A SAFE AND HEALING SPACE WHERE ALL BODIES ARE EARTH BODIES
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
CORBETT, OREGON
A Place To Heal, Grow, And Belong
Land-based programs for survivors, queer & trans communities, youth, and those rebuilding connection to self, Earth, and community.
We believe all bodies are Earth bodies.
And healing happens in relationship—with land, with creativity, and with one another.
The Community Ecology Center is a land-based nonprofit offering trauma-informed farm, ecology, and arts programs that support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, queer and trans young adults, houseless and system-impacted youth, and community members seeking reconnection through care for the Earth.
Rooted in farming, creative practice, and peer-led learning, our programs remove traditional barriers to healing by offering free, accessible, and culturally responsive spaces where participants can build skills, restore nervous systems, and imagine sustainable futures—together.
Mission Statement
The Community Ecology Center cultivates safe, inclusive spaces where survivors, queer and trans communities, youth, and marginalized community members can heal and thrive through land-based education, ecological stewardship, and creative expression. Through farm programs, arts-based learning, and workforce-connected skill building, we foster self-efficacy, Earth connection, community resilience, and pathways toward collective care and long-term wellbeing.
OUR WORK
The Community Ecology Center was founded by Christine James, whose work bridges over a decade of farming and land stewardship with fifteen years of creative leadership as a photographer, art director, and educator. This interdisciplinary foundation shapes our farm-based sanctuary, where land, art, and community care come together as pathways to healing.
Through seasonal cohort programs, workshops, and community collaborations, we offer trauma-informed, land-based experiences led by farming, arts, crafts, and somatic healing practitioners. Participants engage in sustainable agriculture, food and flower cultivation, preservation, creative expression, and peer learning—developing practical skills that support long-term healing, confidence, and self-sufficiency.
Our work is strengthened through partnerships with established community organizations, service providers, and advocates serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence, queer and trans young adults, houseless and system-impacted youth, and others facing barriers to traditional healing spaces. Together, we co-create specialized programming that meets participants where they are, offering accessible entry points to restoration, skill-building, and community connection.
By combining the grounding rhythms of agricultural work with mentorship, artistic practice, and resource navigation, our programs support nervous system regulation, personal agency, and collective resilience. Alongside this work, participants contribute to the production of sustainable goods—such as honey, tea, and flowers—creating tangible outcomes that reinforce dignity, purpose, and pathways toward economic and ecological sustainability.
Each element of our programming is intentionally designed to foster belonging, strengthen community ties, and support participants in accessing additional resources and opportunities when they feel ready—on their own terms.
LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER
Dearest Ones,
If you are reading this, you may find yourself drawn to our story—our heart’s why, our reason for offering this community space.
A little over a decade ago, I became a single mother, hollowed out by nearly a lifetime of trauma and abuse. Deep within, I longed to be mothered, nurtured, and held in a space where my nervous system could begin to heal. That first year, I planted a handful of cut flowers and a small sunflower patch. I soon realized that this work was pulling me back into a body I had long since drifted away from.
In the garden, I felt something ancient and familiar—a primordial love I remembered from childhood, lying in the alfalfa field in front of my parents' house. Time slowed, shifting from the relentless pace of human-made schedules into a sacred, Earth-held rhythm.
The following year, the kids and I expanded the garden and the sunflower field. We scattered wildflower seeds, creating our own sanctuary of flowers. Deep in my bones, I knew that one day, I would offer what I had learned—a bridge for others to kneel in the soil and feel held in the Earth’s endless, sacred care.
She has taught me that when we open to her, our vision shifts, our hearts soften, and fear can be held and transmuted in the rhythm of her embrace. She offers a space where healing begins, where regulation and restoration come through her unwavering presence.
It has taken years to arrive here. In many ways, we have been in service to this work—quietly, unofficially—for the past seven years. And now, we step forward with intention.
So, here’s to our shared love of the Great Mother. To the truth that all flourishing is mutual (thank you, Robin). To creating safe and loving space for the queer and trans community, and for survivors of domestic and sexual assault.
I OFFER MY HANDS AND MY HEART TO YOU.
In Service,
Christine James.