The Environmental Center

Webcast: Oregon as Bygone Bison Range & Grizzly Country
2021-05-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Oregon’s incredible wildlands are inhabited by an abundant diversity of fish and wildlife. But some of the heftiest members of the state’s native megafauna club no longer range its forests, hills, and valleys. Naturalist Ethan Shaw explores the history of two of the West’s most iconic species – the mighty American bison and grizzly bear – and their relationship to Oregon. Ethan dives into some of what we know about the where and the when of these big beasts in the Beaver State and how they may have once integrated into local ecosystems and touches a little on what possible future the bison and grizzly could have here.

Expert Webinar: The Entrepreneurial Spirit
2021-05-13 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Learn how Shannon Keith, CEO and founder of Sudara, integrated her passion into her work and have that work connect to a global purpose!
Hear Shannon Keith speak on her amazing entrepreneurial journey, share advice for how to keep going when things get hard, and how important it is to have purpose driven work, no matter what we do.

Bend COTA Work Events
2021-05-13, 2021-05-20, 2021-05-27 | 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.

Deschutes River Basin Habitat Conservation Plan
2021-05-13 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Deschutes River Habitat Conservation Plan, what you need to know.
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) has been a 12-year collaboration among a large group of Deschutes River Basin stakeholders – irrigators, municipalities, recreationists, federal and state agencies, and Tribes.
The HCP will protect and restore habitat in 340 miles of rivers and streams. The area covered by the HCP is massive, encompassing around 10,700 square miles of watershed in Central Oregon. Boundaries are the north to the Columbia River, west to the Cascade Mountains, and east to the Ochoco Mountains. The Deschutes River basin includes six major tributaries upstream of Lake Billy Chinook in Jefferson County.
Bridget Moran, Field Supervisor, US Fish and Wildlife Service, will talk implementation and status of the Habitat Conservation Plan in our basin.

MINARI Film May 14 & 15
2021-05-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.
Host a Virtual Film Screening Party
Screening Available to Start 3:30-7:30 p.m. PST
If you would like to host your own virtual screening party, please contact:
Christy Walker at ODI@cocc.edu for the link and instructions.
Limited viewing links available. You will receive an email link and viewing instructions 2 days prior to viewing. Participants will have four hours to watch the film & additional bonus materials from the time they begin watching before their content expires.
Free Event

2021 virtual Rural Caucus and Strategy Session
2021-05-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Every year rural and small town organizers come together for the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session, a day to share incredible organizing from across the state, reflect on the previous year and make plans for our rural human dignity movement in the year ahead. And what a year it’s been… full of grief and challenges and courage and creativity!
The Caucus will look a bit different this year. ROP will begin at 9 am PST with a morning session focused on reflecting on the work rural Oregonians have done for human dignity and democracy over the last year and planning for the year of community organizing to come! Join for one or both of the afternoon strategy sessions focusing on building our rural organizing toolboxes.

Family Birding Adventure
2021-05-15 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 375 SW Powerhouse Dr Suite 100, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join a naturalist as you explore the botanic garden, nature trail, and shore of Lake Aspen in search of Sunriver’s birds. You’ll learn how to spot, identify, and count common birds in the area. This family-friendly program is suited for all ages.
Bring your binoculars if you have them. Additional binoculars will be available to borrow. Expect to walk up to 2 miles. Capacity is limited and masks are required during the hike. Please no dogs or strollers for this program.
Daytime admission to the nature center is included in your program registration. Please feel free to enjoy the nature center upon your return.

Community Gathering: Immigrant & Racial Justice Legislative Priorities
2021-05-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
A discussion about what you can do to support immigrant and racial justice in Oregon right now. Joanne Mina will give an overview of several important bills currently under consideration in the state legislature. Discuss the role of allies in these efforts and offer a call to action.

Wild Waters Ahead
2021-05-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
ONDA community members showed how much they value desert rivers, streams and creeks by nominating countless waterways for protection. Now, more than 1,000 miles of these waters could be protected under the River Democracy Act. Join to learn more about the rushing rivers, hidden hot springs, and spectacular streams across Oregon’s high desert and how you can take the next step in advocating for their conservation!

Happy Hour in the Garden
2021-05-18 | 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

Gather: First Foods Discussion and Q&A
2021-05-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Confluence for an online discussion of the film Gather with cast members. Gather is an intimate portrait of the growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political, and cultural identities through food sovereignty, while battling the trauma of centuries of genocide.
The documentary follows Nephi Craig, a chef from the White Mountain Apache Nation (Arizona), opening an indigenous café as a nutritional recovery clinic; Elsie Dubray, a young scientist from the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation (South Dakota), conducting landmark studies on bison; and the Ancestral Guard, a group of environmental activists from the Yurok Nation (Northern California), trying to save the Klamath River. You can read more about it here.

Womxn in Conservation gathering
2021-05-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Central Oregon Womxn in Conservation at OnTap on April 28th!
Womxn in Conservation is looking forward to gathering for the first time in a long time! Join on Thursday, April 28th at OnTap food carts in Bend. They will be hanging out outside (hope for good weather!), catching up, and meeting new people from 4:30-6:00pm. Join at any time for their happy hour; no need to RSVP.

Pollinating a Dynamic Economy: Prioritizing Pollinators for Better Food Systems
2021-05-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
On World Bee Day, join FAO North America and the Embassy of Slovenia for a dynamic webinar examining the vast challenges facing pollination efforts and the potential for creative development methods.

Students Speak: A Virtual Watershed Summit
2021-05-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Upper Deschutes Watershed Council will once again be coordinating Students Speak: A Watershed Summit to highlight the incredible work of local students who have been learning about our rivers and streams throughout the year.
For the 13th year, Students Speak: A Watershed Summit will be entirely virtual. Upper Deschutes Watershed Council will host six different schools on a Zoom meeting and will support students in their work to present their watershed stories, art, science, and songs for their peers, parents, and natural resource professionals.
Stay tuned for more details to come!

Watershed Warriors
2021-05-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Our local watershed is a vital part of our everyday life and a treasured natural resource we want to help preserve. During this program, you and your family will learn all about the importance of watersheds and how to be good stewards for our waterways. From examining water and macroinvertebrate samples in the field, to performing real-time pollution experiments using a watershed model, you will become experts in pollution prevention and watershed stewardship in no time!
This is a family program designed for families with children ages 6 to 10 years old. Capacity for this program is limited. This program takes place fully outdoors and masks are required for participants.
This program is free for Central Oregon families thanks to special support from Children’s Forest of Central Oregon.

Living with Wildfires: Webinar
2021-05-23 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Learn from experts about what you can do to keep yourself, your family and your community safe during this upcoming wildfire season.
Presenters will cover topics specific to our wildfire season in Central Oregon:

Easy tips for you to prevent your home from going up in flames
How to get out of the smoke and breathe freely when fires are near
Where to go and what to do if Central Oregon is threatened by encroaching wildfires
How you can make changes now to outlast this and all upcoming fire seasons

Each expert speaker will share a brief presentation and then have time to answer your wildfire questions.

CULTIVATING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES (a Virtual Conference): Confronting Health Threats, Climate Disasters, and Biodiversity Collapse with a Toxic-Free Future
2021-05-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Virtual Conference—May 25, June 1, June 8 and June 15, 2021

Scientific understanding. Collective action. Systemic change. A toxic-free future. Organic transition. The serious and existential environmental and health challenges that we face bring an urgency to the focus of this Forum and the work that is going on in communities around the U.S. and the world. Central to the solution is the elimination of petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers in exchange for regenerative organic land management and nontoxic materials that stop the harm from toxic chemical production, use, and disposal. We recognize that this is the only way to protect our children and families, those in workplaces, pets, pollinators, and the rich diversity of organisms essential to life.

Deschutes County Town Hall
2021-05-25 16:00 - 17:00 | 375 SW Powerhouse Dr Suite 100, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Senator Jeff Merkley is hosting his 18th digital town hall of the year — and 450th since first being elected to the Senate. In these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to hear directly from our community. But it’s also important to respect the health and safety of every member of our communities while there is still a very real risk of spreading COVID-19 through in-person gatherings. Senator Jeff Merkley, invites all Deschutes County residents to join online, on mobile devices, or on the telephone to discuss what we need to do to strengthen our state and our nation.
On a computer, smartphone or tablet: click here
On the phone:
Call 669-254-5252
Enter meeting ID: 160 544 9836
Ener participant ID: #
Enter access code: 41220350

The Science of Happiness with Catherine A. Sanderson, Ph. D.
2021-05-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This talk will present both surprising and not-so-surprising information on the science behind happiness. What role do money, marriage, friends, children, weather, age and religion play in making us feel happier? Is happiness stable over time? How can happiness be increased? How has COVID-19 changed this? Professor Sanderson will describe cutting-edge research from the field of positive psychology on the factors that do (and do not) predict happiness, and provide practical (and relatively easy!) ways to increase psychological well-being.

Virtual Workshop: Looking Out for Neonatal Wildlife
2021-05-25 18:00 - 19:30 | 375 SW Powerhouse Dr Suite 100, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
One of the most exciting parts of spring is the arrival of baby season. Baby birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer and other wildlife can be easily observed in the landscape. Some animals are fiercely independent within a few days of life while others need longer term care by a parent. This virtual workshop will review the development and behavior of commonly encountered wildlife in our area to help you better recognize when a baby animal may need help and intervention from humans.

InFARMation: Creative Ways to Access Land and Capital
2021-05-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The average farmer in Oregon is 60 years old. Without a plan to get new farmers onto the land, when the older generation hangs up their tools in the next decade we stand to lose 25-50% of farmland currently in production to conglomeration or development. Join FoFF for the last session in their InFARMation series on Land and Capital Access to talk about creative ways farmers and organizations are working collaboratively to protect farms and ranches in Oregon.
Speakers:

Nellie McAdams from Oregon Agricultural Trust
Chris Overbaugh from Winter Green Farm
Ryan Gallagher and Alissa Welker from Steward
Natalie Danielson and Silvia Cuesta from Oregon Farm Link

Gorge Outdoor Recreation & Tourism Summit
2021-05-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
What’s At RIsk? With unprecedented recreation use, how do we care for the places we love?
Join to explore worst case scenarios, the good news and the actions you can take in your region.
Hear from land agencies, businesses, local organizations and government including Eric White, social scientist from the Forest Service on how the Gorge might look in the next few decades if we do nothing.

Webcast: Visions of Wild Utah
2021-05-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The wild landscapes of Utah offer breathtaking vistas, an incredible array of wildlife, recreation opportunities, and the preservation of irreplaceable cultural practices and artifacts. In recent years, much of the debate over American public lands has centered on Utah, focusing on the unjustified shrinking of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. But there is much more to the story and importance of Utah’s wild landscapes. Join three adventurers from Oregonians for Wild Utah (OFWU) as they take you on a virtual tour of some of these breathtaking natural wonders. You’ll explore how the conversations about our public lands – where they came from, why they’re important, and how they should be managed for future generations – can bring us together and help us advocate for them.

Outdoor Access for All: Exploring Safety, Equity & Inclusion
2021-05-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Last year, hate crimes in the U.S. rose to the highest level in more than a decade, according to the FBI. In Oregon, hate crimes and bias incidents spiked 366% with several high-profile reports from Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ community members being harassed in public parks and other public recreation areas. We can and must do better.
No one visiting the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon Coast, or any lands held for the benefit of the public should have to fear that they and their loved ones might be harassed or attacked due to their skin color, gender identity, or ethnic background. But we still have a long way to go to ensure safe and equitable access on public lands.
Join for a virtual discussion— hosted by Friends of the Columbia Gorge and organized in collaboration with Comunidades, Love is King, and People of Colors Outdoors—to explore the opportunities and challenges in ensuring equitable access for all to state parks and lands in the Columbia Gorge and beyond across both Oregon and Washington.

Farm Kids Spring 2021
2021-05-27 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Farm Kids! is an educational program that collaborates with teachers to educate school-aged children about where their food comes from through experiential, curriculum-based activities including field-trips to local farms and classroom presentations.

Spring Field Trips will be held at Windy Acres Dairy in Prineville, DD Ranch in Terrebonne, and Golden Eagle Organics and Juniper Jungle Farm in Bend
Farm Kids is geared toward students in kindergarten through second grade
Students will be in pods of 10 with a dedicated educator leading them through learning stations at the farm

Deschutes River Corridor Weed Pulls
2021-05-27 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join the Deschutes National Forest and Coalition for the Deschutes to pull invasive weeds along the Deschutes River. You’ll mostly be pulling knapweed and possibly some other invasives such as cheatgrass. With a small group of people spending two or three hours on the job, significant areas can be cleared and kept free of knapweed. And it’s fun and greatly appreciated!
Please bring:

gardening gloves
weeding tools if you have them (e.g., dandelion weeder)
snacks
water
And please dress for the weather and the work

For more information, send an email to inge@coalitionforthedeschutes.org

May Green Drinks Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month
2021-05-27 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
To honor, celebrate and recognize the contributions, achievements, and influences that the Asian American and Asian Pacific Islander community has had, and continues to have in our community, we’d like to highlight Aina Hawaiian Bend for May Green Drinks.
We sat down with Kauai native and Bend transplant, Ian Vidinha. Ian runs and operates a Kauai-style Hawaiian food cart in Bend, Oregon. Ian shared about his upbringing in Kauai, his cultural connection to the land, and traditional practices on how his family gathered and prepared food.
Here’s how to participate in our May Green Drinks:
First: Watch the 20-minute video featuring Ian’s stories & cooking.
Second: On Thursday, May 27th, mention Green Drinks at Aina food cart and receive 10% off your meal. (Their hours are 12-7pm; located near Bevel Brewing.)
**Please note this is not a scheduled, in-person event. You can watch the film and eat at Aina anytime. Share your photos with us!**

BIPOC Climbing night
2021-05-27 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Latinos Outside, Vamonos Outside and the Circuit Bouldering Gym for their monthly BIPOC Climb Night. It is a place to come together and connect with other BIPOC folk in Central Oregon who are interested in climbing. All levels of experienced climbers welcomed.
First time visit is free. After that, it is half off regular day passes during these climb nights. Regular prices are $19 (adults), $17 (Students), $15 (youth). Free rentals for any one who needs them. Prizes will be given away as well. Sign waiver here!
