Big News from The Crest
Thank You Turtle Trotters!
That’s a wrap on The Crest’s 3rd annual Turtle Trot 5k! Thank you to everyone who participated, and we hope you had a wonderful walk/run on the beautiful trails of Willow-Witt Ranch.
Your race registrations directly support The Crest and enable us to provide our community with quality place-based nature education at Willow-Witt Ranch.
For all who ran this year, and everybody else, please join us for the 4th annual Turtle Trot, September 1-30, 2023!
Thank you to this year’s Turtle Trot sponsors: Ace Hardware, Shop n Kart, Deluxe Awning Company, 2 Hearts 4 Feet Coaching, The Forest Conservation Burial Ground, and Willow-Witt Ranch.
Winning Trotters!
Slowest: Rebekah Bergkoetter
Youngest: Finley Harper and Minya Jubaw
Oldest: Bea Bacher-Wetmore
Fastest: Sara Evans
Most Times Trotted: Andrew Gast
50/50 Raffle: Bea & Bob Bacher-Wetmore
New! Support The Crest and Stay Sun Safe
Hats with The Crest’s logo are now available for purchase!
Big News!
Welcoming Emily Johnson, our new AmeriCorps Member for The Crest!
Emily grew up on a small family farm in the desert of central Arizona and earned Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Arizona University, graduating in May 2022. There they joined Gehring Laboratory and the Desert Botanical Garden and contributed to multiple studies focusing on ecophysiology and plant-fungi relationships.
Their lifelong interest in sustainable agriculture brought them to work for Willow-Witt Ranch, and the beautiful landscape and community in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument drew them to stay and serve The Crest this year.
In their free time Emily loves to rock climb, bike, forage, swim, cook, study fungi and plants, and spend time with loved ones. Their passion lies in understanding the complex relationships between microorganisms and macro ecosystems, and how humans influence and are influenced by these systems.
What Are You Passionate About?
We are so grateful to be supported by our local volunteering community. Volunteering with The Crest is a great chance to get outside, connect with others, and learn more about your local ecosystem. As the organization grows, we are always looking for new service opportunities. In the past, volunteers have loved helping with gardening, trail maintenance, event crew, and wetland restoration.
Praying Mantis
The Praying Mantis (Mantodea) is a beneficial insect because it eats garden pests! They are a friend to farmers and gardeners because they work well as a natural form of pest control.
Calendula
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) are perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. Calendula in the garden attracts benefital insects such as the praying mantis to eat garden pests. This flower also draws pollinators to the garden.
The Crest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
