Volunteers sought to help plant in wildfire area

The Pole Creek Fire just outside of Sisters can be considered a reminder of how the health of our local forests impacts our lives and community.

On Saturday, October 20, join the National Forest Foundation, US Forest Service, and REI Bend in becoming a Friend of the Forest. Volunteers are needed to plant over 1,000 plants on the perimeter of the Pole Creek Fire area near Whychus Creek. Please help us restore the forests to their natural health and resiliency!

The whole family can participate in the restoration projects along Whychus Creek, just outside of Sisters, Oregon. The half-day volunteer event includes other projects such as scattering native seeds, mulching and more! Volunteers will meet at 9:00 a.m. at Creekside Park (corner of Jefferson Ave. and Highway 20) for refreshments and an orientation for the day. Groups will then carpool together to the project site.

All volunteers will finish by 2 p.m. for time to enjoy the rest of their Saturday. In addition to enjoying a beautiful day outdoors, volunteers will hear first-hand accounts about fighting the Pole Creek fire and take a brief tour of the edge of the fire area.

Volunteers will also learn about the local restoration efforts that are part of NFF’s Treasured Landscapes conservation campaign for the Metolius River and Whychus Creek. Volunteers of all ages are welcome and families, including children, are encouraged to participate.

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.