Speaker: Gary Lentz

Location: Online

Cost: Free

How to Join: The webinar will be presented on Zoom video. Please register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OdLb9eGwR9aAA4teosFuVg

Registration: Please register for this event! You will be able to add this event to an email calendar to remind you to join. Your registration helps us to monitor audience attendance so that we can better serve you in the future.

Synopsis: One of the most commonly recognized evergreens in the northwest is the Douglas fir. Have you ever wondered where it got its name?

Wilderness botanist David Douglas was responsible for hundreds of discoveries and descriptions of our native Northwestern trees, shrubs, and plants.

Douglas came to the Pacific Northwest by ship from England in 1825. His explorations for the Royal Horticultural Society were carefully recorded in his journals. He describes his interactions with local Native Americans, encounters with animals, and the arduous and difficult acquisition of plant seeds and specimens. He also describes the landscapes before the effects of European settlement, giving insight into the world as it was here in the Northwest nearly 200 years ago. From 1825 to 1827 he traveled thousands of miles through Washington, Idaho, and Oregon by foot, horse, and canoe. Here he spent his time collecting seeds, preserving specimens, taking notes, and carefully packaging his discoveries for return to England. 

Our inaugural Virtual Museum After Hours program will be presented by Gary Lentz, who will be treating viewers to a nature walk with botanist David Douglas. Enjoy the greenery of the museum’s lower level as naturalist and explorer Douglas identifies some of the native plants and discusses their uses and properties. Gary Lentz is a popular presenter in both our Museum After Hours and Living History programs. David Douglas’ walk will combine both elements for a fun and educational look at the world around us through the lens of the past.

Presentation begins at 5 pm via Zoom, followed by a live Q&A session.