In Sisters, Oregon and throughout the Northwest, recent forest fires have reminded us just how much local forests impact our quality of life. With the Pole Creek Fire burning just 5 miles from Sisters, Central Oregonians came out in droves to volunteer at the National Forest Foundation’s Friends of the Forest® Day.  More than 115 volunteers were escorted through the fire closure area, driven past charred landscapes, and taken to the beautiful and lesser known river, Whychus Creek.... (Read more…)

As a plein air painter and visual artist, I don't often use words to express the beauty I find in our National Forests and their waterways. I usually just try to paint them, capturing their essence, beauty, energy, vitality and diversity by putting oil paint on canvas. We plein air painters want to give viewers the feeling that they are there, experiencing the moment right alongside with us. The forests and the natural world have been the steadfast, eternal muses of mankind since... (Read more…)

As the organizer of the NFF’s Plein Air Paint Out, I have a confession to make: if you bought that stunning painting of the Metolius last Saturday, that may be a piece of pickle in your painting. It’s not my fault—you’re the one who left your painting for safekeeping at the deli. Thirty-eight painters joined us on the last Saturday of July for the Plein Air Paint Out. “En plein air” is a French term used to describe the act of painting in the open outdoors. In addition to infringing pieces... (Read more…)

Mother Nature did plenty of favors for those in Central Oregon for Earth Day weekend, blessing us with blue skies and warm afternoons. In celebration, a group of Sisters High School biology students gave back to Mother Nature too, planting about 400 trees near Whychus Creek. The students volunteered as part of the National Forest Foundation’s (NFF) and U.S. Forest Service’s Tale of Two Rivers conservation campaign to restore the Metolius River and Whychus Creek.  “We really... (Read more…)

Posted by Sharon Alton, GAIA Consulting Group, www.thegaiagroup.net , on behalf of  SunRiver Resort. Sunriver Resort  is surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest , a year round destination for skiing, hiking, fishing, biking, and enjoying the spectacular scenery. With this expanded backyard, Sunriver’s guests directly rely on the natural resources surrounding the resort each time they visit. The Forest Stewardship Fund provides a way for guests to give back... (Read more…)

Trout Unlimited , the National Forest Foundation and the Deschutes National Forest have partnered to tackle improvements to the 15.3 mile trail along the Metolius River from the headwaters to Candle Creek below the lowest bridge. The project includes replacement of existing trail structures (bridges and rock structures), protection of erodible sites along the river by placing rock or wood to dissipate erosion and provide hardened sites for foot traffic, and planting native plants on... (Read more…)