Tara Lemezis

Visit the most scenic spots in and around Portland to photograph wildlife, waterfalls, flowers and anything else that catches your eye. Come learn basic techniques of composition, framing, and lighting while practicing in a variety of environments.

Learn the art of wilderness survival by building shelters, gathering safe food from the forest, and preparing it on a fire you build yourself without matches! We will learn all of our survival knowledge while based out of Lewis and Clark State Park in Washington with day trips around the area.

This camp will bring you face to face with the world of wildlife veterinarians. You will visit local wildlife vets that specialize in rehabilitating wild animals and meet the experts of our very own Wildlife Care Center

From the tiny and mighty Northern Pygmy-Owls found in our Sanctuary to the larger Great Horned Owls, this week will be devoted to learning all that is known about these mysterious creatures!

Come and join the millions of people who love bird-watching! Learn how to find birds, recognize their field marks, and observe their behavior in this action-packed camp that will take you all around the Portland area on birding adventures.

Become an expert on the fascinating world of amphibians and reptiles as we learn the ways of a true Herpetologist. Overturn rocks of local Oregon streams and plunge your hands into the cool runoff of Mt. Hood as we search for some of the most elusive amphibians in the world. Learn how to identify Red-legged Frogs, Coastal Giant Salamanders and many snakes of the Pacific Northwest.

Any and all reptiles and amphibians are fair game during this week filled with the discovery of these super cool, cold-blooded creatures. Leap into fun times with new friends as we search Balch Creek for amphibians like the Rough-skinned Newt and the elusive Pacific Giant Salamander.

Learn how to identify and appreciate the wonderful, colorful birds that call Portland Audubon’s Wildlife Sanctuary home. Learn how to use binoculars to search out our feathered friends and build your own bird feeders to take home so you can attract avian visitors to your own yard.

Travel back through time as you learn the art of archery with Portland Audubon’s expert staff.

Have you ever wondered where the animals of our city live and how they interact with an urban environment? We will visit local green spaces and learn about the animals that depend on them and the efforts to keep those spaces protected.

We’ll travel by van down to Redwood National Park and stay at an Outdoor School site right in the heart of the thick redwood forest where banana slugs, birds, and other wildlife call these huge, majestic trees home.

Spend your days wandering the forest with our expert staff, in search of plants that will guide inspiration for crafted works of art that might include basketmaking, rope making and salve production.

Strange creatures lurk in the depths of the Balch Creek Watershed as a team of young scientists with nets and buckets try to catch and learn from these mysterious critters. With your team by your side, you will take time to learn about the newts, dragonfly nymphs, crawdads and more “mini-monsters” that wiggle, squirm and swim in Portland Audubon’s creeks and ponds.

We’ll learn what the reasons are for specific bird calls and songs. You’ll be able to recognize alarms calls, songs, and more as we travel throughout Portland and beyond to decipher the language of the birds!

Visit local farms on Sauvie Island and around the Portland area to see, pick, and taste for yourself how beautiful and delicious berries can be. Find out why plants make berries and which animals eat them.

Visit local green spaces and learn about local initiatives to help protect local wildlife and the habitats they live in. Meet with staff from Audubon’s Conservation Department to learn about what they do and how their work helps Portland wildlife.

Any and all reptiles and amphibians are fair game during this week filled with the discovery of these super cool, cold-blooded creatures. Leap into fun times with new friends as we search Balch Creek for amphibians like the Rough-skinned Newt and the elusive Pacific Giant Salamander.

Come out and discover all that Forest Park has to offer from the Sanctuary at Portland Audubon to the views at Pittock Mansion. Look high and low for all the critters that call Forest Park home and leave no rock unturned as you explore this magical park.

From Oregon’s deepest valleys to its darkest reaches, the Pacific Northwest is a treasure trove of many unique habitats ready to be explored. Learn about how these unique geological features are formed as you hike, spelunk, and wade through canyon creeks.

Experience the awesome beauty of the islands! Travel by ferry into the Puget Sound and straight into some of the most incredible, awe-inspiring scenery in the entire United States! Spend an entire week exploring the islands’ unique natural history and rich biodiversity as you search for species large and small.

Become a naturalist in true John James Audubon style as you record the amazingly varied shapes, textures, patterns and colors of wildlife and their habitat in your own sketchbook. Sketch the wild world of nature that you’ll see while hiking in and around the Portland Audubon Nature Sanctuary.

Create wildly imaginative drawings and vibrantly colored paintings and clay sculptures inspired by forest animals and their habitat.

Chase some of Oregon’s most beautiful waterfalls every day and learn about why our state has so many!

On this camp, we’ll set out by canoe, kayak, raft, and on foot on a week-long adventure devoted to discovering raptors of the Pacific Northwest! We’ll learn how to identify all sorts of birds of prey by field marks, habitat, and sound, while we explore local birding hotspots by watercraft and foot.

This camp will bring you face to face with the world of wildlife veterinarians. You will visit local wildlife vets that specialize in rehabilitating wild animals and meet the experts of Audubon’s own Wildlife Care Center.

Let your creativity run wild, as we build rock sculptures, leaf mandalas, stick structures, and more! Following the inspiration of artist Andy Goldsworthy, we will spend this week exploring different landscapes around Portland, discovering the artistic treasures that each can bring.

Band together with your fellow campers to learn the “ins and outs” of survival in the wild. Participants will start with the basic order of survival.

Create imaginative drawings, cartoons, and clay sculptures of forest birds and their habitat

Experience the awesome beauty of the islands! Travel by ferry into the Puget Sound and straight into some of the most incredible, awe-inspiring scenery in the entire United States! Spend an entire week exploring the islands’ unique natural history and rich biodiversity as you search for species large and small.

Travel back through time as you learn the art of archery and wilderness skills with Portland Audubon’s expert staff in this week-long overnight camp.Master the skill of shooting a bow and spend the greater part of each day learning other primitive skills that are based on shelter, water, fire and food. Learn friction fire techniques, debris hut construction, animal tracking and natural navigation.

Can you name the top five predators in Oregon? Do you know what makes them such good hunters? Come out as we learn about predators big and small and learn about the adaptations makes them stealthy, successful hunters!

Hop on board as we explore the connections between farming and the wilderness. Make butter from milk and dyes from native plants. We’ll visit local natural areas and farms to learn how people are acting as stewards of the land while growing healthy foods for their communities.

Develop your skills for “capturing” wildlife using graphite, colored pencils, and watercolor. Hike through the forest habitat and learn about some of the amazing plants and animals that live there. Observe textures, patterns, shapes, and colors of the natural wonders you’ll see. Sketchbooks provided.

This camp will bring you face to face with the world of wildlife veterinarians. You will visit local wildlife vets that specialize in rehabilitating wild animals and get a meet the vets of Audubon’s own Wildlife Care Center.

Unlock the secrets of many of the Pacific Northwest’s most exciting stories. With journals in hand, we will travel to local Northwest sites and dive into the stories of the land.

Create imaginative drawings, paintings, and nature-based art projects of imperiled and endangered species that are native to Oregon.

We will build natural shelters, taste wild edible plants, and learn to interpret animal tracks and signs. We will even learn some of the tricks of fire building! This camp will culminate in 2 nights spent at Audubon’s Marmot Cabin – singing around the campfire and exploring the woods. Come join us as we learn the ways of the wild and the secrets of wilderness living.

Experience the awesome beauty of the islands! Travel by ferry into the Puget Sound and straight into some of the most incredible, awe-inspiring scenery in the entire United States! Spend an entire week exploring the islands’ unique natural history and rich biodiversity as you search for species large and small.

Join Portland Audubon’s expert staff for this amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience! Laugh harder than you have in years and create community as you build your strength, confidence and wilderness skills while hiking in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness located east of Seattle in the Central Cascades.

Come learn about all of the special adaptations animals have that help them fly while examining birds bones and handling prepared specimens. Walk through the forest looking for these creatures of the sky and what tiny winged wonders you can find!

You walk quietly down the wooded trail, to emerge in a grove of Douglas Firs 300 years old. Awe fills your mind as you stand as one with these gentle giants. Spend a week with Portland Audubon naturalists as we explore the Portland Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, from secondary to old growth!

Spend a week having fun and making art with Portland Audubon in Art Outdoors, a camp that combines the beauty of nature with artistic expression in the natural world!