Mission, Vision & History

Our Mission

Discover Your Forest is dedicated to promoting the discovery of the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland by enriching the experience of visitors, building community support and creating the next generation of environmental stewards.

The History of Discover Your Forest

Our Acknowledgement of the Present and Vision for the Future

All natural resources education and exploration takes place on Indigenous homelands. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations.

Discover Your Forest celebrates and values people of all backgrounds, abilities and identities. We respect the countless ways of learning and knowing, because diverse perspectives and cultural knowledge are fundamental to achieving a deeper understanding of our Central Oregon landscape, as well as its history. 

We acknowledge sociocultural inequities that remain hold-fasts in our society; including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, classism and ableism. These inequities limit certain communities’ access to education and exploration of the natural world. We believe that all people, regardless of ability or identity, should feel welcome on our Public Lands without barriers to access. In order to accomplish our mission of providing safe and educational outdoor opportunities for ALL people, we must focus our attention on who and how we serve. In order to confront these inequities, Discover Your Forest strives to:

• Commit to making justice, equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion (JEDAI) evident in our organization’s culture, policies, curriculum, programs and partnerships
• Value, respect and acknowledge the unique experiences, talents and backgrounds of our staff, volunteers, visitors, partners and program participants
• Build collaborative relationships, aware that it takes time and effort to develop authentic and deep connections
• Establish a culture of safety, respect, openness, integrity and honesty in order to inspire each persons’ curiosity and enjoyment of Public Lands.  
• Remain ready to learn from our mistakes, open to critique and dialogue, and continue to actively learn about justice, equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion practices

We stand in solidarity as accomplices in the eradication of these barriers. In our efforts to foster stewardship of both land and community, we commit to learning, questioning, and making tangible strides towards a more just, equitable, diverse, accessible and inclusive future for our community and for our Public Lands.