BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Kids fishing program offered

A free after-school program that teaches schoolchildren how to fish has openings for classes that begin next month. The Bethel Eugene Springfield Together for kids (BEST) program provides basic angling skills instruction in a series of five weekly classes beginning the week of April 5. The series concludes with a special fishing event at Alton Baker Park on May 8. Three separate classes are planned, one each in the Eugene, Springfield and Bethel school districts. Enrollment is open to students in grades four through eight, and each participant must be joined in the classes by a parent or other adult. Volunteers from local fishing clubs serve as instructors, and loaner fishing tackle is provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. For details, call BEST program coordinator Sharon Tabor, 687-3507.

Nature guides needed

Mount Pisgah Arboretum needs volunteer nature guides to lead small groups of six to eight elementary school students on tours exploring the Arboretum's forest, meadow, river and pond environments.

Guide Training begins Wednesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and covers nature studies, teaching techniques, storytelling and group management. Volunteers must be available to lead a minimum of one morning tour per week from April 19 through June 11. College credit is available for UO and LCC students. For details or an application, call the Arboretum education office at 747-1504.

Outdoors-Woman courses set

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is now accepting registrations for its spring "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" workshops. A one-day workshop is scheduled May 22 at the Snake River Sportsmen Range near Vale and a two-day session will be held June 12-13 at La Pine State Park south of Bend. Both events allow participants to select instruction in various outdoor skills. In addition, the ODFW is offering a series of seven advanced workshops that focus on single topics, including birding, clamming, fly fishing and dry-land dog mushing. Details: call program director Nancy Smogor at [phone] or email: [e-mail]. Or, log on to the ODFW Web site: www.dfw.state.or.us.

Mushroom season under way

The warm temperatures of March have triggered an early start to the mushroom season on National Forest lands, prompting officials to issue a reminder that commercial mushroom harvesting is not allowed in the Fall Creek/Clark Fire area, most of which is classified as a Late-Successional Reserve. Non-commercial "free-use" permits - available from any Forest Service office - allow gathering for off-site use and consumption. However, all mushrooms harvested under a free-use permit must be cut in half length-wise at the time of harvest. No permit is required for incidental use (on-site consumption generally associated with recreational camping or hiking). Violation of any of the permit requirements carries penalties of up to six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.

Meanwhile, the B&B Complex fire area will have both commercial and free-use areas, but is currently inaccessible due to snow depths.