Land trust honors volunteers

Last Wednesday evening The Pines of Sisters was the scene of a warm celebration for many of the people of Sisters Country and surrounding communities who serve as volunteers for the Deschutes Land Trust.

The Deschutes Land Trust presented two Central Oregon residents with Volunteer of the Year awards at its annual open house on October 24. Pat Kearney and Jane Meissner were honored for their involvement with the land trust's free Walk + Hike program.

Kearney first got involved with the land trust on hikes as a volunteer spotter on bird walks. Recognizing that leaders often struggled talking about birds and spotting them simultaneously, Pat would call out birds she saw and then help nearby attendees locate the bird in their binoculars.

"As the years progressed, we realized Pat did much more than just call out birds," said Sarah Mowry, the land trust's outreach director. "She was an excellent shepherd, keeping the group together on the trail and providing an extra hand in case of an emergency. Pat essentially created a volunteer position we didn't even know we needed."

In addition to being "Chief Shepherd" at the land trust, Pat has taken the time to become an Oregon Master Naturalist so she can contribute more on her hikes, and she consistently volunteers for events and other projects.

Jane Meissner is one of a handful of core volunteers who make the land trust's Walk + Hike program possible. She leads a wide variety of hikes for the land trust; exploring wildflowers, forest ecology, stream restoration, wagon road history, and more.

"Jane is a huge asset to our hike program. An experienced naturalist who knows the birds and the bees, Jane also brings wonderful stories of growing up in Central Oregon before this was the place to recreate. It's often her hindsight that helps visitors understand why protecting habitat is so important," said Brad Chalfant, the land trust's executive director.

"I like that I may be encouraging others to see the value of preserved land not just for their use, but for the plants and animals. I really enjoy watching people develop an interest in the natural world," noted Jane.

Volunteers donated more than 5,600 hours to the Deschutes Land Trust during the past year.

For more information on Deschutes Land Trust call at 541-330-0017 or visit www.deschuteslandtrust.org.