Restoring the Whychus watershed

It was very busy at Creekside Park in Sisters last Saturday morning. More than 140 volunteers from throughout Central Oregon were gathered to take part in the Sisters Ranger District's "Tale of Two Rivers" reclamation project, begun four years ago.

The project - spearheaded by the Sisters Ranger District, in partnership with the National Forest Foundation, Sisters Trails Alliance, Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge and several hundred local volunteers - is vital to restoration of forest lands and wildlife habitat.

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is the only conservation organization solely focused on addressing the challenges that face America's national forests and grasslands. The foundation also provides financial and technical support to their partner organizations and raises funds to measurably multiply the total contributions to local conservation initiatives.

Local businesses and foundations such as REI, Columbia Sportswear and The Roundhouse Foundation also helped out by donating hiking equipment given out during the volunteer raffle - part of the restoration project that left many happy faces as they fitted their new, free packs.

Before heading out into the Whychus watershed to commence planting native trees and grasses, Maret Pajutee, Sisters Ranger District ecologist, explained the whys and wherefores to the assorted volunteers, including a safety talk that had everyone grabbing up the hard hats supplied by the Forest Service.

The youngest member of the group was almost-two-year-old Stella Stroup, who came to take part with her mom Kimberly and dad Mark.

The largest single group of volunteers were the 80 members of the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge. The mission of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16-to-18-year-old high school dropouts, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens.

Cadet Heath McKinney from Sherwood, Oregon, hoped he would learn new skills that would help him go into the landscaping business after he graduates. Sid Menon from Beaverton is looking forward to attending OSU and becoming an electrical engineer; Valentine Luna wants to join his dad in the construction business; Pedro Ramire from Aloha has his eye on becoming a commercial pilot and Miko Delatore wants to pursue a career in journalism.

The restoration project was aimed at creating, restoring and connecting hiking trails within the Whychus trail system. The Youth Challenge crew took on an old roadbed where the pavement had been removed and began planting native vegetation to prevent erosion and that would prevent water-borne soils from entering Whychus Creek.

The main group traveled by cars and busses to the end of the road at the Upper Whychus Portal, a part of the operation that left USFS employee Casey Glick with more than he bargained for.

"We were just too successful at recruiting volunteers," Maret said, as she watched Casey trying to unscramble the colossal traffic jam at the end of the road.

As the cars and bus Sisters Park & Recreation volunteered to haul people to the site were leaving the area with exhausted, but very happy, volunteers who had planted hundreds of native trees and grasses, Pajutee, Glick, and other USFS personnel shouted their thanks for a job well done.