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Species of the Month
Checker Lily
This week, we've spotted the first couple of checker lily blooms (Fritillaria affinis), also known as chocolate lily, just starting to open around the Arboretum on the Zig Zag and Hillside Trails. These incredible flowers can be easily missed amongst all the shades of brown and green, but their unique checker pattern is a true wonder. We are a few weeks out from peak bloom when they can be found throughout the Arboretum, read on to be armed with some facts to share with your friends and loved ones when you next hit the trails looking for Spring blooms.
- The inside of the flowers are often much more vibrant, approaching maroon in the darker-colored sections, but aren't typically visible without close inspection due to the flowers nodding pose.
- Checker lilies grow from bulbs that resemble a mass of grains of rice, hence another common name: rice-grain missionbells.
- Some years, the bulb will send up only a single leaf, known as a resting leaf, to gather energy for the next year.
- Checker lily seeds can rest in the ground for a long time before germinating, it's suspected that it can take up to a year. Once established, it's believed that individual plants can live over 100 years.
- The bulbs can be eaten raw or cooked. They were traditionally steamed and then eaten by Salish people and other indigenous peoples in the Pacific northwest.
- With partial shade, good drainage, and adequate moisture, checker lilies can grow well in home gardens as well!
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As wildflowers are just starting to bloom in the Arboretum, we are excited to announce the 2026 Wildflower Festival in partnership with Native Plant Society of Oregon and Lane Community College!
Get ready to see hundreds of wildflowers on display, learn from experts, dance to live music, walk a trail of ephemeral land art installations, shop from incredible local craft vendors, and enjoy a delicious treat!
Check out this year's poster featuring osoberry with a cedar waxwing, stunningly illustrated by our returning festival artist Emily Poole!
Tickets go on sale April 17th! Arboretum members always get free festival tickets, become a member anytime before the festival and get in free (you'll also get free tickets to our Fall Mushroom Festival, plus more perks!)
| Volunteers get free admission, a festival poster, and a sense of satisfaction! | |
Earth Day
Work Party!
Wednesday, April 22nd
3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Show up for the land! Celebrate Earth Day by removing invasive plants at Mount Pisgah Arboretum. Help heal and restore our native habitats!
Drop in anytime between 3:30 and 6:30. No experience required. We will provide all tools and materials. Open to groups and individuals of all ages. Snacks provided.
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TransWild Forest Frolic
Saturday, April 25th
12 PM - 5 PM
Join TransPonder, Cascadia Wildlands, and Mount Pisgah Arboretum for an afternoon of nature, fun, and community!
Enjoy performances, activities, workshops, learn from community organizations, and more!
This is a free, all ages event. Anyone comfortable in a trans and queer-centered space is welcome to attend!
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Upcoming Nature Tours
All guided tours start at the Mount Pisgah Arboretum Education Building. Pre-registration is required. Members and kids under 4 are FREE, Non-Members $5 per person.
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April Bird Tour
Sunday, April 12th 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Join Mieko Aoki and Julia Siporin for another monthly bird tour intended for people with all levels of birding experience. We’ll use vocalizations, habitat, and behavior clues for identification of our year-round residents and spring migrants. Come discover the Arboretum’s avian diversity!
Insect Tour
Sunday, April 19th 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Open your eyes to the fascinating world of insects on this year's first tour led by insect-enthusiast and Mount Pisgah blog author Karen Richards. We’ll look into the incredible adaptations of some creatures you may recognize, and no doubt learn about some lesser-known insects as well. Every insect tour is a mini-safari!
Birds, Bees, Butterflies, and Blooms Tour
Sunday, April 26th 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Join Bruce Newhouse for the annual 4 Bs tour - an exploration of the Birds, Bees, Butterflies, and Blooms of the Arboretum. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the organisms that make springtime at Mount Pisgah special.
New Member Tour
Saturday, May 2nd 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Are you new to the Arboretum, or haven’t explored as much as you would like to? Join Development Manager Leisha Wood for a fun and easy paced introduction to the trails, exhibits, and natural habitat of this special place.
Mindful Meandering
Sunday, May 3rd 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Listen….Can you hear the whispered request from your whole being to slow down and be held by the exquisite beauty and kindness of Nature? Join Julia Siporin in this morning retreat where luxurious time will be spent sitting quietly in guided meditations, meandering in silence, and opening the senses to the lush splendor of Mount Pisgah Arboretum.
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Introducing Weekly Office Volunteering!
Every Wednesday, Starting April 15th 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Come by the Arboretum on Wednesday afternoons to help with office tasks like mailing and rolling festival posters.
No experience is required to volunteer. We will provide you with a parking pass. Volunteers should be comfortable with repetitive tasks and writing.
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Upcoming Work Parties
Become a steward of the Arboretum by helping us improve and maintain our facilities and habitat during our Work Parties!
During Work Parties, volunteers help us keep our trails, facilities, and park clean, accessible, and beautiful! No experience is required to volunteer on these days, and we will provide tools, gloves, and a parking pass.
All work parties meet at the bottom of the parking lot near the shop (just past the bright orange trailer).
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Tuesday Tenders Weekly Work Party
Every Tuesday 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Starting April 7th
Help us care for the Arboretum and keep trail conditions good! At these weekly work parties, volunteers will tackle tasks like light weeding, vegetation management along trails, mulching and watering plantings, etc.
Jette Trail Work Party
Saturday, April 11th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Come by the Arboretum this Saturday, April 11th between 9-12 for our monthly Trail Work Party! During Trail Work Parties, volunteers to help us keep our trails, facilities, and park clean, accessible, and beautiful!
Paper Wildflower Craft Work Party
Saturday, May 2nd 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Help us make large tissue paper and paper mache flowers to decorate the Wildflower Festival! We'll walk you through each step, no experience needed.
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Get Involved
Want to make a difference in other ways? We are always looking for nature guides, trail stewards, park ambassador volunteers, and many other roles. Let's talk about how you can get involved with the Arboretum.
Learn more about some of the opportunities here.
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Oak Ecology Through the Seasons
Looking to deepen your connection with the ecology of the Arboretum? Want to support the continuation of accessible adult nature education in our community? Join our immersive fundraiser series, "Oak Ecology Through The Seasons", where you'll witness the fascinating life of oak tree habitat across all four seasons. Through intimate 2-hour sessions in Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, you'll develop an appreciation and understanding for our endangered oak habitats.
Spots are limited, registration closes April 17th.
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Adopt the Patricia Baker Wildflower Garden
Get outside and volunteer! Can your group or workplace adopt maintenance of the Arboretum's Wildflower Garden?
The adopting group will be supported by staff to maintain the garden through 2-4 work parties each year. Tasks will include removing undesirable species, planting native plants, mulching beds, and maintaining the adjacent Riverbank Trail.
This is a great opportunity to care for the land, tune into seasonal change, build strong relationships, and feel satisfaction in your work, all while supporting the Arboretum!
If you're interested, email volunteer@mountpisgaharboretum.org
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Black-Tailed Bumble Bee
"Droopy, white osoberry flowers are one of spring’s first blooms, and its pollen and nectar attract many species of hungry flies, bees, and other insects. Here’s a profile of one of the more colorful and charming osoberry pollinators: The Black-tailed Bumble Bee, or Bombus melanopygus..."
Read more about the Black Tailed Bumble Bee in our latest blog post by Karen Richards.
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White Oak Pavilion, Dates Available in July 2026!
Getting married, hosting a party, or looking for a retreat space in 2026 or 2027? Dates are filling up fast to book our White Oak Pavilion, so reach out now to reserve your spot in this unforgettable venue.
To book or learn more, please email
events@mountpisgaharboretum.org
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Join our Board of Directors!
Do you believe everyone in our community deserves access to the outdoors? Are you committed to ensuring native plant habitats continue to thrive?
We are recruiting new members for our Board of Directors to help fulfill our mission of engaging people with nature through interactive learning and stewardship.
Prospective board members are required to observe a board meeting before applying. The application deadline is May 4.
To learn more, please email president@mountpisgaharboretum.org
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In-Kind Wishlist
Straw Bales
We reuse straw bales year after year for our festival seating and many of our trusty bales have worn out. Contact us if you have spare straw bales and we can let you know where to drop them off. If you anticipate having extra straw bales in the future, please let us know.
Tissue Paper, Craft Pipe Cleaners, Elmer's Glue, Craft Paint, & Clean Old Newspaper
We are gathering materials to craft large paper wildflowers to decorate the Wildflower Festival! Any materials above to the Arboretum office.
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Please remember to leash your dog in the Arboretum.
Thank you for helping create a safe and welcoming space for all!
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