Dear Friends and Family of The Forest,

If you live in southern Oregon, you are likely aware that the snowy photo above is not from this year. We’re still waiting for this winter’s snow. Either way, this being the last newsletter I will write, I thought that the lead photo must have snow! And, I just adore the winter photos of our beautiful Toulouse geese.

It is with a whole lot of sadness that I have decided to step away from my role managing The Forest Conservation Burial Ground. Beginning this endeavor with Suzanne, Lanita, and a few community members has been one of the most significant experiences of my life so far. And, it is time to move on to the next chapter. Whatever I decide to do with my “one wild and precious life”, I will continue to be a support to our community for end-of-life planning, home death care and natural burial.

It is important to me to express how much you mean to me and that it has been a true honor to support in you in laying your beloved to rest in the forest. It is big deal for me to be welcomed into your lives at such an intimate time. Walking with many of you as you selected the perfect spot where your own body will rest someday was a delight. I will always cherish the meaningful connections we’ve made together. I plan to be buried here someday next my sweetheart, so many of us will meet again in The Forest.

For those of you in the area, or planning a visit,  check the weather here before you drive up the mountain. All-wheel or 4-wheel drive may be needed, and you might want to bring your skis or snowshoes! Unfortunately, we do not have any snow at the moment. Remember, we are above the valley inversion layer and that means more sunshine and cleaner air! Enjoy a self-guided visit to Willow-Witt Ranch any day of the week between 11am and 5pm. Remember to follow directions on the website and contributions to The Crest are always welcome from visitors. I strongly encourage you to book a visit at the Meadow House or Farmhouse Studio where prices are discounted 40% through April.

Honoring the earth and welcoming our community is important to us and we do so at each solstice and equinox. We will host the Spring Equinox Celebration in March 2026. Stay tuned for the exact date and time.

In closing, I leave you with words from Mary Oliver’s “In Blackwater Woods”:

To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

With gratitude,
Mary Ann Perry

P.S. Have you had a positive experience with us? If so, please write a Google Review to help others connect with The Forest.

By Jake Hansen 

One late November afternoon as I was leaving the Ranch for the day, I was surprised by a large, dark shape sweeping across the left side of my field of vision. Less than ten feet from me, the Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) had risen out of the tall grasses and perched on a wood fence post along the driveway. It stared into my eyes with that ancient gaze that only owls possess before it took wing and flew in front of my windshield, gliding away across the meadow and into the trees. 

The Great Gray Owl is the world’s largest species of owl by length, measuring from 24-33 inches long with a wingspan of up to five feet. They’re known for their massive facial disk, their striking eyes, and their silent flight. They can be found where meadows meet dense forests, where they masterfully hunt for voles and other small mammals. The species is considered sensitive or endangered in parts of the Western United States, their main threats being habitat loss from timber harvesting and low prey availability from excessive livestock grazing in meadows. We are humbly grateful to be contributing to the preservation of their habitat in our little slice of Southern Oregon.