Mary Gautreaux – 2019 Alice Elshoff Desert Conservation Award winner
“The deeper truth is that anybody who knows Mary knows she is an original and unforgettable force of nature — fierce on behalf of Oregonians, bold in her problem-solving, always willing to help, and just as ready with a smile to lighten any situation. She has a gigantic heart matched only by her passion...
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How To Upcycle Last Year’s Wild Desert Calendar
ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar is chock full of desert beauty, and, each year around this time, we hear from members who simply can’t bear to just throw last year’s calendar away. Here’s an easy craft project that will allow you to upcycle all those gorgeous landscapes, by turning those pages into envelopes.
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We hear you
The results of our most recent member survey This fall, ONDA sent you, our members, a note with a question: what matters most to you? Almost 500 of you responded to our member survey, our strongest response yet. Thank you! Here’s what we learned. You love Oregon’s high desert Whether you have generations of...
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Opt Outside, Act for Desert Rivers
Escape the Black Friday crowds and #OptOutside to a wild river near you! Sen. Ron Wyden is asking Oregonians to help him develop legislation to protect Oregon’s most special rivers, and he wants to hear from YOU. The day after Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to take your family and friends on a hike...
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Stewardship Impact 2019
ONDA’s stewardship program connects eager volunteers with meaningful projects to improve fish and wildlife habitat across eastern Oregon. Beyond the satisfaction of seeing a job well done, each volunteer gains a deeper personal connection to the wild places ONDA works so hard to protect, defend and restore. In 2019, ONDA volunteers (424 in all!)...
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5 Unique Ways to Give
An inky night sky studded with endless stars. Quirky sage-grouse dancing at dawn. A soothing soak in a peaceful hot spring. Discovering delicate desert blooms. Spotting soaring migratory birds. That’s my personal top five list of desert wonders. What’s yours? Your list of reasons to love Oregon’s desert may be different than mine, but...
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A Major Milestone for the Owyhee Canyonlands
An impressive and critically important swath of sagebrush steppe habitat in eastern Oregon poised to gain protection as Wilderness Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden introduced the Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act, a historic move to protect over 1.1 million acres of public lands in Malheur County centered around the Owyhee Canyonlands —...
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High Desert Speaker Series Bigger and Better in 2020
Each year, ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series highlights the wildlife, geology, culture, history, recreation and other unique and worthy-of-protection elements of Oregon’s high desert. In 2019, we were amazed by the enthusiasm expressed for the series. Most events sold out in less than a day! We value providing informative and inspiring programming to as...
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We Challenged, You Hiked
ONDA’s Badlands Challenge prompted discovery, exploration, and a lot of math In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Oregon Badlands Wilderness designation, ONDA hosted a six-month-long exploration challenge. After ONDA volunteers helped to build trail segments that created critical connections into the larger Oregon Badlands trail system, we realized the 30,000-acre wilderness area now...
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Before and After Stewardship
The difference that ONDA volunteers can make in just a few hours or days of working together is pretty incredible. Here are a few before and after pictures to give you a taste and you’ll find even more photos in our post-trip photo albums. As we return to project locations season after season and...
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