Field trips will be offered on October 6th, departing from the WWU campus. A reception will be held immediately after the field trips.
Flood hazards in Whatcom County
In November 2021, Whatcom County experienced its largest flood disaster ever. The Nooksack River overflowed its banks and spread northward into Canada, filling an ancient lakebed that straddles the present-day international border and inundating farmers, rural towns, and tribal communities. Flood risk assessment, management and recovery are a complex challenge. Come learn about the tensions between floodplain management in the shadow of a young volcano, salmon habitat restoration for endangered Chinook, cross-border tensions, and seemingly impossible choices facing those trying to figure out what recovery might mean.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Fee: $30 (to cover transportation costs)
Walking tour of urban landscapes in downtown Bellingham
Travel by city bus to explore the history and patterns of urban development in Bellingham.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Fee: $0 (participants will need to purchase their own day pass for the city bus system)
Physical geography of Mount Baker
Spend the day learning about the biophysical environment of Mount Baker, an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range. We will explore how ecological communities change as we go from a temperate old-growth rainforest up to the subalpine-alpine ecotone and admire the complex topography created by a combination of volcanic, glacial, and fluvial processes. The trip will involve several short (<1 mile) strolls on uneven ground and participants will have the option to add on two short (1-2 mile) hikes. A boxed lunch will be included in the registration price.
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fee: $60 (to cover transportation costs and lunch)
Self-guided field trips
Participants interested in exploring Bellingham on their own might enjoy the following free self-guided walking tour resources: