Paddling Film Festival – World Tour
Friday, April 5  6:30pm-9:30pm
BTC Settlemyer Hall

For 14 years, the Paddling Film Festival World Tour has been showcasing the very best paddling films. The World Tour screens in more than 120 cities around the world. We’re especially proud of our 2019 film selection and want you to experience them with us. You’ll be inspired to explore rivers, lakes, and oceans; push extremes, embrace the paddling lifestyle, and appreciate the wild places. Friends, family, and like-minded paddlers are welcome. We hope to see you there!

Come celebrate early with a vendor expo, purchase raffle tickets, grab a beer or cold beverage, and settle in for the first ever Bellingham screening of the World Tour Paddling Festival hosted by Moondance Sea Kayak Adventures.

Ticket purchase includes a digital subscription to Paddling Magazine and a raffle ticket for a chance to win an Aqua-Bound paddling prize pack (up to a $425 value).

Whatcom Parkscriptions Days
Sunday, April 28
Multiple Whatcom County Parks

Whatcom Parkscriptions Day is an opportunity for the people in our community to connect with positive outdoor experiences, and reap the many proven health benefits of time spent in nature. There will be a number of FREE hosted events at popular public parks throughout Whatcom County.

Choose one and come out and play! Sunday, April 28th

Events include:
Walk with a Doc– with local providers that use this program in their practice
A Walk in the Park– featuring local subject matter experts on the park and amenities
Park Ranger Walk– a Nature walk led by the resident Park Ranger
Forest Bathing– is the healing way of simply being in the forest
PediCab with YMCA– a free pedicab service to people with low mobility
Fit School – Carol Frazey works together with you to help reach a new level of fitness
Vamos Outdoor Project – provides access to environmental education and outdoor leadership experiences to Latinx and ELL (English Language Learner) youth.
Whatcom Smart Trips–  a partnership to promote transportation by walking, bicycling, sharing rides, and riding the bus.
Bellingham Senior Activity Center – offers programs that enrich the lives of seniors in Bellingham and promote healthy aging.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
April 1 – 30

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is one of the destination events for the Pacific Northwest, held from April 1-30, celebrating millions of tulips bursting into bloom. As with all things governed by Mother Nature, the tulips bloom according to their own schedule sometime during the festival. The tulips allow us to share our corner of the world and showcase Skagit Valley agriculture.

WTA: Find a Work Party

Washington Trails Association is offering over 60 stewardship options this month! Multiple local work parties are located in Larrabee State Park, Sehome Hill Arboretum and Oyster Dome.

NSEA: Find a Work Party

Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association is offering four local work party opportunities during the month of March.

The Excelsior Mine located in the Mt. Baker Ranger District of the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is undergoing testing to allow possible reopening of the mine. Click on this link  to find out more details on the proposal and an opportunity to add your voice. 

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is beginning a trail planning process at Larrabee State Park and they need your help. The trail planning committee is asking for public input. In addition to other items this planning process will identify and address:

• Current trail uses
• Trail system mapping
• Relationship to other nearby trail systems
• Healthy interaction between user groups

Adventure Scientists 

In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Adventure Scientists is recruiting, training, and managing volunteers to gather tree tissue samples which researchers will use to develop genetic and other chemical-signature reference libraries. The developed libraries will enable scientists to identify the species and origin of traded wood products and aid customs officers in the forensic validation of a suspicious shipment. This will help officers enforce illegal logging legislation, empower responsible buyers, and thwart dishonest harvesters in the illegal timber trade. Stay tuned for more details on how to get involved!

Conservation Course

At a time when public lands and waters are under unprecedented attack, the outdoor community needs the knowledge and resources to protect the outdoor experience. That’s why we’re launching Outdoor Advocates Network, a resource where you can learn about and take action to champion our public lands.

Outdoor Advocates Network features Protecting Public Lands 101, an eLearning course which breaks down the basics of our national public lands system and empowers you to take part in advocacy efforts. It also features an Action Center, where you can check out some of our nation’s most pressing public lands issues and make your voice heard. We’re excited to pilot our eLearning experience and look forward creating more classes and adding more resources to grow this program.