Deschutes Land Trust

Deschutes Land Trust Conservation. Community. Caring for the land.

Happy !!It's been a long week, and I don't know about you, but we just want to look at pretty flowers!Learn about ⭐️10⭐...
06/05/2026

Happy !!

It's been a long week, and I don't know about you, but we just want to look at pretty flowers!

Learn about ⭐️10⭐️ of the wildflowers you can find in the forests of the Metolius area, including local favorites like...

⭐️ Candy Flower (Claytonia sibirica)

⭐️ Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

⭐️ Columbia Puccoon (Lithospermum ruderale)

⭐️ Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus)

⭐️ Pacific Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus)

⭐️ Oregon Sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum)

⭐️ Red Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)

⭐️ Queen-Cup (Clintonia unifora)

⭐️ Scarlet Gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata)

⭐️ Pine Drops (Pterospora andromedea)

Save this post and use it to ID all of the beautiful blooms you can spot on your next hike at the Metolius Preserve!

The Land Trust started a volunteer Trail Ambassador program in 2017 to help promote safe, responsible, and enjoyable use...
06/03/2026

The Land Trust started a volunteer Trail Ambassador program in 2017 to help promote safe, responsible, and enjoyable use at our Preserves.

Since then, a dedicated crew of volunteers have been visiting Land Trust Preserves year-round, logging many miles on the trail and chatting with hundreds of visitors.

Who are they? Meet our wonderful Trail Ambassadors (pictured below): Dick Malone, Kathy Malone, Mark Reed, Vicki Bugbee-Reed, and Kristi Newton!

What exactly do Trail Ambassadors do? Trail Ambassadors are the welcoming face of the Land Trust at our Preserves! They help provide trail recommendations, share details on various projects underway at our Preserves, and keep our kiosks stocked with maps and brochures. They also provide gentle reminders about dogs on leash and other Preserve rules, and report any trail issues. Tree down at a Preserve? Thank a Trail Ambassador for getting word back to the Land Trust! We are so grateful of this amazing crew of folks who help connect and share the places we protect. We hope you'll thank them for their time and dedication next time you see them on the trail! Thank you Trail Ambassadors!

Thanks as well to prior Trail Ambassadors: Karen Bernheim, Ginny Elliott, Cynthia Feliss, Sarah Henselman, Janet Leino, Steve Ponder, Charlie Vial, and Desi Vial!

The Land Trust has been working behind the scenes on improving accessibility at the South Trailhead of the Metolius Pres...
05/31/2026

The Land Trust has been working behind the scenes on improving accessibility at the South Trailhead of the Metolius Preserve. Our goal is to make the Preserve a more friendly place for all of our community members to visit. Planned improvements include:

🚜 Trail resurfacing
🪚 Bridge improvements
🚙 Parking lot upgrades
🪜 Kiosk improvements

The Land Trust is currently working on raising the funds needed to make these improvements possible. Thank you to Geoff Babb for the feedback and insight he provided to help us better understand how we can improve the visitor experience at the Preserve!

Learn more at the link in the comments below and stay tuned for more details!

Photos: Caitlin Eddolls, Land Trust, Land Trust.

Do you know this bird?He has a sharp black-and-white head, pale beak, and gray breast. You can find flocks of these bird...
05/29/2026

Do you know this bird?

He has a sharp black-and-white head, pale beak, and gray breast. You can find flocks of these birds in brush and overgrown fields, or you can entice them into your backyard with feeders. This season, listen for this bird’s sweet whistle-y song.

So who is this feathered friend?
Meet the white crowned sparrow! If you're eager to see this fella for yourself, sign up for our next Bird Survey Site Orientation at Ochoco Preserve on June 3rd!

Find the link below!

Photo: Rick Dingus.

Whychus Canyon Preserve remains closed to address fire recovery needs from the Flat Fire in August 2025. This closure wi...
05/28/2026

Whychus Canyon Preserve remains closed to address fire recovery needs from the Flat Fire in August 2025. This closure will be in place through June. Why?

The Land Trust is working in collaboration with our partners at the Bureau of Land Management to clear hazard trees at Whychus Canyon Preserve that burned in the Flat Fire. This includes trees that are dangerous and could fall on trails or other public use areas. Staff have marked trees that will need to be removed, and now we are working on scheduling the crews to do the work.

Once this initial tree removal is complete, we will be able to work to clear trails and make any necessary trail repairs. This includes repairing eroded portions of the trail and making these areas safe for users. We are also working to replace trail signage that burned in the fire. All of these efforts will take time which is why the Preserve will remain closed through June.

Stay tuned for more details!

**Whychus Canyon Preserve remains closed to the public. Please respect this closure as it is very dangerous at the Preserve, and wildlife need the space for refuge.**

🔨 Project alert! 🔨A small bridge near the South Trailhead of the Metolius Preserve will be replaced May 24-31st. A local...
05/23/2026

🔨 Project alert! 🔨

A small bridge near the South Trailhead of the Metolius Preserve will be replaced May 24-31st. A local Eagle Scout will be removing the bridge that is reaching the end of its lifespan and installing a new one.

The footbridge is located over a dry creek channel just north of Lake Creek at the South Trailhead (circled on the map below). See the full Metolius Preserve trail map for South Trailhead location. Signs will be posted at the bridge notifying users. Visitors will be able to cross through the dry creek channel, or use another route for trail access. Trails will remain open during the repairs.

Thank you for patience during construction!

The Deschutes Land Trust would like to send a big THANK YOU to all of our supporters who helped us reach our Earth Month...
05/22/2026

The Deschutes Land Trust would like to send a big THANK YOU to all of our supporters who helped us reach our Earth Month Challenge in April!

More than 490 community members made a donation to the Land Trust in April. These donors helped us unlock a $15,000 gift from The McCabe Walls Family Foundation through our Earth Month Challenge.

Our community's support makes our work possible, no matter when you give. Thank you for ensuring that people and our natural world can thrive together for generations to come!

It's time for spring milkweed planting to help restore habitat for Western Monarch butterflies!Central Oregon has two ty...
05/21/2026

It's time for spring milkweed planting to help restore habitat for Western Monarch butterflies!

Central Oregon has two types of native milkweed--narrowleaf and showy. Native milkweed is adapted to our climate, which is just one of the reasons to plant native. If you're able to plant both varieties, that is incredible. If you can only plant one native variety, it's also helpful!

Plant native showy milkweed by receiving free milkweed seeds from the Land Trust

or

Purchase at Wintercreek Restoration & Nursery in Bend and Clearwater Native Plant Nursery in Redmond.

Read up on milkweed planting instructions in the comments below 👇

Photo: Amy Brewster, Land Trust.

There is a fantastic show happening in Central Oregon right now. It’s full of blues, yellows, purples, pinks, and browns...
05/17/2026

There is a fantastic show happening in Central Oregon right now. It’s full of blues, yellows, purples, pinks, and browns. Peak wildflower season has hit the Ochoco mountains outside of Prineville. Whether it’s balsamroot, lupine, paintbrush, Brown’s peony, or another wildflower, the Ochocos are covered in color right now! It is truly spectacular. Take advantage by heading out for a walk soon. Here are five blooms that are common in the Ochoco mountains:

🌼 Blue stickseed (Hackelia micrantha) - (pictured)

🌼 Leafy bluebells (Mertensia longiflora)

🌼 Giant-head clover (Trifolium macrocephalum)

🌼 Tolmie’s onion (Allium tolmiei)

🌼 Spotted fritillary (Fritillaria atropurpurea)

Learn more about these beautiful blooms and where to find them in the comments below.

Photo: Kris Kristovich.

Good news! The Land Trust recently secured funding to keep Paulina Creek Preserve together!For those of you not familiar...
05/16/2026

Good news! The Land Trust recently secured funding to keep Paulina Creek Preserve together!

For those of you not familiar with the property, Paulina Creek Preserve is split into two sections by Newberry Road. Since we acquired the Preserve in 2022, one major part of the acquisition has been a transfer of ownership of the eastern portion of the Preserve to Deschutes National Forest. The transfer was intended to provide a way for the Land Trust to pay off the loan we secured to initially purchase the Preserve. Since we made those plans, however, major changes at the federal level have limited the Forest Service’s ability to partner with us on the project. So the Land Trust has been looking into other options.

Thanks to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, we recently secured funding for the eastern portion of the Preserve! This means that there will not be a transfer of land to the Forest Service. The eastern and western portions of Paulina Creek Preserve will remain together, owned and protected by the Land Trust.

With this parcel permanently secured, we can continue to work with our restoration and community access planning team to finalize the plans for the future of the Preserve. Stay tuned for more details as we continue to work towards providing safe and accessible access for the local community while also protecting newly restored habitats at the Preserve.

Although Paulina Creek Preserve remains closed to the public, we encourage you to join us for a guided walk or volunteer opportunity!

Photo: Wasim Muklashy.

Address

210 NW Irving Avenue, Ste 102
Bend, OR
97703

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Deschutes Land Trust posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Deschutes Land Trust:

Shortcuts

Share

Category