Oregon Trail Junior Naturalist Activity Book

As a Trail Expert at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon,  you can help by exploring our area’s rich natural history, learning to read the signs of nature, and sharing your discoveries with your family and friends. The ecosystem around the Interpretive Center is called a sagebrush steppe ecosystem. The name “sagebrush” comes from the sagebrush plant, which is the most abundant plant in this ecosystem. The word “steppe” is a Russian word meaning “treeless plain.” The summers are very hot and dry here with almost no rain at all, while the winters are really cold with lots of snow. With such a harsh climate, how can anything survive out here? Let’s find out!