The Environmental Center

Happy Hour in the Garden
2016-05-24, 2016-05-31, 2016-06-07, 2016-06-14 | 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

Wednesday Birders
2016-05-25 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-06-01 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-06-08 07:00 - 12:00, 2016-06-15 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

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.

Old Mill Bird Walk
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.

Growing Vegetables in Containers and Gardening with Children
2016-05-28 | 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.

Growing Vegetables in Central Oregon (Spanish)
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.

Bend Livability Conference
2016-06-02 - 2016-06-05 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
It’s the question on all our minds: How do we protect the livability of our community in the face of such dramatic growth and change? The answer is clear—it’s up to us to define our future together by learning about the challenges facing Bend, understanding how to shape the outcomes and engaging to implement innovative and effective solutions for our community.
These are the goals of the Bend Livability Project, an initiative of Bend 2030 sponsored by the Bend Tech Ecosystem, the National Association of Realtors, Central Oregon Association of Realtors, the City of Bend, and many more community partners which aims to educate, empower and engage our community to make Bend one of the most livable cities in America through innovation.
Partly a celebration of our city and partly a massive townhall meeting, the Bend Livability Project taking place June 2-5 is driving diverse populations in Bend—including millenials, adult professionals, youth and seniors—to learn about and shape Bend’s future through three days of films, parties, public art projects, lectures, panels, workshops, walking tours and events. Bendites of all ages and backgrounds are invited to make a personal commitment to ensuring the future livability of Bend and to plug their energy directly into projects that will transform their hopes for our future into reality.
Every event throughout the Project—from a BendFilm event at the Tower Theatre to the Future Fair at Art Walk to the 15 workshop sessions of the Bend Livability Conference—will be infused with the spirit of innovation and forward thinking as the path to solving our community’s greatest challenges such as neighborhood livability, housing and transportation.
To reserve tickets and passes, see sponsors and partners, volunteer or learn more about the Project, visit bendlivability.org.

Terroir Seeds and Gardening From Seed
2016-06-02 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Locavore Food School Presents: Terroir Seeds and Gardening From Seed
by Stephen Scott of Terroir Seeds
Discover how to successfully grow your garden from seed in Central Oregon, starting with choosing the right seed for our climate and growing season (such as spring vs. fall seed choices).
Learn exactly how to determine your growing season length, realistic last frost date, and other tips. From there you can hone in on what varieties will work best for you, eliminating guessing and the trial-and-error approach.
Find out what heirloom seeds really are and why they make sense for the home garden. Brush up on seed germination tips (such as how seed orientation improves germination), as well as the three major needs seeds have for sprouting and how to troubleshoot when things go wrong. Leave understanding what seed quality is, why it is important for you, and how it affects your garden, along with tips on choosing the best quality seed for saving.
Stephen Scott is an heirloom seedsman, soil building advocate, locavore, amateur chef, artist, and co-owner with his wife, Cindy, of Terroir Seeds. He has been involved with heirloom seeds, environmental education, habitat restoration, soil health, and building local food pathways for more than 20 years in central Arizona. He’s an author, speaker, and educator on seed, soil, food, and health, and how they relate to and strengthen each other.
Spring Alaska Olson of Central Oregon Seed Exchange will join Stephen and talk about the local seed scene here in Central Oregon!
$5 Locavore Members/$8 Non-Members
REGISTER NOW!

Kor Community Land Trust: Celebration of 1 Year
2016-06-03 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Last year at this time, Kor received notification of 501(c)(3) approval from the IRS! Come celebrate at BROKEN TOP BOTTLE SHOP for First Firkin Friday. Good Life Brewing has created a unique Firkin Keg. For those of you unfamiliar with a Firkin Keg, it is derived from the Middle Dutch word “vierdekijn,” which means “fourth,” or a fourth-of-a-full-size barrel. Firkin Kegs designed for cask conditioning and serving ales bar-side (no CO2 is needed). The results are said to be better aroma, better flavor, and a better mouth feel. I can not wait to try it!
Music by local musician Greg Botsford starting at 6:00pm
$4.00 pints from GoodLife. Raffle sponsored by Patagonia Bend.
All proceeds support Kôr – affordable housing with a conscience.

Outdoor School For All: Day of Action
2016-06-04 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Just a few weeks to go! The clock is ticking and there’s not much time remaining to collect all the signatures we need to get Outdoor School on the ballot this fall. We’ve collected about 65% of the signatures we need, and now we’re asking for your help to get us the rest of the way there.
The Challenge: Help gather as many signatures of support as possible by and on Saturday, June 4–our Day of Action–to help Save Outdoor School.
June 4 is the day when we’ll be hosting special Day of Action events in local communities throughout the state where you can come, drop off all the signatures you’ve collected and help gather more to get us to the 40,000 remaining signatures needed. Collect 10, 50 or 150 signatures–every single name that signs in support of Outdoor School makes a huge difference. Spread the word on social media, sign up to be a volunteer, attend the Day of Action event: there are so many ways you can participate.
Check out the details below to find out more about Day of Action events happening in your area. http://bit.ly/1Ue8GLQ
Bend Events:
SIGN UP!

Central Oregon Saturday Market
10am for signature gathering, rolling times
Across from the Downtown Library
Between Wall & Bond Streets
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 420-9015

Equality Fair
12-4pm
Troy Field
NW Bond and Louisiana Ave
Bend, OR

COMGA Plant Sale
2016-06-04 09:00 - 14:00 | Deschutes County Fair & Expo, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
OSU Extension Service Demo Garden, on the fairgrounds. List of plants being offered: http://www.gocomga.com/Plants_for_Sale.pdf.
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.

DIYcave One Year Party
2016-06-05 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Stop by the DIYcave’s One Year Anniversary Party! See some cool demos of woodturning and welding, enjoy some music and see what they’re all about. Stop by and receive 20% off memberships and classes all day. Enjoy music, food and raffles for tier1, tier2, tier3 memberships and a free class.

Our Deschutes River: Where Does the Water Go, and Why?
2016-06-07 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
If there’s so much water in the Deschutes Basin (and there is), why is everyone talking about the lack of water in the river? Where’s the water going? Who are the players, and what’s with all the acronyms?
Water world can be confusing! If you would like to learn more, please join us for a presentation and discussion with Tod Heisler, Executive Director of the Deschutes River Conservancy.
Tod will give an overview of how water is managed in the Deschutes Basin and how flows in the Deschutes River can be restored.

Green Team Movie Night
2016-06-07 18:30 - 20:30 | First Presbyterian Church, 230 NE Ninth St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” presents the life of the marine biologist and nature author whose book “Silent Spring” sounded the alarm that launched the environmental movement.
Bill Moyers Journal, “Rachel Carson, Nature’s Guardian” intertwines excerpts of Kaiulani Lee’s one-woman play “A Sense of Wonder” about Carson’s life with interviews of the actress and historical footage of Carson’s life.
Free. Questions? Call Nancy Merrick: 541-815-6504.

Introduction to Vegetable Gardening
2016-06-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Bend-OSU Cascades Hall, room 117-118
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.

Beatles Singalong
2016-06-10 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join KPOV for a smashing celebration of our 11th Birthday!
Sing and dance to Beatles favorites played by Corner Gospel Explosion, Stronghold, Butterfly Breakdown, Thomas T and the Bluechips, Truckstop Gravy and Juju Eyeball.
Advance tickets are $12; $10 for KPOV members with code.* All tickets at the door are $15. $5 youth under 18.
Doors open at 6:15. The show starts at 7:00. Your job is to dance and sing along. We project the lyrics on a screen for you!
Also Featuring:

Beer, wine and food served.
A silent auction and raffle benefiting KPOV, with lots of great prizes! (if you would like to donate a prize, please call 541-322-0863)
Costume and Beatles Trivia contests. So come dressed up and tuned up on your Beatles info.

The Beatles Singalong is an all-ages event.
*Member discount code available by calling KPOV between 1 and 5 pm, Monday-Friday, at 541-322-0863.

Central Oregon Wildflower Show
2016-06-11 09:00 - 2016-06-12 16:00 | Sunriver Nature Center & Oregon Observatory, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR, 97707, United States
Central Oregon’s unique habitats and climate enable a great variety of native wildflowers both big and small to flourish here. The Central Oregon Wildflower Show and Native Plant Sale, hosted by the Sunriver Nature Center exhibits hundreds of native wildflower species bursting with color. The show also provides a glimpse of Central Oregon’s native grasses, shrubs, sages, fungi, mosses and lichen. This year we are excited to host lectures on various topics by local experts in the field. Additional information booths on invasive species, disease and fire resistant pines, medicinal plants, and rare and endangered plants of Central Oregon. The event is family friendly and offers kids activity booths, family botanical hikes and much more!
Join us June 11th & 12th for a fabulous, colorful weekend!. Follow along on Facebook for event info and updates: https://www.facebook.com/centraloregonwildflowershow

Discover Nature Days: Water and Wildlife
2016-06-11 | 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

Tasty Central Oregon Tomatoes
2016-06-11 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States

Big Tree and Dead Slough Hike
2016-06-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join ONDA for a beautiful, easy 1-2 mile sunny hike right along the Deschutes River in LaPine State Park to the largest and oldest ponderosa pine in the State of Oregon and to a wildlife-rich oxbow slough. Our Board President, The Nathan, will take us on an insider’s tour from the time he worked for the State Park. Sunblock, insect repellent, binoculars, and shoes or sandals that you don’t mind getting wet are all suggested. Bring a sack lunch so that we can eat at the picnic tables in the beautiful day use area.
When: Meet for carpool at 9am Sunday, June 12th (more details for registrants)
Where: La Pine State Park
How: Sign up here
Why: Get out in nature with us and learn more about our programs!

Photo credit: COLW Hike to No Name Lake with Stu Garrett in 2014

Help Protect our Local Wilderness Areas
2016-06-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
On the evening of June 15th, the Great Old Broads for Wilderness are hosting a discussion of the increasing overuse impacts we’re seeing in the wilderness areas located in close proximity to our Central Oregon communities.
Jesse Engebretson, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University will discuss increasing impacts to popular areas such as Green Lakes, No Name Lake and South Sister, followed by small group discussions of what wilderness means to all of us, and what can be done to protect these precious areas.
Click here for more info and registration.
Where: Brooks Room at the Downtown Branch of the Deschutes County Library.
Register by clicking here.

Save Outdoor School for All at Pints and Politics
2016-06-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join OLCV and guests Shannon Sbarra and Becca Gilbert to learn about the outdoor school experience and why it is so important. Find out how we can ensure our next generation of leaders gets out into the great outdoors and how you can help Save Outdoor School for all Oregonians.

Family Dairy Day
2016-06-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Crooked River Open Pastures (C.R.O.P.), a project of the Crook County Small Farm Alliance, is a series of events taking place throughout the Crooked River Basin at various farms and farm supported locations. Each farm event will feature farm tours, a farmers market and in some cases, music and additional fun filled activities. Each farm supported event will feature a farmers market and more.
These events were created to bring more awareness of the abundance of local food grown in this region of Central Oregon. Increase tourism and economic development in an area with so much to give to the community of Central Oregon. In partnership with High Desert Food & Farm Alliance, sponsored by Brasada Ranch Resort.
This event will feature local vendors selling farm raised meats, vegetables, and crafts. Classes and demonstrations, too!
