Before major gatherings were put on hold due to the global pandemic, many nonprofits in our community had major fundraising events planned. One of those impacted organizations was the Deschutes River Conservancy, which had its annual Riverfeast scheduled for late last month. Brooks Resources had signed on as the title sponsor of this important event, which supports the group’s mission of preserving and ensuring the health of the lifeline of Central Oregon: the Deschutes River.
They are currently coming up with a “Plan B,” but haven’t announced an alternative date or approach yet. It is vital that organizations like this one are able to continue their important work in our community, even in a time like this. The Deschutes River ecosystem, and all that depend on it to survive, will continue even when all else has seemed to halt in many of our lives.
Spring is an important time for the Deschutes River Conservancy, as historical seasonal disruptions of streamflow, due to things like farm irrigation, have contributed over time to a decline in overall river health, degraded habitat for fish and wildlife, and poor water quality. In order to pursue their mission to restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes Basin, the team works with a wide variety of public and private interests including farming, ranching, timber, development, hydro-power, recreation, tribes and environment. They need funding in order to continue this work.
Water is such an important part of our lives here in Central Oregon. From farm irrigation to recreation on and around the river, and from habitat for our wildlife to the basis for some of our major industries (beer!), we must pay close attention to the management of our waterways. The Deschutes River Conservancy has made it a priority.
Part of our vision at Brooks Resources is to take a thoughtful approach to everything we do, and help to preserve the Central Oregon lifestyle and surroundings that we all love. That’s why we’ve been long-time supporters of Deschutes River Conservancy, and were proud to be this year’s title sponsor of the Riverfeast. We hope you’ll join us in supporting them during this difficult time!
