The end of a season and getting ready for the next

It has been a wonderful fall and a great season of field study trips to Ryan Ranch Wetland Restoration site. In total there has been 275 enthusiastic students that have had the opportunity to spend part of their day enjoying the beautiful surrounds of the Deschutes River and learning in the outdoors. Here is what happened at Ryan Ranch during this last fall:

Day 1: 180 9th graders from the Physical Science class at Bend High spent the day rotating through 6 learning stations- Art, soil studies, water quality testing, riparian ecology, site overview, a hike through the meadow and down to Dillon Falls.  

Day 2: Introduce 30 Bend High IB class to RRWR. We spent 2 hour to learn about Ryan Ranch Wetland Restoration (RRWR) project goals, objectives, and opportunities.

Day 3 and 4: 25 7th graders from REALMS were introduced to RRWR and to the project data that will be collected on their second planned outing.

Day 5 and 6: REALMS 7th graders collected data of 3 different transects on the back side of the meadow.

Day 7: 15 Redmond High class studied wildlife habitat at Ryan Ranch Wetland.

Day 8: The Bend High IB students came back out to Ryan Ranch to collected stream flow data and soil/plant data. 

Now that we have entered into winter, the field season for the most part is over and we are gearing up for the next field season to start in the spring. It has been an amazing season and we send out a big THANK YOU to all of the teachers that have been involved, to the students for taking an interest, and to all of the dedicated volunteers. This could not have happened with out any of you. We are excited for the next season to start up!

A big thanks!

Thanks to the dedication of many Deschutes National Forest scientists, hundreds of local students have had the opportunity to head out into the field to explore and learn about Ryan Meadow firsthand! Middle and high school students have been collecting valuable data that will help inform the future restoration of wetland and riparian habitat conditions along the Deschutes River.

As the temperature drops and the snow begins to fall, students will not hibernate! The data and field notes that participating students have amassed this autumn will provide the foundation for creative interdisciplinary presentations at the annual Student Watershed Summit coordinated by The Freshwater Trust and the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council in May 2011. Stay tuned...

Cheers,
Kolleen

Field day with Bend High!

Tomorrow is the big day! Bend High students will be joined by Deschutes National Forest Service specialists, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, and The Freshwater Trust as they learn about the history, geology, wildlife, and ecology at Ryan Meadow.

Starting on October 18th, students from REALMS will also begin to explore the wonders of Ryan Meadow. Middle school students will get their hands dirty as they dig into the details of forest ecology to explore how ecosystems work!

Field days are on the way

Hello Ryan Meadow project partners and friends! I just wanted to let you know that the Deschutes National Forest and the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council had a very productive and enthusiastic meeting with Bend High teacher Paul Hutter yesterday. In addition to diving into the exciting details about how we will be working with Bend High School's amazing International Baccalaureate (IB) and Biology programs, we have also selected some initial field dates for the fall. If you would like to hear more about the field days or are interested in volunteering, please email me at kyake@restorethedeschutes.org.

Bend High students will be working with specialists from Deschutes National Forest and DiscoverYour Northwest to begin to explore and learn about Ryan Meadow. IB environmental systems students will be participating in a year-long Student Stewardship Project with The Freshwater Trust and the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. Winding through the seasons, the students will use the site as a research area and will eventually apply their knowledge toward the creation of unique projects that will be presented at Students Speak: A Watershed Summit in May. Through interdisciplinary activities in art, writing, science, and hands-on stewardship, students will learn about the history, ecology, and future vision of Ryan Meadow.

Ramping up for Fun Fall Projects!

If you haven't already heard, local partners are busy putting great minds together to get local students outside and out to explore Ryan Meadow on the Deschutes River! In collaboration with the Deschutes National Forest, Discover Your Northwest, Bend-LaPine Schools, and The Freshwater Trust, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is coordinating Student Stewardship Projects to help students connect to the Deschutes River.

Fortunately for all of us, swarms of students will soon replace the swarms of mosquitoes along the Deschutes. Our new Education Assistant, Laura Campbell, will work with Forest Service scientists to guide students through hands-on field studies in ecology, hydrology, geology, and art. Stay tuned for more photos and updates soon!!

Cheers,
Kolleen Yake
Education Coordinator