28 Sep Happy Birthday Woodsy Owl

Woodsy Owl turned 52 years old on September 15th, 2023!

Most know Woodsy Owl as the designated mentor for children to help them appreciate nature, and for the famous motto, “Give a Hoot – Don’t Pollute”. The moto was changed to “Lend a Hand – Care for the Land”, but it didn’t stick as well as the first one. I recently had the opportunity to go to Multnomah Falls and help with the celebration of Woodsy Owl. I was surprised that for a Friday, Multnomah Falls was packed!

During the event, I was Woodsy’s handler, which entailed in making sure Woodsy was not tackled or pants-ed by children. I was surprised by how eager the public was to participate. Besides being the handler, I helped lead a game about decomposition rates of everyday items in the environment aimed towards Leave No Trace. There was smokey swag that folks could take if they participated. The smokey temporary tattoos were by far the most popular. Lastly, I helped make buttons using the vintage Forest Service button making machine, which was my favorite part. Overall, this was such a fun event that I got to participate!