2021 in Review
Mark Darnell
voices
Elisa Cheng, member since 2013
Elisa Cheng, member since 2013
“ONDA stewardship trips inspire me. I get to learn new things and see new places, and in the process perform important work that improves the wildlife habitat.”
voices
Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member
Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member
“I connect with Oregon’s high desert through my feet, my eyes, my sense of smell, and all the things I hear. Getting out there is a whole body experience.” Supporting ONDA, Helen says, not only connects her with wild landscapes, but is also a good investment. “I felt like if I gave them $20, they might squeeze $23 out of it.”
voices
Craig Terry, ONDA member and stewardship volunteer
Craig Terry, ONDA member and stewardship volunteer
“The people I have had the privilege to share time with each season keep me volunteering again and again. Who else but those ONDA staff leaders would make fresh coffee at dawn each morning or pack a watermelon all day to serve as a reward under a juniper in a steep canyon?” Craig, who grew up in northwestern Nevada, says ONDA connects him with places he loves and a mission he believes in. “My grandfather and his father put up wire fences for their ranching needs. Taking out barbed wire sort of completes a circle for me.”
Key Progress and Milestones
Getting a Monument Proposal
Together we achieved a major goal in our campaign to conserve important wild areas in the John Day River Basin with the introduction of legislation that would establish a Sutton Mountain National Monument. The new proposal for a 66,000-acre national monument will preserve the country between the Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds.
Setting a Strong Agenda, Pushing Back Against Bad Ideas
We advocated for more than 1,000 miles of desert waterways to be protected as Wild and Scenic Rivers in the River Democracy Act and made great strides in our campaign to preserve a million acres in the Owyhee. We also defended against misguided management actions proposed across Oregon’s high desert public lands, weighing in on issues ranging from wildlife management in the Greater Hart-Sheldon to expanded military training in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands.
Learn about the River Democracy Act
Leading Hands-on Restoration
After a pivot to a COVID-safe independent steward restoration model, we surpassed 6,000 volunteer hours contributed to caring for desert public lands. Volunteers planted nearly 17,000 trees, restored more than 500 acres of sagebrush habitat, maintained dozens of miles of trail and a whole lot more to improve the health and resiliency of the desert ecosystem.
Introducing Young People to Careers in Conservation
ONDA hosted another cohort of Tribal Stewards, Indigenous teens and young adults taking part in a paid, career mentorship program, and we hired our first-ever Hillis Intern. Both Tribal Stewards and the Hillis Internship offer increasingly equitable avenues for young people to become our next conservation leaders through paid internships.
Read the story behind the Hillis Internship
Read reflections from the 2021 Tribal Stewards
Inspiring and Welcoming Desert Advocates
To foster a sense of wonder and curiosity about the diverse ecosystems and landscapes of the high desert, we hosted over a dozen events, produced a short documentary and published several multimedia story maps. As we highlight the desert and engage people in advocating for it we are taking steps at each juncture to ensure we are building a culture that welcomes everyone who is interested in conserving Oregon’s high desert.
To see more highlights from this year, as well as years past, please visit our Accomplishments page.
Thank you for the essential role you play in this desert conservation community!
Essential
Oregon’s high desert is an arid landscape, defined by the scarcity of water, but that does not mean that this vast landscape is without water. It means that every stream, […]
Read MoreJoin, Renew, or Give a Gift
Support conservation on behalf of the lands, waters, and wildlife of Oregon's high desert. A gift of any size begins or renews your ONDA membership, so join this community to amplify your support of critical conservation issues, today.
Donate today