High Desert Naturalist Hikes Bend Park and Recreation District is offering two sessions of hikes May 16 to 23 and June 6 to 13 that explore the region’s geology, wetlands, birds, and flowers. Each hike is 4 to 6 miles and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. In-district cost is $50 and out-of-district cost […]
Deschutes Land Trust
Posted inOutside
Keep Mule Deer Out of Your Garden!
“I am NOT going to put the raspberries out until we get a fence up to keep the deer out of the garden!” So says my wife Sue as we discussed this summer’s garden and greenhouse. Mule deer—thanks in part to those residents who continue feeding them in their yards—are a bane to anyone trying […]
Posted inOutside
Preserving Aspen Hollow
Deschutes Land Trust secures 58 acres along Whychus Creek
The Whychus Creek area is home to a wide array of wildlife. Salmon and steelhead swim in its waters, mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk graze along its banks, and golden eagles and spotted bats fly through the skies above. Thanks to Deschutes Land Trust and its supporters, an additional 58 acres of that habitat […]
Posted inNews
Deschutes Land Trust Acquires 58-acre Aspen Hollow Preserve
Deschutes Land Trust has purchased 58 acres of land along Whychus Creek as part of a campaign launched last fall to conserve habitats in the area, the group announced today. Dubbed the Aspen Hollow Preserve, the land near Sisters includes one half-mile of creek frontage and a variety of wildlife ranging from salmon and steelhead […]
Posted inNews
Farewell to Skyline Forest?
After a decade of conservation efforts, the forest’s sale casts doubt on future
It’s a view that keeps building heights low and spirits high—the majestic, snow-capped Cascades, skirted by ponderosa forests. But the future of that view may be in jeopardy. That’s because the 33,000-acre swath of forestland west of Bend known as Skyline Forest—where Bendites mountain bike, hike, and ride horseback on user-created trails—doesn’t belong to the […]
Posted inNews
Fidelity Sells Skyline Forest to Singapore-Based Company, Future of Conservation Efforts Unknown
Skyline Forest, the 33,000 square-acre swath of forest land northwest of Skyliners Road, has a new owner. Singapore-based company Whitefish Cascade Forest Resources, LLC, purchased the forest as part of an acquisition of 197,000 square acres of forest lands in Deschutes and Klamath counties previously owned by Fidelity Financial’s Cascade Timberlands. The sale is controversial because […]
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Not At All For The Birds
Some choice spots for winter birdwatching
From high desert to sub-alpine, Central Oregon hosts a wide range of ecosystems making it one of the best places in the state to spot a diverse range of birds, even in the middle of winter. With snow levels unseasonably low, many of the best birding spots in the region are easily accessible. Brothers Oasis […]
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Go Here 11/27-12/3
Oh, Christmas Tree!
If the thought of spending the day after Thanksgiving shopping among the frenzied, pie-fed, bargain-seeking masses makes you punchy, consider another option. Trade black for green and spend the day grabbing your Christmas tree. A remarkably unscientific survey reveals nine out of 10 local outdoorsy types recommend heading past Sisters, parking where McKenzie Pass is […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Preserving the Future
Deschutes Land Trust works to safeguard the beauty of Central Oregon
Brad Chalfant moved to Central Oregon for the same reasons many young, outdoor enthusiasts do—to be a ski bum. And, for the past two decades, he has been trying to preserve the natural charms that first attracted him here—not to mention, actually expanding the number and acreage of such areas. When Chalfant first moved to […]
Posted inOutside
Putting Together the Puzzle Pieces
Deschutes Land Trust has an ambitious plan to give Whychus Creek back to the public
On Oct 1, the Deschutes Land Trust publicly announced an ambitious goal to fully reclaim and restore Whychus Creek, a cold water tributary that runs northeast from Sisters into the Deschutes River. In an exclusive interview with the Source, Executive Director Brad Chalfant and Associate Director Zak Boone excitedly laid out a three year campaign […]