The University Forest at Zena
What is the Willamette University Forest at Zena?
- 305 acres of ecologically diverse and historically significant land
- Part of the largest remaining contiguous block of forestland in the Eola Hills west of Salem
- Habitats include oak and mixed species woodland, riparian areas, grassland areas, wetlands, freshwater aquatic areas, and forest plantations
- Contains prominent, viable farming land
A Brief History
In 2008, Willamette University purchased this land from the Trust for Public Lands. As part of this purchase, Willamette University entered into a conservation easement which protects the property from development into other land uses (such as viticulture), promotes conservation efforts and supports economically viable sustainable forestry practices. With this easement in mind, the Willamette University Forest Stewardship plan was created by Trout Mountain Forestry to guide the efforts of future use.
Prior to acquisition by Willamette University, this property was managed under German scientific forestry principles, including elements of uneven-age management and selective cutting. During this 20 year time span, the current Willamette University property was managed as part of the entirety of Zena Forest, approximately 1,640 acres total.
Read the full history
Mission and Goals
As such a unique and significant piece of land, Willamette University hopes to manage the property as an educational facility. Guidelines for this management include:
- Willamette University will protect, restore, manage, and enhance the natural resources and ecosystem services of Zena, following an adaptive ecosystem management model in conjunction with community partners
- The educational mission of Zena will be the primary focus; revenue generation from forest, farm, and facilities will be a secondary focus, it will be driven by ecological and educational objectives, and it will be used to support the educational mission of Zena and the University’s sustainability efforts*
Potential short-term goals at Zena include:
- Establishing a retreat facility, conference hall or workshop center, with lab and classroom space
- Partnering with local educational organizations for teacher training, field trips,and outdoor education
- Developing a Sustainable Agriculture Summer Program
- Providing a cross-country running camp and training space for Willamette University and the Salem-Keizer School District
- Using sustainable forestry practices to meet the Presidents Climate Commitment (PCC 2008) to offset and mitigate Willamette University’s carbon footprint
- Building an outdoor concert hall ‘shed’ on the property that could be the focus for a range of summer programs in music and theater modeled on the Tanglewood Shed, summer home of the Boston Symphony in rural Lenox, Massachusetts.
*If you are part of the Willamette Community and are interested in utilizing Willamette University Forest at Zena, please fill out the Zena Forest Event Request Form or contact Dr. Karen Arabas, Associate Director of Land Conservation and Research x6666.
