About
Our Mission
At Mount Pisgah Arboretum, we believe that the more people are inspired to learn about and engage with the natural world, the more they will value and preserve it for future generations. We’ve been teaching people about nature since 1973. Each year, people of all ages discover the wonders of Southern Willamette Valley ecology on our guided nature tours and workshops, on our school field trips and at our annual Wildflower Festival and Mushroom Festival. Learn more about our history.
The Arboretum is a nonprofit organization that relies on community support from hundreds of volunteers and over 1500 members to maintain a 209-acre nature facility at the heart of the 2200-acre Howard Buford Recreation Area. We lease these 209 acres from Lane County. The largest portion of our funding comes from individual donations and memberships.
Ecology, Trails & Facilities
Our beautiful site contains a wide range of native habitats where visitors can discover the ecology of the Southern Willamette Valley. The Arboretum’s seven miles of family-friendly trails feature dynamic, interactive exhibits that inspire further exploration, and we offer engaging nature education programs for all ages and interests. In addition to trails and exhibits, the Arboretum provides: free public restrooms and picnic tables, has a small education building open during field trips, and features an events facility that can be rented for special events.
Land Acknowledment
Mount Pisgah Arboretum is located on the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya people. The Kalapuya people were forcibly dispossessed of their homeland and moved to reservations in western Oregon by the United States government following treaties in the 1850’s. Today the Kalapuya people are largely citizens of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. We acknowledge that the Arboretum is on occupied lands, and express our respect for the Kalapuya. We humbly honor their past, present, and future, and are committed to finding meaningful ways to recognize their enduring legacy in the region.
To learn more about the Kalapuya people, we recommend learning directly from them by visiting the websites of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and by visiting the Grand Ronde’s Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center in Grand Ronde, Oregon.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
At Mount Pisgah Arboretum, we envision a future where all Oregonians feel a deep connection with their local environment and play an active role in caring for it. We recognize that promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is key to achieving this vision. We see DEI as directly related to our core mission and we understand that this work will be ongoing. We see the Arboretum as a resource that belongs to the whole community. We recognize that for this to be true, we need to do more than just provide equitable and inclusive access to our programs and services. We need to instill a sense of ownership among diverse populations. That means not just diverse visitors, but also diverse volunteers, members, and donors, as well as a diverse board and staff.
Partners
Mount Pisgah Arboretum is made possible through its partnership with Lane County Parks, and we collaborate with Lane County Parks, as well as with The Friends of Buford Park and Mt. Pisgah (The Friends) to serve the larger Howard Buford Recreation Area. Access Lane County’s Parks Master Plan and the Howard Buford Recreation Area Habitat Management Plan.
The Friends is a separate nonprofit organization that works outside the Arboretum to steward public and private lands throughout the 4700-acre greater Mount Pisgah area. The Friends protect and enhance native ecosystems and compatible recreation, foster community stewardship of natural areas, improve and maintain recreational trails, grow native plants for habitat restoration, and work to bring more lands in the Mount Pisgah area into conservation status.
Together, the two groups have enhanced and continue to maintain the ecological and recreational qualities for which the Mount Pisgah area is famous. The Arboretum’s education mission, and the Friends’ stewardship and recreation mission are complementary and together provide a wide range of opportunities to learn about, care for, and enjoy nature.