Life with the Trees: Western Gray Squirrel Conservation
A powerful talk on Western Gray Squirrel, one of Washington’s cutest yet imperiled native rodents.
Only three populations of these squirrels remain, and the largest of them is right here in Klickitat County. Discover what makes this small but mighty species vital to our forest ecosystems, and why it was uplisted from “threatened” to “endangered” in Washington State. We’ll explore the dramatic population decline in Klickitat County over the past 25 years and unpack the factors behind it.
Whether you are curious about local wildlife, a concerned resident, or someone who believes in the power of grassroots conservation, we hope you’ll leave inspired to share what you learned. We’ll dig into how you can become part of Friends of the White Salmon River’s effort to protect Western Gray Squirrel habitat in Klickitat County by monitoring Forest Practice Applications.
Speaker Bios:
Bill Weiler served as a Wildlife Biologist with the Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish & Wildlife for 20 years, where he specialized in Western Gray Squirrel and spotted owl conservation. In 1996, Bill created the Gorge-wide SECRETS of Our Forest Home Environmental Education program, now facilitated by the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. He has authored several books including “Don’t Run from Bears,” and “The Earth Speaks.” His next book, “The Forest Outside My Door” is scheduled for publication in 2026. Bill lives on 20 acres of oak woodland northeast of Lyle, WA. He is the Board Chair of Friends of the White Salmon River.
Pat Arnold has been part of volunteer environmental activism since she was born. She moved to Trout Lake in 1991 to take a position as production manager at Trout Lake Farms. Pat holds degrees from Vassar College, A.B. sociology and English; the Cambridge-Goddard School for Social Change, M.A. women’s history; and the California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, M.S Agriculture. She’s a graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership Program. Pat is the Executive Director of Friends of the White Salmon River.
Where: The Missing Corner, 1256 WA-141 BZ Corner, WA
Time: 6-7:30pm
Cost: Sliding Scale $5-15; Walk-ins welcome!
*Please Register in Advance at https://tinyurl.com/5weydrnj
Admission: This event is part of The Missing Corner’s “Learn Local Series”. At their request, we have a sliding scale admission fee of $5 to $15 to cover the cost of participating and using their wonderful space. We support The Missing Corner and look forward to being part of their series.
This talk is presented in collaboration with The Missing Corner in effort to celebrate learning, connection, and stewardship for our rivers and lands.