The Environmental Center

InFARMation: Pasture to Plate - Breaking Down Small Scale Meat Processing
2020-06-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Friends of Family Farmers to hear from farmers and processors about the ins and outs of small scale processing options in Oregon, how the pandemic has impacted small farmers and ranchers, and what the state is doing about it.

You Belong Here Virtual Celebration
2020-06-27
Join Camp Fire for an online celebration of belonging! Learn from young people about the power of affirming adults in their lives and the impact that it has had on their ability to have a positive identity.

Willing Workers On Local Farms
2020-06-28
Willing Workers On Local Farms (WWOLF) WWOLF is a community program of Central Oregon Locavore Non-Profit with the goal of lending a hand to small farmers while educating the community about the true nature of local food.

Peaceful Sit-In Black Lives Matter Protest
2020-06-28
Join us in Prineville, Oregon for a peaceful sit in Black Lives Matter protest. This is a gathering for peace, education, friendship, and Justice! There will be no speeches or live music at this event, this will be a peaceful sit in with chanting. Please bring your signs, chairs/blankets and voices. We are in this together.
There will be water and snacks provided. You are more than welcome to bring extra supplies such as food/water and a first aid kit. If you are coming with the intentions of being violent, this is not for you. Allies and Allied groups are welcome and invited, but only on the premise that they come to support the Black Lives Matter Movement!
Physical distancing will be practiced. Please bring face masks, or other face covering if possible.

Forest Explorers Summer Camp
2020-06-29 - 2020-07-02, 2020-06-30 - 2020-07-03, 2020-07-01 - 2020-07-04, 2020-07-02 - 2020-07-05
We’re excited for some summer fun in the forest! We will learn about natural history, explore the forest, create shelters, and splash in Tumalo Creek. The health & safety of our participants and staff is our top priority. We hope the fresh air, exercise, learning, and interacting will help students feel refreshed and joyful! Sign up today before we’re full.
Currently, we have space for:
June 29-July 2 *Space for 3 more campers in older group
Ages: 6-10 years
Cost: $180/child or $125/child for 2+siblings
Where: Skyliner Lodge – 16125 Skyliners Road, Bend, OR

Love Your Neighbor Virtual Forum
2020-06-29
Explore the racial unrest underway across the U.S. with a panel of Central Oregonians of color at this Love Your Neighbor forum.
Members of the panel will share their perspectives on race relations, and include audience participation to look at ways to advance racial justice locally and nationally.

Farmers Connecting with Other Farmers
2020-06-29
FoFF’s warmly invites producers to join their Virtual Farmer Chats, July 13th and 27th from 7:30 to 9:00pm, where they will continue to discuss Racial and Food Justice. FoFF’s creates a space for farmers to talk with each other about how we can dismantle the mechanisms that oppress our fellow farmers, neighbors, and friends. All farmers, ranchers and farmworkers are welcome.

Who Drives Electric Vehicles?
2020-06-30
Live Q&A with EV Driver, Apartment dweller and commuter Amy Mitchell
Oregon is experiencing a boom in new electric vehicle (EV) drivers. Let’s get to know some of our co-workers, neighbors, and members of our central Oregon community that have made the shift to driving electric. Our broad community of EV drivers all have different needs and are excited to share their unique perspectives on driving on electricity.

Removing Snake River Dams
2020-06-30
Join Central Oregon Bitterbrush Broads for a special online presentation! Learn how removing outdated dams on the Lower Snake River can help revive declining salmon populations and let salmon once again spawn freely up the Columbia River and its tributaries. Make sure you register in order to receive a link to the presentation!

Happy Hour in the Garden Slowly Reopens
2020-06-30, 2020-07-07
Our Garden Team has kicked off Happy Hour in the Garden. Join us every Tuesday, 4-6pm, through September 1st.
Here are our new COVID-10 guidelines, which we also have posted on our task board in the garden.
Volunteering in the Garden COVID Guidelines:

There will be a maximum of 8 volunteers (we do not have an RSVP set up for this at this time)
Please BYO (bring your own) gloves & hand tools (if you have them)
I will have other sanitized tools available for use if needed
Please bring a can coozie. Our donated beverages will be in cans and bottles this year, coozie will help you to identify yours.
Please maintain 6′ social distancing rules
Please bring your face masks to wear when 6′ can’t be maintained for a project
If you bring kids, they must be supervised and able to follow other garden guidelines
Garden Team will be: sanitizing tools, pens, and picnic table before and after use
We will have hand washing station and hand sanitizer available for use. Please use them!
Don’t come if you, anyone in your household, or anyone you have come in contact with has had any symptoms in the last 72 hours.

Every 4 weeks we’ll have another sponsor. Thanks to Humm Kombucha, Worthy Garden Club, 10 Barrel, Deschutes Brewery & Boneyard Beer for coming on board again this year!

Parenting Happy Hour
2020-06-30
Join Central Oregon Womxn in Conservation for parenting happy hour via Zoom!
Share tips, stories, or commiserate on how you got through the weirdest school/daycare year on record and how you are managing summer time off for kids. There will be space for other hot topics like how we are talking about racism with our kids. Hosted by Womxn in Conservation parents: Sarah Mowry and Megan Hill (who are still recovering from the school year! ? ). Grab your favorite beverage and join Womxn in Conservation!

VIRTUAL TREE YOGA
2020-06-30
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Maret Pajutee for a meditative evening of Tree Yoga from the comfort of your own home. Find your personal ponderosa pine (or other comfortable yoga space) and use it to help you stretch both body and mind with Tree Yoga! Maret will guide you through gentle movements and meditation to help ground you and reconnect to the healing power of nature. Bring a yoga mat, chair, towel or blanket, a cup of tea, and your computer or phone to your favorite room, deck, or garden space. Take a break and rejuvenate with Land Trust volunteer Maret Pajutee, tree lover and local yoga teacher. Suitable for all ages.

Protest for Equality in Education
2020-07-01

CLIMATE CHANGE IN CENTRAL OREGON
2020-07-01
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Fiona Noonan to learn about climate change impacts and solutions in Central Oregon from the comfort of your home. Discuss climate science, the effects of climate change on natural systems, and the ways that conservation can combat rising temperatures and shifting habitats. Learn about the Land Trust’s climate change strategy and the ways you can make a difference on your own! Then you’ll have a chance to ask your own climate change questions during a during a question and answer session.

The Snake River: Hope & Opportunity at the Tipping Point
2020-07-01
Northeast Oregon is home to America’s deepest canyon and the longest recorded habitation by humans. Learn about the importance of the Snake River to indigenous people, wildlife, and generations of battles to protect and restore it from a diverse group of multigenerational advocates.
Oregon is home to North America’s deepest Canyon. That’s right. Hells Canyon – which marks much of the boundary between Oregon and Idaho – is even deeper than the Grand! Connecting Yellowstone to the Columbia, the Snake is an artery of life through some of America’s wildest and most diverse landscapes. The watershed is also home to the oldest current evidence of human habitation in America. The Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) have been here for over 16,000 years.
The Snake once hosted abundant salmon runs and gave life to people and wildlife alike. It still plays an important role, but has been fought over and degraded for decades. Things may be about to change. Learn about the river’s importance to indigenous people, the successful battles to keep parts of the river wild and free, and current efforts to free the Snake!

Racial Injustice and the Tools of Civility: A Central Oregon Perspective
2020-07-02
During this livestream, Erika McCalpine and Zak Boone, co-Chairs of City Club’s Civility Project, will facilitate a conversation with two Black men, Marcus LeGrand and Rob Garrott, about their personal experiences living in Central Oregon; especially during these times of racial unrest.
In addition, panelists will speak to Police Chief Jim Porter to learn what the Bend Police Department is doing to ensure the departments’ encounters with Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOCs) in Central Oregon are safe.

Bend COTA Work Events
2020-07-02, 2020-07-09
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.

Bike for BLM
2020-07-04
Show up. Spread the word. Bike/march/skate for equality.

Know Your Rights
2020-07-06

Blooms & Bees Tour
2020-07-08
Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory each Wednesday for an immersive experience to learn all about the extraordinary world of flowers and their pollinators. The tour will begin along the shore of Lake Aspen to learn about Sunriver’s forest ecosystem and the predominant flora of the area. Followed by a tour of the botanic garden led by SNCO’s resident plant specialist, to explore the diversity of habitats and native plants found in the high desert of Oregon. The tour will wrap up with a peek into a honey bee hive to see how bees and humans benefit from the pollinator-plant relationship.
Tour will meet in the amphitheater. Face coverings and social distancing are required while on tour
Duration: 1 hour
Capacity: 6 people
Price: $10/person
Review SNCO’s COVID-19 safety protocols HERE.

How to Talk About Race in Rural Communities - with LaNicia Duke
2020-07-09
Join Presence Collective for a webinar with LaNicia Duke on “How to Talk About Race in Rural Communities.” Many states are thought of as “progressive” when they have big cities with diverse populations. Outside of those big cities are rural communities struggling with how to define social justice reform or have conversations about race because of the lack of representation of underrepresented communities. LaNicia will share insight from her experience as one of the few Black people living in Tillamook county and how she has helped her communities have courageous conversations about race.

C.O.D.P Black Lives Matter Rally
2020-07-09
Central Oregon Diversity Project will be standing in protest and representing BLM, Breonna Taylor, Pride, Police Corruption, and all that C.O.D.P represents. Please wear masks and practice physical distancing.
Meet at: Peace Corner (Wall & Greenwood)

¡Nuestra Gente Presente!
2020-07-09
Qué significan el poder y representación para mí. Regístrese en #ContemosOregon el jueves 9 de julio de 5 a 6:30 p.m. ¡PST para celebrar la vitalidad de nuestra comunidad Latinx! Exploraremos lo que el poder y la representación significan para nuestra diversa y esencial comunidad Latine. La increíble Dolores Huerta es nuestra invitada de honor!
Join #WeCountOregon Thursday, July 9th, 5-6:30 pm PST to celebrate the vibrancy of our LatinX community! We Count Oregon will explore What Power and Representation Mean to our diverse and essential LatinX community. The amazing Dolores Huerta will be the headliner!

Social Justice Book Club: "So You Want To Talk About Race"
2020-07-10
Each quarter OSU-Cascades Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is hosting a 12-week book discussion group. These weekly conversations are designed to be drop-in and are open to OSU-Cascades students, staff and faculty as well as community members.
This summer, we’re reading Ijeoma Oluo’s “So You Want to Talk About Race.” Meeting and reading schedule is below. Please register and join at any time, and contact Erin Rook with questions or requests for accommodations.
Summer Social Justice Book Club (Most) Fridays at noon
Remaining Schedule:
July 10: Ch. 4 and 5 – “Why am I always being told to ‘check my privilege’?” and “What is intersectionality and why do I need it?”
July 24: Ch. 6 – “Is police brutality really about race?”
July 31: Ch. 7 and 8 – “How can I talk about affirmative action?” and “What is the school-to-prison pipeline?”
Aug. 7: Ch. 9 and 10 – “Why can’t I say the ‘N’ word?” and “What is cultural appropriation?”
Aug. 14: Ch. 11 and 12 – “Why can’t I touch your hair?” and “What are microaggressions?”
Aug. 21: Ch. 13 and 14 – “Why are our students so angry?” “What is the model minority myth?”
Aug. 28: Ch. 15 and 16 – “But what if I hate Al Sharpton?” and “I just got called a racist, what do I do now?”
Sept. 4: Ch. 17 – “Talking is great, but what else can I do?”

Bird Walk
2020-07-11
Walk on the wild side! Join Tom Lawler, expert local birder and nature photographer, to discover the rich bird habitats of Sunriver. With Tom’s keen eye and guidance, you will spot and learn to identify a variety of species found in the wetlands, meadows, and forests surrounding the Nature Center. Whether you are new to birding or an experienced birder, there is always something exciting to see through your binoculars!
Pre-registration is required and capacity is limited. Expect to walk approximately 3 to 4 miles along various trails.
