Finding a Sense of Place
An Environmental History of Zena
In the spring and fall of 2012, students in the course "Environmental History of Zena" wrote the first comprehensive history of Zena Forest and Farm at Willamette. The authors drew on original research and authoritative secondary sources to examine interactions between nature and culture at Zena. The result: fourteen stories about Zena’s past, stretching from the Pleistocene to the present and covering a remarkable range of topics, all focused on the theme “sense of place" and grouped here by theme.
Examines geological and climatological forces at Zena and the history of the Kalapuya people in the area.
Analyzes the beliefs that Euro-Americans brought to Zena and how Euro-American agricultural practices changed over time.
Explores efforts to rationalize and make sense of Zena through legal mechanisms and narratives.
Assesses changing land use practices at Zena since the late twentieth century.