The Crest organization works on the Willow-Witt farm/forest/wetland, a complex ecosystem at the crest of three watersheds at 5000’ in the Cascade-Siskiyou Monument. The mission of The Crest is to cultivate the integral connection between people and nature. We achieve this mission by engaging our community in hands-on, intimate experiences with nature via outdoor education and stewardship activities. We offer children and adults alike the opportunity to personally experience the deep and complex connections between people, forest, farm, and water, and we use those experiences to support academic learning goals. We prioritize the mental health of our program participants and provide trauma-informed programs. We actively include marginalized communities and seek funding for scholarships. We believe connection with the natural world is key to personal, social, and emotional health for people and the planet.
The Oregon Garden is a stunning botanical garden encompassing over 80 acres and featuring more than 20 specialty gardens showcasing the diverse botanical beauty of the Willamette Valley and the Pacific Northwest. We have gardens to delight every interest, from our Pet-Friendly Garden and Rose Garden to the Children’s Garden. Our property is also home to a gift shop, café and retail nursery, as well as the site of many public and private events throughout the year. We have 4 miles of ADA paths, and we are pet-friendly. Our operations are fully supported by the Oregon Garden Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Since 1997, ReBuilding Center has moved countless tons of useful building materials and home goods out of the waste stream and taught thousands in our community to repair their homes and think creatively about reuse. Now, we are focusing on the needs to people most at risk of losing their homes and most vulnerable to the ravages of environmental disaster. We are still that funky fabulous treasure trove of architectural gems and odds and ends, just with an eye toward removing barriers to access and building up programs to provide free home-repair materials and education to those who could use them most and afford them least.
