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Land Acknowledgment

Indigenous Homelands

The Original Stewards of this Land


All education and restoration happens on indigenous land. 

Willow-Witt Ranch is located on Shasta, Upland Takelma, Latgawa and Athabaskan indigenous homelands. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from western Oregon were forcibly removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation. Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, Latgawa, and Athabaskan peoples of this area. These indigenous communities are the past, present and future caretakers of this land.

The Crest’s foundational mission is to connect our community to the land around us. We want to acknowledge that this land was not given to us, but taken from others. 


Great Horned Owl in the grass at Willow-Witt Ranch

The piercing gaze of a Great Horned Owl

Let this land acknowledgment be a call to action!

Please support the Native American Student Unions at your local school or donate to the Southern Oregon Educational Service District Indian Education program by mailing a check to:

SOESD – Indian Education
101 N Grape Street
Medford, OR 97501

The Crest is a proud partner of the SOESD Indian Education Program. We are working closely to incorporate native youth into our education and volunteer programs and further align our mission with the history, legacy and vision of local indigenous communities.

Get involved...

Suzanne Willow talks to a group of students visiting The Crest

The Crest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

The Crest nonprofit organization relies on donations to support youth programs and give community groups the chance to experience the wonders of nature to learn about and feel a connection to the natural world. Our volunteer opportunities are a great chance to get outside, connect with others and learn more about your local ecosystem. Please consider contributing to this natural legacy by making a tax-deductible donation.