Long-Term Ecological Reflections includes two residency programs at the Andrews Forest—the Blue River Writing Fellowship and the Andrews Forest Writing Residency. Creative writers whose work reflects a keen awareness of the natural world and an appreciation for both scientific and literary ways of knowing are invited to apply for the Andrews Forest Writers Residency. The Blue River Fellowships are offered to well-established writers by invitation.

The resident writers live at the Andrews Forest for one to two weeks, interact with the scientists, explore the forest, and write. Writers are encouraged to visit designated study sites for reflecting on and writing about the forest and their relation to it. These writings, which will form a collection spanning hundreds of years, will be gathered in permanent archives at Oregon State University, and are accessible via the web-based Forest Log.

Andrews Forest Writing Residency Schedule and Deadlines

The Andrews Forest Writing Residency is awarded twice a year, in spring and fall. When you apply for a residency, you'll identify up to three blocks of time (7 to 14 days each) that will work with your schedule. 

The spring residencies take place between March 1 and May 31, with an application deadline of December 1. The fall residencies take place between October 1 and November 30, with an application deadline of May 1. 

Note: Acceptance of applications for residencies are pending Covid-related restrictions in accordance with Oregon State University policy. We will post an update here when we begin accepting applications for our residency programs again.

Accommodations

Writers provide their own transportation and take care of their meals while at the Andrews. The apartment's kitchen is well-equipped with an oven/stove, cookware, and dishes. All facilities have wireless Internet access. Residents should bring a laptop if they so desire. A computer lab in the headquarters building is also available for word processing or accessing the Internet. A telephone is available in the headquarters building; residents should bring a calling card or prepaid phone card if they wish to place long-distance calls. Cell phones generally do not work at the Andrews.

During a residency at Andrews Forest, writers are provided:

  • a comfortable apartment at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest
  • access to a majestic ancient forest and world-renowned research site
  • opportunities to interact with research scientists as they go about their work
  • opportunities to have their writings included in The Forest Log
  • an honorarium of $250

The staff of the Spring Creek Project will do everything in our power to make each residency at the Andrews inspired, productive, and rejuvenating.

Expectations

This residency is unique in that it is deeply rooted in place. While visiting writers have the freedom to engage with their own projects, we also ask them to engage with and write about the Andrews Forest during their visit. We ask that each resident writer:

  • visits at some point during the residency each of three designated “Reflections Plots,” places of significant natural and research interest, and write some observations and reflections about those places.
  • gives permission to publish some of the writing from the residency in The Forest Log, a web-based anthology of notes, observations, poems, vignettes, essays, or insights, both working documents and “finished” pieces, that will over time constitute a multi-dimensional portrait of the Andrews. (We encourage residents to publish in any journal or other outlet they see fit. We only ask to have the rights to reprint anything you publish elsewhere about the Andrews.)

Program Partners

Long-Term Ecological Reflections is a collaboration between the Spring Creek Project, the Andrews Forest Long-Term Ecological Research Program, and the Pacific Northwest Research Station with funding from the U.S. Forest Service.