New name: Children’s Forest of Central Oregon

The Deschutes Children’s Forest, a local collaborative dedicated to connecting children and families in Central Oregon to the outdoors, is changing its name to the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon. In celebration of this change, the organization is hosting a Discover Nature Day: Fall Festival.

The change from Deschutes Children’s Forest to the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon reflects a recent expansion to develop new partnerships and offer services to the children and families of Crook, Jefferson, and parts of Wheeler counties.

In celebration of their expansion, the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon is hosting a Discover Nature Day: Fall Festival on Sunday, October 12 from 1-4pm at Hollinshead Park in Bend.

This free event is open to the public and will include nature programs, fall craft activities, healthy seasonal snacks, and health and wellness activities offered by Mosaic Medical.

Nature programs will be offered by the Children’s Forest partners and will include Watery Wonders, Wildlife Tracking, Bugs Abound, Decomposition Rocks, family games, and leaf play.

Programs will start every 30 minutes. The family event is recommended for ages 5-10, though younger and older children are welcome.

The Deschutes Children’s Forest was created in 2011 with the mission to “provide a network of outdoor places and programs dedicated to moving all children along a continuum of learning, exploration, and healthy living through engagement with nature.”

Since the beginning, the Deschutes Children’s Forest brought together school districts, health care organizations, land management agencies and conservation and recreation professionals to work towards the common goal of connecting children to the natural world. In less than three years, the Deschutes Children’s Forest has grown to include 20 community partners.

“Our mission and our passion is to serve all children in Central Oregon, not just Deschutes County. Our new name and expansion reflects our desire to be true to our core value of inclusiveness, being more representative of the broader community of Central Oregon,” said Katie Chipko, coordinator for the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon.

For more information about the event, visit childrensforestco.org or contact Katie Chipko, Children’s Forest of Central Oregon Coordinator at (541) 383-5592 or katie@childrensforestco.org.