Building the Rasmussen Outdoor Classroom (ROC)

Nestled within the 142-acre Siuslaw Model Forest, an outdoor classroom will provide a dynamic learning environment for 4-H, Master Gardeners, Master Forest Owners, and the community at large. Programs will emphasize practical, place-based education on agroforestry, climate change solutions, and the cultivation of woodland specialty crops such as shiitake mushrooms and ginseng.

About the Siuslaw Model Forest

The Siuslaw Model Forest is a property dedicated to education, research and demonstration of sustainable forestry and agroforestry techniques.

History

"Siuslaw" is a Native American word meaning “land of the far away river". The property was given the designation of Siuslaw by Eric Rasmussen, who named it in tribute to the Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon, where he worked as a forester in the 1950's. Eric managed Suislaw for fifty years, and in 2006, his family donated the property to Cornell Cooperative Extension.

In 2007, Siuslaw was designated a NYC Department of Environmental Protection Model Forest. Siuslaw is managed in partnership with the Watershed Agricultural Council and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Siuslaw is one of four NYC Model Forests that demonstrate the importance of wise land stewardship in the protection of drinking water.

The Name

The Rasmussen Outdoor Classroom will be named in honor of Eric Rasmussen, whose generous spirit and dedication to educating local youth about natural resources and environmental stewardship are unparalleled. Managing the Siuslaw Tree Farm for over five decades, Rasmussen initiated the Environmental Awareness Days program in 1969. This initiative continues to engage over 400 students annually in learning about environmental challenges and sustainable forestry practices. Rasmussen and his family generously donated the property to CCE in 2006, where the legacy of environmental education continues to thrive.