Hopkins Demonstration Forest hosted the second annual Tree School Field Day on Saturday, October 7th. Organized by our partners at OSU Extension, the Tree School Field Day brings together small woodland owners and experts in the field for a day of learning. Over 130 students registered for the Field Day, each of whom was able to plan their own unique day with a class schedule and map of learning opportunities throughout the forest. Twelve unique workshops covered topics such as forest health, protecting your home from wildfire, mature forest management, enhancing habitat for birds and pollin ..read more

A rainy and cold wintery day—including sleet, hail and snow—couldn’t stop those attending the Forestry and Natural Resources Outreach Center Open House and Dedication at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Beavercreek last Sunday. More than 75 braved the December-like weather to be there for the formal opening of the new 2,400 square foot Center. “It was great to see the crowd and the enthusiasm,” said Ken Everett, Colton, the Executive Director of Forests Forever, Inc. (FFI)—the non-profit who owns and manages the Hopkins Forest located five miles southeast of Oregon City. The Forest was es ..read more

As education programs and the public’s use of the Hopkins Demonstration Forest near Beavercreek has grown over the years, the need for a Forestry and Natural Resources Outreach Center near the entrance to the property became a greater priority. Planning for the Center began in 2017. In November 2021 the project launched with ground clearing at the potential building site. Ground-breaking occurred in January 2022. Workers on the Center included contractors and subcontractors—plus a wonderful cadre of volunteers. The Center was mostly completed by March 2023. The public grand opening was held on ..read more

The new Forestry and Natural Resources Outreach Center at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Beavercreek was officially named after the Belton Family—prominent forest owners in Clackamas County—at a dedication ceremony Sunday, July 9. John Belton was a well-known woodland owner who loved teaching and sharing his knowledge and experience with other landowners, professional natural resource managers, youth, and the public. He hosted numerous tours, demonstrations and events at the family’s forest property east of Sandy. Belton was raised in Clackamas County, had degrees from Lewis and Clark Co ..read more

Our volunteers at Forests Forever and at Hopkins have always been one of the real keys to our success and ability to accomplish so much in the community. It all started with the Hopkins Demonstration Forest was donated to the non-profit, when we appointed the volunteer board, and started the Community Forest Days. Forests Forever, Inc. and the Hopkins Demonstration Forest have always been supported by an incredible group of wonderful and talented volunteers who help manage facilities, care for the forest, serve in leadership positions, and assist with education programs for youth and adults. I ..read more

Hopkins Outreach Center Fundraising Launched Forests Forever, Incorporated (FFI), a community non-profit organization based in Clackamas County, is launching a major fundraising campaign to construct an Outreach Center at their Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Beavercreek. The 2,400 square foot building will provide residential space for their Forest Host plus accommodations for overnight guests, a conference room and office. About $270,000 of donations have been already committed to the project during the “quiet phase.” The public fundraising, now starting, has the goal to raise the balance o ..read more

Hopkins Hosts FNRL State Convention The Hopkins Demonstration Forest was host, again, for the statewide Forestry and Natural Resource Leaders (FNRL) annual convention held April 29-30. Thirteen high schools from around Oregon participated bringing more than 150 students to the event. According to Peter Matzka, Forestry Educator for FFI and a creator of the event five years ago, “FNRL is a FFA-like organization that was formed to provide educational opportunities for high school students wanting to learn modern skills needed to care for our forests and to prepare themselves for furthering thei ..read more

Hopkins volunteers and students from the Sabin Schellenberg Center in North Clackamas are milling our own western red cedar logs into siding for the new Outreach Center that is replacing the now removed double wide manufactured house. Volunteers have milled over half of the boards and battens needed for the building project. Volunteers have met every Thursday from 9am-noon to run the mill. It does not get any more rewarding than milling Hopkins own trees into its own lumber to use as siding. If you are interested in helping to operate the portable sawmill and cut the cedar logs into siding c ..read more

Travel Oregon Awards Grant to Hopkins Demonstration Forest Forests Forever Inc has received a grant of $53,405 to help improve the trail system at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest. The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon has awarded over $2.4 million dollars through its Competitive & Recovery Grant Program to support economic recovery by investing in projects that enhance and expand the visitor experience and prepare communities and visitors for COVID-19 safe travel. For this grant cycle, Travel Oregon received more than 400 applications with a request greater than $18 million ..read more

Photo Hopkins Demonstration Forest Summer 2021 This could be the oldest house in Oregon history, perhaps even predating the start of Lewis and Clark’s 1804 expedition. Soon the public will have a chance to discover and explore it at Hopkins Demonstration Forest, where it is being reassembled with a combination of the original and restored hand-hewn logs. The building was found in south Molalla in 1984, attracting the attention of historians who discovered it had been dismantled and moved from its original location in 1892. The Molalla Log House is not typical of Oregon pioneer log buildings ..read more