The Choice
Nature never sleeps. It is always moving into balance. It is here, at Spirit of the Rogue Nature Center, that nature can be seen and experienced in new ways which capture the imagination, call to our sense of caring, and provide tools to understand this balance. We all live in the same watershed and ultimately share the same resources. We must choose our actions wisely.

What We Are About
Our mission is to provide an educational experience in a natural river environment that inspires exploration, understanding and support of the environmental, scenic, cultural and recreational resources of a vital river and its habitat. Our goal is to provide an interaction with the environment that is interesting, interactive and has a memorable message of stewardship.

Our History
The plan for Spirit of the Rogue Nature Center was born in November, 1990 by a local outdoor enthusiast. Since that time, our partnership has grown to include corporate, private, non-profit, educational, state and federal entities. It has been volunteer efforts which have fueled our success. Our present facility and acreage have been made available by a generous lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District. It's located within the Lost Creek Lake complex off Highway 62 - 29 miles northeast of Medford in Jackson County, Southwest Oregon.

The Approach
Simply stated, we are not trying to improve on nature. We feel nature has done an excellent job. We provide "a window" so we can get an inside glimpse into how things work and be able to view nature and interact with it in new and exciting ways. Profile chambers, under-water pond viewing, walkways across the water and trail systems help to reveal our secret world.

Wildlife
Communities of fish, birds, insects, and small mammals are plentiful in the Upper Rogue. The project site is home to salmon, steelhead, otter, beaver, muskrat, osprey, deer, trout and other types of wildlife. These inhabitants are all part of the food web and live together along the waters of the Rogue River in a uniquely balanced eco-system.

Viewing
What people learn they remember, but what people experience they understand. As you enter the living world of the Spirit of the Rogue, you will be able to discover the sense of wonder through eye level underwater viewing of steelhead and salmon as they spawn in the gravels of the magnificent Rogue River.

Education & Hands-On Experience
By teaming up with resource agencies, schools, colleges, and universities, we will provide an array of informal and formal classes. Stop by, don a field jacket, and be a stream ecologist as we explore aquatic life in the Rogue River. Or, be an ornithologist as you study the flight mechanisms of the mighty osprey. Our goal is to provide a seamless transition from classroom into nature through varied educational opportunities. Local school districts and groups can utilize our outdoor classrooms. Call us for more information or to reserve space.

Where We Are Going
Spirit of the Rogue Nature Center will bring economic, educational, and cultural benefits to the area. Our goal is to surpass expectation and provide a "one of a kind" visitor experience. We expect to have several new exhibits completed by Summer, 2000. In the meanwhile, programs are already in place for you to experience the magnificent "Spirit of the Rogue".