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<FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt" color=#366092 size=3><I>Join the Natural Area's Celebration Week tomorrow for its next events of the week</I></FONT>. <TT><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><BR></SPAN></B></TT><FONT face=Verdana><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Thursday, May 6th</SPAN></B></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">11-12:30pm</SPAN></B></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Fort Hoskins Historic Park with Dr. Brauner<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN class=ecx453103122-01042010><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">The US Army established Fort Hoskins in 1856 to protect coastal Indian reservations. The 130-acre site tells the story of military presence in the Willamette Valley and Coastal Range. The guided tour program interprets military life at the post, archeological study of the site, and management of the cultural landscape, historic structures, and natural resources. Bring a lunch to enjoy in the picnic shelter before continuing to additional afternoon programs at Beazell Memorial Forest. To get there, travel west on Hwy 20 to Hwy 223 North; west on Hoskins Rd; follow signs. Meet at picnic shelter. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/hoskins.php"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/hoskins.php</SPAN></A></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"></SPAN></U></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">1-2pm</SPAN></B></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Beazell Memorial Forest<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Lori Stephens of Broadleaf Architecture will conduct a tour of the Forest Education Center. The award-winning vintage barn is a model of sustainably repurposing an existing structure into a modern multi-use facility and conserving its embodied energy for a new use. North of Wren on Kings Valley Hwy. </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/forest_ed.php"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><BR></SPAN></A></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/forest_ed.php"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/forest_ed.php</SPAN></A></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"></SPAN></U></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">2-4pm</SPAN></B></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Beazell Memorial Forest<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Al Kitzman of Benton County Natural Areas and Parks, with Steve Lily of Greenbelt Land Trust, will discuss the management plan for the forest as well as restoration efforts of native upland prairies in support of Taylor's checkerspot butterflies. The tour includes an easy 15 minute hike, and then branches off to a more challenging hike to the South Meadow to possibly view the rare butterfly. The hike will take about 2 hours round trip with return via the Plunkett Creek Trail. North of Wren on Kings Valley Hwy. <SPAN> <BR></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/beazell.php"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">http://www.co.benton.or.us/parks/facilities/beazell.php</SPAN></A></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"></SPAN></U></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">6-8pm</SPAN></B></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Old-Growth Trail of McDonald-Dunn Forest <SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">This 1.6 mile loop trail is an easy family hike (260 ft elevation gain) that takes us through a spectacular grove of old growth, featuring 200-year-old Douglas firs, hemlocks, and towering maple trees. The forest floor is covered with ferns and native wildflowers in early spring.</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> <SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Directions from Corvallis: On Highland Drive, travel 2.5 miles over the hill and past Crescent Valley High School. At the T, turn left on Lewisburg Road, travel 0.5 miles, and bear right at the V, on Sulpher Springs Road. Travel 1.5 miles to the Lewisburg Saddle at the top of the mountain, with parking on both sides of the road. The Old Growth trailhead is on the east side. <SPAN> <BR></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><SPAN></SPAN>For more information, contact Lee and Suzanne Lazaro at <U><SPAN>Leelazaro@aol.com.</SPAN></U><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://www.cof.orst.edu/cf/forests/mcdonald/"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">http://www.cof.orst.edu/cf/forests/mcdonald/</SPAN></A></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://www.cof.orst.edu/cf/recreation/south_mc_map.php"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">http://www.cof.orst.edu/cf/recreation/south_mc_map.php</SPAN></A></FONT><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"></SPAN></U></P><BR> </body>
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