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Lost Valley Educational Center

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Ecological
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1988

What we do

Lost Valley Educational Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 near Eugene, Oregon as an intentional community, permaculture education center, and events facility. Meadowsong Ecovillage – the community of residents (some of whom are staff members) who live full time at Lost Valley – is comprised of about 35 adults and 5 children. We live and work together on 87 beautiful acres of gardens, meadows, forests, and a creek, 18 miles southeast of Eugene, in the foothills of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains.
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Lost Valley Educational Center is looking for six (6) interns to join our intentional community to participate in a 12 week immersive learning internship opportunity.
This is your chance to learn and work alongside some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest system thinkers. This educational opportunity offers front row seats in observing the process, procedure, and our sociocracy-inspired governance systems that have allowed our community to flourish for over 30 years and gain some experience living in community.
We are looking for 15-18 hours per week with a commitment of three months in exchange for tent camping or dormitory-style housing. This internship does not offer financial compensation. Start date: Mid-May (start date for some roles can be flexible)
If accepted into the internship program, you are temporarily joining our Meadowsong Ecovillage community. This gives you an opportunity to practice Nonviolent Communication, and to study how the principles of Permaculture permeate all areas within the community. You get to attend community meetings, learn how to reduce impact on the land and take advantage of the many trails, fruit trees, creek and sauna on our 87-acres property.
Ideal candidates are self-motivated, responsible, open-minded, enthusiastic to learn, passionate and interested in living and sharing with others. Skill requirements depend on the role.
For more information or to apply go to: https://www.lostvalley.org/internship-opportunity
Available Internship Roles:
1 – Land Tender Intern
2 – Administrative Assistant Interns in Bookkeeping and Education
1 – Maintenance Intern
2 – Kitchen Interns
For any questions of clarification, email internshipcoordinator@lostvalley.org
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Our dwellings are rustic cabins, a six-unit apartment, tiny homes, RV sites, private dorm rooms and camping. We are evolving into a Community Land Trust with intentions for constructing new eco-friendly housing. We serve organic, vegetarian meals partly grown in our gardens for dinner each weekday. We govern ourselves collectively using Sociocracy-inspired methods. Residents keep their personal assets and pay their own way for rent, meals and minimal fees. We also have a few work-traders on site at any given time.
Lost Valley is also an event center, hosting retreats and conferences in our dormitories, dining lodge, classrooms and other facilities. We offer education programs in sustainable living skills, including our Holistic Sustainability Semester – a 3-month immersion experience where students earn a Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) and an Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) certificate.
Our year-round Visitor Program offers flexibility and a myriad of experiential options for short to medium-term stays and is an ideal first step to exploring a well established ecovillage and getting to know our community. Most of our land is an undeveloped nature sanctuary with interpretive trails. There are a variety of activities throughout each month, such as meditation, work parties, song circles, discussion groups, movie nights and governance meetings open to observers.
We endeavor to offer the unique gift of balance in ecological responsibility and personal well-being. We hold a deep commitment to authentic, compassionate communication with the functional extended family that we are cultivating. We strive to be creative, caring, embracing of change, eclectic in our approach, and open to diversities in age, race, spirituality, and sexuality.

Our Mission

Lost Valley is a permaculture learning center, educating youth and adults in the practical application of sustainable living skills. We take a holistic approach to sustainability education, engaging students in ecological, social, and personal growth.
Meadowsong Ecovillage provides affordable staff housing, access to land, and facilities for community development in Oregon. We are an intentional community of educators and cultural evolutionaries, committed to creating a life together in a sustainable way.

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Ecovillage
  • Sustainability practices
  • Ecosystem restoration
  • Sustainability education and community engagement
  • Permaculture design
  • Activities
  • Property management
  • Farming
  • Education
  • Experiences
  • Networking

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1988
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1989
  • Started living together
  • 37 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
60

How to join

Exploring membership ideally begins with arranging a visit to our community. During your visit, you can get a feel for the community, arrange a meeting to learn about housing, costs, and the residency process, and get a Residential Application, if inspired. See our website for more detail.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Visit our website lostvalley.org, or email visit@lostvalley.org.

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Consent-Based (Sociocracy)

Decisions proceed unless someone has a reasoned objection.

Governance structure

  • Sociocratic/Circle-Based

Organized in circles or domains with distributed authority.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Join fee: $50
Regular fees: $500
Labor: Encouraged or suggested (2 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
See our website for details about costs: http://lostvalley.org/cost-of-living

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • Approximately 1 meal per day

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Dietary restriction

  • People can cook and eat what they want in their own residence

Community activities and engagement

  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association
  • Organization, Resource, or Network
  • WWOOF'ing, Guest Farming
  • Festivals, Conferences, Events

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Family-focused (many children and parents)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Community Land Trust or some other kind of nonprofit

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Community type

  • Ecovillage

    Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.

Sustainability approach

  • Ecosystem restoration
  • Sustainability education and community engagement
  • Permaculture design

Land practices in our community

  • The community practices permaculture

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • 33 - 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Greenhouse / aquaponics
  • Land area size
    87 acres

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Oregon, United States

Promoted Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
2 months ago

“Lots” of Goodness For Sale!

Are you seeking to live in a sustainable, wellness-oriented community that prioritizes nature and environmental conservation? Living Well Ecovillage offers the perfect opportunity to be part of a vibrant, self-sufficient community committed to holistic health and ecological harmony. Available lots are equipped with city utilities and fiber internet access. Located in a unique mixed-use community with a variety of land uses planned for the future, including small business/commercial spaces, tiny houses, cluster housing, and a 10-acre farm. Currently, there are still 7 lots available. The Ecovillage is home to a diverse range of homes, such as timber frame, Deltec, hempcrete, and Net-Zero energy designs—all built with green building principles in mind. This community prioritizes sustainability and wellness in every aspect of life. About the Living Well Ecovillage Spanning 126 acres, the Living Well Ecovillage is bordered by the Deep River and Sandy Creek, offering stunning natural beauty and a tranquil environment. The Ecovillage includes shared spaces like a community garden, a Greenway/Rail Trail, and a neighborhood park. Over 53 acres of natural land buffer the river and creek, preserving the area’s pristine beauty and offering residents a true connection to nature. Your Dream Home Awaits Find your ideal spot to build your sustainable home, surrounded by trees, rock outcroppings, and abundant wild edible plants. Experience breathtaking views and a peaceful setting, perfect for those seeking a slower, more connected way of life. A Community That Supports Wellness The Living Well Ecovillage is not just about space—it’s about community. With access to the Folk School, residents engage in hands-on learning, sustainable practices, and personal growth, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Perfectly Located Just
Offer
  • Marketplace
6 years ago

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves Books for Sale

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves, Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant introduce Cohousing with stories and pictures of both Danish and American communities. Beautiful photographs and line drawings illustrate the warmly written account of how these communities came to be. Specific information on legal and financial aspects of working with developers, group process, and design issues make this book informative as well as inspiring. This is the book which brought Cohousing to North America. This book is the much prized second edition which has become a rarer and somewhat of a collectors item. Its community case studies were not included in the more recent publication. It preceded Creating Cohousing which is widely available. I acquired 25 cases from a local distributor who closed down. If you would like three or more copies for yourself, to share with your friends or to market your group, please let me know. I would love for them to be made useful and find great homes. Books are paperback (hard copy was not an option at the time from the publisher) all brand new, in Oakland (CA) so could be picked in Oakland or mailed to you. I would very much like to recuperate what I paid which is $10 per book. So, If you would like three or more shipped, I will add the postage, packing and handling fees. I have sold several cases (18 books per case) for $150 per case ($8 per book). I have a little wiggle room on the pricing. Please let me know if you are interested. Use the Send Message button on this page.
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
4 weeks ago

Rooms in Beautiful Location in downtown East Austin

Mountain Laurel House has upcoming room openings on August 1 and September 1 to share our house in central East Austin close to downtown. Rent is $925 per month with $75 to cover your share of the utilities and maintenance. You provide your own food. We enjoy sharing a meal at the dining table at least once a month for fun, to check in on our lives, and talk about housekeeping together. To apply, email donnaleehoffman@gmail.com with subject line Room at Mountain Laurel House. Request the brief application questions and we’ll provide more info and answer your questions. Mountain Laurel House is in a great location! It’s on a green cul de sac, with a wooded lot to the southwest and a green open space to the west. It’s close to the East 11th & Rosewood dining and entertainment district and right across from the Carver Library and a bus stop. We’re in walking distance to downtown Austin, the State Capitol, Huston-Tillotson University and a short bike or bus ride to the University of Texas; and, south or east of here, Lady Bird Lake and Boggy Creek hike and bike trails, park lands, swimming pools, pickleball and basketball courts. I kayak on Town Lake aka Lady Bird Lake or swim just across downtown at Deep Eddy or Barton Springs fresh-water, spring-fed swimming pools. We enjoy sharing a meal at the dining table at least once a month for fun, to check in on our lives, and plan housekeeping together. HEB is a short 5 minute drive east on 7th St. and Whole Foods is about a ten minute walk from here on 5th St. Amenities in the house include a dishwasher, utility room with a clothes washer-dryer and an optional clothesline, high-speed internet, a big dining room table for meals or activities, and a large screen TV for movie nights. The yard has beautiful native wildlife habitat gardens, veggie and herb pots, a large Cedar Elm, two Live Oaks, a fruit-bearing Fig, a Champenelle grape vine, and a Chili pequin. The cul de sac is a large park-like

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A residential project: people live here as their primary home.

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An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).

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