FIELD TRIPS
June 23 | Times vary | $20
Registration closes June 12
We are thrilled to offer four exciting pre-conference field trips, made possible by our dedicated local member Land Trusts. These trips allow you to explore some of the most beautiful and unique landscapes in the area while also learning about important conservation practices and initiatives.
Each field trip includes specific arrival details below, which may involve driving a personal vehicle, carpooling, or meeting at a designated location to travel by van or trolley. Additional logistical information will be emailed as the field trip date approaches. If you have questions on logistics or accessibility, email katiejanovec@oregonlandtrusts.org.
Due to the size of these groups, no animals are allowed on these trips.
Spots are limited, so don’t miss your chance to join us on one of these incredible field trips. Get your ticket today!
Preserving Land and Culture in Yachats
Amanda Trail, Image by K. Smolin
Date & Time: June 23, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Host Organization: View the Future Inc.
Address: 441 Highway 101 N (public parking), Yachats OR
Description:
Join View the Future on a guided hike along the Amanda Trail, which will take participants across the first suspension bridge on the Oregon Coast Trail. This field trip will demonstrate how in the last 30 years collaborative partnerships, conservation/recreational easements, historical truths (cultural preservation) and soft recreation (person-connection) has built trust with local Tribal members and supported meaningful reconciliation among communities that were once divided.
While walking, there will be an opportunity to read four of the eleven local indigenous interpretive signs along the trail, which describe the Ya’xaik People and the Prison Camp Years. Following the hike, there will be a presentation at the Amanda Gathering Area and Statue, about the trail's meaning, story, and history. Tribal representatives have been invited to speak; however their participation has not been confirmed.
Accessibility Notes:
The hike is moderately difficult and travels 2.5 miles. There will also be a more accessible option for up to 6 participants on this field trip, which will involve walking 200 feet to hear the presentation at the Amanda Gathering Area. Please contact katiejanovec@oregonlandtrusts.org to participate in this option.
Arrival Notes:
Participants will be arriving at the north parking lot of the Yachats Commons (community center) where there is public parking. All will be met by the Yachats Trolley and several vehicles to drive you up to the South end of the Amanda Trail at the top of Cape Perpetua.
What to Expect/Bring:
Good hiking shoes, waterbottle, snacks, camera, binoculars, and please dress for the weather in case of a rainy weather forecast.
Photo provided by McKenzie River Trust
Date & Time: June 23, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Host Organization: McKenzie River Trust
Address: haich ikt'at'uu is located 4 miles upstream of the Florence Event Center
Description:
Join project partners for a guided walk through
haich ikt’at’uu, a 217-acre wetland in the lower Siuslaw River estuary and the focus of one of the most ambitious tidal restoration efforts on the Oregon coast. Located just east of Florence, this former pastureland is being reconnected to the Siuslaw River and reshaped into a dynamic tidal marsh that will support salmon, migratory birds, and diverse estuarine life. Along the way, partners will unpack the highly complex design and construction of the project—how hydrology, engineering, and ecology intersect to guide tidal flows, sediment movement, and habitat formation—while sharing the collaborations behind the work and the long-term benefits for biodiversity, water quality, and climate resilience.
Accessibility Notes:
This tour includes walking on uneven terrain through mud, water, wetland, and pasture areas.
Arrival Notes:
haich ikt'at'uu is located along the river-side of Highway 126 (right-hand traveling from Florence), approximately 4 miles from the Florence Events Center. Due to minimal parking, participants will travel by passenger vans from the event center to the site.
What to Expect/Bring:
Please wear rain boots, as walking through mud or shallow water is possible. Dress in layers for variable coastal weather, and bring water along with anything else you may need to stay comfortable outdoors.
Drinking Water Source Protection on the Oregon Coast
Photo provided by Wild Rivers Land Trust
Date/Time: June 23, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Host Organization: Wild Rivers Land Trust, City of Reedsport, Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Address: Umpqua Lighthouse Viewpoint 74708-74734 Oregon Coast Hwy, Reedsport, OR 97467.
Description:
Clean drinking water is an essential part of our lives that is easily taken for granted. Oregon’s rural communities face many challenges to maintaining a steady supply of clean drinking water to residents. One challenge is protecting the quality of drinking water sources when communities do not own the land in their source area and lack control over management decisions. Land conservation is one impactful solution to this challenge because it shifts ownership of the drinking water resource to the community while protecting the natural areas that provide water to drinking water intakes, wells and springs. The City of Reedsport is collaborating with the Wild Rivers Land Trust, the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to protect the Clear Lake watershed through targeted land acquisitions to protect drinking water quality and reduce treatment costs by managing the watershed for resilient habitat conditions.
Accessibility Notes:
Optional hiking portion is on steep and/or uneven terrain.
Arrival Notes:
Meetup is a 30 minute drive from Florence, carpooling encouraged. We will need to shuttle from the Lighthouse Viewpoint to the tour site since parking space is limited.
What to Expect/Bring:
The field trip will be outdoors rain or shine, we suggest dressing warm & bringing raingear. If you would like to hike, sturdy footwear is recommended. We will spend approximately 30 minutes at the drinking water intake facility, and approximately 30 minutes at the lake shore. During this time we will introduce the project partners and discuss the land conservation project in progress. There will be an opportunity for questions. After that, there will be an optional 60 minutes for hiking, with an option to stay at the lake for a tour for anyone not wanting to hike.
Nature Journaling at Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center
Photo provide by Yakonaa
Date & Time: Tuesday June 23, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Host Organization: Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center
Address: Nearest landmark is The Wilds BBQ 755 SE College Way, Newport, OR.
Description:
Protected through a conservation easement with McKenzie River Trust in 2024, Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center promotes education while working to restore native coastal forest habitat. The Preserve’s 460 acres are only open to the public with a staff escort, so join us for this special afternoon in the fogbelt forest! The field trip will include an overview of the history of the land and a gentle-paced hike. Participants will also get a taste of the current education programs Yakona offers with some facilitated nature journaling, which invites participants to slow down, tune in, and be amazed by nature using a simple and accessible framework. No journaling or artistic experience necessary – just a willingness to observe closely and get curious! BYO notebook and pencil; any other portable art media are welcome but not required.
Accessibility Notes:
We will hike approximately 2 miles on gravel and dirt trails, with stops to sit and journal. Expect elevation loss/gain of about 300’. There will be an outhouse available at the beginning and end of the hike. There is no potable water or electricity available on site.
Arrival Notes:
Just past The Wilds BBQ the road turns to gravel, ending at a locked gate. Yakona is located 2 miles past this locked gate up well-maintained logging roads. We will consolidate vehicles at the gate to take as few cars as possible on the drive up to Yakona. The gate will get closed behind us, so be sure to arrive on time. A carpool/caravan group will leave from the conference facility in Florence at 11:20 a.m. sharp.
What to Expect/Bring:
A full water bottle – there is no drinking water available onsite
Layered clothes – the weather can be variable on the coast
Sturdy shoes with good tread
Long sleeves and long pants, or bug spray for mosquitos
A notebook and a pencil
Colored pencils, watercolors, or other portable art supplies (optional)
Small camp chair or stool that you can hike with (optional – we will also have yoga mat pieces to loan for sitting on the ground)
Banner Image credit: K. Smolin, Amanda Trail, Yachats, Oregon