John Inskeep Environmental Learning Center

The John Inskeep Environmental Learning Center (Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave., 503/657-6958, ext. 2351, dawn–dusk daily, $2), 3 miles north of Kelly Field on Route 213, is pioneering efforts of a different sort. The 80-acre environmental-study area showcases alternative technologies and recycling against a backdrop of ponds, trails, and wildlife.

Exhibits on aquaculture, birds of prey, and wetlands are included in this environmental education center’s portrayal of Oregon’s ecosystems. The exhibits are supplemented by one of the largest telescopes in the Northwest (503/657-6958, ext. 5665, open on clear nights when a volunteer is available, $3, call to confirm).

Adjacent to the Inskeep Environmental Learning Center is the Home Orchard Society Arboretum, displaying Oregon [1]’s array of fruit-bearing plants.