Volunteer Opportunity

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Sun 22 Mar 2009

April 11, 2009 9 a.m. - CANCELLED Trout Ceek Ranch Cottonwood Planting and Seedling Screening Project

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What – Plant cottonwood cuttings and put on protective vexar tubes on seedlings to help restore the riparian areas to a more natural condition. Bob and Robert will give us a tour of the ranch and describe the terrestrial and aquatic habitat management projects underway on the ranch for restoration.

Project background - Trout Creek Ranch is a 3,010-acre ranch purchased by General Electric Company (PGE) for the wildlife habitat management in 1999. The ranch is located approximately two miles upstream from the confluence of Trout Creek with the Deschutes River.  The habitat is being managed to benefit the production of mid-Columbia steelhead. The restoration activities include regrading, reshaping, and realignment of approximately 1.4 miles of the stream and re-vegetating the riparian areas. With these actions they hope to restore the stream’s natural functions and improve water quality and quantity.

When - April 11 2009 9AM to 2 pm.

Where – The field trip begins at the PGE Trout Creek Ranch.

Directions -  Take HWY 97 north from Madras approximately 2 1/2 miles. Turn left on Cora Lane Cora land merges with NE C Drive, Takes a sharp right becomes Bulkeley lane goes down the grade to gateway. Follow signs to Trout Creek Recreation Area. From gateway, turn north on Clements drive.follow sign to trout Creek recreation area-as you go under railroad tunnel and cross bridge, trout creek ranch gate is on your right (it is Coleman road on the map). I am told standard cars can manage the ranch road, though it is steep.

Carpooling – Carpooling is not part of the field trip, however many people like to car pool.  You can meet Eileen at the Fred Meyers in Redmond behind the can and bottle return center. If you would like to carpool from Bend, call Eileen and she will send out a general email to those who would prefer to meet there. Approximately 30 minutes from Madras.

Working conditions - Riparian area of Lower Trout Creek-possibly muddy

What to bring- Dress appropriately for weather-bring work gloves-waders recommended (not required)-extra hammers, shovels, digging bars would be useful.

Lunch will be provided.  Bring drinking water.

Age considerations- many different tasks easy to strenuous-minimal walking (we are not wheelchair accessible however).

RSVP to ceobermiller@webformixair.com; eileen@dappledearth.com; or Eileen (541) 923-2777

 

 

 

 

 

 

map to trout creek

map to trout creek

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tue 27 Jan 2009

Help the Old Stone Church Foundation Design & Install a Xeriscape Garden.

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UPDATE: March 20, 2009

 

Hello Old Stone Church  Volunteers:
 
We will be having our first meeting on April 4, 2009 at the Old Stone Church.  This first meeting will begin with an orientation of project goals and the site. Next we’ll jump into designing some concept ideas for the master plan landscape.  John will provide base maps, a basic survey of the site, and drawing equipment.  We’ll see how far we can get, discuss options, and decide on the next steps.  Hope to see you there!  John will also provide some hot drinks and light refreshments. Please read John’s note below for important details.
 
Regards, 
Eileen Obermiller

 

 

 

Note from John Miller

 Dear Old Stone Visioneers,

I am fowarding some sketches by our friend Phil Hamilton in the interest of scheduling a design charette for the Old Stone.  I’d like to have an open meeting for brainstorming a vision for reshaping Old Stone in a way that it best serves the mission of building friendship and conscious community through music, education and spirituality.  I could go on and on about this, but here are some basic ideas for finding the sculpture within the unhewn rock that is the Old Stone today:
 - The Old Stone as a power center - a place to gather power
 - Playing artitectural aikido to honor the history of the building, but redirect its energy to celebrate spirituality as our essence, rather than a political tool or foundation for superstition
 - The mythical Old Stone that served and serves as a primordial community focal point
 - The fluid communication of indoor/outdoor space that facilitates gatherings
 - The notion of fractals and logarithmic spirals that facilitate real exchange and connection (groups of 5 of 8 or less - fibonacci numbers)
 - The juxtaposition of water, stone, air and fire
 - Highly functional spaces that work together for different uses: filmings, lectures, concerts, breakout discussion
 - High vibrational space that engenders transcendent healing, peace, harmony and the flow of grace
 - Serves basic needs - firepits, food and drink.

 

 

The primary focus of the charette is a functional landscape design for the site that integrates the building with its surroundings and reflects most, if not all, the foregoing.  To this end, the drawings attached are meant to be a visual stimulus for discussion and nothing more.  I would like to have a brainstorming session for two hours, beginning with a review of the foregoing, a brief presentation of the drawings, followed by an open discussion and drawing.  The basic rules of brainstorming apply:  no criticism -only ideas. 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

John Miller

Executive Director

 

What:  The Old Stone Church on Franklin Avenue is in the process of replacing the lawn in front of their building along Franklin Ave with xeriscaping featuring native plants.  They are looking for help to design, select plants, collect or purchase boulders, and to install.  They have a budget for materials and anticipate some of their volunteers to be available for the installation. 

Old Stone Church Update March 2, 2009  

John Miller, Phil Hamilton, and Eileen Obermiller met Saturday February 28, 2009 to discuss how the high desert chapter might help them develop a plan and install some native plants on the church property.  The Old Stone Church  (OSC) is focusing on building community consciousness through education, spirituality, and music.  Physically, it is a beautiful church building built in 1912 (it is the oldest church in Deschutes County) on the corner of Franklin and Harriman looking for some redevelopment to better serve the community. (More details about the OSC at http://www.osc.bend.com/)  Their idea is work with the existing building in a way that honors its history, but redirects its former identity as a church to one of a a hub of activities for raising consciousness.

 

John and Phil have been working on some initial architectural and site drawings for the property to express their thoughts on what direction the OSC might take.  They are looking at creating an indoor outdoor venue for community activities.  They are exploring ways to create a more welcoming entry from Franklin with outdoor features such as conversational seating, a labyrinth, fire pits, outdoor cooking facilities… whatever will create an environment that will support community interaction.  They want to utilize native plants as part of their developing the site in a green a fashion as possible.

 

Since several members expressed an interest in volunteering to help design and install the landscape, we thought it would be fun to have a mini design session at the church.  John and Phil are working on developing an outline of their vision and some base maps and concept drawings for us to work on.  Once they have that together, we will set a date for the design session.  If you want to participate and have not already told me, let me know.  We will send out a general notice of the meeting to those who have expressed interest and of course will have updates on the High Desert blog http://highdesert.npsoregon.org/blog/.

 

Where: Old Stone Church, 157 NW Franklin Ave, Bend, OR 97701
When:  Spring 2009 actual date to be determined.
Contact: Would you like to help?  For more information or to volunteer contact Eileen eileen@dappeldearth.com or John Miller, Executive Director, Old Stone Church Foundation, 157 NW Franklin Ave Bend, OR 97701 541-408-6831,or email John at info@oscbend.com.

 

 

Wed 17 Dec 2008

June 29, 2009- Help collect data on the Pumice Grape-fern (Botrychium pumicola) classified a sensitive plant!

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What:  Data Collection of the Pumice grape-fern (Botrychium pumicola).   Two to four volunteers are requested for this project.  The work involves assisting Forest Service employees with data collection at two sites located about one hour southeast of Bend, several miles southeast of Pine Mountain.  This will be the second year of full data collection at these sites.  The objective of this ten-year monitoring project is to determine if cattle are having an impact on this sensitive plant.  The monitoring was initiated after discovering that roughly 1/5 of the world’s population of this species occurs in one cattle pasture. 

 

In a nutshell, the actual monitoring involves searching for previously located and numbered plants along already-established transects within fenced and unfenced plots, measuring them, determining fertility (by presence or absence of the spore-bearing stalk) and placing numbered tags next to those that are new to the monitoring.  This information is then recorded on a pre-made data sheet.

 

When:  The work will most likely occur the week of June 29 and will take at least the first four days of the work week.  Because of the distance from town, the work days will be 10 hours’ length (this includes driving time to and from the sites).  Volunteers will be able to ride along in Forest Service vehicles. 

 

Working conditions:  Pleasant co-workers; warm to uncomfortably hot weather, with potential for thunderstorms; white, highly reflective, sandy pumice soils; no shade; flat  topography; no hiking is necessary; pleasing vistas of Pine Mountain, Mahogany Butte, northeast rim of Newberry Crater.  No previous experience is necessary to help—just a good attitude, careful attention to detail, and willingness to look for and record relatively inconspicuous plants!

 

What to bring:  Lunch, snacks, and plenty of water– there is no water or toilet facilities available on site.  Please wear shade hats and sunscreen. Consider wearing sturdy tennis shoes or other comfortable walking shoe.  Boots are not recommended since they tend to churn this delicate soil that the grape-fern lives in. 

 

Age considerations: High school students and older are welcome on this volunteer project.  While children are welcome on almost all NPSO events, please do not bring younger children for this event.  Thank you.

 

Reservations: Required a minimum of 2 weeks in advance.

 

Contact: 

Charmane Powers
Botanist, Bend/Ft. Rock Ranger District
Deschutes National Forest
e-mail:  cpowers@fs.fed.us
541-383-4730

 

Wed 17 Dec 2008

Help fence off a population of pumice grape-fern & build a bird blind!

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The USFS is looking for help fencing off ponds from cattle grazing and to set up bird blinds.  This project is still in its planning stage and may not be ready for action until the fall of 2009 or perhaps even 2010.  More information will follow as it firms up.

 

This project is about three miles from the monitoring project outlined above, near the BPA Sand Springs substation.  Roughly 50 acres will be fenced.  There is a known population of the pumice grape-fern that will be protected, as well as good habitat for the species.  This project will also set up bird watching blinds.

 

What: 

When:  we’ll fill these in as information becomes available :)

Working conditions: 

What to bring: 

Age considerations:

Contact: 

Charmane Powers
Botanist, Bend/Ft. Rock Ranger District
Deschutes National Forest
e-mail:  cpowers@fs.fed.us
541-383-4730