Newberry Volcano Geothermal Projects, Past and Future
2022-03-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Forty years of geothermal exploration and attempted development on Newberry Volcano has yet to result in geothermal electricity production. Since the National Volcanic Monument was formed in 1990, all drilling efforts have been on the volcano flanks where deep wells have encountered very high temperature at depth (320 C and 3 km), but no significant permeability. From 2010-2015, AltaRock Energy used the latest technologies and Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) methods to stimulate NWG 55-29, a well drilled by Davenport Newberry in 2008. That project ended with significant progress but not enough funding to drill a production well and prove the EGS resource. Private and public funding for geothermal research and development, which has been cyclical depending on the price of oil, global warming concerns, and politics, is back up. New plans to drill deeper at Newberry to access temperatures above 400 C are being made by AltaRock and a new drilling technologies partner, Quaise Energy.
This event can be attended on its own or as the first in a two-part series on geothermal energy for our March Power Hour on Wednesday, March 30th. Register for this event, Homegrown Renewables: Geothermal Energy, here.

Know Underground - Magnificent Mycelium with Fungi Perfecti
2022-03-23
Discover the fascinating symbiotic relationship between Plants and Fungi.
Fungi and plants have been allies for millions of years! Learn about the fascinating relationship between these organisms, and how to harness this ancient symbiosis to enrich green landscapes at any scale. You will hear about the use of mycorrhizal fungi, gardening with edible mushrooms, and how fungal sugars may benefit bees.
*This program will not be recorded.

Bend COTA Work Events
2022-03-24, 2022-03-31, 2022-04-07
When: Thursday Aug 11, Tuesday Aug 16, Tuesday Aug 23 and Tuesday Aug 30, 5:15 to Dusk
Where: Meet at the old Ray’s parking lot, NE corner of Simpson Ave and Century Drive in Bend
Worksite: Varies
There’s only one thing better than mountain biking in Bend, OR and that’s riding in Bend, knowing that you helped build and maintain the trails you love.
Please bring a hydration pack with water and a snack.
Be sure to bring appropriate layers to accommodate whatever the weather may be.
Questions? contact@cotamtb.com
All COTA trail work events require the following safety measures:
All participants are required to have the following protective clothing and equipment:

Sturdy shoes or boots
Gloves
Eye protection with clear or light colored lens
Long pants

Due to COTA’s insurance requirements and the inherent dangers of trail work, we must implement the following policy regarding children at work events:

For anyone 14 years of age or younger, we require one parent, guardian, or responsible adult for supervision of every four kids attending any COTA trail work events.
All minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian available to sign our waiver.

Anyone who arrives for a work event may be turned away if he/she cannot meet the above requirements.

Books in Common NW: Leah Thomas
2022-03-24
Books in Common NW welcomes environmental activist and eco-communicator Leah Thomas to share her new book INTERSECTIONAL ENVIRONMENTALIST.

On The Level' Webinar Series
2022-03-25, 2022-04-01
Join Earth Advantage & BetterBuiltNW for this three-part webinar series on envelope building science, installing exterior insulation, and ERV/HRV design best practices.

2022 Spring Ochoco Creek and CCPRD Park's Earth Day Cleanup
2022-03-26
The Rotary Club of Crook County is once again teaming up with Crook County Parks and Recreation, Deschutes Land Trust, SOLVE, Crook County, Republic Services and Crooked Roots Brewing to do an in stream cleanup of Ochoco Creek before high water hits and a general Parks Clean-up. Following the cleanup, folx will meet at Crooked Roots Brewing to celebrate our success. There will be complimentary finger food and happy hour pricing on the brews
Volunteers are needed to do both a thorough instream and bankside cleanup of Ochoco Creek and uplands Park cleanup on March 26th.

2022 Oregon Public Transportation Conference
2022-03-29 - 2022-03-30
Attend the Oregon Public Transportation Conference March 29-March 30th!

WHAT'S BREWING: Legislative Update with Sen. Knopp and Rep. Kropf
2022-03-29
Curious about how the 2022 legislative session ended — what legislation passed and what failed?
Join the Bend Chamber for a post-session wrap-up with two of our Central Oregon legislators, Senator Tim Knopp and Representative Jason Kropf. Both will share highlights of the 35-day short session and take questions about what’s on the agenda in the future.
The event will be hosted in-person at Open Space Event Studios. Food and beverages will be provided.
Special Guests: Senator Tim Knopp and Representative Jason Kropf
Moderators: Sara Odendahl, Government Affairs Consultant, and Katy Brooks, CEO, Bend Chamber

COCC Climate Teach-In, In-Person Event and Livestream available
2022-03-30
Join Panelists from Central Oregon Community College in coordination with the World-Wide Global Teach-In being organized by Bard University. Faculty and staff will engage the audience in dynamic 5-minute presentations focused on climate change from the perspectives of forestry, psychology, physics, microbiology, public health, art, sociology and more, followed by an interactive student-moderated discussion.

Cancelled-All We Can Save Book Circle Bend, Oregon
2022-03-30, 2022-04-06
Join for an in-person, self-organized book circle. Over 10-weeks this small group will create a safe and open space for climate conversations and read “All We Can Save: Truth, Courage & Solutions for the Climate Crisis” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson.
All We Can Save is an anthology of writings by 60 women at the forefront of the climate movement who are harnessing truth, courage, and solutions to lead humanity forward. While the book is compiled and written by women, everyone is welcome to join the book circle.
DATES: The group will meet Wednesdays starting Feb 9th. No meeting Mar 23rd due to Bend La-Pine school district spring break. Last circle meeting is Apr 20th (just before Earth Day).
**Class size is limited to 10 people. Please purchase a copy of the book at Roundabout Books, Dudley’s, Barnes and Noble, or your favorite online seller. Loaner copies of the book will be available to borrow for the 10-week circle.
More info about All We Can Save book circles
More praise for All We Can Save

Power Hour! Homegrown Renewables: Geothermal Energy
2022-03-30
Central Oregon can and should be a leader in the local generation of renewable energy. We have rich resources to explore here in our backyard. As the community embarks on discussions around creating an energy plan for Deschutes County and as the City of Bend explores local generation opportunities to meet renewable energy goals laid out in the Community Climate Action Plan, now is the time for us to come together and learn about the resources that are available in our community. This series will explore homegrown opportunities to produce renewable energy.
First up, geothermal energy! We will review what geothermal energy is and how it is used in Oregon, dig into case studies of projects that have happened here in Oregon, and look at resources to get projects started.
Register for this event
Meet our Speakers

Dr. Daniele McKay is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon. She lives in Bend, Oregon and teaches online geology courses throughout the academic year, and field courses in central Oregon during the summer. Her research background is in physical volcanology with a focus on recent mafic eruptions in the central Oregon Cascades. She is also interested in how societies prepare for and respond to natural disasters, especially volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. She has worked with Deschutes County, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience, and the Red Cross on natural hazard preparedness and mitigation in central Oregon.

Joshua Reed, Project Manager, Renewable Energy, Energy Trust of Oregon

Future events will include conversations about biomass, micro-hydro, and solar. The full line-up will be listed on our the Power Hour page as details are released!
__________
You can kick off this discussion topic by attending the Central Oregon Geoscience Society’s event, Newberry Volcano Geothermal Projects, Past and Future, on Tuesday, March 22nd.
___________
These events are meant to be exploratory and not necessarily answer which sources of energy are the best for each community. Rather, we want to see communities engage in robust dialogue about what is available so that when it comes to making energy plans and decisions on where we prioritize getting energy from, we all have some foundational knowledge to work from.
Since we are not the only community navigating renewable energy and energy planning conversations right now we are collaborating with Sustainable Northwest and their Making Energy Work coalition to expand this conversation across rural Oregon so that we can learn from more communities engaging in this impactful work right now.
Register for this event

Nature Nights: American Pikas and Climate Change
2022-03-30
Save the date! The Land Trust is pleased to present their 2022 Nature Nights series.
You might know the America pika as a fuzzy little creature that chirps and runs away with grass in its mouth while you’re hiking in the mountains, but they are oh so much more than that! Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Dr. Matt Shinderman, director of the Human and Ecosystem Resilience and Sustainability Lab at OSU-Cascades, for a talk on these intriguing creatures and how they are adapting to major challenges like climate change. Dr. Shinderman will share the results of a five-year study of American pikas in the Pacific Northwest that suggests that they can persist in lower elevation landscapes in our high desert, despite their moniker as a high alpine species. Matt will also include lessons learned from other long-term monitoring efforts, and offer solutions for how we can all help pikas thrive into the future.
*This presentation is free and registration will open on February 28th.

Testing
2022-03-31 - 2022-04-20

The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet
2022-03-31
Join OSU-Cascades for a special evening with one of the world’s leading and most influential climate scientists, Michael Mann, to learn why we must work together now to reverse decades of climate inaction and how we can still prevent the worst impacts of a climate crisis.

Spring Gardening Seminar
2022-04-02
Native Bees and Plants taught by OSU Master Gardener Toni Stephan
Many pollinators are suffering due to loss of habitat and floral resources. However, research shows that even the smallest of home gardens is beneficial for our pollinators. This class will cover some of the things every gardener can do to help our pollinators. A photo show including ornamental and native plants for our local pollinators, primarily native bees, will be part of the presentation.

Spring Gardening Seminar
2022-04-02
Greenhouse Design for All-Season Growing taught by Eileen Obermiller, Landscape Architect
What can I expect to germinate, grow, and harvest with a residential All-Season Greenhouse? How much effort does it take to make it work? How is a residential All-Season Greenhouse different from a typical greenhouse? Does it need winter heating? What happens when temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees? Won’t it overheat in the summer? We will answer these questions focusing on which vegetables are best suited for summer verses winter growing, when to plant those seeds, and how to prolong harvests. We will discuss strategies for collecting and storing heat as well as other important considerations in the design of a residential All-Season Greenhouse.
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Gala de Oro 2022
2022-04-02
Gala de Oro moves to Redmond
LCA will celebrate their 2022 Gala de Oro fundraiser in Redmond, at Eagle Crest Resort, 1522 Cline Falls Road, on April 2, from 5 p.m. to midnight.
SAVE THE DATE ~ GUARDA LA FECHA

For the Love of Dark Skies: Good for People, Ecosystems and the Economy
2022-04-04
Central Oregon sits on the edge of the largest intact area of pristine dark skies in the Lower 48—a vanishing natural resource. Join Mary Coolidge of Portland Audubon and a board member of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) Oregon Chapter and Dr. Bill Kowalik, board chair of the IDA Oregon Chapter, to learn about ecological light pollution and how we can conserve our dark skies.
Reservation required

Happy Hour in the Garden
2022-04-05
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.

Habitat Restoration and Native Fish
2022-04-05
Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is coordinating a six-part informational speaker series about Whychus Creek and its watershed! They are working with natural resource partners to present an educational watershed series for community members to learn about the history, hydrology, habitat conditions, native fish, water conservation, stream restoration activities, and ways that YOU can become an engaged steward for Whychus Creek. They will coordinate each session with presentations from their partners from the Deschutes National Forest, Deschutes River Conservancy, Oregon Water Resource Department, the Fly FIsher’s Place, the City of Sisters, Three Sisters Irrigation District, and others. The series will culminate with an in-person tour of restoration projects along Whychus Creek.
The speaker series will be held at the Sisters Library. All presentations will be delivered in-person with a virtual attendance option. The Whychus Watershed Tour will be held outside in-person. Pre-registration is required.
For more information or to register contact: kmiller@restorethedeschutes.org

Alzheimer’s Association Central Oregon Community Forum
2022-04-06
Central Oregon Community Forum, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon, Center for Age Friendly Excellence- Bend, Peaceful Presence, and Diversability Inc.
Wednesday, April 6, 6:00-7:30 pm on Zoom
We welcome you to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association’s work and to share your experiences to help more people in our community get connected to dementia resources, support, or brain health information. The meeting is expected to last about 90 minutes on Zoom, offering time for your questions and an opportunity to connect with other community members. We’d like to know how we can better support our Central Oregon community.
Please register in advance for this meeting here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv-2NTEIycYKGRnjfLsB6SQd22ZJB8HG9LKyvc7TrPL1VRUA/viewform
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Zoom meeting.

$1/Pint on Thursdays at Backside Kegs
2022-04-07
Support The Environmental Center this April – every Thursday, Backside Kegs is donating $1 per pint when you mention The Environmental Center. Backside Kegs is located at 740 NE 3rd St Suite #6, right behind 3rd Street Beverage.

Bend YP DevLab: Challenging Times Require Leadership Flexibility
2022-04-07
Led by energetic speaker Anthony Poponi of Focus on the 40, Bend YP WILL explore the Five Voices of Leadership to understand our strengths and blind spots.
You’ll then lean into the growth mindset, tap into behavioral flexibility and build up mental fitness in a short session to combat self-sabotage patterns.

South Fork Spring Riparian Planting
2022-04-08 - 2022-04-12
Join ONDA for another spring season of tree planting on the South Fork Crooked River.
2022 marks the 35th year that ONDA has been working to protect, defend, and restore the high desert…come celebrate with the stewardship team on this trip. In addition to inviting 35 volunteers to attend, activities will include planting, preparing cardboard mats for the plants, wildlife monitoring, hiking, and touring another ONDA project in the area.
While some tasks will be physically challenging, the wide variety of tasks of varying levels of intensity ensures there is a task for everyone. No experience required.

Spring Gardening Seminar
2022-04-09
Firewise Gardening taught by OSU Horticulture Professor Amy Jo Detweiler
As the Western United States population continues to grow, more and more homes are creeping into forest and rangeland areas called the wildland urban interface. The number of wildfires in combination with this urban sprawl can potentially increase the number of fire-prone landscapes. Learn more about creating a fire-wise landscape. In this class you will learn about fire behavior basics, ways to reduce the fuel load, ways to design your landscape in the home ignition zone, characteristics of fire-resistant plants, and plant selection for your fire-wise design.​
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Meet the Climate Candidates
2022-04-11
Meet OLCV’s top priority candidates for the 2022 May Primary. Hear directly from the candidates about their environmental values and how you can volunteer to help get them elected.
Featured candidates:
Tina Kotek for Governor
Jessica Vega Pederson for Multnomah County Chair
& a few priority legislative candidates
