Stories From the Field

By Emily Embleton, Emergency Management Communications Analyst On the last Friday of every month, a handful of climate activists stand outside of City Hall in Florence, Oregon, demanding that the council declare and subsequently act on a citywide state of emergency due to climate change. This group is known as the Florence Climate Emergency Campaign, boastin

By Ruby Barrera, Community Engagement Specialist, Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center Growing up in a rural place I felt TRAPPED, and the opportunity to leave wasn’t coming soon enough. It’s a tale as old as time: grow up rural, feel like your potential isn’t being met, move to the city, and become ultra rich and successful like in the movies. Yet, when I

By Ann Moorhead, Special Projects Manager, City of The Dalles Exploring The Dalles: Outdoor Recreation Opportunities in Oregon's Hidden Gem Nestled in one of the most captivating landscapes of Oregon, The Dalles stands as a hidden gem, gracing a bend in the Columbia River slightly more than an hour east of Portland. Embraced by the Gorge and kissed by t

by Braden Ravenscraft, Community Land Trust Program Associate, McKenzie Valley LTRG of Lane County It had been a typical day in the "banana belt" that’s contained within the unincorporated communities up Highway 126 along the McKenzie River. When Eugene and Springfield are blanketed by a layer of grey in the dead of winter, there is often some suns

by Lanier Fussell, Rural Energy Specialist, Wy’East Resource Conservation & Development About five months ago from the time I am writing this, I was at the RARE Program Orientation discussing results of a strengths assessment. The assessment had named context as my dominant theme. My results explained that I understand things best after taking the time t

by Augusta Stockman, Destination Development Coordinator, Willamette Valley Visitors Association “Not a bad view, huh?” All I could do was nod because of the piercing cold and hypnotic view. Stretching out in front of me were dense forests, some smoke from a couple late-season controlled burns, and the faint, but unmistakable, snow-capped peaks in the distan

by Mae Hollister, Disaster Program Manager, Archie Creek Fire Long Term Recovery Group, Douglas County & Glide Revitalization While packing my Go Bag for a mitigation operation in Southern Oregon this week, I reflect upon the first time I packed my bag for Team Rubicon disaster response, the “Sunshine Strong” operation in Florida for hurricane Ian in Dec

Oregon Capital Scan Launch Event On Thursday, April 6, Oregon Community Foundation hosted the launch of the latest Oregon Capital Scan. We offer gratitude to Treasurer Read for joining us to share reflections and for encouraging us to use the data in the scan to fuel more economic growth in Oregon. We also thank and acknowledge the Capital Scan Steering Comm

by Alex Van Grunsven, Working Lands Program Developer, Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council  Committing to serve in a rural community could not be more rewarding. Imagine meeting individuals who have lived on a single property for 30 plus years. They tell stories of the animals who frequent their woods, the water that meanders across property lines, the s

by Autumn Wilson, Youth Education Project Lead, Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council It started with the wind. A sudden burst of warmth that cut through the dense, frigid November air like a long-awaited reprieve. The five tiny humans that had previously had their limited attention fixed on me suddenly locked their eyes on the sky, noticing the swirling