For 15 years, Evelyn Hess and her husband lived in a tent a trailer, without electricity or running water, on 20 acres of wild land in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. When they decided to build a “real” house at long last, they knew it would have to respect the lessons of simple…

The Crooked River Open Pastures (C.R.O.P) Events are ways for you and your family or friends to experience the farm and ranch life in Central Oregon. The High Desert Food & Farm Alliance along with a dedicated group of farmers and community members in Crook County are offering these FREE farm tours and rotating Farmer’s…

For over a decade, the Oregon Wild Outdoor Photo Contest has been a platform for stunning portraits of the state we call home. Amateur and professional photographers alike have submitted incredible images of mountainscapes, rivers, and elusive creatures that embody our ideal Oregon. In 2015, we’re expanding the contest aesthetic to include Oregon’s dark side…

VOLCANOES AND HYDROLOGY, WATER IN CENTRAL OREGON   Open to the Public Contact:  Gretchen Valido, 541-389-0785  What do volcanoes have to do with your water supply? The volcanic landscapes of Central Oregon have shaped the hydrology of this area in surprising ways, giving us one of the most unique groundwater systems in the western U.S.  Spring-fed…

Special guests: Brian Rankin and Mike Riley present the proposed UGB boundary scenarios. In late September and early October the City of Bend will launch a public survey and hold three public meetings related to the Urban Growth Boundary Remand. City of Bend Principal Planner Brian Rankin and Mike Riley from the UGB Boundary and…

Volunteer Connect and United Way of Deschutes County are teaming up to organize and present the 2015 Days of Caring on Sept. 18 & 19, an event that brings together volunteers from local businesses to provide project-focused volunteer service to non-profit and public organizations. Help nonprofits across Central Oregon this year by signing up your…

The annual appliance recycling event will be held Saturday, September 19 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Knott Landfill Recycling & Transfer Facility, 61050 SE 27th St. in Bend. Residents are encouraged to recycle their own used appliances and appliances that have been dumped on or around their property. Only the items listed below…

Are you interested in learning more about radio? Thinking about hosting a show on KPOV? Love music? Want to get involved in your community? KPOV's Fall DJ class, coming up on September 19, is your answer! You'll learn non-profit radio dos and don'ts on the 19th at COCC, and then get hands-on studio sessions at…

Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 8.4 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 1,100 feet Leader: Pam Hardy Location: Three Sisters Wilderness (carpools depart from Bend) A classic Central Cascades hike in the Three Sisters Wilderness, this trail passes waterfalls, wildflowers, and large old trees en route to a set of gorgeous alpine lakes. We'll have lunch at the lakes,…

The Crooked River Open Pastures (C.R.O.P) Events are ways for you and your family or friends to experience the farm and ranch life in Central Oregon. The High Desert Food & Farm Alliance along with a dedicated group of farmers and community members in Crook County are offering these FREE farm tours and rotating Farmer’s…

Information from OSU Master Gardeners™ about composting, seed saving, dividing plants, mulching, pruning and care of bulbs.

Scheduled 9 times a year, 3rd Thursdays of month. Social gathering time is from 6:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Programs begin at 7:00 p.m. and usually last until 8:30 p.m. March 19: “Bird Friendly Native Landscaping."   Birders Karen Theodore and Rick Martinson of WinterCreek Restoration will share identify native plants, and share tips about landscaping,…

On Friday, August 11th, 2017, Discover Your Forest will play host to hundreds of guests at our 3rd Annual Stars Over Newberry fundraiser. The event will take place atop Lava Butte in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument and will feature stargazing, live music, a silent auction, fabulous local beer, wine and cuisine. This year, festivities will…

Save dramatically on your home's energy consumption while increasing the comfort, safety, durability and value of your most important investment, your home.  You will be invited to shadow the crew as they move through your home performing a series of inspections and tests. Guest Presenter: Neil Kelley Home Performance Professionals

Drop in anytime on Thursday, September 29th between 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm at The Environmental Center in downtown Bend for Camp Fire’s Fall Open House! We’ll be playing simple games, eating yummy snacks, and discussing the many opportunities your kids will have to explore service learning projects, learn new things, meet new friends, set goals, and…

**PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS ON TUESDAY FROM 6-8PM, NOT THE USUAL THURSDAY EVENING!**  This month, we're combining Green Drinks with the kickoff of Bend Energy Challenge Week! Come check out the BEC Week Kickoff event at the new Habitat ReStore, featuring beer from Deschutes Brewery and food from Dump City Dumplings & Bend Soup Company. Come…

This year the Green Tour will be organized by The Environmental Center as part The Bend Energy Challenge Week—a week of energy education and inspiration for the whole family and building community. The Green Tour is a natural fit to inform and educate Central Oregon homeowners on ways that they can use less energy and expose…

In this exciting event, you will learn what the Bend Energy Challenge is and why it's important for our community. Guest Presenters: Eric Corey Freed, VP Global Communications, The International Living Future Institute Local Youth

For today’s buildings to play a role in tomorrow’s communities, they need to be built to last and adaptable, rather than simply demolished. In 2004, the Canada Green Building Council added the Durable Building credit to the LEED program in recognition of problems associated with building performance, sustainability and durability. The objective of this presentation…

Home buyers are increasingly interested in green features. Certified green homes sell faster at higher prices. This one-hour seminar will help you communicate with clients about the value and benefits energy efficient and green certified homes. Learn about green home features and how to sell them. Guest Presenters: Bruce Sullivan, BASE Zero To RSVP, please…

Learn how you can use solar energy to recharge the local economy, with presentations from solar installers, local governments, the State building codes division, and utilities. A Q&A Session will follow, with plenty of time to get your questions answered. Guest Presenters: The Oregon Department of Energy The Energy Trust of Oregon Sunlight Solar

Pick and choose which solar stations to stop by. Learn how solar works, what incentives are available, investigate if your home is a good fit for solar, and check out the latest solar panels. The kids will have their own stations to eat cookies baked by the sun and race solar cars! This event will…

This one hour presentation provides a basic understanding of what energy efficiency and high performance means in today’s building industry by examining the leading energy label, EPS (Energy Performance Score), and other Energy Trust of Oregon resources that are available to builders, brokers, and consumers in the region. Learning Objectives: Introduction to Energy Trust of Oregon Explanation of EPS label and how it provides savings, comfort,…

How can you build a home that uses no energy for heating, cooling, lights or appliances? Today it's possible to build a zero-energy home using readily available products and proven techniques. Zero-energy homes are going up across America, with many good examples right here in Central Oregon. In this one-hour seminar, learn what takes to…

  The organization will commemorate their Silver Anniversary with an open house at the Rosie Bareis Community Campus on Thursday, September 24th, 2015 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. The event is open to the public and will feature music, wine, beer, and light hors d’oeuvres. All are invited to learn more about the organization’s unique mission…

Go ahead and pledge to get into your comfort zone. There is sure to be something for everyone to take home. Saturday, September 22nd 10:00 – 5:00  The 15th Annual Green Tour is organized by The Bend Energy Challenge with support from the Energy Trust of Oregon. This year’s Tour will feature 7 homes packed with energy saving…

A celebration of our Central Oregon Cultures featuring food, music, vendors, non-profits and great people!

30th Anniversary Event: A Day in the Life of a Whychus Fir Thirty years ago, when Executive Director Paul Dewey found out about a proposal to pipe Whychus Creek and clear-cut its banks, he made a promise to an old-growth Douglas Fir that he would save its life. And with that, the seed that became…

This fall, our City Council will be making some big decisions about how we shape our city. As Bend prepares to develop a new Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and accompanying policies, we must take into consideration how these changes will impact housing availability, traffic congestion in our neighborhoods, wildlife habitat, access to outdoor recreation, complete neighborhoods,…

APPLY FOR A GRANT! Application deadline: October 1, 2015 Awesome Bend awards a $1000 grant quarterly to a project that will make Bend even more awesome. The definition of "awesome" is intentionally left up to your imagination. It could mean solving a problem, making someone stop and think, or spreading joy-- think social good, the…

Join participating HDFFA Partner Businesses for Taste Local Thursdays, a fall restaurant series featuring specials made from Central Oregon ingredients. Each business will be featuring a Central Oregon special on the dates below. Use the #TasteLocalThursdays and #HDFFA on social media and enter to WIN a local food gift bag! 10/1 Broken Top Bottle Shop…

The City of Bend encourages Bend citizens and area residents to attend an upcoming community meeting to learn more about and comment on the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Remand project, including an evaluation of different UGB expansion scenarios. Attendees are encouraged to arrive at any time.  A presentation will be provided beginning at approximately…

The Land Trust is turning 20! Come help us celebrate with a backyard BBQ at Deschutes Brewery's downtown Public House. Enjoy food (available for purchase), beer and other beverages, and music from the Moon Mountain Ramblers in the back lot of the Public House. Remarks at 6:30pm. Come help us celebrate 20 years of great…