Mono lake committee
outdoor education center
The Mono Lake Outdoor Education Center (OEC) connects youth from Los Angeles with their water source through trips to Mono Lake that focus on watershed education through hands-on learning and stewardship activities. Through a combination of curriculum-based education, outdoor activities, and restoration projects, the OEC program teaches participants about watersheds and the ways they can be impacted by human activities.
The OEC is located on a 7-acre parcel of land that is exposed to extreme weather elements of the landscape, including high winds, freezing temperatures, and intense heat. In 2019 Watershed Progressive designed and installed the Outdoor Education Center. Working with elements of the natural landscape and keeping views open to the moutains, a gathering area with boulders was designed for campfires and meetings. A gabion wall helps protect visitors from winds while keeping the center open to the expansive beauty that surrounds it.
The site was designed in alignment with the OEC’s focus on water conservation as part of their educational curriculum. Native and climate appropriate plants were selected, with future phases of the project focused on developing bird habitat, cultural plantings of importance to the native local tribal communities, and a zone that includes hydrated plantings for fire resilience. Rainwater capture and greywater reuse will help to reduce the site’s consumptive water use while helping to irrigate plants when needed.
