Signs of Spring
By Scott Bowler and Lace Thornberg After months of rejuvenating itself in subtle ways, Oregon’s high desert begins pulsing with undeniable signs of spring’s arrival in March, April and May. Spring’s ‘arrival’ varies widely. By mid-April, a few rounds of wildflowers will have already come and gone along the banks of Whychus Creek, outside...
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Oregon’s High Desert Amid an Outbreak
The sun on our faces, the scent of sagebrush carried by a breeze, a distant call of raptors flying overhead, and the crunch of bare earth below our feet. We feel the pull of Oregon’s wilder side each and every day. And we know that the high desert is calling to many now. If...
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Ten Superlative Volunteers
Oregon’s high desert is a unique place, full of magic and wonder. The same could be said of those people who give their time and attention so generously to its care. Today, we’d like to introduce you to ten conservation heroes you could meet at an ONDA event or on a stewardship trip and...
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Boots, Bikes, Boats Willamette Valley Tour
Recreation meets conservation along the Oregon Desert Trail! Come to one of these talks in the Willamette Valley to get ideas for hiking, biking or boating your way through Oregon’s high desert landscapes.
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2019 Conservationist of the Year
“I knew the forests of Central Oregon really well, but the desert was all new to me. The colors of the landscape and the views … just wow.” –ONDA member Gary Evans Meet Gary Evans, ONDA’s 2019 Conservationist of the Year Like many of us, Gary Evans found out about ONDA through a friend....
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Meet An Owyhee Canyonlands Champ
If you take solace in knowing that wild places like the Owyhee Canyonlands exist, then you’ve benefitted from Corie Harlan’s work at ONDA. You can get to know our Campaign Manager now through this Q&A and come hear her present March 9 in Bend and April 13 in Portland. Take us on a stroll...
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Appreciating Stormy Skies
Maria Mudd Ruth, author of “A Sideways Look at Clouds,” is fascinated by clouds. In this post, she identifies the clouds seen in the stormy skies over Oregon’s high desert. She’ll be presenting “The Remarkable Clouds of Oregon’s Desert” to kick off ONDA’s High Desert Speaker Series for 2020.
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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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