The Environmental Center

Raptors Presentation with Naturalist Jim Anderson
2014-07-24 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Golden Eagles and Other Raptors in the Oregon High Desert, and the Impact of Recreation and Trail Development
Our legendary Sisters naturalist Jim Anderson will be the featured speaker, discussing his work on golden eagles and other raptors in the Oregon High Desert, and the impact that recreation and trail development has on these habitats.
Jim initially studied the effects poisoning of coyotes to control the loss of livestock had on raptors and other non-targeted species. Jim has gone on to study raptors in Central Oregon for over 50 years.
Jim writes a nature column for The Nugget Newspaper in Sisters and The Source Weekly in Bend. He is also the author of the book “Tales from a Northwest Naturalist”. Jim has taught for many years at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry before moving to Sisters.
Doors will open to the public 6:00 PM, with the presentation getting underway at 6:30 PM.

Free Coffee Friday!
2014-07-25
Come join us for a cup of free EcoRoast coffee (bought through fundroast in support of the local Bend Boys and Girls Club) from 8am-10am this Friday, and take a stroll through the building to see the Lexicon of Sustainability art show.
The show will be hanging on the outside front porch and in the Audubon room, High Desert room, and hallway of The Environmental Center through the rest of July and August. Take your time looking through the art, and when you are done, please answer our question: How are you Living the Green in Bend? From all of the answers submitted, we will be drawing for 2 free tickets to the sold-out Jack Johnson All At Once show on August 24th. The Environmental Center is one of a few nonprofits in OR to be sponsored during this show! Ticket Drawing will take place on August 18th.
Your answers will also be shared on our website, in social media (#livingthegreen #inBend), and at The Environmental Center.

The Art of Wilderness
2014-07-25
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act with “The Art of Wilderness”. Together, Discover Your Forest and the Deschutes National Forest will be hosting an evening of fine art and film.
Ansel Adams: A Documentary
An elegant, moving, and lyrical portrait of this quintessentially American photographer. Ansel Adams: A Documentary, written and directed by Ric Burns, will leave you captivated by Adams’ visionary photography, photographic technique, and passion for the cause of environmentalism.
With special guest landscape photographer Jeffrey Murray. Photography showing, artist reception, and talk. With work featured in National Geographic, hear award winning landscape photographer Jeffrey Murray share his adventures to capture compelling landscapes, texture, and light.
Photography will be for sale with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Discover Your Forest.
Art of Wilderness event made possible with the support of the Roundhouse Foundation.
For more information, call 541-383-5593.

Cider Hill Hike with the Sierra Club
2014-07-26
Drive to the end of the road at East Lake and hike to the top of Cinder Hill for view of the entire Newberry caldera. Return the same way. On the way out we’ll stop at the Big Obsidian Flow. Limit of 12. No dogs.
For more information about this and other Central-Oregon Sierra Club adventures and to sign up, visitthe Juniper Group Sierra Club website.

Kids' Butterfly Walk
2014-07-26
Explore the delicate and beautiful world of butterflies with the Deschutes Land Trust and Sue Anderson. This family-friendly walk around the Metolius Preserve will captivate your young ones as they roam the forest searching for butterflies. Delight in up-close encounters with these fluttery creatures that will also help you learn about their identification and ecology. Perfect for kids ages 4-10 with a grown-up in tow.
Hike Rating: This is an easy ~1-2 mile hike on dirt roads and trails for kids and families.
Free. Please register online at www.deschuteslandtrust.org/hikes

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: Climate Change at Crater Lake
2014-07-26
Crater Lake Park Ranger Brian Ettling; A Climate Reality Leader will be sharing his observations of the changes that have occurred over the last 22 years; at Crater Lake, to be held at Sunriver Nature Center.

Star Party
2014-07-26
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Jim Hammond for an exploration of the summer night sky at protected Rimrock Ranch. Jim and friends will set up powerful telescopes and help folks identify constellations, planets and far-away galaxies. Explore astronomy and get a rare chance to enjoy the dark skies of this privately-owned ranch. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event.
Rating: Easy, minimal walking.
What to Bring: Flashlights, warm clothes, blankets or camp chairs, snacks, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
For more information about this event and to register, please visit the Deschutes Land Trust website.

Hike Ochocos Wilderness
2014-07-27
Hike Ochocos Wilderness with an Expert Fisheries Biologist
Together with the Bitterbrush Broads, we will explore the Bridge Creek wilderness in the Ochocos with retired ODF&W Watershed Manager, Amy Stuart. Experience a truly special place, and learn more about a proposal to build 129 miles of roads for Off-Highway Vehicles nearby.
Please bring a lunch & snacks; 4 miles. Meet at 8am at the Park & Ride, back in the late afternoon.
Email moey@centraloregonlandwatch.org to RSVP.

Plant Clinic Solutions on KPOV on 88.9FM
2014-07-29
Listen in to KPOV 88.9FM for “Plant Clinic Solutions” in the Gardening: Get Good At It series.
For more information, visit the Central Oregon Master Gardeners Association website.

Wednesday Birders at Crater Lake (all-day)
2014-07-30
Join local birders every Wednesday for birding trips in Central Oregon. Meet at 7:00 AM at Nancy P’s at 1054 Milwaukee in Bend. The group car pools, sharing expenses for gas, and taking turns driving.
Plans may vary due to weather or rare birds spotted prior to the meeting. To keep up to date on the latest bird sightings and birding opportunities including Wednesday Birders join Central Oregon Birders Online (COBOL). It’s a great resource for Central Oregon birders.
For more information about this and other upcoming events of the East Cascades Audubon Society, visit their website.

Green Drinks at Humm Kombucha
2014-07-31
Join us at Green Drinks, the bi-monthly gathering to learn about local businesses and their sustainability efforts while enjoying an Eco-conscious drink or two! This month we’ll be learning about the amazing drink called Kombucha at Humm Kombucha; 5-7pm.
Why we humm
Humm is more than a word.
It’s even more than a sound.
Humm is a vibration.
Humm is energy and forward momentum.
Humm is the sound of happiness.
Humm travels.
Humm communicates.
Humm reminds us that we are not alone.
Humm is the chorus of human voices in a crowd.
Humm is music.
Humm is the rhythm of the universe.

Birds of Prey with High Desert Museum
2014-07-31
Bring your family to a Bend Park and Recreation District park to learn, play, and have fun in nature! FREE!
Thursdays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Ages 5-10
Wildflower Park
Birds of Prey presented by High Desert Museum: Experience an up-close encounter with a raptor and learn about the exciting adaptations of birds of prey.
Learn more about the Deschutes Children’s Forest summer programs here.

Be a River Superhero! Video Contest Submissions Due!
2014-08-01
Superman? Superwoman? Green Lantern? NO! Not heroic enough! Now is your chance to realize your lifelong dream of becoming a real superhero who rescues the Deschutes River from the evil forces of garbage and pollution! With summer fast approaching, river floating season is here. Floating the river is fabulous but garbage floating among the sedges is NOT. The amount of instream debris in the Old Mill District section of the Deschutes River has been increasing dramatically over the years. We are seeking a proactive and fun solution to the problem and we need your help! We are calling out to all of you Deschutes River Superheros to produce a 1-2 minute video presenting your creative ideas for preventing beer bottles, flip flops, and cell phones from filling up the river we all love. Don’t forget to include a snippet about why you love the river and want to protect it from evil! We want to hear about your connection to the river along with your heroic solution to save it.

See Video Contest Rules and Guidelines and download a submission form here.
Videos must be uploaded to YouTube by 5:00pm on Friday, August 1st, 2014
First Place- Two tickets to the Jack Johnson concert and two beautiful blue hydroflask bottles with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council logo
Second Place- Two beautiful blue hydroflask bottles with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council logo
Third Place- An Upper Deschutes Watershed Council ceramic coffee mug hand-crafted by local artist Chad Fox

Kids' Butterfly Walk
2014-08-02
Explore the delicate and beautiful world of butterflies with the Deschutes Land Trust and Sue Anderson. This family-friendly walk around the Metolius Preserve will captivate your young ones as they roam the forest searching for butterflies and report their findings to guru Sue. Delight in up-close encounters with these fluttery creatures that will also help you learn about their identification and ecology. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event.
Rating: Easy, ~1-2 mile walk.
What to Bring: Snacks/lunch, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
For more information about this event and to register, please visit the Deschutes Land Trust website.

Stewardship Workshop
2014-08-02
The Fall River Steward Group will be meeting for an organizational meeting regarding the Fall River southwest of Sunriver.
Information we will discuss:

Summer project update from Trout Unlimited’s Fall River Project Coordinator, Levi Old
Presentation by local natural resource professionals on management of the Fall River corridor
Organization-building workshop for the Fall River Steward Group
BBQ to celebrate the summer and build community around our work

For questions, full details, or to RSVP, please contact Levi Old by email or 541-408-3770.

River Feast
2014-08-02
A distinctive gathering at a magnificent location to celebrate the role the Deschutes River plays in the bounty that is harvested in this region with the Deschutes River Conservancy.
Please join us for a delightful Farm to Table experience at Mike and Gail Davis’ spectacular Tumalo property. Savoring a locally sourced delectable dinner prepared by private Chef Ken Clarke paired with wonderful Oregon wines and and craft beers, you will have the opportunity to mingle with friends and enjoy sweeping views of the Cascades. What a wonderful way to help support restoring streamflows in the Deschutes Basin!
For more information or to register, please contact Debbie Conners at 541-382-4077 x10 or debbie@deschutesriver.org or visit the Deschutes River Conservancy website.

Young Women's Natural Resources Career Camp
2014-08-05 - 2014-08-06
Discover Your Forest and the US Forest Service is partnering to bring 10th-12th grade females out in the field to:

discover careers in wildlife biology,botany, geology, recreation & more.
Learn about opportunities working for the Forest Service & other conservation organizations.
Make new friends, share meals around the campfire & camp out!
Develop leadership skills.

Application forms are available here, and to learn more, go here.

Mid-Season Garden Discussion on KPOV on 88.9FM
2014-08-05
Listen in to KPOV 88.9FM for a discussion on Mid-Season Gardening in the Gardening: Get Good At It series.
For more information, visit the Central Oregon Master Gardeners Association website.

Wednesday Birders at Hatfield and Redmond Wastewater Ponds
2014-08-06

VolunteerConnect Board Fair
2014-08-06
The Board Fair brings together twenty-plus nonprofit organizations seeking board members with people interested in exploring board service opportunities. Come early to check out all the opportunities. Free event. Registration required for tabling organizations, desired for those attending: betsy@volunteerconnectnow.org.

Wild About Wilderness with Deschutes Children's Forest
2014-08-07
Bring your family to a Bend Park and Recreation District park to learn, play, and have fun in nature! FREE!
Thursdays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Ages 5-10
Al Moody Park
Wild About Wilderness presented by Discover Your Forest: Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act and learn why Wilderness is important through a fun and interactive puppet show.
Learn more about the Deschutes Children’s Forest summer programs here.

Field Notes at Metolius Preserve
2014-08-09
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Katie Eberhart to explore the Metolius Preserve with the pen of a writer. Walking the land can be a great way to heighten your senses and feed your writing. Walk with us to see and hear more acutely, feel the fresh air, and smell new aromas. Then, through field notes, capture the specifics of a place that may later help trigger or contribute to poems, essays, or fiction. Writing exercises, discussion and optional sharing are all part of the process. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event.
Rating: Easy, ~1 mile walk.
What to Bring: Paper/notebook, pens/pencils, and, if you wish, a lightweight chair or pad.
For more information about this event and to register, please visit the Deschutes Land Trust website.

Super Moon Hike
2014-08-10
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Mary Crow for a Super Moon hike at Rimrock Ranch near Sisters. Explore this privately owned and permanetly conserved ranch under the light of a super moon. Super moons are when the moon is closest to Earth all year making it appear even bigger and brighter! Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event.
Rating: Challenging, ~2-3 mile hike.
What to Bring: Snacks, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
For more information about this event and to register, please visit the Deschutes Land Trust website.

Managing Pests on KPOV on 88.9FM
2014-08-12
Listen in to KPOV 88.9FM for a discussion on Managing Pests in the Gardening: Get Good At It series.
For more information, visit the Central Oregon Master Gardeners Association website.

Cadscadia Organic Farm Lunch & Learn
2014-08-12
Join us as local organic farmer Gigi Meyer talks about the devastating herbicide poisoning of her farm. She will discuss the steps she took and is still taking to remedy this action. We will provide lunch during her talk and then take a walking tour of the farm. We hope to see you there, as we venture into the realm of sustainability from a different perspective!
For more information, please go to Gigi’s website.
We love dogs but please leave them at home for this event, and children must be supervised at all times.
Tickets are FREE with a suggested $5 donation to help us cover costs. Seats are limited, so please RSVP!

Overnight Birders Trip at Millican Valley and Pine Mountain
2014-08-12 - 2014-08-13
Join local birders every Wednesday for birding trips in Central Oregon. Meet at 7:00 AM at Nancy P’s at 1054 Milwaukee in Bend. The group car pools, sharing expenses for gas, and taking turns driving.
Plans may vary due to weather or rare birds spotted prior to the meeting. To keep up to date on the latest bird sightings and birding opportunities including Wednesday Birders join Central Oregon Birders Online (COBOL). It’s a great resource for Central Oregon birders.
This overnight Birding Trip will include Tuesday afternoon birding at Millican Valley with an overnight camp-out at Pine Mountain for meteor show and Poorwills, Owls, and early morning Passerines in the desert before returning home on Wednesday.
For more information about this and other upcoming events of the East Cascades Audubon Society, visit their website.

Tree Yoga
2014-08-13
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Maret Pajutee for a meditative evening at picturesque Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. Commune with nature through gentle stretching and meditation in a tranquil pine grove with a mountain views. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event.
Rating: Easy, ~1 mile walking plus yoga!
What to Bring: Bring a yoga mat or towel, water, and a snack. Dress for the weather.
For more information about this event and to register, please visit the Deschutes Land Trust website.

Bend Urban Growth Boundary Community Meetings
2014-08-13
The City of Bend encourages residents to attend one of two upcoming community meetings to learn more about and comment on the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Remand project.

Meeting 1:
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Bend Municipal Court Building
555 NE 15th Street, Bend
Meeting 2:
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, 2014
Bend Parks & Recreation District, Riverbend Room
739 SW Columbia Street, Bend
Attendees are welcome to arrive at any time. Presentations will be provided at approximately 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Staff will be available throughout the meeting to provide information and answer questions. Attendees can participate in informal small group discussions and/or review displays. Children are welcome to attend, and coloring or other activities will be provided. Participants can learn how use an interactive online tool to weigh in on goals and issues associated with the UGB project. That online feedback tool will be accessible from the City’s UGB Website beginning August 1, 2014.
The City of Bend has entered the next phase of its UGB expansion to chart a path for Bend’s future growth. The UGB is a line on the City’s General Plan map that identifies Bend’s urban land. This land represents an estimated 20-year supply of land for employment, housing and other urban uses. The community has an opportunity to help shape the plan for future growth that reflects the community’s values and meets state planning requirements.
Find out more about the project, public meetings and opportunities to provide input, and sign up to receive information about the project at www.bendoregon.gov/bendugb.
Meetings are wheelchair accessible. Services for hearing impaired or Spanish-language interpretation can be arranged by contacting Brian Rankin at least 48 hours in advance at 541-388-5584 or brankin@bendoregon.gov. El lugar de la reunión dispone de acceso para personas en sillas de ruedas. Para organizar servicios para personas con discapacidad auditiva o servicios de interpretación al español, favor de llamar a Brian Rankin al menos con 48 horas de anticipación al 541-388-5584 o brankin@bendoregon.gov

Predators and Prey with The Environmental Center
2014-08-14
Bring your family to a Bend Park and Recreation District park to learn, play, and have fun in nature! FREE!
Thursdays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Ages 5-10
Ponderosa Park
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.
Learn more about the Deschutes Children’s Forest summer programs here.

Volcano Hike
2014-08-14
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Daniele Mckay for a sunset hike to the top of a small volcano located in Skyline Forest. Three Creek Butte is one of many small volcanoes scattered throughout the Three Sisters region. From its peak, we’ll take in views of the larger volcanoes in the region and discuss the geologic history of the Cascades and the potential for future eruptions. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event.
Rating: Challenging, ~2 mile hike.
What to Bring: Snacks, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
For more information about this event and to register, please visit the Deschutes Land Trust website.
