The Natural Heritage Program: Guided Nature Tours and Field Trips
WMI’s field trips connect visitors and residents with Wallowa County’s diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife, and rural lifestyles. Nestled amongst the Eagle Cap Wilderness in the Wallowa Mountains, world famous Hells Canyon, and the birding/wildflower paradise of the Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa County is home to a treasure trove of natural and cultural wonders. In addition to highlighting the region’s natural beauty, our outings focus on the role of stewardship in maintaining healthy ecosystems and communities. We offer a summer full of active, educational day trips led by our team of naturalist guides. And we offer several multi-day excursions developed by WMI, some in partnership with other regional and national groups. Find out more here.
- Full-day nature tours include guided hikes into the Eagle Cap Wilderness, excursions to Buckhorn Overlook in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, and photography workshops.
- Half-day nature tours include guided birding, wildflower viewing, exploration of regional geology from atop Mt. Howard, and visits to a working ranch.
- Multi-day nature tours - in partnership with renowned organizations such as Elderhostel International and The Nature Conservancy - immerse visitors in Wallowa County’s myriad landscapes.
Youth Stewardship Education Programs: Building Connections
Our youth programs seek to engage students with the natural world in Wallowa County through inquiry-based learning, discovery and research. We have developed a diverse range of programs to serve local kindergarten through 12th grade students.
Find out more here.
Our Program goals are:
» To increase science literacy and provide context for learning.
» To develop understanding of the linkage between human and ecological communities.
» To promote a sense of place and environmental stewardship.
» To encourage curiosity and life-long inquiry about nature.
- In the Outdoor Wallowa Learning (OWL) program, WMI partners with Wallowa County Public schools to bring an outdoor classroom experience to local students. Through exploration, discovery, and inquiry-based learning, 4th-6th grade students learn about Wallowa County's plants, watersheds, wildlife, and geology, as well as survival skills and field research methods.
- Wallowa Resources Exploration of Nature (WREN) is a Friday school program for 5th-8th grade students who enjoy learning science through experience. Students visit different regions of Wallowa County to learn hands-on about our wildlife, plants, mountains, canyons, grasslands, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and people.
- High School / College Apprentice Work (HAWK) is WMI’s apprenticeship program for high school and college students. It provides real-life, hands-on experience in various vocational fields, including forestry and organic gardening.
- The Advanced sCience Electives (ACE) program provides advanced science courses to high school, college, and continuing education students in Wallowa County. Students can receive both high school and college credit for completing these semester long courses.
- The Wallowa and Imnaha River Watershed Evaluation Teams (WET) Program is a collaborative watershed education and monitoring program for all schools in Wallowa County.
College Programs
Wallowa Resources works with several colleges, including Oregon State University, Pacific University, Whitman College, and University of Idaho to develop courses and provide instruction to visiting classes in the field of stewardship education and natural resource management. Find out more here.
Continuing Education
Courses include introductory college level courses, such as The Natural History of Wallowa County and Geology of Wallowa County, as well as wilderness first aid courses for outdoor professionals and recreationalists. Find out more here.
Watershed Festival
WMI coordinates and sponsors this annual festival in order to celebrate our mountains, canyons, forests, rivers, lakes, animals, grasslands, and people. Festival partners include the Wallowa Valley Music Alliance and the Wallowa County Fair Board.
Find out more here.
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