Concerned about global warming? Tired of paying a small fortune to fill up your tank? August brings an abundance of local activities including campfire talks, hikes, workshops, birding and biking adventures. Many people travel miles to enjoy what we have in our own backyard. Save money, stay local and enjoy!

An evening hike at Chip Ross Park tonight gets the month going. The hike runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The first five hikers to RSVP for this hike receive an Oregon oak sapling. Meet at parking access at the end of Lester Avenue. Please bring water, snacks, sturdy shoes and bug repellent. The length of the hike is 1.5 miles. For more information call Greenbelt Land Trust, 752-9609.

Music, marshmallows

Another August highlight is the Music and Marshmallows series, at 7 p.m. Wednesday evenings through the month. These free kid-friendly campfire programs are sponsored by the Marys Peak Natural Resources Interpretive Center and are held at Old Clemens Mill, behind the Philomath Chamber of Commerce Caboose, on Highway 20/34.

Here's the schedule for the this year's series:

Tonight: Ethnobotany hike: During this gentle walk in the Newton Creek Wetlands, learn to identify the plants that local Native Americans used for food, medicine, tools, and shelter. Music by The Sambees. 8:30 p.m.: Dr. Ron Neilson, U.S. Forest Service, on "Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Global Ecosystems." Learn what the most recent scientific models predict for future ecosystems.

Aug. 13: Wildlife hike in the wetlands. Music by Pete Ballerstedt. 8:30 p.m.: Michael Bendixen, Oregon Field Guide Videographer, "Behind the Scenes at Oregon Field Guide: Chiseling the Message." Learn how Michael and the staff for the popular OPB television show develop their story by refining many years of scientific work into a 10-minute segment.

Aug. 20: Fish for warm-water bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill to help Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife workers determine what species live in the beaver ponds. Bring your pole, license and favorite bait or lure. (No license required for kids under 14.) Music by The Rusty String Band. 8:30 p.m.: Bill Pearcy will speak on "Ecology of Ocean Fishes: What Goes on in the Big Pond?" He will talk and show slides about fish ecology with emphasis on the salmon, trout and steelhead. Learn how a changing climate affects ocean currents and food webs.

Aug. 27: Extract DNA from your own saliva or from an onion. Learn or review the parts of a cell in some fun activities. Music by Alan Ede. 8:30 p.m.: Dr. Jon Moulton, Gene Tools, LLC, on "Knocking Down Genes in Philomath." Learn how the creation of a complex molecule called the "Morpholino" by Dr. Jim Summerton of Gene Tools has allowed researchers from around the world to make progress in a search for the cure for cancer.

Other events

Here are other August events of note:

• Today: Public tour of the Corvallis Forest. 5-8 p.m.: The City of Corvallis invites the community to a free tour of the Corvallis Forest. Start at City Hall, 501 S.W. Madison Ave., at 5 p.m. Transportation provided. Registration required. Call Corvallis Public Works Department, 766-6916, or e-mail public.works@ci.corvallis

.or.us.

• Friday: Bike-In Movie: 9-11 p.m.: Two films, "Reining in the Storm" and "Living Earth," will be showing at the Student Sustainability Center, 738 S.W. 15th St. Contact: Yuliya Kostromitina, kostromy@onid.orst.edu or 753-4072.

• Friday: "Common Ground II: Oregon's Ocean Legacy," 7-8:30 p.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Free film will help you learn why people in Oregon want to establish a network of marine reserves off our coast. Enjoy some spectacular underwater footage and hear from marine scientists, elected officials and fishermen about what is being done to protect Oregon's ocean. Followed by a discussion. For more information: www.oceanson

line.org, Patrick Shannon, Inland Organizer, Our Ocean Coalition, (503) 358-8239.

• Sunday: Sustainable Livestock Using Joel Salatin Methodology,

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Farmer/instructor Tyler Jones. Bring your lunch. $30 at the door, must register beforehand. Please arrive by 9:45. To register or for directions, www.sunbowfarm.org.

• Aug. 19: Home Eco Tour on Wheels, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free self-guided bike tour to three homes that demonstrate sustainable living. Maps available at each stop, 2815 N.W. Polk Ave., 519 N.W. 21st St., or 1428 N.W. Highland Drive. Topics include preserving food, precycling and waste reduction, alternative transportation and bike maintenance, and more. Contact: Maureen Beezhold at cnwei@peak.org, 752-3517. Sponsored by Corvallis Northwest Earth Institute.

• Aug. 24: Bicycle Birding, 9 a.m.-noon. Bring a bicycle helmet, water and binoculars. Less than 10 miles. Meet at Avery Park Rose Garden: 1210 S.W. Avery Drive, Corvallis. Free. Led by Don Boucher, 753-7689. Sponsored by the Audubon Society of Corvallis and Neighborhood Naturalist.

• Aug. 24: Turn Your Lawn Into a Real Food Source, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. James Sneed will show you how to grow more food and less lawn. Bring your lunch. $30 at the door, must register. Please arrive at 9:45. To register or for directions, www.sunbow

farm.org.