Fire-area closure delays Public Lands Day
The National Forest Foundation, US Forest Service, and REI Bend are changing the date of the National Public Lands Day volunteer event from September 29 to Saturday, October 20.
The planting projects planned near Whychus Creek for National Public Lands Day are currently in the closure area of the Pole Creek Fire.
“Although the area we will be working in has not been burned, it is on the edge of the Pole Creek Fire and we are postponing the event until the fire closure on FS Road 16 is lifted,” said Maret Pajutee, District Ecologist for the Sisters Ranger District.
National Public Lands Day is now set to take place on October 20 at 9 am. Volunteers can meet group leaders at Creekside Park in Sisters (649 Oregon 126). Over 1400 plants and shrubs will be planted near Whychus Creek, an area in need of some serious TLC. Please come lend a hand, make a difference, and leave a legacy. The conservation projects will last until 2 pm and the whole family is invited to attend.
In addition to enjoying a beautiful day outdoors, volunteers will learn about community efforts to restore Whychus Creek as part of NFF’s Treasured Landscapes conservation campaign. Volunteers will also have an opportunity to tour a portion of the Pole Creek Fire with members of the Forest Service.
For information or to register, please visit: www.nationalforests.org/volunteer
For further details, contact Karly Hedrick, Sisters Volunteer Bank Coordinator, at 541-549-0251 or via email at khedrick@nationalforests.org. The Friends of the Forest National Public Lands Day is made possible by the Roundhouse Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service- Sisters Ranger District, and REI Bend.
The Treasured Landscapes Campaign
In 2009, the NFF launched its national conservation campaign – Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences. Faced with tremendous forest restoration needs due to climate change, insects, wildfire and other impacts, we aim to revitalize our forests and strengthen Americans’ connection to their public lands. Working in special landscapes from Alaska to Colorado to Illinois – including Oregon’s Whychus Creek and Metolius River watersheds – this campaign will unite diverse partners and communities to restore landscapes for their scenic, watershed, wildlife and carbon sequestration benefits. The campaign will also help nurture the nation’s love for the outdoors and commitment to conservation through public education, youth engagement and volunteerism.
About the National Forest Foundation Founded by Congress in 1991, the National Forest Foundation works to conserve, restore and enhance America’s 193-million-acre National Forest System. Through community-based strategies and public-private partnerships, the NFF works with the Forest Service to enhances wildlife habitat, revitalizes wildfire-damaged landscapes, restores watersheds, and improves recreational resources for the benefit of all Americans. The NFF’s Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences national conservation campaign is uniting public and private partners to conduct large-scale forest and watershed restoration and revitalize ecosystem resiliency in iconic National Forest System sites around the nation. To learn more, visit us at www.nationalforests.org.
