Weed Warriors at Whychus Canyon Preserve
2023-08-02 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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, 2024-03-19 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-04-02 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-04-16 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-05-07 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-05-21 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-06-04 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.

Recycled Materials Bag Sewing Party
2024-04-08 11:00 - 15:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Calling all seamstresses! St. Charles Medical Center and Bend Anesthesiology Group are partnering with The Environmental Center to create reusable tote bags out of sterile blue wrap, used to sterilize surgical instruments. This repurposed material is water resistant, sturdy, functional and with your help, fashionable! If the material is not being reused, it is immediately tossed in the trash and sent to our landfill. This is one chance to help our community divert non-recyclables from the landfill! These bags will be reused in our “Sustainable Summer” fundraising event later this year (stay tuned!).
Bring your sewing machine, scissors, pins, ruler, chalk, and cutting mat and we will provide the fabric and patterns!
**All levels of experience are welcome!**

2024 Earth Day Fair and Parade
2024-04-20 11:00 - 15:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Save the Date! The 2024 Earth Day Fair and Parade will take place on Saturday, April 20th. An Annual Celebration of Earth And Community.
This family-friendly event typically features a lively and inclusive parade through downtown Bend where folks are encouraged to wear costumes to showcase their favorite thing about planet earth. During the fair, food vendors, booths, and performers offer something for everyone.
Stay tuned for updates on performances that will take place on Troy Field!

2024 SELCO POLE PEDAL PADDLE
2024-04-24 09:00 - 18:00
When you participate in the SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle, you support the work and mission of the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation (MSBEF). Register here
In order to make Pole Pedal Paddle a reality, MBSEF leans on hundreds of volunteers to help organize, manage, and carrying out every detail before and on race day. Volunteering is a wonderful way to make new friends and play an important role in one of our community’s most beloved events. Sign up to volunteer here!

Garden Clean Up at Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden
2024-05-21 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-05-28 09:00 - 10:00 | Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
May 21 and May 28
9:00-10:00 AM
No registration. Just show up.
NE 9th and NE Franklin, Bend
Bring weeding tools, shovel, bucket, gloves, hat, sunscreen, water.
Franklin’s Corner pollinator garden is co-located with the community vegetable garden. The pollinator garden demonstrates waterwise landscaping with native pollinator plants. It’s maintained entirely by volunteers.

Volunteer at Native Plant Giveaways
2024-06-01 09:00 - 12:00
June 1, 9:00-12:00 PM at Caldera High School (60925 SE 15th St, Bend)
June 8, 9:00-1:00 PM at Hollinshead Park (1235 NE Jones Rd, Bend)
Volunteer to hand out plants or staff the info table by completing this form. We will give away plants to 560 households this year thanks to the City of Bend, Wintercreek Nursery and Worthy Environmental. That means we need a lot of help!
Please note that there was a separate registration for plants and both dates are sold out.

SheJumps x USFS | WILD SKILLS | Junior Wildland Firefighter Day Camp | OR
2024-06-01 09:30 - 15:30
Join SheJumps & USFS Junior Wildland Firefighter for a day camp at Scout Lake Campground on Saturday, June 1st in Sisters, Oregon!
