Lens on Learning PROGRAM Series
“Bringing Speakers on the Natural World To Crooked River Ranch”
2024 Lens on Learning programs:
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Saving the Sage-Grouse and why it matters
Presentation by Joshua Newman Collins, PhD Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, from 4-6 p.m. Juniper Room, Crooked River Ranch administration building Click HERE to reserve your ticket. 
Friends and Neighbors of the Deschutes Canyon Area is pleased to announce its first Lens on Learning program for 2024. Joshua Newman Collins, PhD, will present the fascinating and informative talk Saving the Sage-Grouse and why it matters on January 20, from 4-6 p.m. in the Juniper Room at the Crooked River Ranch administration building.
This program will cover three main topics: • What and where is the sagebrush steppe ecosystem (a.k.a. the Sagebrush Sea)? • What is the greater sage-grouse and why does it matter? • What we can do to save the sage-grouse and its ecosystem? Known for the male's elaborate mating displays in spring, the greater sage-grouse depends on sagebrush plants for its survival. But due to numerous environmental factors and habitat loss, their population over the years has been in steady decline. Dr. Collins will discuss the challenges of creating resiliance in sage-grouse populations and sagebrush ecosystems. This will be an approximately one-hour presentation, followed by a brief question and answer session. |
Dr. Collins received his doctorate in ecology in 1993 from the University of California at Berkeley. He has an extensive background in research and teaching covering subjects from nearshore marine to alpine ecosystems throughout the West.
Retiring to Bend in 2021, Dr. Collins began working with the East Cascade Audubon Society (ECAS) to help conserve the sage steppe ecosystem of Oregon and neighboring states, with a focus on the greater sage-grouse. He currently chairs the Sage Science Team of ECAS and represents environmental non-governmental organizations on the Coordinating Council of the SageCon Partnership. Lens on Learning programs are posted on EventBrite and registration is required for attendees. Attendence is free for FANs members; a $5 donation is requested for non-members. 
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Where Does Our Plastic Go?
A Sea Adventure to the “Great Pacific Gyre!” Juniper Room, Crooked River Ranch Check back for the reservation link in early 2024 Researcher/Sailor/Adventurer: Willy Kunkle Willy is quite literally the son of a son of a sailor. He has logged 30,000nm sailing from the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Mediterranean, Atlantic, Pacific and the Southern Oceans, professionally and recreationally, as both captain and engineer (and a lot as deckie, as well). Willy would love to share with you some of the most impactful photos from this journey, as well as the strategy, process, and insights gained from this experience, ultimately in hopes to raise awareness to the massive issue of Ghost Nets and plastic debris endangering our beautiful One Ocean. We hope you will join us for this lively and fascinating presentation. |
Plastic recovered from the ocean
Sea turtle caught in a ghost net
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All programs are free for FANs members. A donation by non-FANs members of $5 to help cover costs is much appreciated.
