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Welcome to Westwind!
Westwind lies in the temperate zone straddling the 45th parallel, exactly half way between the North Pole and the Equator. Its 508 acres are amongst the last tracts of wild Oregon coast lands remaining. Principal access to the site has always been by boat across the Salmon River, helping to preserve the site's solitude and wildness.
Westwind and its environs contain a microcosm of Oregon's coastal habitats:
- Over two miles of marine coastline with a curving sand spit and dunes giving way to rocky headlands with their sea caves and isolated coves.
- A large, fertile estuarine complex providing critical habitat for upstream spawning migrations of anadromous fish and rearing areas for juveniles and smolts on their way to the open waters of the Pacific.
- The fresh waters of the Salmon River give way to upland lakes and mature forests of Sitka Spruce, Alder and giant coastal Rhododendron.
These habitats support healthy populations of the original wildlife indigenous to the Oregon Coast: a herd of 30 Roosevelt Elk, several resident cougars, nesting Bald Eagles, Steelhead, Chinook and Coho Salmon, black bears, ravens, bobcats, California Sea Lions, and the migrating Grey Whale.
Westwind offers a haven for individual retreats, family reunions and weddings, as well as hosting business, nonprofit, and faith based gatherings. Its fertile land and waters also provide a "living classroom" for biological research and experiential education. Come join us on the wild edge of a continent!
History
Westwind has a rich cultural history. The fertile waters of the Salmon River supported permanent villages of indigenous peoples on the site. The Indians of the Salmon River relied on salmon and the bounty of the ocean, as well as hunting and gathering to sustain their families and traditions. A coastal trail used by native peoples and early settlers ran through the property, the ruts of which still remain. In the 1970's the skeleton of a 19th century Native American was unearthed on Westwind's estuary shore, complete with Gurkha pipe and green river skinning knife.
Congress recognized Westwind's natural splendor in 1974 by including Westwind within the 9,670 acres of the Cascade Head Scenic-Research Area. In 1980 this same area was designated a United Nations Biosphere Reserve.
Since assuming ownership of the property in 1936, the Portland chapter of the YWCA has operated a popular summer camp at Westwind, providing successive generations of young Oregonians an unforgettable Oregon coast experience. Over the years Westwind's physical infrastructure has grown to include a historic lodge, learning center, 15 rustic cabins, and a full horse program with barns, pasture and a 10 acre farm.
The present and future Westwind
1. Conserve and Protect Westwind
To guarantee protection of this extraordinary property, the WSG granted a conservation easement/deed restriction to our partner, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. The conservation easement ensures the long term preservation of the site and its continued accessibility for scientific research, education and recreation purposes.
Long term management of Westwind’s 529 acres will be premised on sustaining the key natural resource attributes that make this site so unique and so very important to Oregon's vision for healthy coastline and river estuaries. WSG has formed an advisory committee made up of key individuals in the scientific and conservation communities who are currently working in the watershed, to help ensure that this vision is realized.
2. Provide Facilities for YWCA Camp Westwind and the Public
Along with protecting the site in perpetuity another key impetus for the Westwind project was to free the YWCA from year round management responsibilities for all 529 acres, so they could focus on running their exceptional summer camp for children of all ages. WSG currently manages camp facilities not only for the benefit of the YWCA, but also for a broader set of users interested in exploring the rich connections between the natural and human environments that are Westwind's greatest attribute.
By creating this long-term partnership, the YWCA and WSG have ensured that future generations of Oregonians are afforded the same youth camp experience as those before them; and that the potential for public participation in programs that are part of a new future for Westwind is more broadly available than the YWCA alone could ever achieve.
 View the American
Camp Association
Certificate of
Accreditation
3. A model for stewardship and sustainable living
The alchemy of Westwind's landscape and rustic lodgings has had a transforming effect on generations of Westwind visitors. Yet, the place has the potential to do more. In the year and a half following the purchase of the property, Westwind has begun to develop programming and infrastructure enhancements to appeal to new audiences. Westwind offers visitors a departure from the high velocity of modern life, and models simple, practical ways to adapt their lives, socially, ecologically and economically to create a sustainable future.
The learning journey begins upon leaving your car behind and crossing the mouth of the Salmon River, where the 56,000 acre watershed drains into the Pacific Ocean. At Westwind each facet of daily life will become a 'teachable moment' or opportunity to glean insight into how humans can achieve a functional balance within healthy living systems. In some cases this may happen directly - for example, through retreats for business leaders, focused on practical applications for sustainability or bio-mimicry in business, or workshops on permaculture centered around the organic demonstration garden which is planned on Westwind's farm property. The learning will also happen indirectly through transparent operations being part of the every day life at Westwind: How the aquifer re-charges the faucet you are drinking from, how alternative energy sources help power your reading light, or how the food on your plate was grown from native and heirloom plant stocks. The goal of this transparency will be to eliminate the conceptual walls we build between human and natural environments, providing practical ways for visitors to apply these insights into their daily lives when returning home.
Westwind has also elevated the role of scientific education and inquiry in its operations and programming. A growing biological monitoring program will build upon and complement the ongoing work of existing governmental, academic, community based, and private sector entities currently working in the watershed. Partnerships with both long standing and new research initiatives will also be integral to Westwind’s future.
Sustainable operational practices currently include 100% post consumer waste papers, all green chemical streams, composting, deep recycling, bio fuels, local carbon offsets, etc.
Westwind's innovations in marketing, programming, and research will emulate as its model, nature's abundant diversity. The intent is for a wide range of groups to enjoy the site, while ensuring a more durable cash flow free from dependency on a single source of revenue.
Westwind will model a new practice of sustainability in which ecology, economic markets, and local stewardship efforts are woven together with the thread of education. These elements together have the potential to transform Westwind into an "estuary of ideas," with influence capable of reaching far beyond Oregon or the Pacific Northwest.
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