This free educational speaker event will feature Alex Staunch, Natural Resource Scientist at Mosaic Ecology for an evening on the water learning about the aquatic plant community of the Columbia Slough! Participants can reserve a seat in one of our boats, or bring their own. This event is open to all ages, minors must be accompanied by an adult. CSWC will provide all equipment for paddling on the water, including lifevests, paddles, and safety gear. We will do a safety talk on land before getting in boats to explore.

About the speaker:

Originally from western New York, Alex earned a Master of Environmental Management degree from Portland State University. His research has focused on non-indigenous aquatic plant management and he has conducted various surveys in the Columbia Slough Watershed since 2015. Alex has filled many roles at Mosaic Ecology and still enjoys leading crews to conduct habitat restoration and vegetation surveys. He has expertise in wetland sciences, plant ecology, aquatic plant identification, and monitoring protocols. Outside of work, Alex can be found backpacking with his family or overcrowding his garden with native plants. 

Getting there:

We will meet at Whitaker Ponds - parking is free! Taking public transportation? Bus #75 drops riders off at NE 47th Ave and Columbia Blvd, a .25 mile walk from Whitaker Ponds. Bike parking is also available!

Accessibility:

This event requires participants to enter/exit a boat from the dock, as well as stay seated for ~1.5 hours. Previous paddling experience is not required. There is a porta-potty located in the parking lot.