One of the best ways of spreading the word about Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center is for you to personally bring a friend to our unique woods. Last week we provided that opportunity for an Opal Creek student to bring her mom, a Beaverton teacher to bring another teacher, an activist from the battles of the 80’s and 90’s to engage the current staff and a Buchman teacher to bring her husband without having to be mother hen to 30 students. We loaded up a van in Tualatin and carpooled our way to the trailhead where Program Coordinator Kaola Swanson and Science Instructor Katie Chipko lead an interpretive hike to Jawbone Flats.
On the walk in the group learned what makes up an ancient forest with many noted examples. When we came to the multiple layers aspect our former student knew the science and it was very rewarding to our staff that the previous lesson had impact on a young person’s life. Kaola and Katie demonstrated how to tell the difference between our major species of trees and how they interact during their long life cycle. We saw tress 800 to 1000 years old that had survived multiple fires and continue to stand the test of time. These trees would have been a “one log load” back in the 1980s but they were spared by landmark legislation in 1996 thanks to Senator Hatfield’s intervention.
The 3.1 mile educational stroll ended at Jawbone Flats with a snack, and then it was time to hit the butt slide for an afternoon of fun in the cool stream as the temperature soared into the 90s.
That evening after a scrumptious dinner with donated Sineann Pinot Noir in the Lodge the group adjourned to the Commissary where a slide presentation on ancient forest ecology rounded out the day. We thought all the action was over until the International Space Station flew its heavenly course directly between Stony Ridge and Mt. Whetstone; its own solar arrays casting glimmering light to us back on the section of earth we call Opal Creek.
The next morning everyone was commenting how one day isn’t enough. We will revive this experience next year and make it two days and nights at Jawbone Flats. Tony George did stay one additional evening and brought out our donated telescope for a quick and spontaneous astronomy lesson for our summer campers, after they adjourned to their bunks he conducted another evening session with our staff.
It’s not too late in the year to stage your own mid-week get-away to Opal Creek.