Look Back: A Decade of Restoration

Author: Gena Goodman-Campbell  |  Published: October 25, 2023  | Category: Look Back

This article originally appeared in the Fall + Winter 2023 Desert Ramblings


Initial phase of restoration on the South Fork Crooked River completed

Rising from springs in the midst of central Oregon’s sagebrush sea, the South Fork Crooked River winds through the canyons of the South Fork Wilderness Study Area before joining up with other tributaries to form the main stem of the mighty Crooked River.

Although this landscape is known for its rugged desert beauty and abundant fish and wildlife, a century of heavy agricultural use has tested the resiliency of this important ecosystem. ONDA has identified several areas as a priority for restoration and developed a long-term restoration strategy for the South Fork Crooked River to transform a dry and denuded landscape to one with flourishing native plants and abundant cool water supporting productive fish and wildlife habitat.

And, after more than a decade of investment, ONDA is celebrating the completion of an initial phase of the South Fork Crooked River restoration project. Working on this private conservation property, this May ONDA volunteers installed the final 5,500 trees bringing the total streamside trees planted at the site to more than 25,000.

In addition to site-specific ecological benefits, the South Fork Crooked River restoration project was designed to demonstrate to public land managers the recovery potential of streams in the high desert. And, throughout the project ONDA developed a number of innovative planting techniques that make the project a noteworthy, replicable model.

With a focus on strategies that encourage beaver to resume their role as ecosystem engineers, ONDA’s approach features densely planted native trees tapping deep into the water table. ONDA achieved a nearly 100% survival of newly planted trees and more than a foot of growth per month during their first summer – a 400% increase over previous growth rates.

Thanks to ONDA’s advocacy to bring increased restoration investment to the South Fork Crooked River, the Bureau of Land Management has now taken note of this success and recently entered into multi-year partnership with ONDA to design and implement the restoration of over six miles of the South Fork Crooked River on public lands. This means ONDA’s community of desert supporters can look forward to even more successes along this vital ribbon of life in the high desert for many years to come.

Read more about the project at https://onda.org/our-approach/restore/south-fork-crooked-river/.

 

success

Central Oregon’s “Backyard Wilderness”

Central Oregon’s “Backyard Wilderness”

Our quest to protect the Oregon Badlands

Located just 15 miles east of Bend, Oregon Badlands is a 30,000-acre wilderness area filled with fascinating lava flows and ancient juniper trees Arriving in the Badlands, so named for its rugged and harsh terrain, can feel like stepping

Read More

voices

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

“I contribute to ONDA monthly because it adds up to a larger annual gift than what I’d be able to comfortably afford if I were to do a simple one-time donation annually. I’m able to give more to ONDA this way and have greater impact which is important to me, and my dog Polly.”

voices

Cregg Large, member since 2009

Cregg Large, member since 2009

“I came to Oregon 12 years ago from Texas. Texas, for all its size, has very little public land. Coming to Oregon has made me realize the special gift we as Americans have in our public lands. Volunteering with an organization like ONDA is my way of reciprocating for this gift. Through restoration efforts, I feel we are helping leave a better place than we found it. Through advocating for protection for public lands, we safeguard migration routes for animals and keep the land where it belongs: with the public.”