Open Lands Day is coming, Oct 25

The Jefferson Exchange

Participants in an Open Land Day hike, October 2023.(Southern Oregon Land Conservancy)

Steve Wise joins the Exchange. He's the Executive Director of the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy. We discuss the role of the land conservancy, its goals, and the upcoming Open Lands Day on Oct. 25 at the Rogue River Preserve.

Steve Wise, Executive Director of the Southern Oregon Conservancy joins Mike Green, host of the Jefferson Exchange in the JPR studio on Oct. 9, 2025.(JPR Engineer, Maddie Peterson)

ABOUT OPEN LANDS DAY
Open Lands Day at the Rogue River Preserve
Saturday, October 25, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

The Rogue River Preserve includes two miles of riverfront along the Rogue River, a large floodplain forest, and oak woodlands with meadows.

It is only open to the public during special events, work parties, and youth education programs. This is a special opportunity and explore the trails at your own pace, attend a guided hike, bring a picnic lunch or thermos of tea to enjoy by the river, or all three.

To limit crowding on the trails, registration is free and required for hikes or self-guided exploration for the day. Guided hike participants are welcome to explore the property before or after their hike slot.

Register for only one of the options listed below.

Self-Guided Explorations
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Check out field guides, binoculars, and other gear from our lending library and chat with docents along the trail to learn as you explore. Alternatively, you can walk the trails at your own pace, take photos, go birding, draw, or relax on a bench. This is a wonderful opportunity for families.

Lichen Hike with Steve Sheehy
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Join Lichenologist, Steve Sheehy, for a slow paced walk on trails and roads to look at different lichens growing on trees, shrubs, and stumps. Lichens are magical composite organisms and are important for wildlife, medicine, and can even be ethically and carefully used for fiber dyeing. This hike is an easy and slow stroll that is less than one mile on roads and trails that are generally flat.

Creepy and Crawly Bug Hike with Ethan Robison
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Join Education Program Coordinator at Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, Ethan Robison, for a (possibly) spooky and (definitely) informative hike through the Rogue River Preserve. This slow paced jaunt will highlight pollinators such as moths, bats, beetles, wasps and more. Using microscopes, insect guides, native wildflowers, and other fun tools, we will delve deep into the autumn ecology of plants and pollinators in Southern Oregon. This hike is perfect for anyone and everyone. So, bring your friends, family, a sense of wonder, and even a bug costume (optional) for this Creepy and Crawly Bug Hike!

For more information and to register, please visit our website at landconserve.org.

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN OREGON LAND CONSERVANCY

The Southern Oregon Land Conservancy’s (SOLC) mission is to conserve and enhance land in Southern Oregon to sustain our human and natural communities forever. One path to achieving this mission is to engage community members - youth and adults - in programs that encourage a greater appreciation and understanding of our natural environments. We envision a vital network of conserved lands that deepens the connections between healthy ecosystems and successive generations.