The Oliansky Family
For the Love of the Forest
Isaak and Julia, who spent three years living in the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, are dedicated to protecting biodiversity and intact ecosystems while building a resilient community for their growing family.
A Cabin in the Wilderness
When Isaak and Julia met at a gathering in Southern California, it was love at first sight. They knew instantly that they wanted to be together. The question was where they should live. Isaak was living in Portland and Julia, who grew up outside Washington, D.C., was living in San Francisco. They decided to meet in the middle and move to Ashland.
They found an ad on Craigslist for a cabin on Soda Mountain Road, in the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, and decided to spend a few months living there while they figured out their next step as a new couple.
“The trees called us here,” said Julia, who is the author of The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing and founder of The Forest Bathing Club.
– Julia Oliansky
Into the Mountains
Little did they know there was a global pandemic on its way. It turns out a cabin in the wilderness was the perfect place to weather the pandemic.
The couple eventually moved to a cabin at The Oregon Extension and stayed in the Green Springs for three years hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and mushroom hunting with their beloved dog Mesa in paradise.
“I couldn’t believe my luck. On a walk in the woods, I’d look up at old growth Ponderosa pines and look down to find a hundred dollars worth of morels.”
– Isaak Oliansky
Finding Ashland
Isaak, who grew up in Portland and went to school at University of Oregon in Eugene, kept moving south in search of more sunshine and access to the outdoors. Isaak’s background is primarily in social work; he worked for a few years as the Executive Director of the Ashland Community Food Bank before transitioning to his current role at the Klamath Siskiyou Wildland Center (KS Wild).
After getting married at Willow Witt and having a baby, they decided to move into town for more walkability and more connection to the community.
Protecting Old Growth Ecosystems
“What I love the most about our bioregion is the old growth ecosystems. We have more intact wildlands than anywhere else on the West Coast. In my view these old growth ecosystems are fundamentally what makes this bioregion the special place it is,” says Isaak.
As the development manager for KS Wild, the premier legal environmental entity between Eugene and the Bay Area, Isaak works to raise both funds and community. KS Wild’s work focuses on the defense of old growth ecosystems in our bioregion and has set precedent and case law that applies nationally.
Heart and Hope
“Where I grew up, it was not an uncommon site to see endless acres of Doug fir plantations and clear cuts in the countryside. We have those issues here, however, the amount of intact and protected lands here has always given me heart and hope,” he says.
After getting laid off from a remote job with a brand agency last summer, Julia, who has an MFA in Products of Design and completed a Master’s thesis on the mental health effects of being disconnected from nature, has turned her work more local. She has been focused on creating Place-Based Projects, a collaborative creative studio dedicated to supporting bioregional efforts through storytelling, experience design, and community activation.
“I love this community and this region and I want to shift my work to help nurture what is important to me.”
– Julia Oliansky
Envisioning Ashland’s Future
The couple envisions Ashland as a refuge and an inspiring example of ecological resilience. That means smart water use practices, extensive firescaping and ground burning, and food forests as a normalized part of the city landscape.
Isaak, an avid gravel and mountain biker says, “I hope for deeper integration of bike and pedestrian paths with the wildlands that surround us. I’d like to see car-free corridors between the Siskiyous and the Cascades that are safe and fun for all user abilities.”
As for the downtown, they see the potential for it to resemble a European city with increased walkability and car-free plazas as well as places where children can run free without worrying about cars.
The Power of Individual Action
They believe individual action is so important because it’s truly individuals who inspire us to take action and work to protect what we love.
“We’re lucky to have some truly inspiring mentors in Southern Oregon that have helped shape us and inspire us to do meaningful work. To name a few: Dave Willis of the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council, Hazel Vaarde of Siskiyou Permaculture, longtime activist and artist Dot Fisher-Smith,” says Julia
Preserving Biodiversity
Julia and Isaak are especially passionate about preserving the biodiversity and intact, connected ecosystems of this region including salmon habitat, apex predators like spotted owls and wolves, and endemic species like Siskiyou Salamander and Darlingtonia.
“The health of an ecosystem directly correlates to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the people in the community,” says Julia, who is an advocate for ecological consciousness. She believes that part of what makes Ashland such a special place is its healing waters and wild nature. “Ashland has always been a place for healing,” she says.
“We’re committed to raising our children in Ashland and want it to continue to be a safe, thriving community. We’d like to ensure safer bike lanes so that our children can bike around safely,” says Julia, noting that the Ashland Climate’s Streets for Everyone team feels especially important to their family.
– Julia Oliansky
Story Credits
Family
Julia, Isaak, Hadassah, and baby Oliansky
Author
Julia Oliansky, The Earth Has A Mother
Editor
Rachel Koning
Photography
Professional photos by Jade Hinck of Lilys & Horns Photography.
Top and bottom photos of the Cascade Siskiyou Monument by Sean Bagshaw Outdoor Exposure Photography.
Personal photos shared courtesy of The Oliansky Family.