Get Intimate With the Shrub Steppe

The Kittitas Environmental Education Network (KEEN) invites you to the 25th annual Get Intimate With the Shrub Steppe (GISS), a by-donation community event highlighting the endangered shrub-steppe habitat in Central Washington. The event starts Friday with an evening social gathering, Saturday is filled with expert guided field trips with birding, geology, snakes and reptiles, fish and river bugs, history, and more. Educational booths are set up with free educational materials and other outreach materials and we highlight affinity environmental and natural resource groups from around the state. Saturday evening brings a keynote speaker with a shrub-steppe focused theme. Sunday includes self-guided field trips and additional guided field trips into the shrub-steppe. You can further support KEEN’s mission by registering for ticketed events like guided paddleboarding, a float trip down the yakima river, attending the keynote speaker dinner with live music, or the wine tasting tour. Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of free events too, including live adult lamprey release, planetarium shows, activities at the wind farm visitor center, and more! Sign up now, because some events have limited spots available! The annual GISS event is as old as KEEN. KEEN's mission is to cultivate an active understanding of the impacts of climate change on the endangered shrub-steppe and foster commitment to environmental stewardship by providing culturally relevant nature-based education. We bring our best to this event, roping in members of the local community, scientists, guides, and outdoor enthusiasts of all shades. With their expertise to guide you, you’re in for a weekend of fun and learning you’ll never forget. There’s so much wildlife out there in the shrub-steppe, just waiting for you to come and explore. Hope to see you there! To register, follow this link https://www.cognitoforms.com/KittitasEnvironmentalEducationNetwork/GetIntimateWithTheShrubSteppe2024 Check out our facebook posts on the event here: https://m.facebook.com/287593998157/posts/10159157215058158/?_rdr For more information on KEEN, GISS, and the Yakima Canyon Interpretive Center (YCIC), visit http://www.ycic.org.