The Environmental Center

Bringing Monarchs Back to Central Oregon
2016-05-10 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Monarchs are the most well known butterflies in the world, however their populations in both the western and eastern ranges are at risk of extinction. Creating monarch waystations and pollinator gardens are vital to the protection of this diminishing species. Join monarch expert, Tom Landis of Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates, and learn how you can help!
Call 541-593-4394 to reserve your seat. Space is limited! Free event, donations gladly accepted!
If you can’t get enough about Monarchs, we encourage you to join Monarch Advocates of Central Oregon for Monarchs, Milkweeds –– and YOU on May 12th in Bend. Find more information here.

Wednesday Birders
2016-05-11 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-05-18 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-05-25 07:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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

Volunteer Connect Board Fair
2016-05-11 16:00 - 18:00 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
26 Community Organizations Seeking Board Members!
Interested in being a board member? To give you an insider’s look, Volunteer Connect is hosting our fifth annual Board Fair. You’ll have a chance to meet with 26 of the area’s top nonprofits, in a lively “speed-dating” environment at this free event.
Bend 2030
Bend Spay and Neuter Project
Bend’s Community Center
Brightside Animal Center
Cascades Theatrical Company
Central Oregon Veterans Ranch
Children’s Museum
Crawmer’s Critters
DAWNS House
Equine Outreach
Family Resource Center
Grandma’s House
Healthy Beginnings
Heart of Oregon Corps
High Desert Maker Mill
Human Dignity Coalition
Humane Society of Central Oregon
Hunger Prevention Coalition
KPOV, High Desert Community Radio
Latino Community Association
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Oregon
Tower Theatre Foundation
United Way
Volunteer Connect
Younity

Green School Showcase
2016-05-11 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join schools and sustainability leaders to celebrate student accomplishments, and learn ways to strengthen programs live sustainably at home and school.
Light refreshments will be served thanks to BLPSD Nutrition Services and generous community donations.

Monarchs, Milkweeds –– and You!
2016-05-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Monarch Advocates of Central Oregon want to see more iconic Monarch butterflies in Central Oregon and invite you to learn about the Monarch’s migration through our area and find out how you can support them through local habitat restoration, citizen science projects, and more!
Speakers include Katya Spiecker, founder of Monarch Advocates of Central Oregon; US Forest Service geneticist Matt Horning, David James, Associate Professor of entomology at Washington State University, and Tom Landis with Southwest Oregon Monarch Advocates. Spiecker will highlight local conservation work; Horning will cover the regional monitoring project; James will discuss the Western Monarch Tagging Program; and Landis will talk about tagging and citizen science in Southern Oregon.
Doors open at 6pm. This is a free event. Please RSVP for event.
If you can’t get enough about Monarchs, we encourage you to join the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory for Bringing Monarchs Back to Central Oregon on May 10th. Find more information here.
Presented by Monarch Advocates of Central Oregon, Sunriver Nature Center and Great Old Broads for Wilderness.

Old Mill Bird Walk
2016-05-13 10:00 - 12:00, 2016-05-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Old Mill District, 475 SW Powerhouse Dr , Bend, OR, 97702, United States
Old Mill Bird Walks occur every other Friday, beginning April 1st through May 27th.
Time: 10:00 AM – 12 noon
Location: Meet at The Old Mill Ticket Kiosk. Binoculars are available for check-out.
What: A leisurely walk around the Old Mill property adjacent to the Deschutes River.
Who is invited: Walks are appropriate for all ages and interested parties, from novices to experienced avian experts.

Chippin' In for Bend Area Habitat Golf Tournament
2016-05-13 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Our 4th Annual Fundraising Golf Tournament will be at Bend Golf & Country Club this year. We will have a 1 pm Shotgun start followed by a buffet dinner, prizes, awards and silent auction.

COTA Spring Fling
2016-05-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Meet: The COTA Bunker, 63075 Crusher Ave, Bend OR, 97701. Near the intersection of Archie Briggs and O B Riley roads.
Work site: TBD
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.
After party hosted by Bend Cyclery with food provided by Chicken Bonz.
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.

Getting Started-Protection, Amending Soil and What to Plant
2016-05-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Want to learn more about gardening? Please join OSU Master Gardeners and OSU Staff at many of our offerings. All speakers share research based gardening information specific to Central Oregon.
For a full schedule of “Gardening, Get Good At It!” please visit the website.

Bend Coop Tour 2016
2016-05-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Visit Central Oregon chicken coops for ideas on coop design, poultry habitat and chicken-keeping.
All proceeds benefit Central Oregon Locavore. Crows Feet Commons will also be offering a bike tour of the tour!
Whether you’re a chicken enthusiast, a chicken-owner-wannabe, or a chicken & egg eater – this tour is for you!
Chickens have been receiving a lot of press lately. It seems the whole “go green” and “eat local” habits are creating a renewed interest in this barnyard critter. And what better way to celebrate this wonderful bird than a tour of local chicken coops which house (yes!) real, live, feathered chickens.
The other “why” of doing this is to raise needed funds for two very worthy local charitable organizations:
Central Oregon Locavore
Healing Reins
Maplets will be available at Central Oregon Locavore, Cowgirl Cash and Newport Market…. Maps now available! $10

Discover Nature Days: Birds and Beaks are Neat
2016-05-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Presented by the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon partners, Discover Nature Days are free family events throughout Central Oregon that connect children and families to the wonder of nature.
Spring 2016 Events
Get outside and discover with your little explorers! Join us for 2 hours of science, art and play while learning about the natural world and exploring local parks. All events are free and recommended for ages 5-10.
Second Saturdays, March-June

March 12, 1-3 pm: Snow Explorers at Skyliners Lodge (west of Bend) with Discover Your Forest
April 9, 10 am-12 noon: The Invisible Tracker at Shevlin Park (Bend) with Wildheart Nature School
May 14, 1-3 pm: Birds and Beaks are Neat at American Legion Park (Redmond) with High Desert Museum – Spanish/bilingual program
June 11, 10 am-12 noon: Water and Wildlife at Sawyer Park (Bend) with Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and The Environmental Center

Deschutes Children's Foundation Art & Wine Auction
2016-05-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
​Join us on Saturday, May 14 at 5:30pm at the Art & Wine Auction as we celebrate Deschutes Children’s Foundation! The event takes place at the Riverhouse Convention Center and welcomes 400 prominent community members, art collectors, and wine aficionados. Deschutes Children’s Foundation creates a remarkable guest experience at the Art & Wine Auction:

luscious wines, craft beers, and appetizers begin the evening
live entertainment from Todd Haaby and Sola Via
over 100 silent auction packages
seated dinner with wine on each table and a souvenir wine glass for each guest
live auction boasting a showcase of artwork from the region’s top artists, a paddle raise to support Deschutes Children’s Foundation, world class wines, and one of a kind experiences including private dinners and getaways.

Volunteers Needed: Bend Open Streets
2016-05-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Are you passionate about creating a healthy, vibrant, livable community? We’re taking our feet to the street and we need volunteers to help us educate residents about Bend Open Streets. We’ll meet at the Commute Options office, then travel together to the participating neighborhood to talk with residents and provide information about the event. Expect a 2-3 hour commitment on an upcoming Sunday afternoon. A “thank you” after party is included! Interested? Contact Brian by email or call 541-977-8367.
Bend Open Streets temporarily closes streets to automobile traffic, so that people may use them for walking, bicycling, dancing, playing and socializing. Mark your calendars: September 18, 2016, Noon-4pm. FREE!

Volunteer Management Through a Human Resources Lens
2016-05-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Volunteer Management Through a Human Resources Lens: Expectations and policies, training and coaching, engagement and retention.
This event is provided by NOVA
Presentation by Shannon Campbell, Volunteer Manager, High Desert Museum
Location: Bend Park and Recreation District Community Room.

Happy Hour in the Garden
2016-05-17, 2016-05-24, 2016-05-31 | 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

Act on Climate Now at Pints and Politics
2016-05-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join OLCV and fellow community members as the Central Oregon Conservation Network launches its newest priority for a healthy Central Oregon. The Pass a Bend Climate Action Ordinance campaign addresses the most pressing issue we face today – climate change. Come learn about the proposed ordinance being reviewed by the Bend City Council, ask questions, and find out how you can help shape our community’s future.

Seedling Transplanting
2016-05-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Seating is limited, pre-registration required: Eventbrite.com or by calling (541) 548-6088
Want to learn more about gardening? Please join OSU Master Gardeners and OSU Staff at many of our offerings. All speakers share research based gardening information specific to Central Oregon.
For a full schedule of “Gardening, Get Good At It!” please visit the website.

Upstream: A salute to streams, students & stewardship
2016-05-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council will be hosting their annual fundraiser, UPSTREAM, on Friday May 20th, 2016 in the historic Barn venue in Sisters, Oregon. UPSTREAM is a community event, focused on sharing the work of students, and celebrating watershed education. The event is a fundraiser for The Upstream Project, the education program of the Watershed Council which seeks to educate, engage and activate the next generation of watershed stewards.
This inspirational celebration is the sixth annual UPSTREAM event. The evening will include a silent auction featuring local artists and businesses, a locally sourced dinner catered by The Root Cellar, and creative presentations by Watershed Council staff, Board members, and Upstream Project students. The event supports student stewardship projects and place-based education opportunities for Central Oregon youth. Bend Broadband is this year’s premier event sponsor.
Tickets are on sale for $60 per person and tables for six guests are $350.

Community Pride Day
2016-05-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Put a spring in your step by joining a local outdoor project! Weeding, painting, power washing sidewalks, buildings, garbage clean up, bark dust, flower planting and road cleanup. Register to volunteer!
Directions: Highway 20 from Albany Main Street in Lebanon turn east on Oak Street, one block down to Park and Oak is Ralston Park. Highway 20 from Sweet Home when you come to the Y, Main turns to Park and is a one way. At the next light is Park and Oak Street.

Seed Starting and Successful Central Oregon Veggie Varieties
2016-05-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Register through Bend Parks & Recreation District — (541) 389-7275
Want to learn more about gardening? Please join OSU Master Gardeners and OSU Staff at many of our offerings. All speakers share research based gardening information specific to Central Oregon.
For a full schedule of “Gardening, Get Good At It!” please visit the website.

Growing Vegetables in Central Oregon (Spanish)
2016-05-21, 2016-05-28 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States

Green Drinks With Swinerton
2016-05-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join us for the next Green Drinks – a fun event with a mix of business & community!
This month’s Green Drinks will be hosted by Swinerton Renewable Energy.
Headquartered in San Francisco, the Swinerton Family of Companies provides commercial construction and construction management services throughout the Western United States. Swinerton Renewable Energy (SRE) provides a full array of solar photovoltaic (PV) services, including; engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, as well as operations and maintenance (SOLV®) services. They have installed over 1GWdc of PV jobs to date, and will hit the 2GWdc mark by the end of 2016.
Swinerton is 100% employee owned and appreciates the importance of giving back to the community – and they’re excited to share more with you at our event! Hope to see you there – don’t forget to bring your own cup to enjoy a drink.
Swinerton is located on the second floor of the building.

Growing Vegetables in Containers and Gardening with Children
2016-05-28 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States

Wolves and Predators Ecology in Oregon
2016-05-31 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Ecologist George Wuerthner will be giving a free public lecture/powerpoint at the Bend downtown library on Tuesday, May 31 beginning 6:30 PM on wolf and predator ecology. The focus will be on wolf restoration in Oregon but will touch on predator ecology in general with its implications for cougars, bears, and coyotes as well. Wuerthner has published 38 books and numerous articles, many dealing with aspects of predator ecology including a review of the potential for wolf restoration in Oregon.
He was involved with wolf restoration in Montana, including Yellowstone NP. He will discuss new insights into predator ecology that has implications for management, as well as what we have learned from wolf restoration in other areas like the Rockies that is germane to Oregon’s wolf recovery efforts.
The program is sponsored by Western Watersheds Project and Predator Defense.
