing in the river after you descend the steep stairs.

Posted by wildportland at 09:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rating:
Difficulty: Easy

Getting There:
Ride your bike there
Take Tri-Met
Google Map It

The first "official" review is supposed to set the tone, right?

Well for that reason, I start with a review of a very different urban nature adventure.

The Lone Fir Cemetery on SE Morrison and 21st Ave is a hidden jewel. A really fascinating place to take the kids on a stroll as it combines a great urban arboretum with the inspiring presence of a cemetery.

Great info on the cemetery itself can be found through the Friends of Lone Fir and can be used to prepare some fun stories for the kids before the trip. On the visit, check out some wonderful commemorative headstones (including some handmade ones) and the terrific array of trees - ginkos, oaks, birches, firs, dogwoods and many more. Back in the early days of the cemetery, families would plant trees close to the grave sites as an additional memoriam for their loved ones. Because of that, there is a huge array of trees at various stages of growth and each with a story to tell. Look for the ginko tree (in late summer it should be bearing fruit) or find the big oak tree with all the galls on it (they look like eggs growing on the branches of the oak trees -- like the trees are bearing fruit).

A stroll around can easily occupy 60 - 90 minutes and it is a very easy walk around the grounds for the whole family. Needless to say, please be respectful of everyone and everything during your visit.

A different adventure, no doubt. But so worth it too.

Posted by wildportland at 08:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)