During the month of September, BMES played host to Christina Nichol, writer and recent Rona Jaffe award winner.

Christina, pictured 3rd from the left in the back row, just completed her first novel, Waiting for the Electricity, set in the Republic of Georgia.

Buck Mountain also hosted Olive McKeon, our first scholar in residence, shown here dutifully studying for her orals which will be taken at UCLA this winter.

When not studying Olive instigates great performances with SALTA, a collective of dancers she collaborates with.

Recycled materials and fir logs harvested on site make up our new communication station designed and built by Peter Barich, Summer 2012

Students spent 10 days at BMES working with various experts, learning about the Klamath bio-region, gardening, forest stewardship, pole building techniques, cob construction and alternative energy.  Everyday began with chores– from tending to the animals, working in the garden, prepping in the kitchen, and assisting with the general maintenance at the station.  Days also included plenty of time for reflection and personal adventures down to the waterfall or deep into the forest.  Check out the video below by Ellora Coombs-Echenhofer to immerse yourself in the BMES spirit.

Jean-Louis, Skip and Melinda talk trees

On March 18, 2012, Jean-Louis Carmona from the VDWFC visited BMES to discus forest management.  Contracts were signed and BMES became a participant in the Six Rivers National Forest funded road side fire reduction program.  Plans were also hatched to include Jean-Louis Carmona in the line-up of experts to visit the USF Summer Station Intensive to lead a hands-on forest management workshop.  Stay tuned for the announcement of full staff for our summer classes.

Bay Tree by the Waterfall Tree House Site

The next day, the BMES tree house committee took a tour of potential tree house sites throughout our 22-acre homestead.  Commencement on our first tree house is July 1, 2012.