project
ponderosa

teaching | inspiring | planting | growing

how it started

Project Ponderosa was founded in 2006 by Sunriver resident and retired life science teacher Lee Stevenson to promote student environmental engagement and Ponderosa Pine restoration in Sunriver, Oregon and the Upper Deschutes River ecosystem. Since the project’s inception, over 18,000 seedlings have been potted and grown by students in the La Pine High School Life Skills Program and the 4th grade students at Three Rivers School with support from the volunteer nursery team. The nursery site, compost, and many other resources are generously provided by Sunriver Water & Environmental.

Ponderosa Pines are a hardy, majestic native conifer but have been historically heavily logged. They are significantly more resistant to disease, mountain pine beetles, drought and wind damage than Lodgepole Pines and are fire resistant when mature, due to their thick, scaly cinnamon-colored bark. Planting Ponderosa Pines helps to restore forest diversity in the Sunriver ecosystem, while preserving the Sunriver community’s ‘Tree City USA’ tradition.

Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory is proud to support Project Ponderosa through a semi-annual (April and October) Ponderosa Pine seedling sale. Proceeds from the sale support Project Ponderosa’s environmental education and habitat restoration programs. Orders can be placed online any time during the sale and pickup will be at Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory Parking lot.

Every fall and spring– the best time of year to plant trees – there are sales of potted Pondo seedlings at the Nature Center, typically the third week of October and the third week of April. There are several sizes and prices of these hardy, established young seedlings. Prices range from about $15 for the small (2 yr. old) to $70+ for the XX large (6+ yr. old / 42”+) Quantities are limited due to the high demand. Planting resilient Ponderosa Pines helps our ecosystem, and our planet for hundreds of years!

Project Ponderosa.org is a volunteer based, mission driven, non-profit.  We strive to provide the resources this community needs to help restore native habitat.  A special Thanks to Sunriver Water & Environments, llc.

ponderosa seedling sale

Shop Ponderosas
Planting Instructions

project ponderosa goals

  1. Begin to restore a durable and valuable species in the Upper Deschutes ecosystem.

  2. Engage local students in potting and caring for the Ponderosa seedlings.

  3. Engage and inform students and homeowners of the need for restoring this once common conifer to our community.

  4. Provide a source of established, potted Ponderosa seedlings to be used for habitat restoration.

  5. Improved forest diversity and health of the Upper Deschutes River ecosystem in and around Sunriver.

  6. Spark student interest in ecology, forestry, and horticulture as instill an appreciation for the value of forest diversity.

  7. Raise money for various organizations and educational and environmental projects.

  8. Enhance property values and improve neighborhood aesthetics.

volunteer opportunities

There are several ways you can get involved in this award-winning environmental, educational and philanthropic program.

  • Volunteer at the Project Ponderosa nursery. Help is needed with potting, planting and maintenance of the nursery, as well as planning and outreach.

  • Return two gallon and larger nursery pots. Pots may be dropped off at the Second Tern Thrift Store or SNCO campus during business hours.

  • Join us for our annual Ponderosa Potting Party in April.

Learn more

project ponderosa partners

Sunriver Water & Environmental

La Pine High Life Skills Program: Ken Thorp, Cari Fike (teachers)
Three Rivers Elementary School: 4th Grade – S. Gleason, K. Pitner (teachers)
Sunriver Owner’s Association (SROA)
Sunriver Resort and Sunriver Realty
Sunriver Fire Department
The Mervyn L Brenner Foundation
First Interstate Bank (Sunriver, OR)
Brooks Tree Farm (Salem, OR)
Stuewe & Sons, Inc. (Tangent, OR)
Green Leaf Garden Center (Bend, OR)
Central Oregon Trail Alliance – SoDeCo Chapter
COIC Youth Compass Program

Landscapers: Klaver Landscaping, Cascade Wild Landscapes, Twin Pines

Nursery Team Volunteers: Carol Brennan, Kathy Cushman, Adam Egland, Jay Emmet, Billie Fisher-Fowler, Ed Fowler, Jay Besson, Mechelle Griffin, John & Lynn Holbrook, Betsy Packard, Dean Richardson, John Ross, Alan Rutherford, Cathe Shields, Jay Besson, Heidi Supkis, Boll Family

Pondo Patrons: John and Lynn Holbrook, Gavin and Susan Towey,  Helen and Ed Fess, Richard Storer, Jim Bigelow & Family, Cushman-Miller Family, Stanley Thomas Family, Todd & Denee Stevenson

  • Group of children and an adult man outdoor in a forested area, holding pinecones and a green sign that reads "We ♥ Ponds", surrounded by pine trees on a sunny day.
  • People selecting and planting small pine trees in pots at an outdoor garden center.
  • An adult and two children planting a tree in an outdoor park or forest during daytime.
  • A man in a red beanie and beige jacket pointing in a plant nursery with rows of potted trees and a field in the background.
  • Two children planting pine trees in a garden with soil and small plants, outdoors on a sunny day.
  • Group of people planting trees outdoors on a sunny day, some wearing orange shirts, others with gloves, and holding a potted sapling, with a field and blue sky in the background.
  • Man watering plants near a red fire rescue truck in a forested area.
  • Rows of potted young pine trees at a tree farm during a sunny day, with people working in the background.
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