The Environmental Center

Stream Sampling on Whychus Creek
2022-08-11 08:30 - 16:00, 2022-08-12 08:30 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Creekside City Park, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Sampling benthic macroinvertebrates, the aquatic life form of insects including mayflies and stoneflies, provides important insights into the health of Whychus Creek. Volunteers will meet at Creekside Park in Sisters for a sampling training, then, in teams of two to four, collect macroinvertebrate samples from sites along Whychus. This event is a great opportunity to learn about restoration and reintroduction of steelhead and salmon on Whychus Creek, see less-visited reaches of the creek, and contribute to knowledge about how restoration actions are changing stream conditions.

2022 Fall Ochoco Creek Clean-up
2022-10-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join SOLVE for the annual Ochoco Creek clean-up in Prineville. This cleanup is sponsored by Crook County Rotary Club, and Crook County Parks and Recreation District.

Spring Clean-Up Day at The Museum At Warm Springs
2023-03-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Spring Clean-Up Day at The Museum on Saturday, March 18, 1-5 p.m. with Reception to Follow from 5-6:30 p.m.
In honor of The Museum’s 30th anniversary, which is being celebrated throughout 2023, The Museum At Warm Springs is planning a Spring Clean-Up of its grounds. Everyone is invited. Bring your rakes. Garbage bags will be provided.
The Clean-Up will be from 1-5 p.m. with a reception to follow from 5-6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and participants will have an opportunity to mix and mingle with members of The Museum’s Board of Directors and members of the Warm Springs Tribal Council.
Please RSVP by Friday, March 10 to Museum Operations Manager Sunmiet Maben at officemanager@museumatwarmsprings.org, as they will need to get a head count for the caterer.
See you on March 18th!

Happy Hour in the Garden
2023-03-21 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-04-04 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-05-02 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-05-16 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-06-06 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-06-20 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2023, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.
For Spring 2023, our Happy Hours will be 4-6pm, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month.
March & April Happy Hours sponsored by Wild Ride Brewing

March 7 & 21
April 4 & 18

May & June Happy Hours sponsored by Worthy Environmental

May 2 & 16
June 6 & 20

Stay tuned for confirmation of dates for July through October, as these might switch to the 2nd & 4th…)
Contact Denise, Garden Program Manager, if you have any questions about getting involved.

Happy Hour in the Garden
2023-04-18 16:00 - 18:00

COTA Trail Love
2023-05-20 09:00 - 14:00 | Embark, 2843 NW Lolo Dr., Bend, OR, 97703, United States
Trail Love is a community event that COTA hosts to gather folks to come out for a day of collective trail work. The riding season has just started and the moisture in the soil allows for great trail work conditions. Our goal is to get 100+ volunteers who are passionate about trails get a ton of trail work done to keep the trails riding great!
Everyone is welcome to this event, and no previous trail work experience is necessary! We encourage all trail enthusiasts to join us for a day of trail work, camaraderie, and celebration. It’s a perfect opportunity to learn about trail maintenance and contribute to the community. Youth are welcome with a parent/guardian.
The much-awaited riding season is finally here, and what better way to kick it off than by coming together as a community to improve our mountain bike trails?
If you plan on attending, please signup on Meetup here!
Event Details:
We will meet at 9am at the Embark Co-working Community parking lot (2843 NW Lolo Dr. Bend, OR). We ask that people park on the street so we don’t overcrowd the lots of adjacent businesses.
Event Agenda:
9a: COTA intro and safety talk
9:30a: Present Crew Leader pairs and projects – split into crews
10a – 1p: Trail WORK!
1p: Lunch and beverages at Embark
What to bring:

Water
Snacks

All tools and safety equipment will be provided!
What to wear:

Long sleeve shirt
Long pants
Closed toed shoes
Sunglasses, or you can borrow our eye protection

*Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty*

Deschutes River Cleanup
2023-07-29 09:00 - 14:00
Join us for our largest annual day of stewardship, the Deschutes River Cleanup on July 29th. River and riparian cleanup activities will take place along the riparian areas of the Deschutes River at six different stewardship sites: La Pine State Park, Meadow Camp Picnic Area, Farewell Bend Park, Riverbend Park, First Street Rapids Trail, and Tumalo State Park. We would like to thank our partners at Oregon State Parks and Leave No Trace for helping make this incredible day of stewardship possible!
Community volunteers of all ages are invited to pull invasive weeds, remove litter from the stream banks, and dive instream to pull debris out of the river itself. Thanks to volunteers’ hard work last year, we removed approximately 2,600 pounds of garbage and weeds from the Deschutes River and its sensitive riparian areas! We hope you can join us for another great day of stewardship this summer.
Register here!

Weed Warriors at Whychus Canyon Preserve
2023-08-02 09:00 - 12:00 | Whychus Canyon Preserve, Sisters, OR, 97756, United States
Join the Weed Warriors to battle invasive weeds at our protected lands! Weed Warriors is a volunteer group that meets several times a month to remove invasive weeds like mullein, spotted knapweed, teasel, and Canada thistle from the Land Trust protected lands. Non-native vegetation is a major threat to functioning natural areas. Pulling them by hand helps restore native plant communities.
Rating: Work party with moderate physical activity that includes digging and pulling weeds out of uneven ground.
What to bring: Work gloves and weeding tools (if you have them), snacks, water, and closed toe shoes. Dress for the weather.
Register Here!

Happy Hour in the Garden
2023-08-08 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-09-12 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-09-26 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-10-10 16:00 - 18:00, 2023-10-24 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2023, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.
For Summer & Fall 2023, our Happy Hours will be 4-6pm, on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month.
March & April Happy Hours sponsored by Wild Ride Brewing

March 7 & 21
April 4 & 18

May & June Happy Hours sponsored by Worthy Environmental

May 2 & 16
June 6 & 20

July & August Happy Hours sponsored by Worthy Environmental

July 11 & 25
August 8 & 22

September & October Happy Hours sponsored by Boneyard Beer

September 12 & 26
October 10 & 24

Contact Denise, Garden Program Manager, if you have any questions about getting involved.

Stream Sampling on Whychus Creek
2023-08-10 08:30 - 2023-08-11 16:00 | Whychus Creek, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Do you have an interest in supporting the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council as a community scientist? They invite you to join them for their annual Stream Sampling Days on Whychus Creek this August 10th or 11th!

Sampling the aquatic insect community in restoration project reaches allows our organization and partners to understand the habitat these projects are providing for aquatic critters like bugs and fish. Join on August 10th or 11th (or both!) to collect stream samples along Whychus Creek that will provide information about their restoration projects, fish habitat, and stream health. You’ll spend the day with a small team collecting samples from the stream on Deschutes Land Trust preserves and National Forest lands and will have the opportunity to learn about their restoration efforts and see less-visited reaches of the creek.

Please register below to volunteer for one day or both. For questions about Stream Sampling, please contact Lauren Mork at lmork@restorethedeschutes.org
Thursday, August 10th Registration
Friday, August 11th Registration

(Cancelled due to smoke) Happy Hour in the Garden
2023-08-22 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703

Deschutes Land Trust Planting Parties
2023-10-10 10:00 - 13:00, 2023-10-11 10:00 - 13:00, 2023-10-12 10:00 - 13:00, 2023-10-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, Sisters, OR, 97756, United States
Camp Polk Meadow Preserve: October 10 & 11
Roll up your sleeves and help the Deschutes Land Trust plant native plants in a recent restoration area at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. We have been working for several years to restore the native plant community in the Hindman Springs portion of the Preserve. Volunteers will help complete one of the last phases of the restoration by planting native plants in a portion of the Preserve where weeds were recently removed. Get your hands dirty and have fun while improving wildlife habitat and making a difference in Central Oregon. This is a family-friendly work party!
Register here for 10/10, 10am-1pm
Register here for 10/11, 10am-1pm
Indian Ford Meadow Preserve: October 12 & 13
Roll up your sleeves and help the Deschutes Land Trust plant native plants in a recent restoration area at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. We have been working to restore the native plant community at the Preserve, and volunteers will help plant native plants in a portion of the Preserve where weeds were recently removed. Get your hands dirty and have fun while improving wildlife habitat and making a difference in Central Oregon. This is a family-friendly work party!
Register here for 10/12, 10am-1pm
Register here for 10/13, 10am-1pm

2023 Lava Island Fish Rescue
2023-10-14 - 2023-10-16
Sign Up for Your Time Slot HERE!
Every fall flows drop in the Upper Deschutes as water begins to be stored in Wickiup and Crane Prairie Reservoirs for irrigation use next summer. When this happens, fish residing in the Lava Island side channel of the Deschutes become stranded from the main stem of the river.
DRC is once again aiding irrigation district efforts to rescue fish by coordinating volunteers. Volunteers will collect fish from the Lava Island side channel and transport them in buckets to the mainstem of the Deschutes River.
The projected rescue dates this year will be October 14th-16th. There will be two time slots per day. The morning slots will be from 8 or 9 AM to 12 pm and the afternoon slot will be from 1 PM to 5 PM.
***Please note, dates are tentative and may change due to weather and dam operations. DRC will be in touch with all volunteers via text to provide updates***
There will be three jobs throughout the day:
Netting fish (must be experienced and bring waders and boots)
Carrying bucketed fish to be counted (majority of the volunteers need)
Counting/identifying fish (must be experienced identifying and handling fish)
The majority of volunteers will be helping run buckets from the capture site to the counting site. The buckets will weigh 35-40 pounds each.
Please bring a water bottle, snacks, hiking shoes, hats, sunscreen. We will provide coffee, snacks, pizza, and water.

Trail Love
2023-10-14 09:00 - 13:00
Ideal weather conditions for trail maintenance have finally arrived, and we are stoked to invite you to our final Trail Love of the season! Join us as we gather from all over the community to spend a day improving our trails.
We’ll meet at 9am at Swampy Lakes Trailhead (note this meeting location is weather dependent and is subject to change). Groups will get a safety briefing, then breakout into groups to head out for trail work. Lunch, beverages, AND Bonta Gelato will be provided when groups return around 1pm.
Everyone is welcome! Whether you’re an experienced trailblazer or a beginner looking to lend a helping hand, your participation is highly valued. Together, we can make a substantial impact on the upkeep and enhancement of our beloved trails. Please signup on Meetup here!

Connect Central Oregon Volunteer and Board Fair
2023-10-16 16:30 - 18:30 | Deschutes County Fair & Expo, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
Connect Central Oregon invites you, your colleagues, and all OSU-Cascades students to our annual Volunteer and Board Fair on Monday, October 16th, from 4:45 to 6:30, at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center. Fifty organizations, from all over our region, will be offering a wide variety of volunteer and board service opportunities.
Find more information about the Fair and the organizations that will be there at connectcentraloregon.org/fair

Hands on Habitat - Beaver Works Volunteer Opportunity
2023-10-21 09:00 - 16:00
This is a one-day project to plant beaver and other wildlife habitat in Tetherow Crossing Park in Redmond, Oregon
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Itinerary: Planting will take place between 9AM and 4PM on Saturday, October 21st.
Tasks will include: Digging in somewhat-rocky soil, assessing survival, growth rate, and recruitment of existing plants, planting potted native riparian plants, removing weeds by hand, and installing wildlife trail cameras.
What you’ll need: A positive attitude and work ethic; Plan to bring your own lunch and we’ll bring the special treats. We’ll have work gloves, but feel free to bring your own. Work will be outside, so dress for the weather.
About the Location: Tetherow Crossing Park occupies a scenic stretch of the trout-filled upper Deschutes River. This park is home to one of the oldest standing houses in Deschutes County. Our work site is in a really picturesque and accessible section of the park. Volunteers will be part of the second stage of a multi-year project, as well as learn about beaver, wildlife habitat use, and riparian restoration. There are no bathrooms nearby.
We’ll need about 10 people for this project – so share this with your friends and make a fun day out of it while helping to restore beaver habitat!
SIGN UP HERE!

Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-03-05 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2024, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 4-6pm. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.
