Desert Wilderness Retrospective

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Great Horned Owls and Western Screech Owls

Great Horned Owls and Western Screech Owls

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

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fact

Swallowtail

Swallowtail

The Oregon Swallowtail butterfly is the official state insect of Oregon and a true native of the Pacific Northwest. The Swallowtail can be seen in the lower sagebrush canyons of the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Snake River drainage area.  Source: State Symbols USA

Latin name: Papilio oregonius

Spring Basin Wilderness

Home to rare desert wildflowers and more With 10,000 acres of undulating terrain, secluded canyons and spectacular vantages of the John Day Country, Spring Basin is magnificent to explore. This public treasure, forever protected as designated wilderness, offers a profusion of desert wildflowers in the spring and year-round recreational opportunities for hikers, horseback riders, hunters […]

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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 onto another planet. Within this landscape, you will find […]

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Central Oregon Backcountry

Desert Wilderness Retrospective

By on April 2, 2019 | Posted in: Look Back

A Tale of Two Wilderness Areas: Badlands and Spring Basin On March 30, 2009, President Obama signed a massive public lands package into law, with the Oregon Badlands Wilderness and Spring Basin Wilderness among the many places protected. Besides sharing the same birthday and being located in Oregon’s high desert, the Badlands and Spring...

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Our Take on Sec. Zinke’s Secret Monuments Report

By on September 19, 2017 | Posted in: Deep Dive, In the News

The public finally has access to the Trump administration’s report on the review of 27 national monuments, but only because it was leaked to the press. Astonishingly, Zinke’s memo to the president still fails to provide key details on changes he’s recommending to these jewels of our public lands. Zinke’s report lacks clarity on...

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Getting inspired, getting involved

By on January 12, 2017 | Posted in: Profile

Bend resident Sarah Graham has long cherished the outdoors. But this past year inspired her to become active to help protect public lands, aiming to ensure they continue to belong to all Americans. Here, she shares her story. The story of how my husband and I came to be Bendites is a common tale....

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