Educational tours are available by appointment to interested groups and individuals. Throughout the year SHADOW hosts numerous classes of students from area schools. Scout troops come out to tour the bog, and then return to help with ongoing construction and maintenance projects. The site is also used by the Washington State University wetland stewards program and King Conservation District.

At the interpretive center, its namesake, Dr. Klaus Richter, offers classes about wetlands. Guests of all ages will find books and other resources of interest in the interpretive center’s library.

Near the interpretive center, guests interested in learning about creating wildlife habitat in their yards can visit the demonstration garden. This garden features native plants and hedgerows and provides habitat using brush and rock shelters, birdbaths, and creative use of log pieces.

SHADOW welcomes local and visiting scientists interested in using the site for research. Studies conducted thus far on SHADOW lands include water monitoring, amphibian studies, fungi classification, and bird observation.

In addition to the interpretive center education room, SHADOW’s educational resources consist of a viewing tower, an amphibian pond, and an 800-foot boardwalk. These amenities are available to a vast population due to Shadow Lake Bog’s location and proximity to Maple Valley, Covington, Kent, and Renton Washington.

SHADOW is becoming an important component of the education of our youth in this area and also realizes that the education of our youth is the foundation for the protection of our environment in the future. To further this program, SHADOW would like to develop an education package for schools in the area. The package would consist of a pre-visit material; on-site distributed material as well as the tour and on-site education; and post-visit work provided to the teachers.

Besides education visits SHADOW also plans to provide virtual access to its resource through Internet activities. Interested individuals or classes would be able to use SHADOW’s Internet site (March 2003) for virtual activities at the bog, such as monitoring water levels and temperature, listening to live bird calls, and viewing the site via a live bog cam. These activities will enhance the programs already being used in our schools.

To accommodate all visitors, SHADOW has provided ADA access to the boardwalk. One of our goals for 2002 is to provide ADA access to the education room and viewing tower. We will be applying for a matching grant from the Master Builders Association to help in this project.