Wolftree faces financial crunch

One of Sisters' most beloved institutions is facing tough times, thanks to the looming federal fiscal cliff.

The outdoor-education nonprofit, based in Portland and Sisters, relies heavily on funds from a variety of public agencies. According to Wolftree Executive Director Dale Wadell, those funds have been pulled back in the face of cuts attached to the Budget Control Act of 2011, which will take effect in 2013 absent a comprehensive budget deal.

"We went from $50,000 in accounts receivable to zero in the space of two days at the end of October," Waddell told The Nugget.

As a result, Wolftree has been forced to lay off staff.

Waddell indicated that the nonprofit will weather the storm, but it will have to restructure its fundraising model.

"We can't rely on any one source of funding more than 25 percent," he said.

Wolftree provides hands-on science education in Sisters Country, as well as participating in activities like riparian restoration. Hundreds of Sisters children have experienced stream-side educational activities and explored the Wolftree Discovery Outpost along Whychus Creek.

The Sisters community recently participated in a major fundraiser through the Wolftree Challenge, which combined a day of group learning activities with an auction and dinner.

Waddell said at the time that "my goal with the Wolftree Challenge was to get people outside for the day, learning about forests, streams, and wildlife, and the science that connects them. I saw families working together as teams, making sure everyone understood how to use the tools and then strategizing among themselves to figure out how to get the job done. Beyond that, I saw siblings teaching siblings and cousins teaching cousins. There were even cases where one family was teaching another family."

Such engagement is both the mission and the result of Wolftree's efforts. The organization is dedicated to creating meaningful connections between members of the community and the natural world of Sisters Country and other vital landscapes across the region. It is their belief that hands-on experience and early training in scientific inquiry will help young people and their families make more informed choices about their interaction with their environment.

Waddell appreciates the ongoing support of the Sisters community.

He acknowledges that the fundraising environment has grown more and more competitive, with a host of worthy nonprofits vying for increasingly scarce resources.

Contributions now will help Wolftree pay the bills and get its staff back to work. For more information visit www.beoutside.org. Checks may be mailed to Wolftree, P.O. Box 646, Beavercreek, OR 97704.