The Oregon Paleo Lands Institute

The Oregon Paleo Lands Institute is a new, educational non-profit in Fossil, Oregon, dedicated to connecting the public with Oregon’s natural and geologic history. OPLI is developing education-based tourism in rural Wheeler County, OR as part of regional economic development. We are focused on helping this region of Oregon achieve a sustainable future. Our partners include the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Wheeler County, and school districts in north-central Oregon. We offer art, writing, and photographic workshops, guided hikes and bike trips, family activities, float trips, and custom itineraries across Oregon, with an emphasis on the geologic and natural history of the John Day Basin. We also work with schools and school groups, provide specialized trips, and classroom assistance for schools. The Oregon Paleo Lands Institute mission is to protect, promote, and educate about Oregon's ancient and living landscapes including the Earth's most accessible place to view the past 40 million years of life, while supporting the rural communities of the John Day Basin.