The Environmental Center

Happy Hour in the Garden
2016-08-23, 2016-08-16, 2016-08-09, 2016-08-02 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This year, Happy Hour in the Garden will run from March through October. Instead of weekly, this volunteer event will be on the *1st & 3rd Tuesdays*, kicking off Tuesday, March 1st. Stop by anytime between 4-6 on the following dates to help out in the garden and enjoy a bubbly beverage. Family friendly, no experience or tools necessary.
Contact Denise Rowcroft, Garden Program Manager, if you have any questions about getting involved.

March 1 & 15 (March & April beer sponsored by Worthy Garden Club)
April 5 & 19
May 3 & 17 (May & June beer sponsored by Boneyard Beer)
June 7 & 21

Due to summer trips, please note that summer dates (July & August) are the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month!

*July 12 & 26* (July & August beer sponsored by Deschutes Brewery)
*August 9 & 23* (Note, this is the 2nd & 4th Tuesday, rescheduled due to planned time off)
September 6 & 20 (Sept & Oct beer sponsored by 10 Barrel Brewing Co)
October 4 & 18

Dragonfly & Damselfly Lecture & Walk
2016-08-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Biologists Cary Kerst and Steve Gordon, authors of “Dragonflies and Damselflies of Oregon: A Field Guide” will present an illustrated talk on local dragonflies and damselflies followed by a walk. The presentation is free and open to the public. Donations are warmly welcomed.
Cary Kerst is an aquatic entomologist retired from a career in environmental sciences. He has conducted professional aquatic insect studies on local rivers and streams and authored scientific articles on Caddisflies, Dragonflies, Damselflies, and Stoneflies.
After retiring from thirty years as a planner for the Lane Council of Governments, longtime birder Steve Gordon became interested in Odonates.He was a contributing author to Birds of Oregon: Status and Distribution and Birds of Lane County, Oregon.
Cary and Steve began studying the local dragonflies and damselflies in 1999 and coauthored Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Willamette Valley, Oregon in 2005. They have greatly enjoyed traveling around scenic Oregon studying Odonates in preparation of this guide. They enjoy teaching classes and leading field trips for environmental organizations, and they encourage all to recapture the wonder of the natural world.

Stream Sampling Day on Whychus Creek
2016-08-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Spend a day along Whychus Creek with Upper Deschutes Watershed Council collecting aquatic macroinvertebrate samples to improve knowledge about stream health. Learn about efforts to increase flows and restore habitat for salmon and steelhead and visit streamside meadows and rimrock canyons while contributing to our collective understanding of how habitat restoration is changing stream conditions for native fish. This event is a great opportunity for community members to get involved as stewards of a local watershed and learn first-hand about one of the streams in our backyard. Kids ten and up are welcome to join with adult supervision.
For information or to sign up, contact Lauren Mork at (541) 382-6103 x39 or lmork@restorethedeschutes.org.

Transportation Public Hearing - Bend
2016-08-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Support people-focused transportation in Oregon.
Every Oregonian deserves the right to live in a community with safe routes for walking and bicycling and plenty of convenient transit options. It’s time for Oregon to adopt a transportation package that reflects our priorities. We need a transportation package that helps our neighbors get to their jobs, that allows children to walk and bike safely to and from school, that creates less congestion on our roads and puts less pollution into our air.
Please join us at the Joint Interim Committee on Transportation public hearing and help show our lawmakers that having safe, convenient transit options is a priority for all Oregonians.
WHERE: Wille Hall, Coats Campus Center at Central Oregon Community College, 2600 NW College Way, Bend
RSVP: https://act.myngp.com/Forms/-5822027318771580928

COTA Membership Meeting
2016-08-18 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
COTA welcomes everyone to meet the newly elected Board of Directors. There are a number of new faces and a long list of new ideas to discuss.
Biketoberfest details will be finalized in the coming weeks and we welcome input. What is the best way to utilize 150+ volunteers?
COTA seeks Committee members – The workload is substantial and we are looking for help in several areas; website, membership software, communications, education (to name a few). Many hands make light work, and yes, the world is run by those who show up!

Bend COTA Work Events
2016-08-18, 2016-08-11 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
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.

Discover Nature Day: Predators and Prey
2016-08-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
“Predators and Prey” presented by The Environmental Center. Have fun learning about the diverse critters that call Central Oregon home through exciting games and interactive science activities. Recommended for ages 4-10. Free!

Shaping Our City II: A Closer Look at Bend's UGB Proposal (East Bend)
2016-08-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
After years in the making, the City of Bend’s Urban Growth Boundary proposal will soon be available for public comment until August 25th.
Come learn about the plan and how it will address important issues like preventing urban sprawl, protecting wildlife habitat, encouraging cost-effective growth, and fostering workforce housing.
Free, please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shaping-our-city-ii-a-closer-look-at-bends-ugb-proposal-east-bend-tickets-26487831818
DOWNTOWN BEND EVENT: https://envirocenter.org/event/shaping-our-city-ii-a-closer-look-at-bends-ugb-proposal-downtown/

COTA Happy Hour
2016-08-17 17:00 - 19:00 | Webcyclery, 550 SW Industrial Way #150, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
What: A casual fund raiser for the Central Oregon Trail Alliance. A chance for cyclists to get together and share stories over a pint or two.
Who: Mostly cyclists, but really anyone who wants to help COTA
Why: Because COTA does an awesome job, and it’s just another good reason to have a great tasting local beer.
*This is the final installment in the series, and we want to thank Kevin, Todd and everyone on the Web crew for their support.

Rays (on) The Roof
2016-08-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Pine Mountain Sports is committed to using more renewable energy and we’re throwing a party on the lawn to celebrate our freshly installed solar powered electric vehicle charging station! Stop by Pine Mountain Sports between 11A and 6P on Wed Aug 17 and meet some of our favorite renewable energy partners. Our radio friends from 92.9FM will be broadcasting from Rays (On) The Roof and they’ll be sharing the best of your fun and effective money saving (and resource saving) ideas.
Pledge to use more renewable resources and Pine Mountain Sports will reward you, on the spot, with Pine Bucks to spend in our store on anything you like. For each of our renewable energy friends that you engage with (details below) during our Rays (On) The Roof Lawn Party we’ll give you $10 in Pine Bucks (up to $70!**) to spend at Pine Mountain Sports!
GIVE SOME. GET SOME!

Wednesday Birders
2016-08-17 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-08-10 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-08-03 07:00 - 12:00 | Nancy P’s, 1054 Milwaukee, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Meet up with others in our intrepid group for local birding. We meet at Nancy P’s Bakery on Newport Avenue just east of Newport Market in Bend. From there we depart on weekly half day or full day trips to venues in our area. Meet-up times are usually 7AM in the Spring and Summer and 8AM in Fall and Winter. Trip plans are posted on COBOL each week prior to the trip.
Transportation is via carpool depending on who can drive and individual schedules. Dress for the weather; be prepared with food, sunscreen, etc; and bring a pair of binoculars; spotting scopes are helpful on many trips.
Feb 10 early start, all day to Willamette Valley refuge
Feb 17, Shevlin trails, River trails Bend
Feb 24, Cold Springs, Suttle Lake, Santiam Pass
March 2, Skyliner area
March 9, Wastewater ponds, Hatfield, Redmond, etc
March 16, Sunriver and south where open water can be found
March 23, Lower Bridge, includes knapweed digging
March 30, Fort Rock, all day
April 6, Calliope Crossing, Green Ridge
April 13, Desert east of Bend, EARLY start
April 20, Cline Falls SP, Twin Bridges, Tumalo State Park,
April 27, Shevlin Park ***Change****
May 4 Shorebirds, wastewater ponds Bend, Redmond, Prineville
May 11 River trails Bend and Tumalo for migrants
May 18, GI Ranch, east of Bend. Birding all day, bring lunch, scopes.
May 25, shorebirds, location TBD
June1, Malheur, all day
June 8 Glaze Meadow, Black Butte Swamp, Calliope Crossing
June 15, woodpeckers, varied locations
June 22 Cabin Lake, Fort Rock and Summer Lake, all day, bring lunch
June 29, Gilchrist, Crescent, Norther Waterthrush
July 6, Three Creeks, Park Meadow trail, other trails
July 13 Hatfield, walk 3 miles
July 20 Calliope Crossing, Jack Lake
July 27,Green Ridge springs
August 3 High Lakes, shorebirds, waterfowl
August 10 Skyliner and Tumalo Falls morning and again evening
August 17, a.m. Millican Valley, return in evening, over night optional at Pine Mountain
August 24 Calliope Crossing, Black Butte Swamp
August 31, shorebirds
Sept 7 Wickiup, Crane Prairie, Vaux’s Swifts evening, Bend
Sept 14, Malheur all day
Sept 21 Green Ridge raptors, grouse, woodpeckers, all day birding
Sept 28, Fort Rock and Summer Lake, all day
Oct 5, high lakes, Crane Prairie and Wickiup
Oct 12 Hatfield ponds, Alfalfa
Oct 19 coastal birding, 2 or 3 days, seawatching a.m., passerines and land PMs.
Oct 26 Mill Creek, Ochocos area

COTA Bend Work Events
2016-08-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
When: Thursday Aug 11, Tuesday Aug 16, Tuesday Aug 23 and Tuesday Aug 30; 5:15pm 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, 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

Discover Nature Day: Splash!
2016-08-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
“Splash!” with Sunriver Nature Center. Learn to be a water scientist and we’ll dip into the wet world of ponds and rivers during this hands-on outdoor investigation. Recommended for ages 4-10. Free!

Bike the Bridges
2016-08-13 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This fun and family-friendly ride showcases many of the beautiful bridges that cross the Deschutes River through Bend. Let this be your excuse to get a little exercise, make friends, and discover new bike routes. The ride will include a route designed to accommodate families and leisurely riders, as well as an optional longer and more adventurous route.

Field Crop Farm Tour
2016-08-13 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA) is pleased to announce Field Crop farm tour on Saturday, August 13th, 9am-12:45pm. This is the final tour in the five-part High Desert Educational Agriculture Tour Series (EATS).
Tour participants will visit three Jefferson County farms: Macy Farms, Deerfield Farms and CalFarms and hear from these farmers producing major field crops such as mint, garlic, and potatoes. The tour starts and finishes Sahalee Park at the Madras Saturday Market. Tickets are $5.00 and available online here. Pre-registration is required.
All tour members will be entered into a raffle at the end of each tour for a unique gift and people participating in all five tours will be entered into a special grand prize drawing.
For more information or to register for tours: http://hdffa.org/events or via Facebook: High Desert EATS.

Second Annual Stars Over Newberry
2016-08-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
On Friday, August 12th, 2016, Discover Your Forest will play host to hundreds of guests at our 2nd Annual Stars Over Newberry fundraiser. The event will take place stop Lava Butte in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument and will feature stargazing, live music, a silent auction, fabulous local beer, wine, and cuisine. The year’s festivities will coincide with the height of the Perseid Meteor Showers, giving visitors an unparalleled vista of the night sky. Guests will get a one of a kind after-hours experience atop Lava Butte, one of Central Oregon’s most well-known volcanic features with breathtaking views of the valley and the night sky. Volcano Vineyards will serve a selection of local wines and sangria and experts from the Oregon Observatory at Sunriver will lead guests on a journey through the skies at telescope stations throughout the event. A silent auction by local photographers depicting scenes from the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forest will make the night unforgettable.
Stars Over Newberry is the largest annual fundraising event for Discover Your Forest which supports stewardship, conservation education and volunteer programs in Central Oregon’s National Forests.
This event will sell out so get your tickets now!

William Sullivan Lecture
2016-08-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Popular travel writer William Sullivan will be presenting “New Hikes for Exploring the Natural Wonders of Eastern Oregon” on Friday, August 12th, 7pm in the Pozzi Education Building at the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory. This event is free and open to the public, but donations are warmly welcomed.
Sullivan, a fifth generation Oregonian, is a travel author who feels keenly about the need to walk a fine line between promoting the state’s wild and scenic areas and working to protect them. After describing a particularly beautiful part of Eastern Oregon he has said, “There is absolutely nothing keeping a corporation from China or Russia from buying one of these places and turning it into kitty litter.” Consequently he hopes encouraging people to explore these special places will motivate them to urge protection.
He has also written about Sutton Mountain, a 58,000 acre stretch of land surrounding the John Day Fossil Beds that could become Oregon’s next Federally protected wilderness area but “only if Congress ever gets its act together.”
While perhaps best known for his “100 Hikes” series which has provided detailed information about all corners of the state, he has also written four novels and several non-fiction books about Oregon. Some of his best known works are
The Case of D.B. Coopers Parachute, Oregon’s Greatest Known Disasters, Hiking Oregon’s History, and Listening for Coyote, his journal of a personal 1,000-mile hike across the state, which was named as “one of Oregon’s 100 most significant books” by the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission.
He has spoken frequently in Bend and Sunriver and is known for his fascinating anecdotes and audience-pleasing sense of humor. Sullivan and his wife, Janell, live in Eugene, but spend summers in a rustic cabin they built by hand in a roadless area of the Coast range. The challenges they faced are chronicled in his memoir, Cabin Fever. Additional information about Sullivan’s books and favorite adventures can be found atwww.oregonhiking.com

Discover Nature Day: Watery Wonders
2016-08-11 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
“Watery Wonders” presented by Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. Explore the watery wonders of Tumalo Creek, collect and identify stream critters, and learn about what makes a healthy stream. Recommended for ages 4-10. Free!

Oregon Natural Desert Association Happy Hour
2016-08-10 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Are you eager to learn more about Oregon’s high desert and how you can help protect it? Are you already a super Oregon Natural Desert Association member or volunteer and want to hang out with all your ONDA friends, or introduce a new friend to ONDA? Do you want to learn more about helping out cool events like Wild & Scenic Film Festival and Desert Conference?

Join us for Oregon Natural Desert Association Happy Hour on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 from 6 pm – 8 pm at the ONDA office, 50 SW Bond Street, Suite 4, Bend, OR 97702.
We will have free beer, generously donated by Crux Brewery, and snacks, a Wild & Scenic Film Festival preview, as well as sign-ups for great upcoming volunteer opportunities like Desert Conference, Wild & Scenic Film Festival, outreach events, and stewardship trips.
No need to RSVP, just show up at the office on Wednesday, August 10, anytime between 6 pm and 8pm.

Shaping Our City II: A Closer Look at Bend's UGB Proposal (downtown)
2016-08-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
After years in the making, the City of Bend’s Urban Growth Boundary proposal is will soon be ready and available for public comment until August 25th.

Come learn about the plan and how it will address issues you care about like preventing urban sprawl, protecting wildlife habitat, encouraging cost-effective growth, and fostering workforce housing.

Free, please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shaping-our-city-ii-a-closer-look-at-bends-ugb-proposal-downtown-tickets-26487728509

EAST BEND EVENT: https://envirocenter.org/event/shaping-our-city-ii-a-closer-look-at-bends-ugb-proposal-east-bend/

Smolich Nissan Level 3 440 Electric Car Charging Station Event
2016-08-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
On August 9th, Smolich Nissan will host an event for the community and news media at the Nissan dealership on Hwy 20 from 5:30 pm to 7pm to announce the arrival of the first and only Level 3 440 charging station. The Level 3 Charging Station can fully charge an electric auto, such as the zero emission Nissan LEAF in as little as 30 minutes.
The Level 3 is a 440 volt 50 amp charging station with a CHAdeMO connector. There are currently more than 200 of Level 3 stations in throughout greater Oregon and we expect more will be coming to Deschutes County soon. With a pending Climate Resolution at Bend’s City Council, Smolich Nissan anticipates electric cars such as the Nissan LEAF will provide an affordable clean mobility solution as part of a larger climate action plan that will follow.
The new Level 3 charging station will be listed on the popular “Plug Share” app that provides a data base of more than 50,000 charging stations throughout the country. Charging stations like the Level 3 make it possible to travel in an electric car to most parts of Oregon including Bend, Portland, Salem, Eugene and the Oregon Coast.
During the introductory period, Smolich Nissan will provide free charging 24/7 as a part of our effort to help increase the accessibility of EV’s to our community.

20th Annual Deschutes River Clean-Up
2016-08-06 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Deschutes River Clean-Up is a special day for watershed stewards of all ages to get their hands dirty and their feet wet. This year marks the 20th annual River Clean-Up!! The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council coordinates the Deschutes River Clean-Up each year to engage business partners, river users, and community members in hands-on stewardship activities on the Deschutes River. On August 6th, we will work with volunteers to remove harmful weeds and instream debris and clean-up litter along the Deschutes River. Recreation use of the river has increased dramatically over the past few years and, unfortunately, so too has the amount of debris that ends up in the river. Approximately 160,000 people now float the river through Bend every summer.
The Deschutes River Clean-Up strives to help volunteers develop a sense of stewardship as they learn about, and contribute to, the health of the Deschutes watershed. This is an annual event coordinated by the Watershed Council to keep our river beautiful and protect water quality for fish and wildlife.
Where: Volunteers will meet at Riverbend Park. River clean-up activities will take place in the Deschutes River and along its riparian areas between Farewell Bend Park and Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe.

RiverFeast Auction & Dinner
2016-07-30 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join the Deschutes River Conservancy for a delightful evening of irresistible food, spirits and music. This year, we are combining the best of our two fundraising events, Tight Lines and RiverFeast into one lovely evening. Bid on inspiring adventures and experiences, custom art and other wonderful packages. Enjoy supporting the river while exploring the beautiful new space at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon off Skyline Road in Bend. Coyote Willow’s exciting combination of cello, guitar and rich vocals will begin the evening at 5:30.

War on Weeds
2016-07-29 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Friday July 29, 2016 to Friday August 5, 2016: War on Weeds – WOW Week!
Coordinated volunteer effort to pull noxious weeds in Sunriver and surrounding neighborhoods. Bring water, sunscreen and gloves for pulling. WOW is a week-long event. Pull noxious weeds anytime during the week then join fellow volunteers for a celebration lunch at 12 noon on Friday August 5th!
Park at the SROA Administration building. Take the Sunriver exit off of HWY 97. Continue west on South Century Drive to the roundabout at the Sunriver entrance. Enter Sunriver and go through Circles 1, 2, and 3. Follow sign to Circle 4. You will see the SROA Admin. building on your left, between Circles 3 and 4. We are located next to the Police Dept. and the Fire Dept.
