Education
Sharing knowledge through inquiry-based wanderings,
custom workshops, and rigorous field certifications
Wildlife Tracking
Wildlife tracking is a powerful lens through which to view ecological processes. It can connect you to the natural world, or serve as a valuable tool for scientific inquiry. Whether you’re a beginner naturalist or an experienced wildlife professional, we help you uncover the stories hidden on the landscape.
Ecology &
Natural History
Countless organisms interact to create the complexity that we see in nature. From plants, to birds, to reptiles, and beyond, learning about these creatures enriches your understanding of place, and can inform critical land management and conservation decisions.
Upcoming Workshops & Certifications
-
This 2-day CyberTracker certification will be held in the river systems and forests in the Nooksack and Skagit watersheds.
Location: Bellingham, WA
Evaluator: Marcus Reynerson
Cost: $350
Currently sold out - contact to be put on the wait list
-
Location: Bellingham, WA
Instructors: Mark Thompson, Marcus Reynerson, Kevin O’Malley
Cost: $200
At a Trailing Workshop, every participant takes a turn as lead tracker. The goal is to follow an animal’s fresh spoor (any presence of the animal) to locate it on the landscape, guide the group to approach and observe it, and, finally, to exit the area without alerting the animal to any human presence.
Every tracking situation is different, so we are always in the position of having to “figure it out.” This uniqueness also results in variations to the exact experience of each participant, dictated by field conditions and animal behavior.
We teach participant how to follow spoor (any presence of the animal), recognize and interpret tracks & sign, anticipate where the trail is going, read the trail for danger, interpret the ecological context of the trail, and approach the animal, if the occasion arises.
-
This is a new approach to a wildlife tracking workshop that will help you find wildlife tracks in the field. This combines Trailing & Track & Sign and helps to hone in your ecological tracking skills. This course covers aspects of the Why and the Where.
Bear scratch (MT)
Carpenter ant galleries inside woodpecker hole (MT)
Aged beaver sign (MT)
Elk track (WA)
Javelina (AZ)
Coyote (Baja)
Wolf (MT)
Beetle gallery (MT)
Mule deer verus moose scat (MT)
Bobcat and lion (WA)
Lion kill (AZ)
Desert cottontail (CA)
Bobcat (WA)
Bald Eagle (WA)
What People Are Saying
-
“Our collaboration with Mark was personable, fun, and easy. Mark not only creates a visually stunning product, but he does something else brilliantly: no matter the complexity of an organization’s history or mission, he's able to build an incredibly clear and engaging narrative to present to the world.”
— Casey McFarland, Executive Director - Tracker Certification North America
-
“Mark is a highly skilled naturalist and a dedicated mentor in the art of wildlife tracking. I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone seeking to enhance their knowledge about ecology, track & sign, or deepen their understanding about the natural world.”
— Jazmen Yoder, Owner & Outdoor Educator - Northwest Natura
-
“Mark immediately stands out as a kind, professional and approachable person. He has a deep knowledge of tracking and the interconnected relationships of an ecosystem. Mark has a knack to explain hard science in a way anyone can learn from him. He explains and reads the landscape intuitively and I am always impressed by his field skills.”
— Kevin O’Malley, Executive Director - South Sound Nature School