Otter education, November 19 at Astoria's Fort George Brewery

For much of the last century, the chances of seeing a sea otter playing in the waves off of Cannon Beach or Depoe Bay were virtually zero. But that may be changing. In the last several years, a steady trickle of confirmed sea otter sightings along the Oregon coast has revived hope that these intelligent, highly-social animals may once again flourish off our shores. The presentation of "Welcome Back Otter" will be held Thursday, November 19 at the Nature Matters Lecture series. Nature Matters is free, open to the public, and takes place in the Fort George's Lovell Showroom. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the talk begins at 7 p.m.

Nature Matters, a lively conversation about the intersection of nature and culture, takes place on the third Thursday of each month, October through May. Nature Matters is hosted by Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Lewis & Clark National Park Association, The North Coast Watershed Association, and the Fort George. The series delves into the many ways that human beings look to the natural world for inspiration, sustenance and survival - the intersection of nature and culture.