United States
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We've got nearly 200 hundred acres of mature forest and wildlife habitat here in the Pacific Northwest. We have some rustic camping cabins and a community lodge with bathrooms and a kitchen. A creek and river meet at one part of the property and we have a yoga deck overlooking the river along with a swimming beach. We're trying to avoid some logging by continuing to develop a conservation minded retreat space and pursuing non profit status and/or land conservation agreements.
The owners have reached out for carbon sequestration and various grants but we are still in the midst trying to save the ecosystem here. A lot has already been done and many projects remain. The property is owned by a large family of whom a few visit in August. It is a bit remote but not too far out there.
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Language practice
Art project
Help with Computers / internet
The setting within our forest is a nature lover's paradise. The flora and old growth ecosystem offer a unique up close look at the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Anyone from another country/state should get to experience this completely unique and beautiful area at least once in their lives.
Our zone is ecologically diverse and centrally located within the state of Oregon and the Cascades specifically. We can do language exchange as well. Dive into the forest and soak up every plant and fiber, learn from the organic architecture and the organized chaos of the natural world. Learn English and American cooking! Learn the basic skills of wood chopping and fire starting. After two or three days, the sound of the creek in the background becomes normal and the peacefulness of the setting really starts to unwind the stresses of modern living. Good stuff for independent people.
Many landscaping and maintenance projects. As the season changes into Fall/Winter it gets darker here and rains quite a bit. Ideal for people who really have indoor projects/study or someone who needs to take some time for themselves. People who like to cook for others and have some skill at it are always welcome. To comply with the standards of Workaway and to uphold the collective good faith of the idea behind all this, we'll only be asking volunteers to assist in the maintenance, upkeep and beautification of the natural environment to benefit the forest and future workawayers. This will include extensive trail building and maintenance improvement of the volunteers' cabins. You should have a keen interest in being in wilderness and Cascadia specifically.
Our ideal is to be a non-profit forest conservation space that has frequent visitors who come to remember that there is a quieter existence outside the bustle of "normal" life.
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
French: Beginner
Your lodgings will consist of a simple wooden camping cabin close to a creek under the canopy of and old growth forest primarily made up of Douglas Fir, Western Cedar and Western Bigleaf Maple. Thick moss blankets many of the lower trees and you will hear owls in the evening. You will have a queen mattress and simple storage space. There is no power nor water in the camping cabins. You will feel like you are sleeping IN the forest. The kitchen and bathroom, living room, woodshop and fire pit are in and around the lodge (a hundred feet away), which is an amazing pressure ring timbered structure built with wood cut and milled on the property. We have two bathrooms with huge showers and a full kitchen with two refrigerators, oven, toaster and dish washer. Our wood shop and tool space is attached to the lodge where we have a nice selection of Douglas Fir and cedar for projects.
This is a very good opportunity to decompress and release some of the stress of modern life. It is a rustic paradise. Depending on the time of year, there could possibly be other volunteers/tenants/or family sharing the lodge space. It's also possible that you would have the place practically to yourself other than our caretaker across the street who will direct the work week and assist in grocery shopping when necessary. Probably best suited to couples, traveling friends, or independent adventurers who don't mind the possibility of a little solitude now and then.
You will be responsible for your own food and have access to a full kitchen to cook and clean etc. We can provide the staples (rice, beans, pasta and sauce, potatoes, fruits and veg, some special requests). We eat simply and healthy out here. We are not vegetarians but we try to balance affordability with organic/sustainable when possible.
Depending on our projects you could bundle your work into fewer days and then relax and explore the rest of the time or head to Portland for exploring.
You would be expected to clean up after yourselves at all times in the kitchen/bathroom living area. Your cabin space is yours to do with as you please. In fact, your work trade could partially consist of decorating/designing/painting and improving your own living space.
Miles of hikes just upriver. Mt Hood and all it has to offer under 2 hrs. Silver Falls is just over an hour(ten waterfall hike!!) Portland OR is 45 min away. Bagby, a DIY Hot Spring is 1:45 away. The coast is a few hours drive. The amazing arid Eastern Oregon is just over the cascades and offers a completely different climate and cultural experience.
We have salmon fishing in the river along with some trout and pike minnow (license required).
There is the potential to do group trips for hiking etc. especially if you do not have a car. We are 15 min from the nearest town and grocery store. Right now the vibe here is pretty mellow and it is good for people who are comfortable with groups but also doing their own thing.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
