VtF Newsletter - May, 2025

Carl Meibergen
May 15
6 min read

Director's Message:

"We preserve, protect, and enhance the natural environment through collaborative actions for scientific, educational, recreational, cultural, and economic goals that benefit the Yachats community and its future generations." A Season of Growth and Connection

Spring has been full of energy and connection here at View the Future! We’ve been hard at work advancing our mission to protect more land in the Yachats area, starting with our very first Conservation Easement Coffee Chat, with View the Future and local property owners supported by delicious treats from Dream Machine Coffee. These conversations have sparked meaningful dialogue about land stewardship and protection, and we’re planning more chats like this throughout the summer. If you’ve ever wondered about placing your land into a conservation easement—or just want to meet your neighbors to talk about it— keep your eyes out for our next one and come join us!

Our monthly tours to Yachats Ridge continue to reveal new wonders. On a recent tour, we were thrilled to witness the chocolate lily and coyote camas blooming in the South Meadow overlooking Cape Perpetua. This strengthens our belief that the area was historically cultivated by Indigenous Tribes and reinforces the sacred connection to the First Nation communities who once thrived here. We were excited to share this discovery with our partner larger conservancy, who is interested in the property and engaged in their due diligence to preserve this 1100-acre neighbor to Yachats and Cape Perpetua.

With gratitude,

Gretchen Dubie

Executive Director, View the Future 😊

What’s New?

Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future: 8th Graders Walk the Amanda Trail

On May 9th, the Amanda Trail came alive with the footsteps of forty-two 8th grade students, their teachers and parents, and members of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. Led by teacher Samantha Herron from Siuslaw Middle School, the group embarked on a moving and meaningful day of place-based learning that brought Indigenous history, environmental education, and community stewardship together in a powerful way.

The day began with context and reverence. Thanks to Ms. Herron’s thoughtful preparation—including having her students read excerpts from the Bensell Diary, which documents the tragic displacement of Native peoples along the Oregon Coast—students arrived already informed and emotionally engaged. They were joined on the trail by Jesse Beers, Cultural Stewardship Manager, and Alycia Cossey, Cultural Stewardship Associate, from the Confederated Tribes, who shared stories, historical insights, and cultural context at the Amanda Gathering Area.

View the Future co-chair Joanne Kittel was on hand to distribute our brand-new TRAIL-ED interactive learning maps, which were a big hit with students and adults alike. These educational guides offer interactive plant and wildlife identification, cultural history, and conservation-themed activities. “The students were excited to have something in their hands that made the history and environment come alive,” Joanne shared.

The day’s highlight came when students reached the Amanda Trail Suspension Bridge, a symbol of healing and acknowledgment. It held strong under the joyful energy of nearly 30 students bouncing and laughing together, marking the largest group ever to cross the bridge at once—a living metaphor for unity, strength, and movement toward understanding.

This event encapsulates so much of what View the Future stands for: cultivating early conservationists by connecting youth to the land and its stories, honoring the legacy of the First Peoples of this region, and fostering a deep respect for the cultural and ecological heritage we are privileged to steward.

We are grateful to our partners, the Confederated Tribes, the dedicated educators and families, and all who help make these transformative experiences possible. And a special thank you to Kevin Simons (VtF) for capturing the day in photos (see gallery below).

This is how we grow stewards of the future—by walking the paths of the past, together.

Cultural Presentations and Events

Date: Sunday, June 1, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM

Location: Yachats Commons, 4th St & Hwy 101

Suggested Donation: $10

Don’t miss this eye-opening discussion on an often-overlooked chapter of Oregon’s history! More info: www.viewthefuture.org Contact: Joanne Kittel – joannekittel@viewthefuture.org

Marion Brooks: The Lost Story of Emmett Till

An Afternoon of History, Reflection & Truth-Telling

Marion Brooks, an investigative journalist and co-anchor of NBC News Chicago, and daughter of beloved local residents Margaret and Sam Brooks, shares her work on “The Lost Story of Emmett Till: The Universal Story” the powerful Emmy winning documentary she and colleagues produced.

Date: August 13, 2025

Time: 2:00 pm Location: Yachats Commons Suggested Donation: $10

In this deeply moving presentation, Marion Brooks will explore the hidden history behind one of the most pivotal events in the American civil rights movement—the murder of Emmett Till—and why telling this story now is more important than ever.

As the producer and author of the NBC docuseries The Lost Story of Emmett Till, Marion offers a behind-the-scenes look at how journalism, memory, and social justice intersect to illuminate the truth. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a powerful voice in contemporary storytelling and engage in an important conversation about history, legacy, and the power of truth.

Save the Date – September 11-12th 2025

View the Future Presents…

Climate Wisdom Lab: Navigating Change with Resilience

Join View the Future and Climate Resilience for the Climate Wisdom Lab, an interactive workshop designed to help participants: engage meaningfully with climate change, structural injustice, and other global challenges, explore the key psychosocial dimensions of a rapidly shifting world and reshape personal and cultural narratives for deeper resilience and action.

Facilitators: Kevin M. Gallagher – Attorney, author, and climate expert with a decade of experience in policy, peacebuilding, and mindfulness. Kirsten Rudestam – Environmental educator, wilderness guide, and meditation teacher with expertise in environmental justice and transformative learning. Discover new tools for navigating uncertainty and fostering meaningful change.

A deeper understanding of challenges and opportunities in frontline environmental work.
A space for processing the emotional toll of environmental crises.
Training in resilience-building techniques.
A professional network and sense of community.

The workshop will foster connections among like-minded individuals, creating a supportive network of environmental professionals who can share experiences, resources, and strategies to collectively advance conservation and sustainability efforts.

Volunteer Spotlight:

Carl Meibergen

From School Administrator and Executive Leadership to Local Green Thumb, Drone Pilot & Canine Whisperer

If you’ve ever walked the trails of Yachats or popped into a local restaurant for a fresh bite, chances are you’ve seen the impact of Carl Meibergen—whether you knew it or not. A retired School Administrator, and with a globe-spanning resume, Carl now calls Yachats home and brings a refreshing combination of innovation, humility, and community spirit to everything he does.

After decades of leadership roles in administration and staff development—working with schools and school districts primarily in northern Nevada, as a regional trainer for 4 counties, Carl traded boardrooms for broccoli sprouts. Now, he finds joy and purpose growing microgreens for restaurants and local customers, sharing his harvest and his heart with the Yachats’ food community and beyond.

But Carl’s talents don’t end with growing greens. He’s also earned a reputation as a patient and effective dog trainer, often joking that “the unwanted dogs seem to find me.” (We suspect it’s the other way around.)

What truly makes Carl a gem in our organization is how generously he shares his creative and technical skills with View the Future. From capturing stunning drone footage of the Yachats Ridge and our conservation sites, to creating presentations and photographing events, and helping with graphic design projects, Carl’s contributions behind the scenes have helped us better communicate our mission and connect people to place.

Carl is the kind of volunteer who embodies what View the Future is all about: rooted in service, passionate about land, and quietly building something meaningful for future generations. Thank you, Carl, for growing food, telling stories through your lens, and offering your skills to help steward this land we all love- we could not do it without you!