Going Public: Becoming a Public Land Leader
Brittany Leffel hosted a Public Land Leader gathering in December and wrote about her experience “going public”. Behind every beloved trail is a crew of stewards working to preserve the trail. Likewise, behind every wilderness area and national forest are people speaking up for our public lands. I’ve always taken pride in my...
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Species Spotlight: Mountain Mahogany
Written by LeeAnn Kriegh Trees live their lives on a different timescale than ours, so it helps to slow ourselves down to fully appreciate them. Certainly, a shrubby little tree like curlleaf mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) isn’t going to catch our eye if we’re racing past along the trail. But take time for a closer...
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Ten Winter Adventures in the High Desert
Five for No Snow, Five for Snow. Winter in Oregon’s high desert can look and be quite different from one year to the next. In winter 2017, copious snowfall covered much of the sagebrush sea with feet of fun for skiers and snowshoers. The 2018 winter season, so far, has lent itself more to...
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Soundscapes
ONDA Volunteer John Hartog Tells High Desert Stories Through Sounds, Not Words. By John Dulzo Oregon Natural Desert Association volunteers are as diverse as the land they work so hard to protect. Here is a story about one of our most active volunteers who brings his audio artistry to his high desert devotion. Read...
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Ursula Le Guin, author and desert lover
Ursula Le Guin, author and desert lover, dies at 88 On Monday, January 22, 2018, author Ursula LeGuin died at her home in Portland, Oregon. Le Guin is best known for her widely read and critically acclaimed science fiction novels, including The Left Hand of Darkness and the Earthsea chronicles. In addition to her...
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What Now for Sage-Grouse
Our Efforts to Protect an Imperiled Species Greater sage-grouse, a symbol of the Intermountain West, are in trouble. Despite the clear evidence of the species’ decline the Department of the Interior has signaled that it intends to roll back the vital protections established in the BLM’s 2015 sage-grouse plan. We’re deeply concerned that this...
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High Desert Speaker Series
Curious about the High Desert? ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series Presenters Have Stories and Knowledge To Share Do you know how many officially designated Wild and Scenic Rivers there are in eastern Oregon? Do you know the Ichiskhkiin word for salmon? Attending Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series is a great way to build your high...
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Here’s what you made possible in 2017
2017 has been somewhat akin to being caught on an exposed rocky outcropping in a lightning storm. But like the heavenly smell of sage after a good rain, there’s a silver lining: your commitment to high desert conservation. Thanks to you, it’s been a banner year for the Oregon Natural Desert Association. 438 dedicated...
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2017 Oregon Desert Trail Milestones
ONDA members played a big part in the successes this year on the Oregon Desert Trail! Take a look below at some of the accomplishments this year:
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We asked, you answered: Keep delivering conservation wins
The results of our most recent member survey In early November, we surveyed our members to check in on the work that matters most to you. Nearly 300 of you responded. Thank you! Whether it was in multiple choice questions or the open-ended answers, the prevailing theme was: “keep it up!” Here’s what we...
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