The 11th Continental Bioregional Congress will be held at Birch Creek Arts and Ecology Center in southwestern Oregon from August 19th-27th, 2011.
Located in the eastern Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon, Birch Creek Arts & Ecology Center (BCAEC) is located approximately 10 miles north of the California border. It is slightly more than an hour drive from the small cities of Ashland, Medford, and Grants Pass. BCAEC sits in a “banana belt” microclimate with warmer, sunnier winters than most of the surrounding areas, making the location excellent for organic gardening and year-round retreats. Four distinct seasons feature a luxuriantly green springtime, long hot summers, colorful autumns brilliant with the turning of deciduous trees, and mild winters with just enough snow to remind us of the season.
BCAEC lies deep in the canyon of the Little Applegate River at its confluence with Birch Creek, and between two roadless areas that have been nominated for wilderness protection. The surrounding landscape supports a complex mosaic of ecosystems, including old-growth conifer forest, oak woodland, diverse shrublands, extensive dry grasslands, and wet meadows. BCAEC stewards Land that serves as critical wildlife habitat, an oasis in an arid area. To protect wildlife and fragile habitat, dogs are never permitted on the Land. Trails at BCAEC link with miles of hiking trails on the surrounding federal land, surrounded by pristine mountains up to 5,200 feet in elevation. The Siskiyou crest rises at the head of the Little Applegate watershed, where the Pacific Crest Trail weaves between several peaks above 7,000 feet in elevation.
Topographically, BCAEC is blessed by a unique arrangement of mountains and canyons. The Little Applegate River canyon runs east-west, brining in lots of sunlight from early morning into the evening. Birch Creek canyon opens to the south, providing the sweet little valley with a southern exposure that fills with sunshine during sunny winter days. Surrounding mountains often create a local zone of high pressure, ensuring many sunny days while other areas nearby are cloaked with clouds or filled with fog.
August at BCAEC tends to be hot and dry, perfect weather to gather outside, but also a time of extreme fire danger. Fire precautions for CBC-11 will include no fires anywhere, or flames (candles, incense, smudging, camp stoves) at campsites, with smoking only in specified areas.
Within a few hours’ drive of BCAEC are many natural attractions such as Crater Lake National Park and the soaring volcanoes of the Cascade Range, including Mt. Shasta. Further east lie the high deserts, and westward, the road to the coast passes through Redwood National Park. The tangled geology of this Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion is carved by several world class Wild and Scenic Rivers including the Rogue, Klamath, California Salmon, Umpqua, Illinois, Chetco, Trinity, and Smith. Interstate 5 provides scenic access to distant cities: 5 hours north to Portland or south to Sacramento.
The town of choice for those with limited time in the area is beautiful Ashland, a small city of about 20,000 nestled in a long narrow valley where the Siskiyou and Cascade Mountains collide. Ashland, a university and arts town, hosts Southern Oregon University and the world-renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The city also owns its snow board/ski area, 7,545-foot Mt. Ashland, highest peak in the Siskiyous.
The closest town to BCAEC is Jacksonville, a National Historic District, and home of the Peter Britt Music Festival. Jacksonville’s restored pioneer era buildings, museum, and the Southern Oregon Historical Society bring history alive in everyday life.
