<p>A beaver holds up a blackberry branch to chew on near Thompson Creek in Seaside's Thompson Falls Estates subdivision. Beavers in the area have used invasive blackberry and Scotch broom to build dams that drown out other invasive plants and clear the land for native plant growth. ALEX PAJUNAS - The Daily Astorian</p>

SEASIDE – The North Coast Land Conservancy (NCLC) doesn’t take a break during the winter, and will start up its monthly programs in mid-January. These programs include Saturday Morning Stewardship volunteer work parties for those who like to get down and possibly dirty (or even wet) and Listening to the Land nature programs by notable presenters.

The Listening to the Land series starts Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m., with “Swalalahos: Where Rarity is Common.” ?Local ecologist Mike Patterson shares stories and images of the plants and creatures that inhabit the rare ecosystem known as the Swalalahos Floristic Province, a region of the North Coast that includes parts of Pacific and Wahkiakum counties in Washington, plus Clatsop and northern Tillamook counties.

Each month, the NCLC will host a volunteer effort to accomplish needed stewardship work on one of its properties. Activities include planting trees and shrubs and removing invasive plant species. The NCLC Stewardship Program depends on these work parties to advance the stewardship goals of the land trust. Visit unique habitats found on the North Coast and learn more about the natural history of the region while getting in a few hours of hard work and fun.

The first Saturday Morning Stewardship outing will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, at Circle Creek, to restore habitat in the Necanicum River floodplain to help in the recovery of coho salmon, and will explore the Sitka spruce swamp on the way. Be sure to check out an amazing video of wild coho salmon spawning, at the NCLC website at nclctrust.org

Listening to the Land shifts gears from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, as North Coast geologist Tom Horning presents “Shifting Sands: A Landscape Evolves.” Horning has collected historical aerial photographs of the Necanicum Estuary and the Clatsop Plains dating back to the 1930s, studying both natural and man-made changes to the landscape over many decades, offering a whole new perspective on this familiar region.

Beavers are not just the state animal, but wonderful engineers. Join other Beaver Believers Saturday, Feb. 25, at Thompson Creek, to restore beaver habitat. Help plant hundreds of willows for food and building materials for the beavers’ dams and lodges.

Wildlife trails have fascinated North Coast naturalist Neal Maine for decades. Join him from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, for “Nature’s Trails,” a photographic tour exploring the many connections that wild creatures make in the landscape, and the lasting patterns those trails reveal.

The restoration work party Saturday, March 24, will concentrate on the migratory bird habitat at Reed Ranch, working on planting the remainder of the scrub-shrub habitat. Birders are likely to be distracted by bitterns, hummingbirds, phoebes, white-fronted geese and possibly even whimbrels.

April showers bring water to area rivers and so it’s entirely appropriate to view a film about the inspiring life and work of pioneering Japanese ecologist Shigeru Nakano, a leader in the international effort to understand river ecosystems. “RiverWebs: A film about life, death, science and streams,” will be shown from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 18. Watch a preview of the documentary at www.riverwebs.org/previews.html

The NCLC will celebrate Earth Day with a work party at Circle Creek Saturday, April 21. Help add to the thousands of native trees and shrubs that have been planted on this beautiful property. Thanks to the efforts of the volunteer work parties, Circle Creek is on a trajectory to once again function as a healthy coastal temperate rainforest.

The Saturday Morning Stewardship work parties begin at 9 a.m. and usually end at noon. Bring gloves, sturdy boots, rain gear and water and NCLC will supply the tools needed. There is usually no access to public restrooms. Work continues in the afternoon, so if you want to make a day of it, pack a lunch and stay.

For more information or directions to the work sites, call NCLC Stewardship Director Celeste Coulter at (503) 738-9126 or email celestec@nclctrust.org

The Listening to the Land programs are held in the Community Room of Seaside Public Library, 1131 Broadway. For more about all NCLC programs, log on to nclctrust.org