From Orchard to Opportunity: Tree Rounds Engraved by the Agency
When Willamalane sought a meaningful way to honor the legacy of Dorris Ranch, it turned to a trusted community partner: Connected Lane County’s Agency. The result? A unique collaboration that not only preserved history but also invested in the future of Springfield’s youth.
Q: What made you want to work with the Agency?
Eric Adams, Planning, Parks & Facilities Director at Willamalane:
“Among Willamalane’s values are a commitment to fostering belonging and innovation through the services we provide. Connected Lane County’s Spark program reflects those values by offering youth and young adults opportunities to learn skills that empower them to be successful as they enter the workforce. For us, partnering with Connected Lane County’s (Agency) to produce the commemorative tree rounds for the Dorris Ranch project was an innovative way to support the program through highlighting a historic community legacy.”
Q: Why did you choose this project?
Eric Adams:
“Dorris Ranch and its historic filbert orchards are treasured by the community. Springfield residents, their families, and friends have enjoyed the recreational benefits they provide for generations. Not only are the orchards the birthplace of the commercial filbert industry in Oregon, but they were also the first commercially operated filbert orchards in the United States.”
“Our commitment to managing them sustainably so that future generations of Springfield residents may enjoy them meant it was necessary to remove and replant the original trees that were infected with Eastern filbert blight – a fungus that eventually kills the trees. Portions of the original orchards were more than 100 years old, so it was important to us to preserve a tangible piece of their history.”
“The tree rounds on which (the Agency) laser cut Willamalane’s logo also include a filbert motif that was originally used on signage throughout Dorris Ranch, and the rounds themselves are cuttings from some of the historic orchard trees we removed. The symbolism of using an actual piece of Dorris Ranch’s history to create a commemorative gift for those who have supported the orchard replacement project is a perfect way to acknowledge the significance of Dorris Ranch and all of the community partners who helped Willamalane complete the orchard replacement project.”
“We knew that we could trust (the Agency) to honor that legacy through their work, given the careful attention to detail and professionalism we’ve experienced in partnering with them on other initiatives.”
Q: Why do you think it’s important to provide work experience opportunities to young people?
Eric Adams:
“The experiences Connected Lane County provides through its Spark program afford youth and young adults education and hands-on, real-world training in skills that empower them to be competitive in the job market. The chance to apply learned skills in a controlled setting under the guidance of mentors is invaluable, regardless of the other educational opportunities to which they have access.”
“Perhaps most importantly, though, is that Connected Lane County is creating and building a self-sustaining network of community partnerships through this work, which reinvests locally the benefits program participants receive. Supporting workforce development in this way helps retain the value of that investment at the local level, rather than forcing youth and young adults to look outside of the community for those experiences, which, in turn, supports the community’s long-term economic resiliency.”
“When organizations choose to partner with Connected Lane County in support of its programs, they are consciously deciding to invest in Springfield’s future in ways that have multiplicative benefits.”
Q: Can you share how the tree rounds will be used?
Eric Adams:
“The tree rounds are commemorative gifts that will be presented to those who have supported, financially or otherwise, replanting the filbert orchards at Dorris Ranch. We hope they’ll be cherished as a reminder of Dorris Ranch’s legacy and the underlying vision to not only establish and manage the orchards for more than 100 years, but also acquire and sustain them as a public park for generations to come.”
To learn more about Connected Lane County’s Agency or to submit a project idea, click here. To learn more about Willamalane, you can visit https://willamalane.org/.