The A-to-Zs of Central Oregon: E is for ECOTOURISM

Photo by Pat McKinney

Traveling is the best! Who doesn't love seeing new places, experiencing new things, and learning about different cultures and climates? At Wanderlust, we are so grateful for those visitors to the Bend, Oregon area that want to learn about Central Oregon's natural history. That's why today, on Central Oregon's A-to-Zs, we're talking about ECOTOURISM! 

WHAT IS ECOTOURISM?
We love this term because it combines two of our favorite things: traveling, and the environment! Ecotourism is environmentally and socially-conscientious tourism to natural areas of the world. Some of the activities associated with ecotourism are: 

• Volunteering 
• Observing a natural phenomenon 
• Learning about the local flora and fauna
• Enacting the principals of conservation 
• Attending a class or lecture on local history
• Low-impact interaction with natural surroundings

Photo by Nick Karvounis

WHAT ISN'T ECOTOURISM?
Ecotourism excludes activities that are unsustainable for the local environment and local culture. Any tourism that leaves a large impact on the land, or disrupts the daily way of life for the people in the area is not ecotourism. This includes:

• Conventional "resorts" that create an insular experience for guests
• High-impact recreational activities that pollute the air, water, or damage the landscape
• Appropriation of local culture for the benefit of tourism corporations
• Participation in the displacement of local people or wildlife

Photos by Chaney Swiney

TOURISM IN CENTRAL OREGON
Central Oregon's tourism industry has blossomed over the past decade, and Bend has become a very popular destination for visitors from all over the world. People visit Bend precisely for its pristine air, its gorgeous and diverse landscape, and the countless opportunities to commune with nature-- all of which become increasingly under threat with the increased practice of conventional tourism.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ECOTOURISM
We love Central Oregon with all our hearts and care deeply about protecting our natural resources. At the same time, we want to celebrate this amazing place, and share our knowledge with visitors and locals alike. That's why we've put a lot of thought and care into the tours that we lead, and choose to host low-impact, educational trips through this beautiful landscape. Activities like canoeing and snowshoeing are lower impact, and environmentally-friendly-- allowing us to help to protect Central Oregon while sharing our insights into this special place with our guests. 

HOW TO HELP? 
A great place to start is by signing up for events like our annual Cave Cleanup! We encourage you to seek out ways to be environmentally-friendly, whether you're just visiting or you're living full-time in Central Oregon. It's easier than one might think to tweak little things in our daily habits in order to help keep Central Oregon healthy, whether it's being more mindful of plastic consumption, buying locally-made goods, or perhaps opting for a bicycle over a car every once in a while. And when you want to go out and have fun, just take a second and consider the planet when choosing your activity!

The A-to-Zs of Central Oregon: D is for DESCHUTES

Photo by Danny Walden

The River
We love the Deschutes! You may know it as the beautiful, rolling river that passes right through the town of Bend. Throughout its course, the Deschutes gathers many of the tributaries flowing down from the generally drier, eastern side of the Cascades. It's a powerful, diverse river, starting modestly at Little Lava Lake, and continuing on to become a main tributary of the mighty Columbia River. If you want to learn more about this amazing river, we lead daily canoeing and kayaking trips in the spring and autumn! 

The History
For thousands of years, the Deschutes was an important landmark for Native Americans traveling to and from the Columbia River. It was originally named Towarnehiooks, until French fur traders renamed it the Rivière des Chutes, meaning River of the Falls. The famed cartographers Lewis and Clark first encountered the river on October 22, 1805, briefly renaming it Clarks River, and it proved to be a pretty huge obstacle for those who subsequently followed the Oregon Trail.

Recreation
Visitors and locals alike have long enjoyed watching the water as they stroll through Drake Park. Kayaking, rafting, canoeing, and stand-up paddle-boarding are all popular activities. In the warmer weather, it's become increasingly popular to "float" the Deschutes on inner tubes. As with any ecosystem, it's important to be mindful of how we interact with the river and to strive for the least possible impact on its inherent health.
 

Protection
Much like Walt Whitman, the Deschutes is large, and contains multitudes! While it provides fun, and respite from the heat for hundreds of people every year, it's also a delicate ecosystem that supports a variety of wildlife! Fish like Trout, Salmon, and Steelhead rely on the water to stay cool, oxygenated, and clean in order to thrive. A large number of bird species (like the Osprey,  Belted Kingfisher, or Great Blue Heron) also rely on those fish as a food source-- not to mention that all animals need a reliable, clean source of drinking water, including the elk, bears, otters, marmots, foxes, lynxes, beavers, and countless other animals that rely on the Deschutes to stay alive. 

How to Help
It's always worth considering how you might be affecting the watershed, and the easiest way to avoid further contamination is by purchasing products that won't negatively affect the water. Pesticides are a huge factor in the pollution of rivers-- seek out organic alternatives to products that prevent weeds or pests. It is also important to remember not to pour prescription drugs or any harmful chemicals (including the ones in your cosmetics!) down your toilet. 

The Coalition for the Deschutes is a wonderful nonprofit that advocates for the health and safety of the Deschutes River. They host educational workshops and cleanup events, as well as fundraising for important projects.

We suggest you consider donating or volunteering with them on behalf of this great cause. 

Coalition for the Deschutes

The A-to-Zs of Central Oregon: C is for CASCADE LAKES

Did you know that just west of Mount Bachelor are a series of beautiful lakes? These are the Cascade Lakes, and we love to explore them on our canoes and kayaks in the summer. Many of them are accessible by the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, which is closed during the winter months. If you're interested in exploring the lakes, we have amazing canoe and kayaking tours in the warmer months, and our Naturalist Guides can offer up even more fascinating information about these spaces. 

 

some of our favorite Cascade Lakes: 

Sparks Lake

This is one of our favorite lakes in the area, with amazing views and plenty of opportunities to learn about the local landscape and wildlife-- there are about 370 acres of lake wetland, surrounded by another 360 acres of meadow, marsh, and stream wetlands! Needless to say, we have a lot to share about this area's biodiversity. 
 

Todd Lake

Originally called Lost Lake because it was difficult to find, this lake sits at 6,150 feet, making it the highest of the Cascade Lakes. Todd Lake is right at the foot of Broken Top, and you can see some pretty stunning views from this area. We love this lake for its natural beauty and for its policy of no motorized boats, which protects this ecosystem so that plants and animals can thrive. 
 

Elk Lake

Photo by Danny Walden

Elk Lake is a popular destination year-round, but particularly in the hot summer months. The most trafficked of the Cascade Lakes, Elk Lake is a great spot for paddling the crystal clear waters and taking in some amazing views. The lake is also home to trout and kokanee, or land-locked lake populations of sockeye salmon. 
 

Hosmer Lake

Photo by Danny Walden

Hosmer was originally called Mud Lake, but the name was changed to honor local naturalist Paul Hosmer, whom we plan to profile on this blog at some point. This is another well-protected lake, with lots of opportunities to see local wildlife. Only fly-fishing is allowed at Hosmer, and the bulrushes provide a great habitat for the salmon and brook trout that occupy its clear waters.
 

Davis Lake

Davis is one of the shallower lakes but offers up some beautiful scenery. The lake was formed by a lava flow, blocking Odell Creek to form a resting body of water. This lake can cover over 3,000 acres in the winter months but becomes quite a bit smaller in the summer, when the water can easily escape through the surrounding volcanic rock. This is one of the most popular fly-fishing lakes in the Pacific Northwest. 

Photos by Danny Walden

There are many more lakes to cover, but these are just a few of our favorites. We lead daily canoe trips on these amazing lakes in the warmer months.

If you're interested in seeing amazing views while sampling some amazing beers from the local breweries we outlined in last week's post, check out our super fun Brews and Views canoe tour!