Lane County Extension: Forestry and Natural Resources Program

We came and as soon as we started driving up the driveway it was magical and we just looked around and thought we could literally live in the middle of a forest. We just thought we don't we don't know exactly what we're getting ourselves into and at the time well the forest is beautiful forest is a forest it does its forest things and we're just gonna live in it and enjoy it. So I work a lot with small woodland owners a lot like Chris and Vern and my first introduction from people is often.

I just moved out here I just bought property and I'm really excited to learn more about it and get to know the trees and what I can do to really enjoy the property more. We often talk a lot about what their goals and objectives are for their property why they love their property what they want to do on the property how they just want to interact with it more and I bring them classes and workshops or talk with them one-on-one sometimes I'd go out to the property with them and walk around and try to help bring them resources to make those dreams and goals come true. All of the amazing publications that you can get online through the extension office are awesome because it kind of gives you a bit of a platform to start from but then you can go to Lauren and say so I read this but mine's a little bit more like this and then Lauren is like the endless supply of information big and small you know and everywhere in between.

I really enjoy being able to connect with the community and talk to people about their forest and their face just lights up it's just that feeling of excitement around around the trees and around the forest and the habitat and everything out there that just gets people really into where they are and that just branches out to me because it's my passion as well. I think Lean County Extension is super valuable it actually feels really engaging something that I didn't expect to happen it brings a sense of community there is the sense for people to come together work together it just feels like it has a really far-reaching ability in our community it's really great building relationships with everybody and getting to see how much they learned over the process of taking a lot of classes and talking to me from that very first day and how they put into action all those things on the property and it's really wonderful to just see those things come to life and how everybody is just really excited to bring me stories about things that they've done on the property Lauren can come out to our property or I can go into the office or call her I think that's an invaluable resource that I hope never goes away you