Our Mission
To inspire an understanding of the natural world and ourselves as part of it – past, present and future.
Our Vision
Stewarding nature enhances habitat for wildlife and provides the opportunity for all people to access its physical, mental and spiritual benefits. The Nature Center’s vision is for a community refocused on the importance of the natural world and a strengthened organization that creates connections, taking lessons from our past to support healthy interactions with nature now, and into the future.
Our Core Values
Conservation and Stewardship – Respect wildlife and natural processes. Honor our diverse natural and rich cultural heritage. Foster a public land ethic. Lead by example in green building, landscaping, and sustainable farming practices that address overdevelopment, pollution, global warming, loss of biodiversity, water quality and flood control.
Education for All Ages – “To know is to value and protect.” Teach through science-based education and life-long learning programs that connect children, and reconnect adults, to nature. Inspire respect, appreciation and scientific understanding of the natural world. Foster a personal environmental ethic and educate for a sustainable future.
Place and Sustainability – Build connections to the natural and cultural landscapes of the region. Celebrate the heritage of our community by preserving and interpreting the story of the diverse people who have occupied the land. Promote an understanding of how our place in the world has changed and is changing. Commit to a healthy future through multidisciplinary programs that promote sustainable actions. Serve the community through habitat stewardship, regenerative agriculture and supporting sustainable transportation on properties we manage and beyond.
Environmental and Human Health – Understand nature’s role in emotional and physical health, spirituality and interconnectedness of all life, including the impacts of climate change. Support healthy lifestyles: greenway hike/bike links to commercial areas, neighborhoods, schools, hotels; programs that raise awareness about healthy food, the role of farms and good nutrition. Promote environmental justice.
Community Spirit – Maintain access to affordable and well-managed green space with trails. Lead our area’s educational, scientific and cultural life with integrity, including extensive mutually beneficial collaborative programs. Create opportunities to engage people in meaningful connections and experiences in nature that build community spirit.