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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 in*******************@********ey.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 vi***@********ey.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

Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
2 months ago

Beautiful 4-bedroom, 4-bath passive solar home in Southwest Colorado

Beautiful 4-bedroom, 4-bath passive solar home nestled within Heartwood Cohousing, a thriving multigenerational community on 360 acres of meadow, pine forest, pastureland, and farmland just outside Durango, Colorado. Offering approximately 2,600 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space, this stick-built home combines comfort, efficiency, and connection to nature. Enjoy radiant floor heat, wood ceilings, abundant natural light, and multiple indoor and outdoor spaces for gathering, working, gardening, and relaxing. The spacious layout includes four bedrooms plus two flexible bonus rooms, four bathrooms, and a lower-level guest suite with living area, kitchenette, bedroom, and bath. Covered front and rear porches, a balcony off the primary suite, and private and extended backyards create inviting spaces to enjoy every season. Step outside to extensive drought-tolerant landscaping, fruit trees, perennial gardens, raised vegetable beds, flagstone patios, and direct access to forested open space. Heartwood Cohousing residents enjoy shared amenities including a greenhouse, hot tub, workshop, farmland, horse pastures, playground, Common House, and more than seven miles of trails right outside the door. Located just minutes from Durango, you’ll enjoy easy access to world-class recreation, including skiing, mountain biking, hiking, rivers, desert canyons, and the vibrant cultural life of Southwest Colorado. A rare opportunity to enjoy spacious living, beautiful land, and meaningful community in one of the region’s most unique neighborhoods.
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
3 months ago

House for Sale at Valley Oaks Village Chico, CA

Welcome to 1997 Wild Oak Lane in Chico, CA— a beautifully maintained 4 bedroom/3 bathroom 1,620 SqFt home nestled in an established Cohousing community. Step inside to discover a spacious open floor plan, which bamboo flooring, and generous natural lighting. The downstairs offers a bedroom, and bathroom off the main living room. The spacious dining room and kitchen has quartz countertop overlay and will lead you out to a bonus 11×12 fully enclosed porch. The upstairs provides laundry hookups, 2 additional bedrooms, including a large loft, and a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub.. The spacious main bedroom features an en suite bathroom and ample closet space. The back patio has low maintenance patio pavers, a new 6’x8′ shed along with a 220V Level 2 EV charger. See listing on Zillow.com COHOUSING DESCRIPTION – chicocohousing.org Valley Oaks Village was designed using the Cohousing model, built in 1996 with 28 homes on about 5 acres. We have numerous shared amenities, such as a large community building (“Common House”) with a kitchen, multipurpose dining room, lounge with wood stove, guest rooms, rec room, laundry, as well as a pool and sauna. Other shared amenities include a workshop/arts and crafts room, bike sheds, large grassy lawn, playground, pond, gardens and orchards. The neighborhood was designed to promote interactions between residents with picturesque pathways, benches and gathering areas. Valley Oaks Village is right next to Bidwell Park and Big Chico Creek with its running, hiking, horseback riding and park trails with a bike path to either downtown and Chico State University or upper Bidwell Park. Price- $470,000
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
3 weeks ago

2 Units Available in Forest Grove, OR - Where Town Meets Country!

Two Homes Available at Green Grove Cohousing – Forest Grove, OR Discover Green Grove Cohousing, a fun-loving, vibrant, family-friendly community that embraces environmental sustainability, social justice, community service, and the arts in the heart of Forest Grove, home to historic Pacific University. Enjoy the perfect balance of country living just minutes from town. With just nine privately owned homes on five natural acres, Green Grove offers a rare opportunity to live independently while enjoying an intentional, connected community. Shared amenities include a spacious common house with guest accommodations, gathering and entertaining space, play and art areas, a large woodworking shop, ample storage, organic vegetable and flower gardens, fruit trees, a chicken coop, a 30,000-gallon rainwater catchment system for irrigation, 14.7 kW of solar power supporting the common infrastructure, carports with living roofs and EV charging capability, and beautifully maintained grounds with buried utilities and walking paths. Homes are thoughtfully arranged around a shared village green, creating opportunities to connect with neighbors while preserving the privacy of your own home. 3926 Coho Cir | $595,000 3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,475 SF A bright, detached two-story home featuring a main-level bedroom and full bath, bamboo floors, quartz countertops, high ceilings, abundant natural light, and beautiful Mt. Hood views. Thoughtfully designed for flexible living with modern finishes and energy-efficient comfort. MLS#: 704265931 3934 Coho Cir | $615,000 2 Bed | 1 Bath | 1,400 SF A beautifully designed single-level detached home with vaulted ceilings, stunning Mt. Hood views, radiant heated

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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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