2026 Pine Creek Spring Restoration #3

About the place

This project takes place on the Pine Creek Conservation Area, which is owned and managed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Pine Creek is within the traditional lands of the Tenino people, a band of the Warm Springs Tribe and the Northern Paiute people. The area is also part of the traditional lands of the Cayuse, one of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Pine Creek Conservation Area is located near Clarno, Oregon and is a protected property managed for its wildlife habitat. Pine Creek is a tributary of the John Day River and runs for over 10 miles through the conservation area. The creek provides important habitat for steelhead and a diversity of wildlife and birds. ONDA has worked to restore Pine Creek Conservation Area for over 20 years, and this project contributes to this effort by restoring a system of springs that feed Pine Creek.

About the stewardship work

This project will remove juniper trees to increase water levels in small, spring-fed streams and in Pine Creek to support ecosystem health. Volunteers will use loppers and handsaws to remove small junipers that have spread beyond their typical range. Volunteers will then use this material to slow seasonal stream flows, retaining water that supports existing native plants and readies the site for future plantings.

Trip timeline

• Friday, September 25, 4-6 p.m.: Meet at the campsite near the project location to set up camp. After everyone has arrived, we will have an orientation on the upcoming work.
• Saturday, September 26, 8 a.m.: Walk a short distance to the work site. Volunteers should plan to be out all day and be prepared for a full day of work.
• Saturday, September 26, 4 p.m.: Return to camp to rest, cook, and explore.
• Sunday, September 27, 8 a.m.: After breakfast we will pack up camp before walking to the work site to continue work.
• Sunday, September 27, 3 p.m.: Complete our work, walk back to the campsite and head home.

Camp

We will be car-camping at a campground just off of Highway 218 on the Pine Creek Conservation Area. The campground is on a gravel road and is accessible for any vehicle. There are pit toilets at the campground, but there is no potable water.

Difficulty

Level 3: Challenging

The physical demands of this trip are challenging. Work involves hiking over uneven ground, using hand tools such as shovels, loppers, clippers, and handsaws, working in thick and prickly vegetation, and bending and kneeling for prolonged periods.

Participant responsibilities

Participants are responsible for providing their own transportation to the project location, as well as camping gear, food and water/beverages for the weekend. We recommend bringing a daypack that you are comfortable carrying out to the worksite with your lunch, water and sunscreen or any additional items you need for a full day of work outdoors. Participants should check the weather in advance and bring sufficient attire and layers for a full day outdoors. Sturdy hiking boots, long pants, long sleeves and eye protection will be required for the work. We also recommend bringing your own work gloves to provide a comfortable fit, but this is not required.

Gear provided

ONDA will provide all of the training, tools, and supplies needed to complete the work. Along with expert leadership, ONDA will also bring some group camping gear like tables, chairs, shade tents, and extra drinking water and snacks to share. Safety equipment such as gloves and eye protection will be available if needed.

ONDA’s trip leaders can help organize carpooling for volunteers without access to a vehicle, and we have a limited amount of camping gear available for volunteers to borrow if they do not have their own. Please contact the trip leader for transportation or gear assistance.

Registration

An ONDA registration application and medical form are required for this trip.

Apply Now

Approximately two weeks after submitting your registration application, you will receive an email outlining the trips where you are a confirmed participant. We will also share when trips are full and if you’ve been placed on the waitlist.

Six weeks before the start of the trip, the trip leader will send out an email reconfirming participation. Based on responses, any open spaces will be filled with people from the waitlist.

Three weeks before the trip start date, registered and confirmed participants will receive driving instructions, carpooling options, maps, and additional information in an email sent by the trip leader.

Smoke/Air Quality Policy: The health and safety of our volunteers and staff is ONDA’s top priority. Due to well-documented health risks of exposure to wildfire smoke and associated airborne particulate matter, ONDA will cancel volunteer stewardship trips when the Air Quality Index measures over 100 (within the orange “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” level or above) at the closest air quality sensor to the trip location. Registered participants will receive a final confirmation email 72 hours before the trip starts notifying them of whether the trip is proceeding or has been cancelled.

Contact the trip leader with questions.