“Children more than ever, need opportunities to be in their bodies in the world – jumping rope, bicycling, stream hopping and fort building. It’s this engagement between limbs of the body and bones of the earth where true balance and centeredness emerge.”

~ David Sobel

Q: What happens when two science educators buy a farm?


A: A commitment to conserving natural ecosystems, restoring wildlife habitats, and creating countless opportunities for kids to connect with and explore nature.

Our Story

In the fall of 2020, after five years of tiny—and not-quite-tiny, but still very small—house living, our family of five stumbled upon a Pacific Northwest gem just two miles from our home in Oregon City. With no prior farming experience, we instantly recognized the uniqueness of this 150-acre property and committed ourselves to becoming its dedicated caretakers.

Since then, we’ve established a small farm operation with sheep, chickens, and a market garden. More importantly, we’ve embraced every opportunity to provide educational experiences for children and young adults, from kindergarten through college. Students have participated in projects such as planting acorns for oak woodland restoration, learning about Indigenous ecosystem management practices, conducting original scientific research, and experiencing the peace and wonder of connecting with nature.

Tree Folk represents us branching out (see what we did there?)—offering formal educational opportunities to the broader Portland Metro community.

Teachers

Lia Cernauskas

Lia is an ivy league trained artist and lifelong lover of the outdoors who can’t wait to keep discovering nature’s wonders alongside kids! She loves expanding her understanding of the flora and fauna around her and sharing her growing appreciation of the natural world with everyone she meets. Outside of Tree Folk, Lia is a Pre-K Teaching Assistant at the Marylhurst School. When she’s not teaching, you can find her learning to mountain bike, swimming, doing art projects, and cuddling with her dog, Roman.

Hannah Kaba

Hannah is a recent graduate from Reed College where she studied environmental science, specifically focusing on the effects of wildfire and urbanization on lichens in the forest canopy. She is passionate about learning from the complex relationships of species around us and developing a respect for all beings, no matter their size. Before tree folk, Hannah worked on a team developing a more accessible and inclusive Biology course for her college, and she hopes to extend her knowledge of pedagogy to the camp. When she is not helping with tree folk, you can find her growing flowers, dancing at the river, and doing yoga.