Conservation education out on our rivers and in the field!

It is that time of year again, we are busy working with multiple schools and partners this spring. Stay tuned to hear more about:  

• A hands-on project with Miller Elementary School to explore and learn about Ryan Ranch. Wait until you see the beautiful flora and fauna flags the kids are going to create!
• The Whychus Creek field guide that Sisters Middle School students are working on. With botanical sketches, creative writing, and ecological information about Whychus Creek, everyone is going to want this field guide in their back pocket.
• Our newest education project-- The Deschutes Riverkeepers Project is an exciting opportunity for an entire school to become activated Riverkeepers who will adopt and steward the Deschutes River!!

As an ongoing project in partnership with Deschutes National Forest and Discover Your Northwest, hundreds of students have been participating in hands-on conservation education projects at Ryan Ranch on the Deschutes River. The entire fifth grade at Miller Elementary will be working on three different projects to look at Ryan Ranch through different lenses. They will be artist, writers, historians, and scientists for the next four months as they try to capture Ryan Ranch through painting, creative writing, research, and data collection while out in the field. Ultimately, the students will create an educational video about Ryan Ranch, a mural of the past, present, and future of Ryan Ranch, and flora and fauna flags to share with the community. Students will present their final projects at our annual watershed event at Mt. Bachelor Village on May 15th, Students Speak: A Watershed Summit.

Sisters MIddle School students are halfway through their year-long Whychus Creek study project. Thanks to support from the Roundhouse Foundation and a really cool partnership with Arts Central, 120 middle school students are applying their new environmental knowledge to create a field guide all about Whychus Creek.
 
In April, we will be starting the three-month Deschutes Riverkeepers project with 400 elementary students. The Deschutes Riverkeepers is an interdisciplinary, place-based watershed education program for these elementary students to explore and connect with their home watersheds. They will participate in activities such as hiking along the river, creative writing, streamside art, hands-on science, and stewardship projects. The Deschutes Riverkeepers is a holistic program that combines regional curricula with outdoor exploration in an effective way to guide students to become engaged in informed and active conservation. With so many great kids out in the field, we need volunteers! Please email kyake@restorethedeschutes to sign up!
 

It should be a fun filled spring with many days spent along the beautiful Deschutes River!

All of our projects are made possible with community support and donations. To contribute to conservation education in Central Oregon, click here to make your donation today.