May 4, 2026, 3:30 a.m. 

Through Friday, more than 500 Douglas County third grade students are taking part in Eastwood Nature Days, Umpqua Watershed’s annual celebration of hands-on ecological learning at the Eastwood Nature Trail in Roseburg.

An Umpqua Watersheds release said the week-long event offers students a hands-on opportunity to explore the ecology, history and cultural history of the Umpqua Watershed through a series of rotating field stations, led by volunteer teachers, naturalists, and community experts.

Throughout the week, students will engage in a series of engaging outdoor learning stations, digging into the plants, animals, fungi, waterways, and history that make the Umpqua Watershed one of Oregon’s most remarkable ecological treasures. Students will discover what makes an ecosystem work, and what happens when one small piece is changed.

Umpqua Watersheds Director of Environmental Education and Outreach Julie Lowe said, “Our goal is to help students see the watershed as a living system that supports an incredible diversity of life, and to understand that every part of that system is connected”. Lowe said, “When students can experience these ideas firsthand, outdoors and in the places where these processes are actually happening, the lessons become much more meaningful”.

The program is made possible through the support of skilled volunteer educators who donate their time and expertise to lead each station, creating engaging and memorable learning experiences for local youth. Many local experts and organizations contribute to helping bring the watershed to life for students.

The release said Eastwood Nature Days continues to be one of the area’s most valued youth education traditions, giving Douglas County students the chance to step into nature, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the watershed they call home.