“Rock-ED” opens in Douglas County

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In a modern-day example of an American barn-raising, businesses, volunteers and students came together to build a new natural resources education facility named “Rock-ED” on the grounds of the Rock Creek Fish Hatchery, about 30 minutes northeast of Roseburg.

Construction of the building was a cooperative effort through the Joe Merchep Umpqua River Foundation. Eleven local mills donated construction materials manufactured in Douglas County to build the structure. The interior of the classroom features 13 native wood species found in southern Oregon. Five students from Roseburg High School’s drafting class contributed the initial design. The facility received support from more than 300 donors and will be maintained on Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife property for natural resource conservation and stewardship education activities.

The 1,300-square-foot facility features a large and well-lit classroom wired for electronic media, a reception and display area, a 200-gallon fish tank and a covered deck overlooking a pond. A restroom stands nearby, with a soon-to-be-built gazebo planned as an outside gathering place. A half-mile interpretive trail takes visitors into public forests and back along Rock Creek. The facility offers endless opportunities for educational experiences for people of all ages.

Jake Gibbs, a senior policy advisor for Lone Rock Timber and a member of the Rock-ED steering committee, estimates the value of the building at more than $300,000. However, donated materials brought the cost down considerably. Many businesses and community members contributed significantly to the site development and construction of this ambitious project over the past four years. Gracious grant support from several organizations filled the funding gaps needed to build the outdoor education site.

“Many of us have felt for a long time that to conduct an effective K-12 educational outreach program in Douglas County, we needed a permanent structure,” Gibbs says. “Rock-ED delivers that in spades. The tie-in with the hatchery is a natural, the setting is beautiful and the structure is first class. Now we just need to get the word out to the educational community about its availability.”

In the first month since its mid-July grand opening, more than 3,000 people visited the hatchery and Rock-ED facility. Four educational events took place in the classroom this summer, and the new school year is just around the corner, with many teachers ready to plan a day with students at the site.

The hatchery is now taking reservations for use of the facility. For information, contact Dan Meyer, ODFW, at 541-496-3484 or Dan.h.Meyer@state.or.us. Check out the website for more details, and feel free to add your comments about the project to help Rock-ED plan for future improvements.

For the forest,

Paul Barnum
Executive Director