Why We’re Nominating Whychus Creek
The following Wild and Scenic River nomination was written by the Bend Senior High School Environmental Club. Whychus Creek: a Nomination as a Wild and Scenic River We rely on our watershed. It provides unique habitat, gorgeous scenery, historical connections, and gives life to the towns and cities of Oregon. In order for Oregon...
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51 Rivers That Could Be Wild and Scenic
Dear Senator Wyden, Thank you for your visionary leadership to preserve Oregon’s wild rivers, clean water, and wildlife for the future. I sincerely appreciate this opportunity to help develop legislation to protect my favorite rivers. For the past four years, I’ve been working to establish the 750-mile Oregon Desert Trail, a project of the...
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Five New Year’s Resolutions that Help Oregon’s Desert and You
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there’s no denying that New Year’s resolutions are a thing. In “8 Reasons We Really Do Need to Make Resolutions,” Dr. Theo Tsaousides concludes that goals keep people connected. As he writes, “Common goals are the foundational block upon which we build communities. From families to sports teams, from small start-ups to...
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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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