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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2015)
6 Wednesday, January 14, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Land Trust director to speak at forum By Craig f. eisenbeis Correspondent Last year, the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) began offer- ing a series of formal quar- terly presentations by speak- ers focusing on outdoor rec- reation. This year, the series continues. Scheduled to speak next week is Deschutes Land Trust (DLT) Executive Director Brad Chalfant. Chalfant and DLT have had a tremendous impact on con- servation of land and natural resources in the Deschutes River Basin and, even more specifically, in the Sisters area. Actually, the DLT was sort of “born” in Sisters. Created in 1996 to provide stewardship for the Indian Ford Meadow remnant of Indian Ford Ranch, the DLT has grown to include thousands of acres — and it continues to grow. DLT has also been in the news for its creation of the Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, Whychus Canyon Preserve, and restoration of large por- tions of Whychus Creek. Its current “Campaign for Whychus Creek” seeks to further protect and restore the creek, which is indisputably an important centerpiece for all of Sisters Country. Chalfant has a long his- tory in Central Oregon and the Sisters area. An avid out- doorsman, he enjoys hiking, cycling, and skiing. As a long- time trails advocate, he was a cofounder of the Central Oregon Trails Alliance, the parent organization of STA. He went on to co-found the DLT and is currently the senior member of the Oregon State Parks Commission. Next Thursday’s talk is titled “Connecting People to Place,” and is expected to focus on DLT’s efforts to “protect and restore essential wildlife habitat,” as well as touching on the role and oper- ation of a land trust and what that means to the community. “While our focus is the protection of high-priority wildlife habitat, we try hard to afford appropriate access for the public,” Chalfant said. “We firmly believe that it’s important for the public to experience these places and the resources they hold in order to develop both a strong conservation ethic, as well as a connection to this place we call home. Each property is unique,” he said. “Where a preserve can afford a reason- able amount of public access, we’ll try to develop trails that are open to the general public. Where preserves con- tain highly sensitive wildlife habitat, access is provided by guided tours.” During the presentation, Chalfant will also report on DLT’s newest initiative. “The Deschutes Land Trust has launched its Campaign for Whychus Creek,” he said. “Our hope is to bring it (the creek) back to its full poten- tial, not only for reintroduc- tion of salmon and steelhead, but for the whole range of species that depend upon the creek, its floodplain and asso- ciated uplands. The intent is to raise the balance of funds needed to acquire the remain- ing key properties, raise the funds for their permanent stewardship, as well as raising the funds to create new access and interpretation along lower Whychus Creek. “Recreation is the driver of Central Oregon’s economy. It’s a big part of our quality of life and the reason many of us live here,” said Chalfant. “For the Land Trust, it’s an impor- tant tool for connecting people to place and building a conser- vation ethic. The Sisters Trails Alliance is an increasingly important partner for local land managers, be it the Forest Service or the Deschutes Land Trust, in terms of leveraging limited resources and provid- ing the recreational opportuni- ties our community needs.” S TA’s n e w e s t b o a r d member — as of last week — is Bjarne Holm, a geolo- gist with extensive experi- ence in Alaska. A year ago, he was STA’s first speaker in this series; and he was so impressed with the work that STA does, that he volunteered to coordinate future speaking events — and now he is also a member of the board. “My house looks down on Whychus Creek in an area pro- tected by the Deschutes Land Trust,” Holm said. “I’m really excited about the restoration of the creek and stream flow.” Holm is also excited to have Chalfant on next week’s agenda. “The STA strives to arrange speakers for the series as an outreach effort to our commu- nity on topics relating to trails and other aspects of recreation and our outdoor environ- ment,” he said. “The efforts of the Deschutes Land Trust have achieved amazing results leading to the restoration, management and preserva- tion of streams, rivers, and the ecosystem in general within our county. Brad will review accomplishments and future Quality Truck-mounted CARPET CLEANING Quality Cleaning 13 years in ! Reasonable Prices Sisters ENVIROTECH 541-771-5048 Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062 RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL Start Something New This Year! Find Your Health. Find Yourself. Free Initial Consultation Marlys Underwood Certifi ed Health Coach 750 Buckaroo Trail, Suite 104 — 541-977-7900 — The Locals’ Choice for Service with a Smile! The Hair Caché Your Barber Shop! 152 E. Main Ave. / 541-549-8771 Jeff, Theresa, Ann, Jamie, Shiela, Terri, Shanntyl, Brittany SISTERS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING photo provided Deschutes land Trust executive Director Brad Chalfant will speak next week as part of a lecture series sponsored by the Sisters Trails Alliance. plans for the Land Trust, as well as how citizens of our community can become more involved and become effective stewards of our environment.” The presentation will be held on Thursday, January 22, in the Sisters-Camp Sherman fire station community hall in downtown Sisters at 355 S. Elm St. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the formal program will begin at 7 p.m. The pro- gram is free and open to the public. For more information about next week’s program or the STA, contact Ann Marland at 541-549-7006 or visit www. sisterstrails.com.