The Ecology Center of the Siskiyous (ECOS) was founded in 1995 under the name the Environmental Resource Center by students who recognized the need for a facility that would focus on the ever-changing dynamics of local, national and global environmental issues.
By providing students with the appropriate resources, ECOS can facilitate students in becoming informed citizens in complex areas of study. We provide hands-on learning opportunities such as practicum credit through the Earth Tribe garden and work-study employment for students to enhance various aspects of the Center. The mission of ECOS is to take an active part in creating an ecologically sound campus and community.
As an educational institution,
we have a critical role in what our future holds.
Regardless of how well we understand the natural world, how sophisticated our theories, how accurate our computer models, how complete our empirical knowledge, or how well we understand indigenous knowledge, none of this will be of value if we do not put it into practice.
Mission: As the Ecology Center of The Siskiyous, it is our mission to make our student community more aware of the ecological impact which our campus has on our environment. We value positive environmental stewardship and work hard to facilitate sustainable practices on and off the campus.
We have been working over the years to lessen our impact through a system of campus programs. We ask the question, how can SOU work within the larger patterns and flows of the natural world on which we depend for energy, water, materials, food and where we in turn, reduce our ecological foot print, individually and as a community.